How many of you let birds go?

I've seen enough young ones that barely had a speck of red by their eye with a couple adult feathers got shot and seriously wonder how they determined it was a rooster. They must have superman vision or something. I definitely am not going to rely on a cackle to determine sex either. I'd rather pass than shoot a hen, there's always more birds to find.
 
remy3424 said:
I think you are pretty safe to reply on a cackle to determine the sex...if it cackles, it is a rooster.
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Not sure that a game warden would buy that if you were found with one that "cackled" before you shot it.

You need to prove that it's not a hen. If there is no color and no spurs, an LEO isn't going to buy that you heard it cackle as evidence of it being a rooster.

I need clear visual confirmation before I pull the trigger. Luckily, all my hunting is from November and beyond, so I don't encounter them.
 
Golddog said:
I've seen enough young ones that barely had a speck of red by their eye with a couple adult feathers got shot and seriously wonder how they determined it was a rooster. They must have superman vision or something. I definitely am not going to rely on a cackle to determine sex either. I'd rather pass than shoot a hen, there's always more birds to find.
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It is easy to mistakenly shoot a hen. Everybody has done it, but I do agree with your comment.
 
I don't hunt enough out of state to have shot a lot but the ones I have shot were easy to id. With the red cheek and lighter head they look bald to me.
 
gim said:
Not sure that a game warden would buy that if you were found with one that "cackled" before you shot it.

You need to prove that it's not a hen. If there is no color and no spurs, an LEO isn't going to buy that you heard it cackle as evidence of it being a rooster.

I need clear visual confirmation before I pull the trigger. Luckily, all my hunting is from November and beyond, so I don't encounter them.
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Gim, if cackles it is a rooster. If someone who is authorized to check you checks, I will say they can tell the hens from roosters in their hands. Maybe someone here has an idea when the young roosters gain the ability to produce a cackle.
 
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