Can you shoot a Gobbler without a beard?

[Jester052]

I read in an earlier thread that someone did. But I think they are reading the regs wrong. The regs state the you may shoot "Gobblers and Turkeys with visible beards ONLY. There is no break in the sentence ( ie comma ) that would exclude the GOBBLERS from the rule.

[Woodchuck]

I don't think I would risk shooting any turkey without a beard regardless of how that reads. 

[Bob33]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

[lokidog]

You can shoot "Gobblers and Turkeys with visible beards".  The word 'and' will include both nouns before and after it.  Grammatically, there is no need for a comma to make it refer to on or the other of the items on each side of the 'and'.    

Often WDFW's regs can be confusing, but you are trying to find insanity where it does not currently exist.     It is certainly legal to shoot a Gobbler, it is also certainly legal to shoot a turkey with a visible beard.

[benhuntin]

Can someone define "gobbler" to me?

[benhuntin]

I don't think that a bird that gobbles is automatically legal.

[Jester052]

Can someone define "gobbler" to me?

Male turkey I'm assuming

[lokidog]

Can someone define "gobbler" to me?

If it goes gobble gobble gobble, not quack quack quack, honk honk honk, chirp chirp chirp, or yelp yelp yelp, it is a gobbler, not to be confused with a goober.   

Or, it is this... 

gob·bler1

/ˈɡäb(ə)lər/

noun

noun: gobbler; plural noun: gobblers





a person who eats greedily and noisily.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

I don't think I would risk shooting any turkey without a beard regardless of how that reads. 

 

[lokidog]

gobbler
 (ˈɡɒblə)
n
1. (Zoology) a male turkey

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Do I need to find more??   

[DOUBLELUNG]

You can shoot ANY male turkey, and ANY turkey with a visible beard.  Jakes, adult toms and bearded hens are all legal.

[PA BEN]

The regs use to say Gobblers or visible beards, now it says visible beards only. I don't know when they changed it. No beard on shoot.

[benhuntin]

But officer this hen was gobbling.

[benhuntin]

I'm just sayin it's written retarded. I'm with pa ben. No beard No shoot. Pretty simple

[The Gobble-stopper]

Male turkeys and turkeys with beards. I talked to a wildlife agent. And also called and talked to those that set the rules at WDFW and they both said male turkeys with or without beards are legal. And they are out there. Also in reference to birds gobbling. Hens will do a mock gobble to ward away toms when they are not ready to mate. Sounds like a poor jake gobble. I have witnessed it many times. So dont shoot birds because they gobble... Just sayin

[benhuntin]

Male turkeys and turkeys with beards. I talked to a wildlife agent. And also called and talked to those that set the rules at WDFW and they both said male turkeys with or without beards are legal. And they are out there. Also in reference to birds gobbling. Hens will do a mock gobble to ward away toms when they are not ready to mate. Sounds like a poor jake gobble. I have witnessed it many times. So dont shoot birds because they gobble... Just sayin

Dont shoot birds that gobble?  Aren't they gobblers?  Gobblers=Legal

[benhuntin]

Sorry everyone,I am bored at work and think this is written stupid. Good luck with the turkeys.

[Jester052]

I read the WAC. It's states it VERY clearly. Male turkeys and any bird with a beard. Thanks for the reference Bob33

[benhuntin]

Regs say a gobbler has a middle toe greater than 4 inches.

[jackelope]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

Male turkeys!!!! AND!!! turkeys with visible beards!!

[sneakyjake]

Think about the transport rules.  Must leave a feathered head attached.  Legs and beard don't mean anything. Now a hen I would probably take extra care to leave the beard attached.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Think about the transport rules.  Must leave a feathered head attached.  Legs and beard don't mean anything. Now a hen I would probably take extra care to leave the beard attached.

Very true to leave the beard attatached to a hen.

[kirkl]

I shot a jake once with no beard. He came in gobbling and all puffed up. His beard ended up being about a half inch and hidden in the feathers.

[PA BEN]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

Male turkeys!!!! AND!!! turkeys with visible beards!!

Why can't they post this in the Turkey Regs. Then no confusion. 

[BOWHUNTER45]

It is in the regs  Turkeys with visible beards ONLY !  Look under Restrictions 

[benhuntin]

It is in the regs  Turkeys with visible beards ONLY !  Look under Restrictions 

Thats what it should say. But it also says gobblers.

[jackelope]

It is in the regs  Turkeys with visible beards ONLY !  Look under Restrictions 

Regs:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01698/wdfw01698.pdf

Gobblers and
Turkeys with visible
beards ONLY

[BOWHUNTER45]

O.K I forgot where I am  Turkey will visible beard would cover it all ! Since you can kill any turkey you want as long as it has a beard and you can see it ..Gobbler or hen 

[bearpaw]

 

We shoot mature gobblers and jakes every year that do not have visible beards. We have looked at so many birds it's like looking at men and women, at first glance we know what we are looking at by only seeing the head. I would not recommend that to most hunters since most hunters cannot tell the difference that easily.

If you see the bird gobble or see a definite beard you should be OK. 

Don't make a mistake and shoot a hen with a turned feather on her breast! Once hens start laying and sitting it's common to see a hen with a turned feather on her breast sticking outward. That looks a lot like a short beard sticking out on a jake.

