Didnt realize there was a change
- Thread starter megalomaniac
- Start date
There has never been a 3" beard law, just had to have a visible beard.
You must've confused it with deer antler.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
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But now 'visible' is no longer applicable.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.
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.
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
Well-Known Member
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.
Yes you can
^^^ 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
Well-Known Member
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.
peytoncreekhunter
Well-Known Member
The way I read the description of a adult male turkey is "One of the following." So, if it has a full fan but no beard he would still be legal to shoot. Am I reading that wrong?
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
Yes, you are reading it wrong. If it's not a "bearded turkey," it's not legal to kill. The jake vs. gobbler distinction only applies to legal turkeys — i.e., "bearded turkey."
In other words, our regs now define an adult male turkey, but they simultaneously prohibit an adult male turkey from being killed unless it is also a "bearded turkey. Meanwhile, bearded hens are fine to kill. You can kill two hens, but you can only kill one jakes, and you can't kill an obviously adult gobbler if it doesn't have a beard.
This ridiculous reality is what mega is pointing out. And it's essentially all to keep bearded hens legal. God forbid we expect licensed turkey hunters to know the difference between a boy turkey and a girl turkey. It's just asinine.
Clear as mud
Verbatim from 13MAY23 executed proclamation:
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
As mega already pointed out, a bearded hen technically qualifies as an "Adult Gobbler" under our regulations.
When duck hunting, I'm expected to know the difference between a hen gadwall and a hen pintail, in low light, on the wing. But the commission apparently thinks that Tennesseans are too stupid to tell the difference between a bearded hen and a gobbler.
When duck hunting, I'm expected to know the difference between a hen gadwall and a hen pintail, in low light, on the wing. But the commission apparently thinks that Tennesseans are too stupid to tell the difference between a bearded hen and a gobbler.
Wait so it doesn't have to have a visible beard?
Haha yup I'm with you. Glad they made it soooo clear
peytoncreekhunter
Well-Known Member
So if I kill a Jake and then I go hunt again and kill a Tom that has a complete fan or half inch long spur but only has a 4 inch beard it is still considered a mature Tom. Is that correct?
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
doesn't have to be visible, but has to be present.
