Jakes on accident...

[surehuntsalot]

never have killed a jake

[FLGobstopper]

I've done it a couple times but each time it's been on one of those years when the gobblers aren't gobbling much and I'm having hard luck. It seems my filter for deciphering a jake from longbeard gets a little blurry when it's like that. 

Whew, glad I got that off my chest!!! Now bring on the longbeards or longbeard looking-ish turkeys. 

[KYTurkey07]

I've killed 2 jakes kinda on accident. In KY you can take two bearded birds so I don't feel bad. Neither of them strutted, I couldn't see their spurs or the length of their beards. If I had known and waited, a big boy might have been trailing behind. Then again, they might have been all alone. No regrets.

[Dtrkyman]

Once that I can think of, full roll gobble and hung up and acted like a tom, late season thick cover and  only got a peak of his head and let em have it!

17lb "super jake"  no regrets!

[Tom007]

Been there, done that. I think it probably happens to all of us, especially in mountainous terrain.

[Bottomland OG]

Been there, done that. I think it probably happens to all of us, especially in mountainous terrain.

It's inevitable if you shoot at enough of them.

[Yoder409]

I believe I've shot 5 in my lifetime, for various reasons.

None by accident.

[knifeshark]

I just did that last week, 50 yard shot in high grass, came into the decoys and hung up when he saw the quarter strut decoy. He presented a long shot, and I smoked him in the high grass, kinda of disappointing, but happy to tag one. That was the only bird I heard in three days of hunting in the rain Can't always get the paint brush, but any bird is a treasure.

[zelmo1]

Not on accident...yet.  Every jake I've killed was on purpose.   

Same here, but I almost did this year. Not by mistaken identity, he stepped in front of the Tom and I pulled up. The gun went off . No clue how I didn't kill them both. The trigger was a micro ounce from engaging when the youngster popped in. My reaction was purely instinct and very lucky for us all. Z

[WV Flopper]

This year.

Seen his fan, watched him gobble, correct ID, not a mistaken turkey.

Thought he was a LB, not a Jake. He sure did sound good!

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[Mallard1897]

On accident, once or twice because of acting like a longbeard with full gobble sneaking in and periscoping over the knoll.

Had one years ago come in spitting and drumming over the hill with one hell of a gobble. When he crest the hill and popped strut I couldn't believe he had a jake fan. Let him walk in doing his thing till I could clearly see his stubby beard then, bam.... my dad shoots him. After things settle he came over puzzled as to why I didn't shoot. I told him it was a jake which he thought no way but sure enough it was.

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[ChesterCopperpot]

I've killed them on accident, killed them on purpose. Don't regret a one of them.


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[BDeal]

Did it in 2020. Was my 3rd bird that year. Came in gobbling like crazy and strutting in the thick brush. Had no idea it was a Jake. Stubby hooks lol

[mountainhunter1]

It is really easy to shoot a jake by accident in the mountains. I have done it twice over the years and it is a miracle it has not happened more than that. Most hunters in the mtns, especially those who do not use decoys, will set up so that when the bird appears over the peak of the ridge, he is in range.

One of the two, I had seen the Longbeard come off the ridge and wrap me and I knew he was by himself. So, I made one more move and put the peak of the ridge between me and him again and he came up and peaked over and I blew his head off at 18 steps. But it was not the Tom, a jake had sneaked in quietly from somewhere in the five to ten minutes from where I had last seen him circling the previous ridge by himself. The other occasion, was very similar. Took both home on the occasions that it happened and ate them and did not beat myself up about it.

[b wilt]

My very first bird was a Jake, none since, although I don't have a problem with it.