Just for fun
 

I passed on this legal turkey! Already have one on the wall.....but I bet that beard is at least over 9 inches!



JW

Well done JW not many would pass that big guy up
GE

Hey GE - we got to tell everyone that is a HEN!


It is a bearded Hen and is why I passed on it.......


Sorry should have been more explicit.....dang it..

JW

Just saw one of those yesterday driving by my hunting property. Big body too.

Your starting to see the fun in taking action pictures while you enjoy the outdoors. Thats great and fun to follow such pictures as we all tend to hunt a little different style.

I'll have my cam when I start with turkeys, took lots of photo while coyote hunting this winter too...

Seen my first ever on the side of the road last yr and seen one with a beard almost as long as that one just the other day. Really getting into the camera thing also, took a lot last yr and now i always take it when scouting. Had it right beside me when i seen the bearded hen, just didn't think of it in time.
I do have a question tho, Why do people shoot bearded hens? Simply because its legal and they can? Just something unique and different? Just curious cause the turkey numbers are way down in my area and i wouldn't even consider shooting a hen for any reason. Or is it that a bearded hen is unable to reproduce? obviously they got some male hormone thing or something going on, thats why the beard? Anybody know?
Not trying to knock anyone who would shoot one, those who rarely get a chance at any turkey or those in an area with a real healthy population of birds i could see doing it.
Just curious.

Nice Bird,great restraint.

It has been reported = see beareded hens better cahcne for Multiple bearded toms....

And to answer why someone would shoot one? Well according to some State DNR regs they are legal as it states One Bearded Turkey. Clearly the beard is seen. Some hunters don't know the difference between a hen or tom and just see the beard.
For me, the one I shot - it was my 20th yr hunting with the guy I started with sitting right next to me and this hen was a great challenge. She sports my wall now forever.
So each to their own and like I posted I won't take another. That picuture was the 5th I have seen while hunting and then the very next day I saw my 6th....
JW

I see nothing wrong if someone wants to take a legal bearded hen. I took one a few years ago in Tenn. I probably wouldn't shoot another since I have taken one though. JW, that one has a rope for a hen. I carry my video camera with me just about everytime I go, so I film way more turkeys than I kill.

Great encounter, I have never seen a bearded hen