Can You Kill a Hen Turkey in Tennessee?

Turkey hunting is a popular sport in Tennessee, with thousands of hunters taking to the woods and fields every spring in pursuit of that elusive gobbler. However, there are specific regulations around what you can and cannot hunt. So can you kill a hen turkey in Tennessee? Let’s take a closer look.

A Brief History of Turkey Hunting in Tennessee

Wild turkeys were once abundant across Tennessee but habitat loss and overhunting led to a severe decline in their population by the early 1900s. In fact, turkeys were completely extirpated from the state by the 1940s.

An aggressive restocking program brought wild turkeys back to Tennessee starting in the 1950s. Populations rebounded quickly thanks to good habitat and limited hunting pressure. By the 1970s there was a robust turkey population across Tennessee, allowing for a regulated spring hunting season.

With restored turkey populations, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) implemented liberal fall hunting of both gobblers and hens in an effort to keep populations in check. However, by the 1990s it became clear that excessive fall hen hunting was negatively impacting turkey numbers.

Turkey Hunting Regulations Have Evolved Over Time

In response to declining turkey populations in the 1990s, Tennessee clamped down on hen hunting. Here’s a quick history of how turkey hunting regulations have evolved:

• Prior to 1990 – Liberal fall hen hunting allowed, no restriction on bearded hens in spring. Hundreds of hens could be killed each fall.

• 1990s – Fall hen permits limited to 6 per hunter, bearded hens protected in spring.

• 2000s – Bearded hens legalized again in fall archery season, limits raised.

• 2007 – Bearded hens fully protected statewide year-round.

• Present – Only male turkeys can be harvested in Tennessee. No hens of any kind can be killed.

So for over a decade now, all hen turkeys have been off-limits to hunters in Tennessee. The one exception is during managed hunts on certain wildlife management areas, where wildlife biologists may allow limited hen harvest to meet population goals. But on private land and general public hunting areas, killing a hen turkey will result in a fine.

Why Killing Hens Was Detrimental

The reason TWRA banned hen hunting statewide is simple biology – a reproductive decline occurs if too many hens are taken out of the population. Here are some key reasons why excessive hen harvests caused turkey population declines:

• Hens are the reproductive base – Each hen lays 10-12 eggs per year on average. Killing hens directly reduces the next year’s poult (chick) production.

• Hens teach poults – Maternal hens show young poults where to feed, roost, etc. Poults orphaned by hen hunting suffer higher mortality rates.

• Young hens are most vulnerable – Inexperienced juvenile hens are more susceptible to decoys/calling. Excessive harvest of young hens impairs population structure.

• Nest abandonment – If a hen is killed in spring after she has started incubating eggs, the entire clutch never hatches.

In essence, killing hens has a cascading effect by reducing reproduction and survivability within turkey populations. With hen mortality outpacing reproductive capacity, turkey numbers decline.

Identifying Legal vs Illegal Turkeys in Tennessee

Since only male turkeys are legal game, hunters must be able to distinguish between gobblers, jakes, and hens:

• Gobblers are adult males over 1 year old. They have spur lengths over 0.5″ and distinctive plumage like full tails and barring on wing feathers.

• Jakes are juvenile males under 1 year old. Jakes have small spurs under 0.5″ and less colorful feathers.

• Hens lack spurs entirely. Body size and feather characteristics are markedly different from males.

Some hens can have small beards, but it is still illegal to kill them. Confusing a bearded hen for a male is not a valid excuse according to TWRA regulations.

What About Bearded Hens?

Around 10% of female turkeys grow small beards. Prior to 2007, it was legal to kill bearded hens in Tennessee. However, biologists found no evidence that taking bearded hens increased poult production or was beneficial to turkey numbers in any way.

Since bearded hens are still reproductively vital members of the population, TWRA ultimately protected them as well. Remember, it is 100% illegal to harvest any female turkey in Tennessee, even if it has a beard.

Consequences of Killing a Hen

There are stiff penalties for illegally killing a hen turkey in Tennessee:

• $500 fine minimum
• Misdemeanor criminal citation
• Possible loss of hunting privileges

Wardens will investigate any suspicious activity reported around hen turkeys. All harvested turkeys must be checked in so TWRA can monitor hen killings. Penalties get more severe for those caught intentionally poaching hens.

Turkey Populations Have Rebounded

The statewide prohibition on hen harvest implemented in the 2000s helped reverse the declines in Tennessee’s turkey population. Numbers have stabilized and increased in many regions, though they remain below peak levels seen in the 1980s and 90s when liberal regulations allowed extensive hen hunting.

TWRA continues to monitor turkey populations closely and makes hunting recommendations based on biologist assessments. The conservation of hens remains critical to sustain robust turkey numbers across Tennessee for generations of hunters to come.

While hen turkeys were once fair game for hunters in Tennessee, regulations have become much more restrictive after excessive fall hen harvests caused turkey declines. Since 2007, all hens – both bearded and unbearded – have been protected from harvest year round. Only male gobblers and jakes can legally be hunted during the spring and fall seasons. Killing hens carries stiff penalties, so hunters must be 100% certain of their target’s gender before shooting.