do you or do you not shoot a Jake?
I do not because
1st its illegal for a hunter to harvest a Jake in MS, but is legal for a youth to harvest one
2nd I want to kill a mature bird
3rd the more Jake's means the more 2 year olds and 3 year olds down the road... and even
more 4 year olds too...
now I have no problem with a youth shooting a Jake as a first bird but I feel that is the only acception
last day of season, no bird, I prolly would. depending on where I was. they show do eat good
I dont shoot them.. I dont care if others do, the faster they burn up their tag, the less their in the woods
It's all about the game, no the size of the beard or spurs....and if I have another tag , or If I hear a bunch of other birds...
I don't shoot Jakes, just wouldn't feel good about it.
Everyone has to decide for themselves.
Dewey
Not for me. I agree with Tom. I have no issues if others choose to.
My only standard is a full fan.
In my own opinion..I believe whatever makes you happy..I have shot jakes as well as strutters..heck I have even shot Jake strutters!..lol! I have limited time afield as with most of us..so I say blast away and don't list a wink of sleep over it..its all about having fun..when we lose that its starts to be like work! Just my .02..
I dont... because I'd rather shoot a longbeard and usually dont have any trouble killing my share of them so there's no need for me to feel like Im "settling" for a jake.
I dont care if others do if that's what makes them happy.
I haven't shot a jake in a while, usually because I know there are longbeards in the area and generally have no problem killing them. If others want to shoot them I don't have a problem. I can't tell another person what a trophy is.
I don't shoot jakes. I did in the past when I was learning to turkey hunt, but several years ago I decided only longbeards for me! :you_rock:
I don't care of other people want to shoot a jake though, it's their business. :icon_thumright:
I go home empty handed first. I've killed enough birds to not need to shoot another jake. I enjoy the hunt and working birds more than pulling the trigger, so I have no problem letting that jake walk.
I have no problem with anyone shooting a jake though.
Quote from: shootumindaface on March 21, 2011, 05:49:51 AM
I dont shoot them.. I dont care if others do, the faster they burn up their tag, the less their in the woods
and if they use their tag on a jake instead of a mature gobbler...one more gobbler left to hunt.
Far as me shooting a jake. I hunt only hard pressured public land where jakes are probably bout as wild as a 2yr old in some places and if it's right at the end of the season and I don't have any turkey to fry I'll kill one in a heartbeat. I did pass up some last yr. and really wanted to christen my newest 20ga. flintlock...maybe I can get some turkey blood on it this yr.
thumbnail
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/GOBBLERS/th_jake2.jpg?t=1300714089) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/GOBBLERS/jake2.jpg?1300714216)
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. I'm just not one to impose my standards on someone else. I'll congratulate another hunter that shoots a Jake just as fast as I'll congratulate someone that shoots a Longbeard.
My first bird was a jake, and I have never regretted it. That is the only jake that I have killed. I dont have a problem with anyone that does shoot one, as long as its legal for the area. The success is measured by the hunt, rather than the measurements of the bird taken. If its late in the season, and my fryer has been empty, a jake still makes some nice table fair!
Quote from: cassga on March 21, 2011, 10:04:29 AM
My first bird was a jake, and I have never regretted it. That is the only jake that I have killed. I dont have a problem with anyone that does shoot one, as long as its legal for the area. The success is measured by the hunt, rather than the measurements of the bird taken. If its late in the season, and my fryer has been empty, a jake still makes some nice table fair!
:agreed: very well said
It depends on my mood.
Well,to me its like shooting a young buck . I'm deer hunting,so I will shoot a young buck. If I'm turkey hunting and a Jake comes in,he's probably going home with me too.If I'm a guest of someone and they have rules ,or ask that I don't shoot Jakes . I have no problem with that either.
I have never shot a jake. Not saying I never will but I have so far made the personnel choice of only shooting mature birds.
I have no problem with someone who wants to shoot a jake. They are perfectly legal in my state if a hunter of any age wants to shoot one.
Shoot whatever makes you happy. I say that about deer as well. But don't be the first one complaining that there are no mature bucks or toms around when you have a wall full of jakes and 4 pts.
I only shoot him if he's going on the wall or if he's a mature bird.
prob not cause in 2 years he'll be a slammer
Normally, here in my home state, unless it is late and I have not killed anything I wont. I have however shot two that I was certain were longbeards, only to end up being jakes.
On a trip it is a different story. I will shoot a jake if it means eating tag soup, depending on the rules and all of the state and or landowner or club.
