let them walk ?

[TANK]

Jakes are usually safe depending on where I'm hunting at. I have 5 places to hunt and some of the hunters I share these grounds with will shoot a jake in a New York second.......

[WildTigerTrout]

 I can't say I have never shot a jake because I have but no longer. Jakes get a free pass. Any fullfan is in trouble though.

[tomstopper]

I will pass jakes but if I'm with someone that wants to shoot one they can. Still enjoy seeing those super jakes.

^^^This. IMO to each his own as long as it's legal I don't care if a grown man/woman or a kid shoots a jake. Personal choice and ya have to start somewhere.....

[Hooksfan]

 Do whatever
makes ya happy. I have never regretted shooting any turkey I chose to shoot. I am not as quick to say to let all jakes walk as others. I don't believe there is a solid biological argument that passing jakes will guarantee a significant increase in two year olds.
What it comes down to most folks is not wanting to burn a tag on a jake. Kids with me get to shoot whatever they want so long as it is legal.

[Blong]

Jakes are illegal here in Ms, thank goodness!

[mgm1955]

As long as it's legal it's the individual's decision. No right or wrong answer except for that particular person.

[porcupine]

The last couple seasons I helped the kids and a couple Buddy's get it done....and all I seen was hens lol they all got to go make more

[guesswho]

First day or last day of the season and no bird, I'll pass.

[stinkpickle]

I've been letting jakes walk, but I can't promise that I won't ever pop one.  I'm sure they're just as tasty. 

[RussM311]

I'm a little different..... I let the big old birds pass and shoot the little ones..... carrying them rascals gets to be a chore. Now, I will say that if I can get a big one near the truck, I will probably not let him pass.

[born2hunt]

Id like to say mature birds only but a few years ago I took my Dad on opening morning. We had four birds come in strutting and gobbling. My Dad picked him one out and dropped him at 15 yards. I yelped a couple times and a jake ran back in strutting and jumped up on my Dad's bird and starts pecking and spurring him. I called again and he gobbled again. It was just more than I could handle, I knocked him right off the others back. If only he'd kept his mouth shut !!!    I say hunt how you want but hunt legal and most importantly hunt with pride. I make no excuses for any animal I've ever put in my truck.  If it gets your ticker ticking than let er rip.
   

[g8rvet]

I can't even count the number of jakes I have passed on and I have only been turkey hunting about 20 years.  I know I passed on 6 one morning and 5 another.  First on public, second on private.  Last year one came in gobbling and strutting and acting like a Tom. I was shocked he had such a little beard.  My barrel was on him, safety off and I just squeezed. In that spot, they are my birds, so I don't feel bad.

I always say it is a game time decision every time I hunt and usually (but I guess not always) jakes get a pass. 

I have passed on a couple of toms that were looking down my gun barrel to give my son a chance. He did not get a shot at either one, but I consider that I killed them, just did not get to eat them. 

[mudhen]

Full fan, and I'm going to try for him....


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[silvestris]

A Wild Turkey may just be God's finest creation, but, once shot, he becomes a mass of feathers and a piece of meat.  I have let more walk than I have shot(documented in Kenny Morgan's "One Man Game").  My reasons for doing so are so complex that even I can't describe to myself why I chose to let a particular gobbler walk.  I can say that I have only regretted letting one gobbler walk and that is because that gobbler was killed by a poacher forty-five minutes after I passed on the shot at fifteen steps.  I guess I have passed on so many because I see the sport as a game that doesn't necessarily have to end in a creature's death.  On the other hand, I have never regretted a gobbler that I have killed, nor do I look down on anyone else for taking a gobbler by sporting means that doesn't deprive the bird of his senses and his natural instincts for survival.

[Timmer]

We only get one bird here in the north.  I let jakes go, but always take a tom regardless of size or shape of feathers.  If it's early in the season I continue hunting but with a camera.