Fall turkeys

How many of you would shoot a hen during the fall season? and what do you think about it?

I would shoot hens all day. I think the fall season should be beardless birds only. It’s the only way to control the hen population

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I would shoot hens all day. I think the fall season should be beardless birds only. It’s the only way to control the hen population

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Exactly, if everyone shoots toms the population will sky rocket! I shoot the first thing that walks by me in the fall.

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I would shoot hens all day. I think the fall season should be beardless birds only. It’s the only way to control the hen population

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exactly!

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I would shoot hens all day. I think the fall season should be beardless birds only. It’s the only way to control the hen population

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Amen to that.

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How many of you would shoot a hen during the fall season? and what do you think about it?

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Depends on your area/zone. Legally and biologically speaking, wildlife officials know that most hunters prize a tom/jake above a hen, and the take will be skewed in that direction even if taking either sex is legal.

Esp. near the edges of their north and westward expansion in MN, the potential is there to do some damage when taking an older/experienced brood hen. These are birds that know the area and typically nest more successfully than younger birds.

Lovett Williams, a well-noted authority and expert on the biology of the wild turkey, recommends taking a jake in the fall. Biologically speaking, jake mortality from year 1-2 is nearly 50%, meaning that these birds would likely suffer the same fate regardless. The flip side of that coin is that 100% of all jakes you kill in the fall will not be longbeards the following year.

I personally worry in some parts of the SE I hunt about taking another tom in the fall. For me, the thrill of a well-executed spring hunt rivals no other kind of hunting I’ve tried. I’d rather have the opportunity to take that bird by calling him in. If I wanted to kill him ambush-only style, I’ll just hunt deer. Those towering gray old hens I’ll try to pass on, in exchange for taking a younger/tastier bird. The one exception I make is if I’m in an area typically flush with gobblers (not just the fall/winter flocks but all year), and one presents himself, I have no problem taking him.

It’s all about personal philosophy, and there doesn’t seem to be a true right/wrong answer.

Joel

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I would shoot hens all day. I think the fall season should be beardless birds only. It’s the only way to control the hen population

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–Are you shooting does oops hens 4 hens OR are you growing racks–i mean beards for spring? —rrr

I would for sure shoot a hen because i would rather be deer or goose hunting so i always seem to shoot the first one that comes by during the fall, this year might be different because were i am we have a 30 day season so idk wat ill do yet. my buddy shot a hen this morning, and i hit one but never got it and was a hen, so i will most likley shoot a hen and there are many reasons that i think fall should be only beardless too.