I can't even pull a tag for any land anywhere within an hour of me.. so.. If I actually had a tag and had the opportunity. I'd shoot. Not likely to happen any time soon tho'.
Ethics????? I'm with Grizz. I wish we could shoot hens, here (and not just the bearded ones). We have too many of 'em.
Missouri hunters shouldn't worry about shooting a bearded hen. We have the largest turkey population in the US. Taking a few isn't going to damage our population and I think we have entirely too many hens. I understand if you personally don't want to but if/when I see one consider it fair game.
meat is meat aint it? you shoot does whats the difference? i'm a meat hunter 1st trophys come 2nd to me.
Shot a bh three years ago,but here in s.c. our numbers are way down with good populations of birds in some areas but not where I hunt.Not shooting anymore.Thinking about an out of state hunt next year maybe Texas but we'll see.
Trophy status has absolutely nothing to do with anything. And yes, I shoot does. What's the difference? Simple. When I shoot a doe her fawns are old enough to take care of themselves, rather than not. Call me a softie, but I'm not into causing suffering. I don't mind at all killing animals. Don't like em to suffer though. Shoot, I don't even like toss fish up on the bank. And this is where the ethics come in. Everyone has their own, and these are mine. But I don't expect everyone to follow suit, nor do I have a problem with it. It's legal and therefore ok with me if anyone disagrees. Doesn't matter to me. I hunt for me. My way isn't the only way, but it's my way.
I'd shoot one for sure... Spring or Fall if it's legal. There isn't really a difference as far as broods and bird population are concerned whether you shoot one in the fall or in the spring...
Around here, the FARMERS would be elated if we could start shooting a few more hens. I personally don't turkey hunt, but I've been asked by a couple farmers to SHOOT on sight any turkeys that we encounter. I never complied until last year, and really didn't try last year, but I did shoot one this year. Our state is so "greedy," that rather than decrease the price of turkey tags or give away xxxxx tags away, they introduced Timber Rattlers to SE Ohio in efforts to better control the population!!!!! Most farmers would STRONGLY disagree with you Rory, as the turkeys do MORE damage than deer in many crops. At least around here that's how it is.....
I'm gonna have to call a loud BS to the timber rattlers release for controlling the turkey population. That has GOT to be an urban legend.
LOL @ tembry. No, the eggs don't suffer in the least. But they aren't all eggs anymore. There are some poults out there. Population control has nothing to do with this, IMO. Hens aren't legal, but a BEARDED hen is, and for obvious reasons. And shooting hens isn't legal, also for obvious reasons. So I guess the question is, is legal always ethical?
Hens don't stash poults like does do with fawns. If a hen walks by without poults.... she doesn't have any.
I guess what I mean is, since shooting hens isn't legal in the spring, is shooting a bearded bird, that you KNOW is a hen, ethical?
Don, I was thinking about this very post a bit in the blind this morning... Missouri reported 44, 713 total male turkeys killed last spring. Now I know SOME hens were in that total (because of the legality of a bearded hen), and SOME hens were taken in the fall (because archers can take them during whitetail season). But... that's still a LOT of male turkeys eliminated from the general population (let's just say 40,000+...). I don't see anything wrong ETHICALLY from taking hens out of the population after running those numbers.... No wonder all the gobblers get henned up so easily!
If it's legal (and ethical) to shoot a hen in the fall... then it should be just as ethical in the Spring, right?