I have had a few incredible hunts with jakes, some more exciting than with lonbgbeards, and didnt pull the trigger as many times as I have shot them.
I shot a jake in MO last spring, the first morning I was there. I started turkey hunting in MO, and never killed one. I hadnt been back in 14 years to hunt, so I was going to shoot the first gobbler that walked up. It turned out to be an awesome hunt, and I was quite surprised when a jake appeared, but I wasnt too surprised as it took me all of about 3 seconds to lay the hammer down. I did pass up four more jakes that week and ended the trip with a gorgeous 3 year old northern MO longbeard.
just started hunting turkey last year.. i had a jake in the scope the first day but didnt pull the trigger.. just thought that i could get a mature one.. well that didnt happen. work schedule and so on. didnt tag one at all. so maybe i should've ? well i dont no .. i kinda thought it was like shootin a spike buck.. but to each their own. i have no problem with people shootin them. like someone just asid. shootin a jake...well that means more mature birds for me ?
you know the thing I love about turkey hunters versus deer hunters is the appreciation for the game far more than the trophy at the end of the hunt. No split G2's, droptines, heavy mass, kicker points to amaze at. Let's be honest, for the most part turkeys look the same. We are talking a few shorter feathers and 1/8's of inches on spurs all round.
Now I love big sharp hooks as much as the next guy but what is it that makes us want to dust that old gobbler (and I don't mean our admin)? It's the satisfaction of playing the game against the toughest oppenent we can and winning the game. period. That's why guys like to highlight private versus public land birds all the time. Someone already referenced this point. I mean if you go toe -toe with an old wily gobbler all season long and after finally killing him find he's spurless do you wish you could of tagged another bird? A true turkey hunter doesn't worry about that IMO.
So my point is jakes can sometimes play as fun a game as the next bird. 25 kills I have 3 jakes and every one of them I don't regret. The first was my first "foreign" bird. Travelled a long way and after what I went thru to get him in front of me I didn't hesitate. The second I actually sat there watching it for a good 5 seconds after my buddy killed his bird. He had travelled a long way and it was our first hunt together. The opportunity for a double with him was far more important than the length of a spur.
Population issues are different thing. Population management might be a reason to let your area get more mature gobblers in the flock. They are more likely to survive winters, predators etc.
My rule with jakes is:
If he struts, shoot him. If he gobbles, shoot him. If he walks up like a hen with a beard he lives another day.
Daman
If he plays the game, I would have no problem shooting a jake.
Last year I had one of the best hunts I've ever been on, with one of my best friends (another OG member who will remain nameless), jake-mobile, and a jake. We sat down together with jake-mobile about 15 yards in front of us, and I started calling. Not even 20min. later, the jake popped up over a rise in the field. He looked our way and sprinted across the wide open pasture straight to jake-mobile, blew up, and immediately started strutting circles around the decoy. Then he started kicking jake-mobile in the face repeatedly with each pass.
After this went on for a minute or two right in fornt of us, the conversation against the trees then went like this:
Nameless: Is it a jake?
Me: Yes
-The kicking in the face continues...-
Me: I'm shooting him, I can't stand this
Nameless: No, don't shoot
Me: Dude, he's tearing up my decoy
Nameless: Your decoy's fine. Don't shoot
Me: If he gobbles, I'm shooting him (Nameless still claims to not have heard this)
- I cutt as loud and fast as possible, the jake gobbles, I click my safety off, and Nameless rolls him mid-gobble...-
Me: Really? What happened to don't shoot?
Nameless: What? He gobbled...
Then Nameless went into the whole "I can't believe I shot a jake, you can't tell anybody" thing, and to this day I have not told anyone.
I didn't say this to call Nameless out, or to judge anyone else's decision to shoot or pass, but the "it's just a jake" or "why would you shoot a young buck" attitude is ruining hunting. If it gets your heart racing, you want to shoot it and it's legal, then blast away. At the same time, you can't shoot everything that walks and then complain about not having enough mature animals to hunt next year. I would pay a lot of money to have a hunt like that again and to shoot that bird. I have never shot a jake to this day and have had multiple opportunities were I just didn't want to, but if I have another hunt like that one where he acts like a big boy, he's getting shot like a big boy...
Sorry to rant, but this bothers me.
I shot some jakes when I was learning how to turkey hunt, but I only shoot long beards anymore. However, I don't have a problem with others shooting jakes.
