newbie question

[mritech1]

 Silly question..... I drew a Klick either sex turkey tag and proceeded to harvest a large bird last weekend. I do know jakes have a shorter beard and a few longer tail feathers until they mature and know the head markings of a tom etc but........ My bird had a big full tail fan and had beautiful colorings etc but no beard or spurs.....Do hens have the same color and large tail fan or did I kill a young beardless jake? Or for that matter a large hen?

[JKEEN33]

Could be any of those.  Hens are usually on the brownish side. Toms are closer to black on the body. Do you have a pic?

[Huntboy]

Post a picture.

[mritech1]

Here is a pic i hope...

[JKEEN33]

It's a hen

[mritech1]

 No I have not weighed it. Put it in the freezer as my wife thinks she may want it mounted in a flying position because it does have some real vibrant colors. It does have some colors on the head and a 1.5 in snood.

[JKEEN33]

What colors are on the head? I am just seeing grey. The flying mount is the best in my opinion, but you can get a lot larger bird than this. I would wait to get one with a nice beard and a mature tom. Just my

[mritech1]

 Small red and blue bumps, Thanks guys, was thinking it was a small jake but probably not. I was kinda thrown by the colors and tail fan as The hens I have seen are actually brown and not blackish with iridecent markings......Is it best to pluck it or cut the breast and legs off as I would a grouse? looks like the wife may have to wait as I dont know if I want to spend $500 for a hen mount. Still a real pretty bird none the less.

[JKEEN33]

If it's got red and blue, it may be a jake. Sorry just tough to tell in that pic. Sure looks like an all grey head to me.

I personally breast them out. Other guys use the other meat to make  soup or stuff like that. Legs and thighs are really tough dark meat. Again just my opinion. 

[turkeydancer]

Hen - looks like a feathered head to me

[101521]

Hen. no question. I've seen hens with some color on the head I've also shot them with beards.  If you wanted to get it done I would set it up where you can add a tom to it.  Maybe picking grass etc...then have a nice Tom standing next to her. 

[Tman]

Hen. no question. I've seen hens with some color on the head I've also shot them with beards.  If you wanted to get it done I would set it up where you can add a tom to it.  Maybe picking grass etc...then have a nice Tom standing next to her.