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Beared Hens ?

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Youngbuck

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how many of you have shot bearded hens and how many have you shot? My dad got his second bearded hen this fall the last one was 2 years ago.just trying to see how rare a bearded hen is.
 
I've seen tons of bearded hens but have never shot one. I don't think they're as rare as some people think they are. In my own experiences the bearded hens are older and always seem to see me or figure my set up out!
 
I shot one in Wisconsin about 7 years ago and since then I have seen a hand full of them. Mine also had an 8.5" beard. Not a full thick one like a tom but just a pencil thin one.

I read somewhere too that it was some where in the 4% range of all hens are bearded. So if you have seen one or shot one it is pretty rare still.
 
I saw my first beared hen last spring. Ended up shooting the nice tom that came from behind her! Good luck and good hunting!

-GunnerJon
 
I believe it is Genetic too. I have seen this as well with Multiple Bearded toms as well. Near my brothers house we have allot of multiple bearded birds, he has shot 3 him self and then out on our farm (15miles) away we have never shot one. An with the bearded hens, I have seen all of mine within a few miles of our farm and never up by my brothers. So I would agree that genetics is a pretty good factor.
 
I have been seeing a flock of 12 hens lately on the way home from work and there is one hen that has a paint brush beard and probually 10 inches long.This is the only one i have ever seen I have heard of them but never saw one dought I would shoot it though thats just 4 or 5 dumb jakes I could shoot at next year.
 
I shot a long bearded hen about 12 years ago near Lake Darling. It was an 8" or 9" beard, but pretty thin. I have seen bearded hens since then, approximately 1 every 2-3 years. I had one stick its' head right in my blind about 5 years ago, but I have passed on them even though they are legal.

About 7-9 years ago I used to see one almost every time out, but I think it was the same bird. She had a long, thin beard too.
 
I hunted in Arkansas 3 year's ago and shot a beared hen that I swore was a tom.She had a 9 1/2" beard on her and there was no curve in the beard at all!
 
A now of a friend who has shot 2 bearded hens. Both were in the same areas, so I'm guessing it may be genetic. I have seen probably 3 or 4 over the years.
 
Another thing, I don't think I would shoot one again either. When I cleaned her out, she had 4 eggs in her already. They were pretty hard already too.

Anyone else have eggs in their hen?

I now think it is pretty cool that they are out there, makes the hunt that much more enjoyable.

Have a good season everyone, WI starts next Wed. When do the residents down there start? Is it next Monday or the following?
 
OLETOM-
We have shot two bearded hens in the past three years on our property in Wisconsin. The one hen did have eggs in her.
 
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