# How rare are bearded hens?



## aquanator

Having passed up a hen with a nice 8" - 9" (est) beard yesterday, which I've got some great video footage of, I'm wondering how rare is it for hens to grow respectable beards like that?


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## bigmoekilla

They are kinda rare, but not unheard of


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## Ieatantlers

Here are your answers and more. About 10%, but seeing a respectable 8 inch beard is pretty rare. I passed one up on the opener too, also about 8", but at some point I will take one.

http://www.panwtf.org/weird_beards.php


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## Super Yooper

I've seen 4 different bearded hens this spring so far, one of them yesterday while traveling to the next spot. Longest beard was probably 5 inches of so. Its getting to be pretty common in my neck of the woods.


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## aquanator

Wife & I watched the video footage I filmed of that hen, and her beard is about half the thickness of a mature tom, but the length is awesome - easily over 9" and probably a solid 10" beard. If she comes by again the story might end differently....


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## jem44357

Hi,

I'm kinda new to the forum but thought I'd post up in this thread. In 93 I shot a bearded hen with a 9" beard. I did not get it mounted. I researched and at the time IIRC the stats (I think it was a national average and do not remember the year it was published) were .7% of the hen population were bearded. I was bummed I did not get it mounted. I proceeded to take my share of +20lb Tom's with thick 10-11 inch beards and 3/4-1 1/4 inch spurs always wishing one would have been my trophy hen. Well in 2007 I got my wish and took another bearded hen a bit over 14 lbs 9" beard and no spurs and had it mounted you can see the pic in my signature. BTW they were both full of eggs.

A bit of research shows Texas in 68 at 10% and 2008 NewHamshire up to 10%

Jim


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## old graybeard

I have only seen one in all the years that I have hunted turkeys. She had a 9" beard, I shot her and had her mounted along with a Tom.


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## ezcaller

The ten percent of hens with beards seems to be the common number and anything over seven inches in a hen seems to be uncommon from the articles I had read.We hunt area E and see bearded hens quite often. My son shot a bearded hen years ago that also had eggs and it was kind of bitter sweet knowing that he might of took out some birds of the future. Although there sure seems to be enough birds, that taking an occassional hen is not going to hurt the population .


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## TSS Caddis

Had this one walk by the other spring.


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## DEDGOOSE

They are very common around here.. I probably know the whereabouts of 8-10 each spring.. They get a pass from me..


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## Critter

We have a lot of them too. I have debated taking one but the lure of a giant gobbler always makes me change my mind.


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## KLR

I whacked one a few years ago. 

We'd watched her for 3 years and had never seen her raise a litter or even spend time on a nest...so she bought it.


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## Ack

Not rare around the tri-cities....I see several around the area every year.


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## jem44357

jem44357 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm kinda new to the forum but thought I'd post up in this thread. In 93 I shot a bearded hen with a 9" beard. I did not get it mounted. I researched and at the time IIRC the stats (I think it was a national average and do not remember the year it was published) were *.7% of the* *hen population were bearded (this should have read .7% of the population were beared hens) I beleive it was old data*. I was bummed I did not get it mounted. I proceeded to take my share of +20lb Tom's with thick 10-11 inch beards and 3/4-1 1/4 inch spurs always wishing one would have been my trophy hen. Well in 2007 I got my wish and took another bearded hen a bit over 14 lbs 9" beard and no spurs and had it mounted you can see the pic in my signature. BTW they were both full of eggs.
> 
> A bit of research shows Texas in 68 at 10% and 2008 NewHamshire up to 10%
> 
> Jim


After I re-read this I decided it needed to be fixed.


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## jem44357

OK, so looking at the impact of taking bearded hens on the overall population. 

The average life expectancy of a wild turkey taken from different sources is 1.5-1.6 years, which seems low to me, and 2-3 years. I have seen statements of all the way out to 13, which is very rare. So lets just say 2 years. Average eggs laid, based on different sources stating anywhere from 8-10 and 14-17. Lets say 12. So you get 24-36 eggs. Lets use 30. 

