Sexing Turkeys

 

There's a concern when more hens are reported in the Fall Harvest than males (should be close to 50-50). Example of the difficulty Fall hunters can have determining the sex of turkeys - this 7# 11 oz. First Hatch Juvenile had both black and buff tipped breast feathers, about half and half. It had no spurs and the center tail feathers were shorter than the outer tail feathers, so no indication there. Most hunters would register it as female, but this little beard buried in the breast feathers confirmed it was male. Matt says: A hen will never have any type of black-tipped feather on the breast. So this was a male for sure. Join the Club