Shooting a jake looked down upon?

[DirtNap647]

what ever is a trophy to you be happy with rather see a hunting success photo than a anti gun ad

[Hognutz]

If you shoot a Jake, that is between you and the Jake. No one else.

There are people on here who will bust your balls for shooting a monster gobbler, out of a blind, or the use of decoys, or too far of a shot, wrong kind of shell, or wrong type of shot composition, or wrong size of shot, or wrong gun or choke, for that matter, the wrong camouflage!!
If the time is right for you and you are happy taking a legal Jake, that's all that matters. Your decision. No one else's.

Mike

[JuniorPre 360]

Glad to hear good feedback. I'm thinking if I get into them pretty good this year, a jake may be a last resort at the end of the season. Only time will tell. I get a lot of crap from everyone for shooting small 3 point deer, but I'm only after the 50 pounds of jerkey.

[M,Yingling]

Post up the pics don't be ashamed of any animal you take ,,,your the one pulling the trigger so u be the judge ,,in my eyes any animal I take is a trophy ,,,, ive had a harder time calling some jakes in then long  beards ,,,Good luck

[bbcoach]

This is what I was told when I started out, you can kill Jakes until you kill your first Gobbler but once you kill a Gobbler you can't go back the other way.  I believe for adults, that is sound advice.  But for teenagers, it's about accomplishments and having fun so let them enjoy the experience.   

[neal]

If legal, your tag your business. No one else is paying for your time off tag etc. I've never cared for people putting someone down for hunting. No matter what you shoot if you're happy then I'm happy!

[turkey buster]

I've killed 2 jakes. The first was trailing 3 longbeards and after a swing and a miss with some #6's on the biggest, the big boys ran off. He should've followed suit because shell #2 was on the money. My 2nd jake was my last tag of last year. Killed a longbeard opening day and on the last week of the season after hard hunting and sitting on that tag he rode home with me. I'd shoot another one under similar conditions every time. I'd never frown on a jake if it's someone 1st or 100th bird. The hunt is the memory and the breasts go in the grease

[MouthCaller]

Let the first bearded turkeys head roll! If it were my very first I would kill a bearded hen! I did kill a Jake for my first bird when I was around 16.

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[g8rvet]

I was wondering what the common consensus on here would be and I gotta tell ya, I am pleasantly surprised.  The major sentiment expressed here is pretty much how most of the guys I hunt with and talk to feel.  My son, that had only killed 2 birds at the time-first jake, second huge longbeard-had a jake walk into the decoys last year with me. I said "Take him", he said "Are you sure Dad, it is a jake" I said, "You have only killed 2 birds in your life and there is a week left in the season, take him now" BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM.  He was delicious. 

[d.winsor]

The biggest bird I killed had 1 5/8 inch spurs and weighed 18 pounds and had an eleven inch beard.  A few years later on the last day of the season I killed a bird that had a 3 1/2 beard and weighted 18 pounds.  I was proud of both.  I hunted both of them, one was as leary as the other (public land).  Most generally I will let a jake walk, But !

[COssman14]

What ever you are happy with! I'm sure everyone has shot a Jake or 2 in there lives because i know i have shot and seen many others shoot them. Even Jakes will challenge you and aren't the easiest to harvest at times.

[renegade19]

It's turkey hunting not giant spurred rope bearded monster turkey trophy hunting.  Shoot what's legal if that's your choice.  First bird I killed on my own was a jake in the fall.  I was proud of him.

[bamagtrdude]

I'm not going to lie to you - I've shot jakes over the years, and in fact shot one last year.  It was kind of a fluke deal b/c he was roosted with another mature tom, we had to RAMBO them thru the woods, and as they were running I took a shot at the nearest white head & popped the jake instead of the tom.

Just me personally - but if a jake has a FULL gobble & a 5-6" beard, he's going down.  If he's got a beard smaller than that, and can't gobble, I let him walk.

[ctwny1]

I've not yet met anybody who can tell me when eating a wild turkey if it had a 4" beard or a 4 ft beard or nubs as spurs or 10 inch spurs? It's all personal choice if you want to take a Jake. Waiting towards the end of the season to shoot a Jake is great but you better take the opportunity when it knocks or you might have to wait until next year.

It's what ever you want to do when and if you take a Jake.

[captpete]

If you shoot a Jake, that is between you and the Jake. No one else.

There are people on here who will bust your balls for shooting a monster gobbler, out of a blind, or the use of decoys, or too far of a shot, wrong kind of shell, or wrong type of shot composition, or wrong size of shot, or wrong gun or choke, for that matter, the wrong camouflage!!
If the time is right for you and you are happy taking a legal Jake, that's all that matters. Your decision. No one else's.

Mike

Can't argue with that!!!


My buddy actually prefers a jake......fits on his grill better than a big ol' gobbler.