I have no problem with taking jakes.
I do not shoot jakes but I will let the kids kill em in a heart beat. Do I care if anyone else kills one, no they eat great. Just my 2 cents
Gobble like a big turkey.......... die like a big turkey!!!!!!!
I don't go out and just shoot them, but have pulled the trigger several times when I thought it was a big turkey
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You buy the tag you do what you want with it as long as it's legal, it is none of my business as long as your having a good time!
First bird I ever shot was a big Tom. I decided I wanted to kill a Jake for the wall. Took 2 years to kill one. After that I decided I wouldn't shoot jakes anymore. Now I am a jake magnet and its hard sometimes not to shoot em in da face.
As for others I agree that whatever makes you happy as long as it is legal. (other than roost shooting which is legal where I am but thats another story)
I prefer not to but to each his own.
Years ago took my first Turkey, which was a Jake. That was the last one. I really need a Jake fan for my Pretty Boy vs the mature fan I'm using, so if it gets down to the last day, I might be tempted for the fan, and some meat to put one down. For everyone else, I really don't care what they shoot, if it's a legal kill.
Some of the easiest birds I have ever killed were two year olds with 9" beards.
Once called in 9 Kansas toms, none with less than 9" beards, all stood around at 15 yards for 20 minutes before I shot one.
I have only shot 3-4 jakes in the past 10 years. Shot a lot when I was first starting off.
Nowadays, they only way I'll kill a jake is accidentallyonpurpose, which is if he presents himself in a manner that is likely to get hisself shot. Had one last year work for 20-30 minutes, good gobbles, sneaked in from behind like a good tom would. Saw a decent beard, brushy shot, any bird with a visible beard is legal here, nice fat red head, he got hisself shot. Turned out to be a 16.5 jake, 6.5" decent beard, and one of those super-jake tails with just the last two on each end being full. No regrets. Took nice photos. Fun hunt.
Have passed on maybe 200+- jakes in the past 10 years when they wander in and just stand there, so I think I'm ok with an excuse me jake every now an then. Besides, it's none of my business what others do for the most part...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/neb2010076.jpg)
mudhen
Personally no, if someone else wants to though that's up to them.
Like already mentioned, it only bothers me if someone complains about the lack of tom's or mature bucks in their area while they shoot every jake or yearling buck that walks by.
Quote from: chcltlabz on March 21, 2011, 09:39:24 AM
I go home empty handed first. I've killed enough birds to not need to shoot another jake. I enjoy the hunt and working birds more than pulling the trigger, so I have no problem letting that jake walk.
I have no problem with anyone shooting a jake though.
x2 :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Quote from: 1iagobblergetter on March 21, 2011, 07:04:40 PM
Quote from: chcltlabz on March 21, 2011, 09:39:24 AM
I go home empty handed first. I've killed enough birds to not need to shoot another jake. I enjoy the hunt and working birds more than pulling the trigger, so I have no problem letting that jake walk.
I have no problem with anyone shooting a jake though.
x2 :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Same here :you_rock:
For now yes I would being new to turkey hunting and driving two hours both ways to hunt if it walks in front of me its going home with me, now deer hunting no but I don't care about the rack all that much just enjoy a harder hunt but I have been deer hunting for 20 plus years and took my fair share of smaller deer.
Jakes get a free pass, but if one really pizzed me off in some way I hate it for him!
I like to hold off unless I just for some reason the feeling says hey this is meant to be....then pow!
Always been funny to me though how lots of people let a jake walk and got out in the fall and shoot a 1.5 yr old buck...... To each his own,
I have seen jakes act like two year old's later in the season. Where I hunt we don't shoot jakes but I have on other properties.
If they act like the man then I have no problem.
On my land no
On somebody elses land yes giving the oppurtunity last of season
Havent killed a jake in 10 years.
Not for me
No, but things happen sometimes for some reason or another, and if I did....I probably wouldn't tell anybody. :-X
HC
As my Uncle says, "Never pass up what the Turkey Gods give you". I have no problem passing on a jake if it is necessary to help the population, Like in Arkansas. Here in LA where it does not matter, Live by the gobble, Die by the gobble!
I killed the first jake in a long time last year in a case of mistaken identity.
I sat down on the top of a ridge with a gobbling bird on the roost on the hillside acrross from me. I heard 1 bird fly down and called. He gobbled back. A few minutes later I saw 1 bird strutting parallel to the creek headed upstream. I figured he was trying to get across.
