How common do you think Bearded hens are?

[Gooserbat]

I've seen several.  But they ain't common when you want a hen bone call.

[Dr Juice]

I saw my first one twice last year and I have been hunting over 30-years. Pretty cool sighting for sure.

[Turk1]

The majority of the Turkey articles that I have read over the the last 30 years
state that a hen population is about 10-12% of the turkey flock.

I live in Erie, Pa and with respect to Fall turkey hunting in nearby New York; I have
been blessed to have killed 3 hens that had beards that measured
5", 7 1/4" and 8 1/2 " respectively. 

I would like to mention two interesting coincidences, 2 of the birds were killed 70 yards apart and the
other bird was shot about 250 yards from the nearest dead bird. Plus, as a crow flies, they were in a direct line of each other from North to South.

Therefore, the point I am trying to make is that I believe that genetics may influence a larger population of bearded hens in a given population of turkeys.  Additionally, as long as you are in the turkey woods, anything can happen and I mean anything!

[bbcoach]

I see 1-2 every year.  Even though they are legal, I give them a pass.  I'll eat tag soup before I'll kill one.

[tanna114]

I have about 4 different farms to hunt, all within 10 miles or so of each other here in Illinois and have only seen bearded hens on one of the farms.


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[GobbleNut]

Totally based on genetics,....just like multi-bearded gobblers, color phases, etc.,...all based on the random combination of genes between the parents. 

Here in the Merriam's country of south-central NM , I would say with some level of confidence,...having looked over a few thousand hens over the years,...that the percentage of bearded hens runs around 3-5%.  Then again, 100 miles away in the northern part of the mountain range, the percentage could be totally different. 

To quote a fool I know,..."I have heard some people say 'it is what it is'".   

[NorfolkHunter]

I have ran across bearded hens a few times here in Ontario. On a hunt in Nebraska in 2015 I had these 3 hens bring in my first out of Province bird. 2 of the hens were bearded ladies. The video is below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYEsyqhcZyA

[1iagobblergetter]

I've only seen one in all the years hunting my area.