Are you a Jake taker?

[guesswho]

Last Jake I killed was probably 30 years ago.  But if someone wants to punch a tag on one, knock yourself out

[BrowningGuy88]

I won't shoot a jake that doesn't gobble and strut, but if he can gobble or especially if he has a full fan - I give him lead poisoning.

[atoler]

I've killed a couple, the first few were on purpose when I was a kid, and I've killed 2 more on accident. If you kill enough birds, mistakes happen, but I don't shoot jakes on purpose anymore.

[TauntoHawk]

Shot a gobbling jake my first year, didn't know enough to tell a difference in his weird choked off gobble and was still pumped as could be.

Now I always eat what I kill but I don't hunt turkeys for the 6lbs of breasts meat it yeilds..

If I can help it I try not to shoot birds I suspect to be 2yr olds, not that I pass on Toms that come in but when I'm picking where to hunt in the morning I try and focus where I've scouted and found Mature birds. I only get 2 tags a spring in NY and there's so many Tom I'd hate to be done in two days after waiting all year.

If they Gobble and Strut I will give a youth hunter the choice to shoot if it makes them happy, alot of the time they say "no, I want a Slammer!' and we just watch the show.

[willy8457]

I don't in the spring but they are fair game for Cutter and I in the fall.

[ziggy]

I won't shoot a jake that doesn't gobble and strut, but if he can gobble or especially if he has a full fan - I give him lead poisoning.

heck yeah.  i shot a superjake last year.  first one i'd shot in a long while.

[budtripp]

I won't shoot a jake that doesn't gobble and strut, but if he can gobble or especially if he has a full fan - I give him lead poisoning.

heck yeah.  i shot a superjake last year.  first one i'd shot in a long while.

My first bird was a superjake, weighed 17 lbs and had a fairly thick (for a jake) 5.5" beard

[redleg06]

Just doesnt do anything for me....

I'd rather wait and know he'll be back next year.

[Tomspur]

I don't kill jakes but they are legal so go for it. I want to put my tags on gobblers with spurs. Just my .02. To each their own.

[jakesdad]

NO I do not.But do not think i'm any better than someone who will. If its legal and suits you then its your tag,go for it.I do encourage first time hunters or people who have taken very few birds to shoot first legal bird tho.

I just hope tv doesnt turn turkey hunting what deer hunting has become.You know the "I only shoot 4 yr old gobblers or nothing so they can reach their potential"types.If its 2 its through in my book!!!

[wvcurlytop]

NO I do not.But do not think I'm any better than someone who will. If its legal and suits you then its your tag,go for it.I do encourage first time hunters or people who have taken very few birds to shoot first legal bird tho.

I just hope TV doesn't turn turkey hunting what deer hunting has become.You know the "I only shoot 4 yr old gobblers or nothing so they can reach their potential"types.If its 2 its through in my book!!!

From the posts on this forum, I'm afraid TV already has!!

I don't know a whole lot, but a 93% survival rate for anything in the wild sounds a little high.  Many of us aren't even right 93% of the time.  Don't believe me, ask your wife, she'll tell you how often you're right!!  You have to watch believing everything you read too, as my pappy would say, paper lays still and you can right anything on it..  I've read a few studies too, and one report discussed how jakes leave their home territory and the jakes you have this spring may not even be around for you to hunt next spring.  Is it true, who knows?  So far TV hasn't shown how you could tell the difference between individual birds, but when they do they'll have names for them too.. 

My opinion, if it has a beard and tail feathers, have at it!!  A trophy is in the eye of the beholder.  I'm not one to impose my beliefs on others.  This is what is ruining the deer hunters and their hunting.   For some reason hunters that don't hold the popular belief, as in this case the killing of a jake, some of you act like they're second class citizens.  Why?  Because they enjoy killing a legal bird that they called up, that they love to eat?  Would it be fine if the thread starter would have worded this by saying "If you only had one day to hunt all season, would you kill a jake?"  Would that have made any difference?  Many of you will still say "NO."   Good for you.  If you enjoy doing that I am fine with it.  It's your choice.  Just don't expect any invites over to eat any "Jake" from those you've so graciously criticized for being hunters who still enjoy the smell of gunpowder on a cool April morning, or the sound of breast frying in the skillet on a sunday afternoon. 

Perhaps in time turkey hunting will get to the point when everyone is trying to "Field Judge" their spurs prior to pulling the trigger, or trying to tally up the score to make sure it meets club standards.  Or maybe they'll have to wait until old hairy head or club foot comes in, as they've watched him grow for three years, etc.   I hope I'm no longer around when and if it does, but if I am, count me out, I'm not afraid to stretch a jake's neck in the spring, nor a hen's in the fall.  I've even been known to kill a spike in bow season too.  Guess I'm just not grown up yet, or perhaps I'm slow learner too.  Probably both.  At least I'm not alone!!

[jakesdad]

I choose not to shoot jakes,but my pickiness stops there.I choose also not to shoot small bucks,not because I want to watch Ol' Mossy Horns grow to be 5 or 6 yrs old,its just i've gotten to lazy to drag any deer out of the timber!!If i'm draggin its gonna be something at least worthy of a euro mount(in my eyes,nobody elses).I really wish hunting could go back to how it used to be....people happy for others when they were successful not demeaning because it didnt meet TV credentials!

[wvcurlytop]

Jakesdad, I couldn't agree with you more. 
And I know what you mean about the "Lazy" part.  When my wife informed me she didn't cut up deer meat, and I'm not living with my mother, well that really put the damper on my killing..  LOL...  Should have done a background check on her first!!  Hahahaa...

[Michigander]

I've killed two before. The first one on purpose because it had two beards, the second one on accident. Anymore, I let them walk. I've got nothing against anybody else shooting them, there are enough mature birds around for me to find. If he puts on a good show for you and makes an exciting hunt, who cares what his score is.

[willy8457]

When I'm Hunting with my dog They are fair game. Breaking up a flock of gobblers in the fall and calling them back is just to much fun.  It's a little different  calling to them in the fall then in the spring, a different language so to speak. But like I said to much fun.