Smallest turkey beard you've seen or shot?

[allan]

I passed on a turkey that was struttin an gobblin his head of this morning. No beard that I could be definite about. What's the smallest bearded turkey you've taken or seen. Is there a size limit on the beard length before he's legal?

[Brez]

We got one that was about 4 cm 9just under 2 inches - smallest I've seen so far

[huntwriter]

Is there a size limit on the beard length before he's legal?

No beard size limit. Some toms have small beards others have long beards. The beard is not a conclusive sign of age, although immature (jakes) birds have generally small "stubble" beards, older toms can have small beards too. The legal stipulations pertain only to the gender of the bird. In the spring it's only legal to take a male, whereas in the fall it's legal to kill a male or a female.

The only visible difference between a mature tom and jake (juvenile) is the fan. A mature gobbler has a round fan with all the feathers equal in length. On the jake's fan the three middle featers are sticking out above the rest of the fan.

[Bobfl]

just look for a featherless penus head. If your unsure pull your pants down

[bogtrotter]

Yesterday we called in a jake to within 15 yds of us. He was clucking away at our decoys and the caller like a maniac - "When are you girls going to show some life " I imagine he said. He didn't have a beard at all though there was a tuft of "hair-like " stuff on his chest. Both of us could have shot him but we thought "legal" was a distinct clump of long stringy hairs like the other toms we've shot. We both passed on shooting . Later we looked at the regs and realized he was probably legal. Scrawny but legal. Live and learn - it was a beautiful day in the East Kootenays.

[allan]

No beard size limit. Some toms have small beards others have long beards. The beard is not a conclusive sign of age, although immature (jakes) birds have generally small "stubble" beards, older toms can have small beards too. The legal stipulations pertain only to the gender of the bird. In the spring it's only legal to take a male, whereas in the fall it's legal to kill a male or a female.

.
So your saying I could have taken the turkey even if i could not see a definate beard? Because he was a male?!

[rocksteady]

So your saying I could have taken the turkey even if i could not see a definate beard? Because he was a male?!

Absolutely NOT!! Look at the regs. I have region 4 on my desk and it says April 15 to May 15 "BEARDED", it does not say "male" or "hen" or whatever... If it does not have a beard you can not shoot it.... I hear it is fairly common for hens to grow beards too (no Portugese jokes :) )

[rocksteady]

The legal stipulations pertain only to the gender of the bird. In the spring it's only legal to take a male, whereas in the fall it's legal to kill a male or a female.

.

Please guide me to where it states that "legal stipulation" in the regs Huntwriter

[boscheefish]

No beard size limit. Some toms have small beards others have long beards. The beard is not a conclusive sign of age, although immature (jakes) birds have generally small "stubble" beards, older toms can have small beards too. The legal stipulations pertain only to the gender of the bird. In the spring it's only legal to take a male, whereas in the fall it's legal to kill a male or a female.

The only visible difference between a mature tom and jake (juvenile) is the fan. A mature gobbler has a round fan with all the feathers equal in length. On the jake's fan the three middle featers are sticking out above the rest of the fan.

I was reading an acticle that said 10% of hens also have beards, ( also saw it on a hunting show ) can anyone confirm this? And if so does that mean she can be harvested if a beard was present?

[rocksteady]

boscheefish...What do the regs say? "BEARDED"...If its got a beard, shoot it...Thats all you need to know...After its dead, start searching for its genitalia, lemme tell you, its even hard to find on a dead bird...

[boscheefish]

Thats what i thought, the bearded section makes sense, so my next question is how many of you have seen bearded hens?

[allan]

Absolutely NOT!! Look at the regs. I have region 4 on my desk and it says April 15 to May 15 "BEARDED", it does not say "male" or "hen" or whatever... If it does not have a beard you can not shoot it.... I hear it is fairly common for hens to grow beards too (no Portugese jokes :) )

Thats why I didnt shoot the darn thing.

[GoatGuy]

Absolutely NOT!! Look at the regs. I have region 4 on my desk and it says April 15 to May 15 "BEARDED", it does not say "male" or "hen" or whatever... If it does not have a beard you can not shoot it.... I hear it is fairly common for hens to grow beards too (no Portugese jokes :) )

Ok no Portuguese jokes.

What do you call 4 southern European women in a hot tub?





Gorillas in the midst.

[SHAKER]

Ok no Portuguese jokes.

What do you call 4 southern European women in a hot tub?





Gorillas in the midst.


Now thats funny!

[mark]

No beard size limit. Some toms have small beards others have long beards. The beard is not a conclusive sign of age, although immature (jakes) birds have generally small "stubble" beards, older toms can have small beards too. The legal stipulations pertain only to the gender of the bird. In the spring it's only legal to take a male, whereas in the fall it's legal to kill a male or a female.

The only visible difference between a mature tom and jake (juvenile) is the fan. A mature gobbler has a round fan with all the feathers equal in length. On the jake's fan the three middle featers are sticking out above the rest of the fan.

Wrong!
Like Rocky said, there is no stipulation to gender, just bearded, thats all that matters in the regs!
Ive seen bearded Hens, Ive heard they are as common as 1 in 5.

[SHAKER]

Point being if you required to only harvest a bearded bird then a red jelly bobble head'd thunder f"r is all you need...ie " if it's red it's dead" saying. If your look'n for big o'l boy then Bino's aint going to help ya unless your snipe'n with a .17.... not that theirs anything wrong with that. You'll know a big o'l boy when you see one and I don't notice the beard right away, when you see one you'll know. Them little guys??? well almost any turkeys a trophy in it's own right and them Jakie birds are great table fare and if thats all your look'n for then shoot one with first one your see with a bright red head. Hopefully if your on Brambles team LOL.

[3mk]

i wonder how some of you guys even have a hunting licence . you need to be able to read dont you