Bearded Hen Biology

[Hotspotter]

The bearded hen we've been seeing got some wheels turning....so I just got off the phone with Sharon Goetz, a wild turkey biologist for the MN DNR. She works with Dick Kimmel, a very well known turkey biologist nationally, and they combined their collective knowledge to answer a few questions. I've paraphrased them below:

Q - How common is a bearded hen?

A - Less than 1% to 29% of the population of hen turkeys (not the total population). Certain studies in Virginia and elsewhere note the higher incidence, which could be regional. Dick Kimmel mentioned that somewhat of a standard thought is that bearded hens make up around 10% of the population of hen turkeys. Minnesota spring turkey hunting results suggest that less than 1% of hens have beards. These results could be skewed do to the voluntary nature of the data, as well as hunting methods used to "call-in" toms vs. hens.

Q - Is the beard on a hen a genetic trait?

A - There is no literature to support that the trait is genetic. Hens bred in captivity are reported to have a higher incidence of beards anecdotally, but this could be due to easier observation. Both males and females have the same ability grow beards, as physiologically they both have the same anatomy in regards to beard growth. Testosterone appears to have little/no affect on beard growth, as castrated toms will still grow a beard.

There has been reports of this phenomenon being regional, but there are no conclusive data to show this trait as being genetic.

Q - Why is it legal to take a bearded hen in MN?

A - It's mostly an enforcement issue, and to help clear up some confusion or misidentification of the males/females while people are hunting.

Q - Is there a biological reason to pass on a bearded hen?

A - Anytime you take a hen turkey in the spring, you're limiting the population from growing another brood, and future broods. However, because the incidence of bearded hens is so small, and the actual harvest of one is even smaller, there is not much biological impact due to the regulation allowing people to take bearded hens.

Q - Would you consider taking a bearded hen to be unethical?

A - That would be a judgement call each hunter would have to make a decision for on their own.

Sharon was a great help in answering my questions, though she admitted that actual information on bearded hens is quite limited.

Sharon, like many of the DNR biologists I've spoken to over the years, was incredibly helpful. I'd encourage everyone to make use of these people, as they tend to be highly knowledgeable, and very willing to answer questions. I think people forget in MN how lucky we are to have such strong leads in agencies like the DNR, BWSR, and USFWS.

Joel

[Ray Esboldt]

Joel,

That's some great information. Thanks for going out and getting that for us.

I believe I would hold off on a bearded hen. I'm not into stuffing birds, so I can't think of a reason to kill a mom. However, I still stand firm on my jake position. If it's the last day of a hunt and there's a good tom population around (you planted that seed Joel), I'm going to take a jake. I like eating these birds almost as much as I like hunting them.

[Hotspotter]

Right on Ray. I love eating the things too. And I think if it comes down to it, I'd do the same.

One of the things I absolutely love about turkey hunting....just one....is that a longbeard is a longbeard is a longbeard. Not completely, but there's no way I'd pass on one adult tom to try and shoot a "bigger" one. This isn't true with whitetail hunting, which I also enjoy, but it keeps the "I shot a 170's class and you only shot a 120's class" mentality out of the sport.

End-around-to-my-point would be to enjoy the sport rather than focusing on beard/spur length and weight. Some of the best memories I have in the turkey woods are of gaggles of 4, 5, and sometimes 6 jakes running around gobbling at the calling.

If there's a poor tom population in your area, or if you're on one of the first days of your hunt, you could stand to pass on a jake IMO. That bird is next year's adult tom that we all love to hunt. But by all means, I'll be shooting for any legal bird the last day of my hunt! It's too much fun, and the meat is too darned good to do otherwise IMO.

Joel