Bearded hens/Do you shoot or not?

[derek]

Nope.  Just seems, counter-productive???  I've had a few chances on em in the spring as well but always let em go.  My first fall bird was a hen, and that was cool.. but I won't do that again either.  It just wasn't the same feeling as stepping on a gobblers head. 

[RutnNStrutn]

I've never shot one, but like all other decisions in hunting, my opinion is this: if its legal, and ethical, and you want to do it, and it makes you happy, then have at it!

[Gobble!]

No. I have no desire to shoot a hen or jake for that matter.

Plus if you dont shoot them when they get breed all gthe baby gobblers will have double beards. I mean one beard on a hen plus one beard on the gobbler equals two right? 

[West Augusta]

I don't shoot jakes or hens. 

[Tommy Strutsalot]

Absolutely not.  I don't turkey hunt in the fall, and there's absolutely no way I'm shooting one in the spring.  Ever. 

Shoot, I try not to shoot hen mallards and wood ducks I'm definitely not shooting a hen turkey I don't care what kinda rope she's rockin. 

I had a buddy out one time and he asked me if he could shoot a bearded hen that we had in our setup.  I told him he can but he'll have to wait 10-12 years til he's allowed to hunt again because that's how many turkeys he will have killed if he shoots that hen. 

[Jay]

Just looking for your thoughts on this subject:
I myself won't shoot one even though it's legal nor do i throw lead at jakes. Heck, i want a show most of all. Turkey in the freezer is only icing on the cake.
I've been told that bearded hens are some of the best mothers do to the slight testosterone imballance. Those bearded hens are also sitting now too. By no means am I rediculing anyone for doing so.

Nope, passed on quite a few of them, as well as Jakes.

[strutnrut]

I killed one this year. Where I hunt there are way to many hens and this area doesn't get opened for a fall hunt very much. Way to many hens. We started the fall and winter season due to having way to many hens. Some won't agree and that is your opinion. A lot of people won't shoot a doe or hen at all but I feel that to have a good flock or herd you must have balance. I love to fall hunt and I don't take many fall gobblers because I like chasing them in the spring and if I killed all of the fall gobblers that I can legally kill during the fall hunt. The spring only hunters would whine about that and put an end to fall hunting and we will be over run by hens and have deseases popping up. During our winter season we can only shoot non bearded birds because they need thinned out due to over population. I think it only depends on how many bird you have and how many birds the area can support. I hunt on Fort Campbell, Ky and have seen over 300 birds in one cut cornfield and have seen 100 + in some areas many times during the winter. Due to the lack of hunting in some of these area and the limit on how many can safely hunt at one time on those limited amount of days. You do what you can when you can. If you think it is easy to call in and kill fall turkey on their terms. You should try it. I ain't taking about setting in a tree stand and shot one when it walks by your feeder nor hunting out of a blind on a cut cornfield, I'm talking about finding then ad calling them in on their terms. Try it sometime and you will come away with a great feeling of satifaction and will be a much better caller, you have to be a good caller and woodsman because you ain't chasing a love sick gobbler that has lost all of his senses due to nature and sits on a limb telling you where he is at so you can sneak to with a few yards of him, while strutting into your decoys while you sit in a blind. Bottom line opinion vary.

[surehuntsalot]

No  no hens taken at any time spring or fall

[guesswho]

I see bearded hens pretty regular and killed one several years ago that had a nine inch beard.   So far the population there is holding it's own.   Some states kill'em in the fall and still have huntable populations.  So I'm not sure how much the killing of hens impact the population.  I have no plans on shooting any in the future.  But if I change my mind and it's legal, I hate it for her.

[WNY Bowhunter]

Bearded hens are pretty common out here.  I have killed two myself...one in the fall and another in the spring.  The spring hen was a matter of revenge as this particular bearded lady had screwed me up twice earlier in the season.  Typically, I wouldn't even consider wasting a tag on her, but...it was the last hunt of the season...it was about to start pouring...the longbeard I thought I had roosted pulled a no show...and she came in with an attitude and started mauling my deke.  I had no choice but to level her... .  I definitely wouldn't shoot another one in the spring...

[nyturkeyhunter]

I will not shoot a bearded hen in the spring. I would probably shoot one in the fall if I had not had any luck in the early part of the season. They are legal to shoot in NY during the spring. It's just not for me.

[jblackburn]

I want to shoot one that has a nice beard for a mount, then I would be done.

[Woodsman4God]

I have heard a couple of people speculate that bearded hens have a tendency to give birth to multi bearded Toms, not sure if there is any truth to that however if it were true I wouldnt want to shoot one so I'd have a better chance at a multi bearded Tom.
Besides its only allowed here in the fall and my deer hunting area is closed except on private land and I hunt public so I dont typically get the tag so its not a problem here

[renegade19]

I might in the fall with my bow.  Maybe.

[Neill_Prater]

I am always amused by those who say, "we have too many hens", when what they are really saying is, "it is tougher to kill a gobbler because there are so many hens". That, to me, is just part of the game. If it weren't, then one might as well just shoot them off the roost.