A few minutes later I see movement out the corner of my eye. I turn slowly and catch a strutting turkey coming up the hill to my right at 15 yards. As he went behind a tree I shifted around and swing the gun up. He stepped out and caught movement before I could see more than his head. I lit him up.
When I ran over to him the longbeard and 4 more jakes were standing next to the creek looking at me. Not wanting to break my rule about doubling up I passed and turned back to the bird on the ground to see it was in fact a fine "Super Jake".
I don't get hung up on folks shooting jakes, I choose not to but even with the situation last year I was thankful for a fun hunt and some good meat.
Years ago the first time I tagged out on public land, all 5 birds were jakes. I did keep that under wraps for a long time :laugh:
I too don't fault anyone for shooting jakes if its legal. If its legal and makes you happy, shoot that jake!!!
I've only shot 2 jakes ever. My 1st turkey was a jake, and I'm still glad I took him. 2 years ago I also took a jake in SC. It was the only bird I got in SC that year, and I'm glad I took him as well.
This year, like every year, I don't plan on shooting a jake. But I'm switching to a different property up in SC for next year, and I've got 4 tags left, a bunch of money invested, and I won't be hunting that property next year. So if the longbeards don't cooperate, I wouldn't be opposed to taking a jake to put some more yummy turkey meat in the freezer.
I also wouldn't fault anyone for taking a jake on the last day of their hunt, nor for holding out because they wanted a longbeard.
Sometimes as hunters, we are our own worst enemies. We argue & criticize each other for not hunting the way we would hunt. Instead, we should be supporting each other in our individual pursuits of legal and ethical methods of hunting, and individual harvests. We need to come together as a hunting community, and not be at each other's throats. Instead of being in fractured groups, we need to stand united and support one another, lest the anti's tear our sport and our heritage and our rights apart at the seams.
To me, its all about the hunt. If I call in a jake, then so be it I will take him. WV allows two bearded turkeys in the spring and one turkey in the fall (hen,gobbler, or jake). I would take a hen in the fall just for the thrill of bustin the flock up and calling in a bird. Its all about the hunt.
Quote from: neal on March 21, 2011, 03:20:39 PM
You buy the tag you do what you want with it as long as it's legal, it is none of my business as long as your having a good time!
AMEN!!!! :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
i wont shoot a jake but dont care if others do
Doesn't bother me if other people shoot jakes. I personally won't shoot jakes. I do enjoy watching the show they put on from time to time though. If I take someone hunting and a jake comes in, I'll tell them to smoke him just as fast as I would a longbeard. Its all up to you and personal preference. As for me, every jake I pass up this season means one more two year old next year with decent spurs and a nice rope that will trot to me off the limb. :happy0064:
In my home state of VA they are legal, I have shot them before. Doesn't bother me if you kill a jake, I hunt one property where it is mature birds only so thats what gets shot there. I would much rather kill a mature bird but if it's the last week a jake will take a ride home. Took a trip to TX last spring and had 3 days to hunt and 2 tags with the outfitter I used, needless to say I was not going home eating tag soup. 1 longbeard and 1 jake heard the BOOM then FLOPPED in TX in 2010!
You hit the nail on head with your statement.
Quote from: OntarioGobbler on March 21, 2011, 12:48:03 PM
you know the thing I love about turkey hunters versus deer hunters is the appreciation for the game far more than the trophy at the end of the hunt. No split G2's, droptines, heavy mass, kicker points to amaze at. Let's be honest, for the most part turkeys look the same. We are talking a few shorter feathers and 1/8's of inches on spurs all round.
Now I love big sharp hooks as much as the next guy but what is it that makes us want to dust that old gobbler (and I don't mean our admin)? It's the satisfaction of playing the game against the toughest oppenent we can and winning the game. period. That's why guys like to highlight private versus public land birds all the time. Someone already referenced this point. I mean if you go toe -toe with an old wily gobbler all season long and after finally killing him find he's spurless do you wish you could of tagged another bird? A true turkey hunter doesn't worry about that IMO.
So my point is jakes can sometimes play as fun a game as the next bird. 25 kills I have 3 jakes and every one of them I don't regret. The first was my first "foreign" bird. Travelled a long way and after what I went thru to get him in front of me I didn't hesitate. The second I actually sat there watching it for a good 5 seconds after my buddy killed his bird. He had travelled a long way and it was our first hunt together. The opportunity for a double with him was far more important than the length of a spur.
