Although perfectly legal here in NY...if it was during the spring season I'd definately let her go. I would much rather fill my tag on a big longbeard that a bearded hen any day. I have seen plently of bearded hens around my hunting area here in NY and know of a number of people (including 3 family members) who have shot one...they're really not that big of deal to me. I actually have passed up bearded hens twice during the spring (including the one that I've been watching this year). I'd rather let her have her poults so there will be more longbeards around in a couple of years. On the other hand, once the fall season gets here...I'd hammer her without thinking twice about it...unless there was a nice gobbler standing next to her. During the fall of 2002 I was hunting with a buddy of mine and he shot a small hen that had a really nice 8.25" beard. One things for sure...I've never seen a hen that has as thick of a beard as the one at the beginning of the post.