There are a good number of hens already on nests this year, earlier than I've ever seen, so be careful.

FYI - I always carry binos while turkey hunting!

[Bob33]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

Male turkeys!!!! AND!!! turkeys with visible beards!!

Why can't they post this in the Turkey Regs. Then no confusion. 

Regulations are a rephrasing of actual laws, and in some cases (such as this) the regulations can be more confusing, incomplete, and possibly even wrong.

You don't get cited for violating what is in the published regulations per se: you would only be cited for violating an RCW or WAC.

If in doubt, check the actual laws.

[cbond3318]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

Male turkeys!!!! AND!!! turkeys with visible beards!!

You don't have to yell at the guy.

[BOWHUNTER45]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

Male turkeys!!!! AND!!! turkeys with visible beards!!

You don't have to yell at the guy.

Just want to make sure he Heard 

[bigtex]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

Male turkeys!!!! AND!!! turkeys with visible beards!!

Why can't they post this in the Turkey Regs. Then no confusion. 

Regulations are a rephrasing of actual laws, and in some cases (such as this) the regulations can be more confusing, incomplete, and possibly even wrong.

You don't get cited for violating what is in the published regulations per se: you would only be cited for violating an RCW or WAC.

If in doubt, check the actual laws.

[PA BEN]

Up at 3 am this morning, I looked right at the regs. and for the life of me I missed gobblers. :bash:I feel better now after a nap, I think I better get back at.

[Quackwhacker]

I killed a tom with about a quarter inch beard. They taste just as good as the ones with 10 inch beards.

[lokidog]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

Male turkeys!!!! AND!!! turkeys with visible beards!!

You don't have to yell at the guy.

Apparently this does need to be yelled since it was clear within the first ten posts that a turkey that gobbles, beard or no beard, is a legal bird.   

 we tell them they need to see the bird strutting,

FYI - I always carry binos while turkey hunting!

I've seen a hen fan her tail and strut in front of a decoy of mine, at ten yards it was pretty easy to see she was a hen.   I'd be careful about shooting a bird only seen strutting and not actually seen gobbling though. 

[bearpaw]

I've never seen a wild hen strut but if you have then I stand corrected and would suggest hunters make sure by other means.

[lokidog]

I've never seen a wild hen strut but if you have then I stand corrected and would suggest hunters make sure by other means.

It was the craziest thing, I think she was trying to show some dominance thing.  I looked and looked for a beard thinking she might go both ways, but never did see one.   

[The Gobble-stopper]

Male turkeys and turkeys with beards. I talked to a wildlife agent. And also called and talked to those that set the rules at WDFW and they both said male turkeys with or without beards are legal. And they are out there. Also in reference to birds gobbling. Hens will do a mock gobble to ward away toms when they are not ready to mate. Sounds like a poor jake gobble. I have witnessed it many times. So dont shoot birds because they gobble... Just sayin

Dont shoot birds that gobble?  Aren't they gobblers?  Gobblers=Legal

The dictionarys definition of a gobbler is a "male" turkey that makes a gobble sound. No mention of a female of a female that gobbles, being a gobbler. Besides  a person would have a lot of talking to do, to convince a warden that the female you shot, with no beard, gobbled. Plus page 5 of the game pamphlet lists gobbler as a tom only, and has female turkeys as hens, no mention of turkey language.

[BOWHUNTER45]

BearPaw ..we have seen hens strutting numerous times  I have a video somewhere where the hen was strutting while the gobbler was trying to get on top of her ..Not sure why but she had her tail up and wings down and finally they mated ! Amazing the things we see out there while chasing turkeys !

[bearpaw]

BearPaw ..we have seen hens strutting numerous times  I have a video somewhere where the hen was strutting while the gobbler was trying to get on top of her ..Not sure why but she had her tail up and wings down and finally they mated ! Amazing the things we see out there while chasing turkeys !

I've never seen a hen actually strut, I have seen them fluffing and stretching wings often, but I changed my post, I certainly don't want anyone making a mistake. THANKS 

[PA BEN]

I've seen hens do it in the fall. They don't stay in it very long and it's when they are fighting seeing whos the boss. Full fanned out and somewhat puffed up.   

[Tom Tamer]

WAC 232-28-342 reads like this:

(b) SPRING SEASON

(i) LEGAL BIRD: Male turkeys and turkeys with visible beards only.

Male turkeys!!!! AND!!! turkeys with visible beards!!

Not that hard to figure out.

[RadSav]

I killed a tom with about a quarter inch beard. They taste just as good as the ones with 10 inch beards.

Or taste just as bad as the ones with 10 inch beards!

[BOWHUNTER45]

I do not know but this on cracks me up  You sure would think something as simple as ANY TURKEY WITH A VISIBLE BEARD would have in all covered    its all good ...need something for everyone to talk about ...lmao

[ghosthunter]

Well like I told a fellow once ,when he asked How do you tell a male & female black bear apart if there are no cubs?

I said there is only one way for certain and you arent big enough to pull it off.

But yes I am amazed this made two pages.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I've seen hens do it in the fall. They don't stay in it very long and it's when they are fighting seeing whos the boss. Full fanned out and somewhat puffed up.   

Same for me

[dawei]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,75048.0/all.html