# tom or hen



## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

this spring was my first real season turkey hunting on my own. i saw plenty of hens i could of shot and plenty of toms too, but toms were just too far away. anyhow, i read last years regs and in the fall turkey season you were allowed to shoot either male or female birds. 

i was just wondering how many of you shoot female birds. i also saw your only allowed one bird, does that weigh on your decision making on what to shoot.


----------



## fireline (Jun 14, 2007)

I go either way, I will take my Dad he is 85 and if I call in a flock of hens and we can double up I will.


----------



## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

ezbite said:


> this spring was my first real season turkey hunting on my own. i saw plenty of hens i could of shot and plenty of toms too, but toms were just too far away. anyhow, i read last years regs and in the fall turkey season you were allowed to shoot either male or female birds.
> 
> i was just wondering how many of you shoot female birds. i also saw your only allowed one bird, does that weigh on your decision making on what to shoot.


just rember your hens make your jakes for next year.. then they turn into toms... if you let them grow.... if your just out to kill turkeys shoot what ever ...but if you let the jakes go ...you will have big toms... i have spots we only shoot 1 tom off of every year ... never a hen in the fall ... i would rather pass on a jake and wait on the tom ... put you time in and go scout 

if the toms were to far how could of you shoot them ???? 

all the guys i took out this year we got 26 toms .. oh and never give up ((((sometimes just sitting quiet is golden ))) no owl or crow calls give them to a kid !!!!!!


----------



## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

i probable worded my OP wrong. i saw plenty of hens in range. all of the toms i saw were too far to shoot at. 

i dont think im going out to shoot a hen the first day, im on public land, this area only gets a little pressure because its so small, so id like to keep the hens alive. but who knows. im interested in what others have to say.


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I relish the chance to shoot a hen in the fall...I would rather shoot a hen than a tom actually...Save the toms for the spring when they are fun to hunt cause they are gobbling....In the fall wack a hen...


----------



## kprice (May 23, 2009)

i will pass on a jake during the fall. I will only shoot a hen i the fall. There are alot more hens than gobblers where I hunt


----------



## goose commander (May 11, 2010)

i dont know the area ur n but where i hunt we are covered up in hen. now we shoot our males in the spring but we'll work every morn (durning season) and you can here the hens closeing n while hes still on the roost. we joke about putting a bounty on hens in the fall. i agree with the last post. bust those hens when legal and the male when there gobbling. just 1 hunter opion


----------

