Didnt realize there was a change

[megalomaniac]

Was forever the rule a legal turkey had to have a 3in beard.

Now there's a 1 jake rule and a list of characteristics that define a legal bird. All good, such as ONE of the following... a 6 in beard, full barring to wing tips, 1/2 in spurs, and full fan.

But the regs DON'T say it has to be a male.

So I can kill 2 hens annually as my limit legally? They have full fans and have barring to the wing tips?

Maybe the regs should specify 'male' turkeys only??? Otherwise 2 hens are legal in TN spring season.

 

[@fulldraw]

Two hens if they are bearded. All legal birds have to have beards. Only one can be juvenile.

 

[megalomaniac]

Two hens if they are bearded. All legal birds have to have beards. Only one can be juvenile.

I can shoot 2 juvenile jennies if 'bearded'.

 

[@fulldraw]

I can shoot 2 juvenile jennies if 'bearded'.

It's always been that way. Seems they are just trying to save juvenile males.

 

[megalomaniac]

But I can't shoot an old tom with 1.5in spurs, full fan, full barring of wings with beard rot and no beard?

 

[megalomaniac]

It's always been that way. Seems they are just trying to save juvenile males.

Why even define 'adult gobbler' in the regs? If all those defining characteristics are irrelevant? (Beard is THE defining characteristics of a legal bird).

 

[@fulldraw]

But I can't shoot an old tom with 1.5in spurs, full fan, full barring of wings with beard rot and no beard?

Hasn't it always been visible beard?

 

[megalomaniac]

Hasn't it always been visible beard?

Yup. Much to my chagrin, TWRA has always defined a -legal' bird as one with a 3 in beard, irrespective of sex or age.

For some reason, they have chosed to specify all the characteristics defining an adult male in the regs, yet those characteristics are irrelevant to whether the bird is legal to harvest or not. Seems it's still 'bearded' irrespective of sex or age.

 

[@fulldraw]

Yup. Much to my chagrin, TWRA has always defined a -legal' bird as one with a 3 in beard, irrespective of sex or age.

For some reason, they have chosed to specify all the characteristics defining an adult male in the regs, yet those characteristics are irrelevant to whether the bird is legal to harvest or not. Seems it's still 'bearded' irrespective of sex or age.

"Super jakes" are now considered adults.

 

[CritterGitter]

Hopefully there are no dedicated juvenile bearded jenny hunters out there

 

[megalomaniac]

"Super jakes" are now considered adults.

Not if they don't have a beard! Sex and age is irrelevant. 'Beard' (now whether visible or not, length is now irrelevant) is the defining characteristic of harvestability.

 

[chrmayo]

But I can't shoot an old tom with 1.5in spurs, full fan, full barring of wings with beard rot and no beard?

If you read it says must have ONE of the following. So the full tail fan or spurs would justify the no beard.

 

[@fulldraw]

Not if they don't have a beard! Sex and age is irrelevant. 'Beard' (now whether visible or not, length is now irrelevant) is the defining characteristic of harvestability.

Can't say I've ever seen a super jake without a beard. They usually have 6-7" beard but no other adult defining characteristics.

 

[megalomaniac]

If you read it says must have ONE of the following. So the full tail fan or spurs would justify the no beard.

I'm confused...

So is it 'bearded' that defines legality for harvest or full tail fan? Because hens have a full tail fan.

 

[megalomaniac]

Can't say I've ever seen a super jake without a beard. They usually have 6-7" beard but no other adult defining characteristics.

I've killed a few old toms without a beard. And I've killed a couple old toms without spurs.

 

[@fulldraw]

I've killed a few old toms without a beard.

I've seen them but never shot. Buddy killed one that looked like the beard was plucked out. He had spurs close to 1.5". Buddy shot him because he kept running all the other gobblers off.

 

[chrmayo]

I would say shoot an adult gobbler as you normally would. I would bet it would be legal.

 

[Hymie3]

Says"adult gobbler" which implies a male

 

[megalomaniac]

Says"adult gobbler" which implies a male

But 'adult gobbler' is listed as secondary to the defining characteristics for harvest... which is 'bearded turkey'.

 

[megalomaniac]

Not trying to be difficult... just trying to understand the semantics of TNs regulations. I'm sure the 'intent' of the regulations are for folks to kill males birds, only one of which may be a juvenile. But the verbiage makes it much less clear. All I can get definitively is that noone can kill more than 1 jake in a season (even kids). Beyond that and it's a black hole.

 

[megalomaniac]

Here are the regs for MS. Pretty cut and dry

 

[drake799]

I think they keep the beard part in there because there are those among us who can't differentiate between a male and female bird lol

 

[PalsPal]

Was forever the rule a legal turkey had to have a 3in beard.

There has never been a 3" beard law, just had to have a visible beard.

You must've confused it with deer antler.

 

[megalomaniac]

There has never been a 3" beard law, just had to have a visible beard.

You must've confused it with deer antler.

You may be correct, regs from the late 80s are a long time gone in the cobwebs of my mind!

But now 'visible' is no longer applicable. Just 'bearded'.

If I kill a bird with an invisible beard, is it still legal? It has a beard, you just can't see it.

Sorry guys, I'm just bored and trolling. I didn't get to hunt today. Be back in the woods tomorrow and will settle down.

But you have to admit the TN regs for legal harvest are lacking in their definition vs what I think is their intent.

 

[scn]

Yup. Much to my chagrin, TWRA has always defined a -legal' bird as one with a 3 in beard, irrespective of sex or age.

For some reason, they have chosed to specify all the characteristics defining an adult male in the regs, yet those characteristics are irrelevant to whether the bird is legal to harvest or not. Seems it's still 'bearded' irrespective of sex or age.

I think you are confusing the 3" deal with 3" antlers for buck deer. Up until the recent jake regulations it just said a visible beard.

 

[Gravey]

I wish they'd outlaw the killing of hens period. I saw one the other day with the biggest beard I've ever seen on one. Had to do a double take to make sure it was a hen.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

TN's rule concerning "bearded turkeys" and "visible beards" has always been immensely stupid. Now that they added jake restriction language, it's just embarrassing. I've always been jealous of Mississippi's rule. "Male turkey" is clear. Adult vs. Juvenile is clear and objective. It should be so simple.

 

[TITANSFAN2104]

But I can't shoot an old tom with 1.5in spurs, full fan, full barring of wings with beard rot and no beard?

Yes you can

 

[Knothead]

I wish they'd outlaw the killing of hens period. I saw one the other day with the biggest beard I've ever seen on one. Had to do a double take to make sure it was a hen.

^^^ This ^^^
I have heard several old timers say, "The bearded hens are the hens that lay the eggs that end up being the multiple bearded Toms in a few years."
Dont know if thats true or not but I've heard it for years. Anyone else ever heard that? Wonder if that's heresy or if there's any science behind that?

 

[Southern Sportsman]

Yes you can

If the turkey has no beard, then technically you cant. Our regs permit one "bearded turkey" per day; two "bearded turkeys" per year; only one "bearded turkey" per season may be a jake. So they (poorly) define the difference between a jake and gobbler, but a beardless gobbler doesn't meet the initial requirement of being a "bearded turkey."

So two hens with 4" beards? - totally legal season limit.

A 6 yr old gobbler with 1.5" spurs but no beard? — not legal in TN.

It's one of the dumbest rules in TN's hunting regs.