Jake or Tom?

[Treerooster]

Tom with a short beard or an older Jake with a more developed beard?

How do you know.

[Greg Massey]

Show the spurs  / Fan

[Treerooster]

That's all you got to go on. Grass is too tall to see spurs.

[Dtrkyman]

Cant see the tips of primary wing feathers, Jake's will not be barred.

From what I can see it's a tom.

It's the last one or two feathers you look at.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GobbleNut]

Ahhh, yes...a test on wild turkey anatomy...   

Based on the secondary coverts on the wings and the literature regarding aging turkeys from that, I would say that is a mature tom. It looks to me like those coverts are fully developed. In addition, the pronounced barring on the primary wing feathers and what appears to be significant wear from strutting screams "mature gobbler" to me.

Like Greg indicates, however, I would rely more on the fan differences for any bird "on the hoof", and if I had one that had succumbed to lead poisoning, I would further verify by assessing the spurs.

On that specific gobbler...which I am speculating is a Merriam's, or predominately so based on the tail coverts we can see, I would also be inclined to declare it to be a mature tom just based on the beard length and thickness.  Around these parts, at least, Merriam's jakes generally will have shorter, less-developed beards and many will have no visible beards at all. 

[Treerooster]

Gobblenut not quite what I am looking for.

It's a Rio but that doesn't matter.

Twice I have used this method to identify jake or tom. Both came in from behind me at 20 yards give or take. Really couldn't get a good look at the beard. Just the angling away profile. Both birds smelled a rat and were fixing to leave soon. No way the we're going to show their tail fan.

Had a good shot...but do I take it.

[squidd]

Bang bang dinner!!

[Treerooster]

Bang bang dinner!!

Yeah but...tender or tough. 

[Clif Owen]

Tender enough

[zelmo1]

If you don't know, don't shoot

[Clif Owen]

Obviously, someone noticed something that caused him/her to shoot. Now, please share with the class so we can all learn.

[Treerooster]

The speculum. That big bronze-ish patch in the center on the wing. It's quite visible even with wings folded. Color is vibrant and the patch very full on a Tom. A Jake's is pretty dull and not as filled out. The gobbler needs to be close to be identifiable but it can be an option in the right situation.

Tom's head can be an indetifier but heads change color and size depending on mood, and not as easily done at times, especially when they aren't in close proximity.

[Greg Massey]

I have also seen Jake's with a full fan...

For the first time this year I also saw a Jake with 3 breads, had him at 15 yards

[joey46]

I think the states with a no jake rule base it on beard length.  If that's true then it appears to be a legal bird most everywhere..  Might be a little iffy if 6" beard required.  Agree with the if you don't know and it's going to be a problem don't shoot.

[GobbleNut]

I think the states with a no jake rule base it on beard length.  If that's true then it appears to be a legal bird most everywhere..  Might be a little iffy if 6" beard required.  Agree with the if you don't know and it's going to be a problem don't shoot.

Yep. If 6" was the rule, I would certainly be hesitating on shooting that bird. I had exactly that experience in Mississippi a few years ago. I had a gobbler walk by that had a beard just about like the one in Treerooster's picture. Fortunately, I didn't have to make the decision to shoot or not in that I was lying flat on my back taking a nap at the time and he didn't give me the chance in that he skeedaddled at my first move to get into shooting position.