Now look at the male. Assuming he will not bread his first year and an annual Hiram of 4-6 hens and picking up a few as they pass thru his range maybe he breeds 7. Same average age of 2 years you get 14 hens bred. Now 14 hens by 30 eggs is 420 eggs.

Out of a 2 year period 1 hen = 30 eggs while 1 tom = 420 eggs ????

This seems way whacked. I guess it is because I'm just using straight math and not statistical calculations. Also I'm guessing there are other factors to include in this. At first glance it looks like we are decimating the population by taking toms. Maybe it is this midnight shift jet lag that has me seeing it all wrong.

Jim


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## KLR

jem44357 said:


> OK, so looking at the impact of taking bearded hens on the overall population.
> 
> The average life expectancy of a wild turkey taken from different sources is 1.5-1.6 years, which seems low to me, and 2-3 years. I have seen statements of all the way out to 13, which is very rare. So lets just say 2 years. Average eggs laid, based on different sources stating anywhere from 8-10 and 14-17. Lets say 12. So you get 24-36 eggs. Lets use 30.
> 
> Now look at the male. Assuming he will not bread his first year and an annual Hiram of 4-6 hens and picking up a few as they pass thru his range maybe he breeds 7. Same average age of 2 years you get 14 hens bred. Now 14 hens by 30 eggs is 420 eggs.
> 
> Out of a 2 year period 1 hen = 30 eggs while 1 tom = 420 eggs ????
> 
> This seems way whacked. I guess it is because I'm just using straight math and not statistical calculations. Also I'm guessing there are other factors to include in this. At first glance it looks like we are decimating the population by taking toms. Maybe it is this midnight shift jet lag that has me seeing it all wrong.
> 
> Jim


 
Get some sleep. 

What you are failing to take into account is that if you whack a tom, another one will take his place - it isn't as if those hens will go unloved.


The logic is the same regardless if you are talking about raising or protecting the population (1 hen mallard/day, hen pheasants/closed season) or reducing the population (liberal doe tags, extended anterless seasons). Kill enough females and it will negatively impact the population.


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## jem44357

KLR,

Sorry to ruffle your feathers... pun intended 

I guess what I was trying to accomplish in a very over analyzed over worded way was to acquire some documented data with a scientific base which I have not been able to find in my searches. It seems most hunters base there decision on some personal ethical dilemma. What I do take into account is the fact that the DNR and wildlife biologist communities have much more data to base their decisions on which I do not have. They have decided it is in good sound management to take the females of certain species which I hunt. Based on that I have no issues with taking them.

Take Care
Jim


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## VA Boy

My buddy shot one last spring. Had about 4" beard. Nicknamed her "Lady Gaga."


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## KLR

jem44357 said:


> KLR,
> 
> Sorry to ruffle your feathers... pun intended
> 
> I guess what I was trying to accomplish in a very over analyzed over worded way was to acquire some documented data with a scientific base which I have not been able to find in my searches. It seems most hunters base there decision on some personal ethical dilemma. What I do take into account is the fact that the DNR and wildlife biologist communities have much more data to base their decisions on which I do not have. They have decided it is in good sound management to take the females of certain species which I hunt. Based on that I have no issues with taking them.
> 
> Take Care
> Jim


No feathers ruffled here - I've whacked a bearded hen before too.
Just making the point that when you want to raise a population, you protect the females and that the opposite is true when you want to lower it.

I have no ethical dilemas about shooting females -if it's legal and the mood strikes...


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## jem44357

KLR,

Based on your sig here ya go . Glad to get it cleared up. It is never my intention to bring discourse to any group. Particularly to the veterans of a particular activity I participate in. They most likely have valuable information for myself and others. My currant quest for the one will be to bag a white tom.

Good luck in your hunting adventures!
Jim


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