Quote from: antiwheeze on April 04, 2011, 03:18:58 PM
When would it be worth shooting a Jake?
Indiana is a one turkey a season state. I am willing to eat my tag & pass a Jake. When in the season or the conest would it be advisable to take any legal turkey?
If you have made a personal commitment not to shoot jakes then that is your own choice and by all means you should continue to honor it regardless of your contest participation. I can't imagine that any of your team mates would feel any different.
If the past history of our team members is any indication, I have a strong hunch that at least 10 Head Hunters will succeed in harvesting birds this year. Heck we already have 2 out of 10. By the time your hunt starts, I'm pretty sure you will see that there will not be any need for you to even consider shooting a jake. I have a feeling your going to get a mature bird anyway, so at this point I wouldn't even give it another thought.
Anyone else care to chime in please feel free.
I asked the question on Indiana Sportsman.com, if someone would consider taking a jake. With Indiana's one bird season some would consider takin a jake due to lack of time to hunt and gettin closer to the end of season, that type stuff. If its real close to the last day of season and things are tuff, I might consider it. I feel any bird is a trophy and darn happy to get one. If He's happy and feels good about the bird, then I'll be happy for him but with that being said He's a seasoned turkey hunter and He'll do fine because He's a "Head Hunter" besides its all about the hunt and having a good time. thats my 2 cents. Good Luck Crappiepro
There is also five pages of posts from OG members on the topic of jakes at the following link:
http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,5012.0.html
Too shoot or not shot a jake is one question that is asked alot on the turkey talk formum's. If I only had one tag I would wait for a longbeard. Do not do like I did this year and mistake a jake for a mature gobbler. Make sure you see the whole longbeard. I do not have a problem with folks shooting a few jakes. But I have seen some folks in one of my old hunt clubs that got his limit of 5 gobblers. Three were jakes. Too me that does not make good mangement sense. Shooting a jake every mow and then does not hurt the flock. I love to call in turkey and hear them gobble. Jakes for most part do not do that. But I have shot a few jakes over the years. They gobbled like a big boy and gave me a great hunt. But I will hold out for a full faned longbeard. I got that one jake for the grill and that is enough. Do what you want to do. Do not let others tell you what is right for you. To each is his own. Good Luck, Mike