Bearded Hen
12-20-2005 | 05:32 AM
#11
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RE: Bearded Hen
Well....Unfortunately the local chapter of Texas Parks and Wildlife was not as nearly curious about this bird as I was!They basically told me it had to be a gobbler if it had spurs, and refuse to look at the bird.
They said it could possibly be a hen but would be rare be nothing to get that excited about.
I will skin the bird today and plan a breast/ fantail mount.
Thanks for all your comments on my listing!!
Big Larry
They said it could possibly be a hen but would be rare be nothing to get that excited about.
I will skin the bird today and plan a breast/ fantail mount.
Thanks for all your comments on my listing!!
Big Larry
12-20-2005 | 06:42 AM
#13
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 99
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From: Geneva, NY, USA
RE: Bearded Hen
If you're basing your sex determination on what types of flocks are present in TX in the fall, I would hesistate to do that. It would be very easy this time of year for a bird to get separated from the flock they were running with, and just hook up with other turkeys for safety. Especially this time of year.
Here in NY we basically have 4 main types of flocks in the fall. Hens with poults, Hens without poults, mature gobblers, and second year jakes that have been run off from their mothers but have yet to join a bachelor group. With that being said, when there's snow on the ground and food is scarce, you'll see a mixed flock in the fields that have food. They may not roost together, like in the spring, but they feed together.
I would believe your bird to be a gobbler from reasons listed here already, spurs, head color, and that fan is just not drab enough to be a hens. That looks like a nice full Eastern bird's fan.
Here in NY we basically have 4 main types of flocks in the fall. Hens with poults, Hens without poults, mature gobblers, and second year jakes that have been run off from their mothers but have yet to join a bachelor group. With that being said, when there's snow on the ground and food is scarce, you'll see a mixed flock in the fields that have food. They may not roost together, like in the spring, but they feed together.
I would believe your bird to be a gobbler from reasons listed here already, spurs, head color, and that fan is just not drab enough to be a hens. That looks like a nice full Eastern bird's fan.
12-20-2005 | 07:31 AM
#14
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RE: Bearded Hen
Thanks for your comments Jason.
We had a professional hunting guide of many years at the ranch when I brought this bird in and he right away said it was a hen and made the statment he had never seen anything in his life such as this. I relayed my story on how I killed this bird and the fact that all the other birds where hens, as I had plenty of time to watch and pick as they where at and around the feed pen for several minutes beofore I chose this bird because of the lengthy beard. Several others in the camp with much more knowledge about wild turkeys and turkey hunting than myself all felt this was a rare bird and infactdeemed the sex a hen.
The day before another hunter had a group of about 20 to 30 gobblers in and around his feed pen and killed two..these gobblers looked nothing like this bird at all!!!!
The pics I listed don't do this bird justice as they make her/him look much darker than he/she really is.I have killed many hens and gobblers over my 31 years of deer hunting and I say again, I am primarally adeer hunt by trait, but this bird definetely looked upon killing it like a hen,and does notlook likeany gobbler I have ever seen or killed!!
I trully appreciate all the comments and congrats on this bird!!
Take care and Merry Chrismas and Happy New Year to everyone!!!
Big Larry
We had a professional hunting guide of many years at the ranch when I brought this bird in and he right away said it was a hen and made the statment he had never seen anything in his life such as this. I relayed my story on how I killed this bird and the fact that all the other birds where hens, as I had plenty of time to watch and pick as they where at and around the feed pen for several minutes beofore I chose this bird because of the lengthy beard. Several others in the camp with much more knowledge about wild turkeys and turkey hunting than myself all felt this was a rare bird and infactdeemed the sex a hen.
The day before another hunter had a group of about 20 to 30 gobblers in and around his feed pen and killed two..these gobblers looked nothing like this bird at all!!!!
The pics I listed don't do this bird justice as they make her/him look much darker than he/she really is.I have killed many hens and gobblers over my 31 years of deer hunting and I say again, I am primarally adeer hunt by trait, but this bird definetely looked upon killing it like a hen,and does notlook likeany gobbler I have ever seen or killed!!
I trully appreciate all the comments and congrats on this bird!!
Take care and Merry Chrismas and Happy New Year to everyone!!!
Big Larry
12-20-2005 | 07:38 AM
#15
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 99
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From: Geneva, NY, USA
RE: Bearded Hen
ORIGINAL: Bigbucksnl
Thanks for your comments Jason.
We had a professional hunting guide of many years at the ranch when I brought this bird in and he right away said it was a hen and made the statment he had never seen anything in his life such as this. I relayed my story on how I killed this bird and the fact that all the other birds where hens, as I had plenty of time to watch and pick as they where at and around the feed pen for several minutes beofore I chose this bird because of the lengthy beard. Several others in the camp with much more knowledge about wild turkeys and turkey hunting than myself all felt this was a rare bird and infact deemed the sex a hen.
The day before another hunter had a group of about 20 to 30 gobblers in and around his feed pen and killed two..these gobblers looked nothing like this bird at all!!!!
The pics I listed don't do this bird justice as they make her/him look much darker than he/she really is. I have killed many hens and gobblers over my 31 years of deer hunting and I say again, I am primarally a deer hunt by trait, but this bird definetely looked upon killing it like a hen, and does not look like any gobbler I have ever seen or killed!!
I trully appreciate all the comments and congrats on this bird!!
Take care and Merry Chrismas and Happy New Year to everyone!!!
Big Larry
Thanks for your comments Jason.
We had a professional hunting guide of many years at the ranch when I brought this bird in and he right away said it was a hen and made the statment he had never seen anything in his life such as this. I relayed my story on how I killed this bird and the fact that all the other birds where hens, as I had plenty of time to watch and pick as they where at and around the feed pen for several minutes beofore I chose this bird because of the lengthy beard. Several others in the camp with much more knowledge about wild turkeys and turkey hunting than myself all felt this was a rare bird and infact deemed the sex a hen.
The day before another hunter had a group of about 20 to 30 gobblers in and around his feed pen and killed two..these gobblers looked nothing like this bird at all!!!!
The pics I listed don't do this bird justice as they make her/him look much darker than he/she really is. I have killed many hens and gobblers over my 31 years of deer hunting and I say again, I am primarally a deer hunt by trait, but this bird definetely looked upon killing it like a hen, and does not look like any gobbler I have ever seen or killed!!
I trully appreciate all the comments and congrats on this bird!!
Take care and Merry Chrismas and Happy New Year to everyone!!!
Big Larry
That's almost like the 14 point doe killled in Iowa shown in the Deer Hunting forum.
What the heck is going on out there?!?!