Population issues are different thing. Population management might be a reason to let your area get more mature gobblers in the flock. They are more likely to survive winters, predators etc.
Well said.
Quote from: mmusso on March 21, 2011, 01:30:12 PM
If he plays the game, I would have no problem shooting a jake.
Last year I had one of the best hunts I've ever been on, with one of my best friends (another OG member who will remain nameless), jake-mobile, and a jake. We sat down together with jake-mobile about 15 yards in front of us, and I started calling. Not even 20min. later, the jake popped up over a rise in the field. He looked our way and sprinted across the wide open pasture straight to jake-mobile, blew up, and immediately started strutting circles around the decoy. Then he started kicking jake-mobile in the face repeatedly with each pass.
After this went on for a minute or two right in fornt of us, the conversation against the trees then went like this:
Nameless: Is it a jake?
Me: Yes
-The kicking in the face continues...-
Me: I'm shooting him, I can't stand this
Nameless: No, don't shoot
Me: Dude, he's tearing up my decoy
Nameless: Your decoy's fine. Don't shoot
Me: If he gobbles, I'm shooting him (Nameless still claims to not have heard this)
- I cutt as loud and fast as possible, the jake gobbles, I click my safety off, and Nameless rolls him mid-gobble...-
Me: Really? What happened to don't shoot?
Nameless: What? He gobbled...
Then Nameless went into the whole "I can't believe I shot a jake, you can't tell anybody" thing, and to this day I have not told anyone.
I didn't say this to call Nameless out, or to judge anyone else's decision to shoot or pass, but the "it's just a jake" or "why would you shoot a young buck" attitude is ruining hunting. If it gets your heart racing, you want to shoot it and it's legal, then blast away. At the same time, you can't shoot everything that walks and then complain about not having enough mature animals to hunt next year. I would pay a lot of money to have a hunt like that again and to shoot that bird. I have never shot a jake to this day and have had multiple opportunities were I just didn't want to, but if I have another hunt like that one where he acts like a big boy, he's getting shot like a big boy...
Sorry to rant, but this bothers me.
No, Illegal to shoot jakes here in MS. I travel all over every year to different states, and still will not shoot a jake. I've killed enough turkeys to not have the need to kill a jake. I don't knock anyone for doing it, it's just not what i'm looking for.
The problem I have with the original post on this thread is it encourages drawing a line in the sand. If you do things differently than I want you to do them, you are obviously doing it wrong and its unacceptable. I don't buy into that.
If someone wants to finance my turkey hunting trips, licenses, leases, equipment, and maybe put me on their payroll, then yeah, I'll shoot what they want me to shoot. Until then, I'll shoot what I want.
What I want are longbeards, or more accurately, long spurs! Shooting jakes and 2 or 3 year olds doesn't equal long spurs.
Still, I reserve the right to shoot anything legal, and don't think anyone else should get browbeat into passing up opportunities that they will later regret not acting on.
Its all about having an enjoyable, safe, legal hunt.
Shoot whatever you want! Your out there to have a good time arent you? People are way to hung up on trophies anymore. Just go have fun.
Quote from: RutnNStrutn on March 22, 2011, 02:58:44 PM
I too don't fault anyone for shooting jakes if its legal. If its legal and makes you happy, shoot that jake!!!
I've only shot 2 jakes ever. My 1st turkey was a jake, and I'm still glad I took him. 2 years ago I also took a jake in SC. It was the only bird I got in SC that year, and I'm glad I took him as well.
This year, like every year, I don't plan on shooting a jake. But I'm switching to a different property up in SC for next year, and I've got 4 tags left, a bunch of money invested, and I won't be hunting that property next year. So if the longbeards don't cooperate, I wouldn't be opposed to taking a jake to put some more yummy turkey meat in the freezer.
I also wouldn't fault anyone for taking a jake on the last day of their hunt, nor for holding out because they wanted a longbeard.
Sometimes as hunters, we are our own worst enemies. We argue & criticize each other for not hunting the way we would hunt. Instead, we should be supporting each other in our individual pursuits of legal and ethical methods of hunting, and individual harvests. We need to come together as a hunting community, and not be at each other's throats. Instead of being in fractured groups, we need to stand united and support one another, lest the anti's tear our sport and our heritage and our rights apart at the seams.
:agreed:
I about shot one outta spite yesterday morning.
Quote from: okgobbler on March 23, 2011, 04:09:51 PM
Shoot whatever you want! Your out there to have a good time arent you? People are way to hung up on trophies anymore. Just go have fun.
