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A Hen with a Beard???
#5732964
05/07/15 02:23 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,326
gaharris
OP
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OP
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Posts: 3,326 |
Looking for another opinion, I have seen this bird several times on my ranch and at first I thought it was a jake but it's beard is about 6-7" long and that is pretty big for a young immature tom and it has no spurs. Then, after seeing it several more times thru my spotting scope I decided it had to be a hen with a beard. I have seen hen's with beards before but never one with a fairly long beard, most of the time if they have one it's short or just a few strands. Looking for your thouhgts. Here are three photos in succession I took of it walking by the feeder last night. Please tell me what you think. I have a lot of big toms and quite a few jakes running around and they all look like tom's but this bird does not look like a tom to me.
Gary Harris Quality Floors Gary@qualityfloorsoftexas.com
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5732988
05/07/15 02:38 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 357
GunsUpHunter
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 357 |
Looks like a jake.... or a hen. I can't tell much through the pictures. I don't see a beard, but I take your word it's there.
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5733116
05/07/15 04:15 PM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,383
nsmike
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,383 |
I don't know about turkeys, but does when they grow antlers they are almost always pretty small, but there are exceptions. That very well could be an exceptional hen.
for every stereotype there's a prototype don't be the prototype
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5733382
05/07/15 07:22 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,236
Gamblinman
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,236 |
bearded hen. Let her walk...she'll produce more gobblers in her lifetime. Areas that have bearded hens typically have more multi bearded gobblers, and vice-versa.
Gman
" I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt turkeys because I have to."
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5733391
05/07/15 07:31 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 388
OffCoor1
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 388 |
Very interesting, Gman. I've never heard that before....makes sense, though.
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5733604
05/07/15 10:09 PM
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 506
BandOfBrotherOTX
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 506 |
Bearded hen, we saw one last Sunday. I agree with Gman, better to let hens live...
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5734278
05/08/15 05:29 AM
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 17,721
Txduckman
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 17,721 |
Why is it not a jake? Head looks like a jake possibly. Maybe a weird hatch but doesn't look like a hen to me.
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5734296
05/08/15 08:12 AM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,236
Gamblinman
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,236 |
Too much grey in the head and the body to be a jake. A jakes head would have more red and body would have more of a black hue to it.
Gman
" I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt turkeys because I have to."
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5734303
05/08/15 09:29 AM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,493
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,493 |
Bearded hen. Over the years I have killed one and let several others walk one of which had 3 small beards and another that had what looked like at least an 8 inch beard but it was about as thick as a pencil.
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: A Hen with a Beard???
[Re: gaharris]
#5734633
05/08/15 02:55 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,326
gaharris
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OP
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Posts: 3,326 |
Pictures thru a spotting scope are always iffy, and the quality gets even worse using a cell phone. The beard does not show up nearly as good in the photos as in real time. The beard is about 6-7" long and reasonably heavy compared to many of extra or multiple type beards you often find on birds. I am pretty sure it is a hen as its head is so grey and the body looks just like all the other hens she is running with. The toms are so much darker and almost shine or glisten in the sunshine. I have no intentions of shooting her, is really cool to just to see and watch her and I have no idea if she will throw any multi beard offspring but can only hope.
Gary Harris Quality Floors Gary@qualityfloorsoftexas.com
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