I see that Arkansas eliminated the Jake out the bag limit.

[Gobble!]

stupid rule. i love it dont get me wrong but i dont believe its fair

[camp man]

I personally think it is a good law. Not so sure that it will help with the turkey population since most jakes aren't sexually mature. I would like to see Florida do this so the jakes can have a chance to gobble next year.

[savduck]

I hope so much this sport does not become like deer hunting and deer management..

I think it has headed that way. I remember the days when NO ONE was in the woods turkey hunting.

[guesswho]

Does Arkansas have a fall season?

[Spurs]

From the point of view of someone who lives here.  I love the rule.  It is simply the fact that if you let a Jake live he has a way better chance to make it to next season....shouldnt have any arguments to that.  Sure, hens will breed with a Jake, just like a Doe will breed to a spike, who cares.  Our biggest problem is feral hogs.  Our state has been taken over by them and there is no end in sight.  Now that the game and fish has shown that it cares about the opinion of hunters (the few tyat took the time to fill out surveys) we can start another battle.

The number of jakes has dropped dramatically in this state.  The number if birds in general has dropped.  And if you shoot every male in the woods, what is the next step?

[FireDoc]

I am now selling memberships in my new organization; QTMA.

Quality Turkey Management Association.

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[Spurs]

From the point of view of someone who lives here.  I love the rule.  It is simply the fact that if you let a Jake live he has a way better chance to make it to next season....shouldnt have any arguments to that.  Sure, hens will breed with a Jake, just like a Doe will breed to a spike, who cares.  Our biggest problem is feral hogs.  Our state has been taken over by them and there is no end in sight.  Now that the game and fish has shown that it cares about the opinion of hunters (the few tyat took the time to fill out surveys) we can start another battle.

The number of jakes has dropped dramatically in this state.  The number if birds in general has dropped.  And if you shoot every male in the woods, what is the next step?

[PANYHunter]

so is this rule because the turkey population is down too low?  I just looked at the AGFC website and they allow you to shoot 2 adult gobblers.  Why not put that number down to 1 if there is a problem.  They also allow bearded hens to be shot.  Not sure I get their logic.  I hope this is not going to be the new trend in turkey management. 

[jv]

We have had the same rule for several years in Mississippi and i think most hunters are in favor of it......here  the gobbler has to have a 6 inch beard or a full fan not uneven like a jake's. A hunter under the age of 16 can harvest one bird that is a jake per year. All in all it seems to working pretty good.

[furtracker]

I think the problem with predation is its next to impossible to control.  Coyotes are everywhere these days and trappers are few and far between.  I know predator hunting is more popular than ever before but I don't think it even knocks a dent in any local population. The only thing I can think of would be bounties.
  Does anyone know what the average sex ratio is on a typical hatch.  I know I rarely see more than two jakes in the fall and late winter flocks.   Limiting jake harvest might be a good idea around here where you have 20 hens to every tom.  Thats a lot of competition for my poor calling.

[R AJ]

What is the determination for a jake? Tail feathers? Beard length can be misleading and beards can be missing or shot off. Interesting ruling though.

[BoWhoop]

Thats a good question, since I have seen "jake" fans on adult birds, and "adult" fans on jakes.  Not common, but it happens. 

I would guess beard length, like in MS.  I wonder what percentage get mis-judged, or the shot rings out because "the head looked like an adult"  I have a feeling some birds get wasted with rules like this.

[Spurs]

If I am not mistaken, it is a full tail fan and/or 6"+ beard...kinda like three point rule with deer.  If you aren't sure, don't shoot or pay the consequences.

[HogBiologist]

letting jakes pass will allow more male birds carry over into adults.  This will hopefully raise the number of birds making it into the next year.  Predators can be an issue, but if the habitat is right the turkeys can out survive the predators.  There is alot of work needed in some of the NF, but the red tape hinders it.  I think the jake rule is a step in the right direction.  I dont believe it will lead to "trophy" turkeys like an AR would for deer.

The definition of a jake is usually a bird without a full fan, 4"  or less beard and .25" or less spurs.  Biologically speaking it is a 1 year old bird.  With the exception of beard rot/broken beards almost all birds with a small tuft of a beard will be a jake.

[joshua]

I hope so much this sport does not become like deer hunting and deer management..