I love this, finally someone said it.........
The fun has almost been taken out of hunting.
I remember when I was in school, I shot my first deer, a doe. I was very excited, until I started to tell people about it. It was big deal, its just a doe from most of my class mates.
That was 16 years ago, I can only imagine that it is much worse today in the age of the big buck.
We need to get back to the days where if you hunted and where successful, it was a trophy no matter what its size.
Quote from: okgobbler on March 23, 2011, 04:09:51 PM
Shoot whatever you want! Your out there to have a good time arent you? People are way to hung up on trophies anymore. Just go have fun.
:icon_thumright:
I spend way too much money and travel too far to go home empty handed. I pass on Jakes the first few days, but the last day or two all things bearded are fair game.
:z-guntootsmiley:
never have killed a jake and never will kill one
Quote from: Horner on March 23, 2011, 07:52:21 PM
Quote from: okgobbler on March 23, 2011, 04:09:51 PM
Shoot whatever you want! Your out there to have a good time arent you? People are way to hung up on trophies anymore. Just go have fun.
I love this, finally someone said it.........
The fun has almost been taken out of hunting.
I remember when I was in school, I shot my first deer, a doe. I was very excited, until I started to tell people about it. It was big deal, its just a doe from most of my class mates.
That was 16 years ago, I can only imagine that it is much worse today in the age of the big buck.
We need to get back to the days where if you hunted and where successful, it was a trophy no matter what its size.
Very well put. I usually only have a limited time to hunt. I have killed my share of birds and I get as excited with a jake as a long beard. Some of the toughest birds I have killed were jakes. Never was a trophy hunter be it deer or turkey. They're all a trophey to me.
I took my cousin hunting this morning and we both shot a Jake. It was his first bird ever and they both came in double gobbling to my calls. I shot and rolled the first one as he popped his head over the the hill, the second one ran ( needless to say I got a little trigger happy on the opening day in ga today). I thought my cousin was going to run after the one running away. I did a fighting purr and that dang thing turned around and ran back to us! He blasted it!! They both were jakes but I will never forget this day since it was his first bird and the excitement he had was priceless!! I thought I was going to have to carry him to the truck! So as most have said, and i if you can have an experience like we had today, and you want a Jake, then go right ahead and blast it! Times like today don't come often and they are never forgotten! He kept saying " I'll never forget today" all the way to the truck with his turkey over his shoulder!
Quote from: LX_Trkyhntr on March 21, 2011, 09:17:25 AM
I don't shoot jakes. I did in the past when I was learning to turkey hunt, but several years ago I decided only longbeards for me! :you_rock:
I don't care of other people want to shoot a jake though, it's their business. :icon_thumright:
Right there with ya !!!!
:chucknorris: I have no problem shooting a Jake, and I don't have a problem if someone else shoots one.....And where I hunt you can't be that picky..... :fud: :newmascot:
:fud: :newmascot:
I have no problem shooting a Jake, and I don't have a problem if someone else shoots one.....I do have a problem with someone else telling me what I am going to shoot......
:smiley-patriotic-flagwaver-an :smiley-patriotic-flagwaver-an
Quote from: Rio Fan on March 21, 2011, 02:27:33 PM
I shot some jakes when I was learning how to turkey hunt, but I only shoot long beards anymore. However, I don't have a problem with others shooting jakes.
I'm the same way. I've only taken longbeards for years now, but in no way do I have the right to tell someone else what bird he can or can not take.
I guided this past weekend over in Tn at the NWTN Kids Hunting For a Cure hunt. We were on gobbling turkeys on Saturday and hunted all day in the rain with no opportunity for a shot, got close but it didn't happen. We went back out this morning with my little hunter who was 9 years old and in 36 degree, damp rainy, and windy weather I called up two Jakes at 7:40 and Cody killed his first turkey!
Jakes are legal there and the thought of not letting the child kill one of those Jakes never entered my mind! There was no way I would have expected that child to have hunted that hard in this weather and finally see a legal turkey and not take a shot.
Yes, I did this morning. He was the only bird I was getting today and should be nice and tender for dinner tonight.
i shot one last week after missing a longbeard seconds earlier. I saw redwhiteblue, a beard and he's on the move = :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley:
I'd do it again, too, like that, depending on the situation.
Especially b/c I have a hard time leaving the woods, and w/ one bird per day here, if I bag one I have to quit...keeps me from getting fired or divorced