Shooting Jakes

[Ol'Mossy]

Just want everyones opinion on shooting Jakes. Do you shoot them or let them walk to live another year.  Say the season is winding down and you haven't filled your tags yet, would you shoot one then?

[Trevor2]

Unless I have killed couple birds that season then they die.

[stinkpickle]

Depends on my mood, but they'd probably walk 95% of the time.

[redarrow]

http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,5012.0.html

This question was asked about a week ago.Lots of opinions on this one.

[Basser69]

Red, thanks for posting that link. I really did not think that we needed to rehash the whole jake thing again

[hobbes]

I'm planning to kill at least 17 jakes this year.

Colorado - 1
Illinois - 2
Kentucky - 2
KS - 2
NE - 2
MT - 1
WY - 2
SD - 1
Lets see.......thats only 13.  I could stop in MO and shoot 2 on the way back from IL then.............aw heck, maybe I'll just kill 15 of em.

Maybe I'll drop that to the three.  I dont' think I can swing that many tags this year.

[TURKEYSLAYER101]

Let um walk.




                                                  TURKEYSLAYER 101

[PANYHunter]

We have a pool in the office for the smallest bird, as well as the biggest bird.  Sometimes it gets pretty big and when I say big I mean huge  Last year I won it with a nice 2 year old and I didn't even have to cut off the beard!!  This year I think I will have some more competition so I might need to shoot me a jake.

[bowhunter84]

Depends on my mood, but they'd probably walk 95% of the time.

[Ol'Mossy]

http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,5012.0.html

This question was asked about a week ago.Lots of opinions on this one.

Sorry I wasn't here a week ago

[hobbes]

Pa, nobody really minds that you asked the question again..........just pointing you to a very recent discussion.  If it hadn't been so recent they wouldn't have bothered to look it up and we'd have happily went through it again.   

My comment was more for those that get completely bent out of shape over a jake.  I don't have any plans to shoot one, but the "no.....never..........no way........no how" crowd starts to resemble trophy hunting that a lot of us would rather turkey hunting didn't turn into.

[njdevilsb]

Early in the season I let them walk.  Up until a few years ago, I'd shoot a jake on opening day.  If it's down to the last week and I have a tag, chances are I'll shoot one.

[PANYHunter]

http://oldgobbler.com/Forum/index.php/topic,5012.0.html

This question was asked about a week ago.Lots of opinions on this one.

Sorry I wasn't here a week ago

Like Hobbes said I'm sure nobody cares that you posted this.  I can't speak for him but redarrow was probably just pointing it out that the post was there in case you wanted to look at it.  I'm sure some of the same people will post in both topics.  Where in PA are you?   

[chcltlabz]

I don't think that's it at all.  In fact, on this thread and the other one both, there are way more people accusing everyone of saying bad things about shooting jakes then there are people saying anything bad about shooting jakes.

I don't shoot jakes.  I don't care who does as long as it is legal.  I don't shoot bearded hens either.

We all have personal goals for our hunts.  Some people will chase a single bird all season until its over or they kill him.  Some people are fine just getting out.  For me, I want to shoot a mature turkey.  If I don't, I'm fine with that.  Yes, I've killed jakes before and yes, there have been plenty of jakes I thought about shooting, and even some I really wanted to convince myself were adults.  In the end, I was always glad I didn't shoot a jake, even if it meant not filling a tag.

I think everyone should try and set goals for their season.  Makes it a lot of fun.  My goals are to call in a longbeard for a friend of mine who's never shot one before (he killed a jake last year I called in for him).  I'd like to call in a bird for a friend of mine's son who's never turkey hunted before.  I'd like to kill a turkey myself with my bow, a 12 guage and a 10 guage.  If I do that, I may even try and kill one with a muzzleloader too.  I'd be thrilled if I hit half these goals.

[Basser69]

My comment was more for those that get completely bent out of shape over a jake.  I don't have any plans to shoot one, but the "no.....never..........no way........no how" crowd starts to resemble trophy hunting that a lot of us would rather turkey hunting didn't turn into.

Count me among those that doesn't like how turkey hunting is turning into trophy hunting.  Too many deer hunters taking up the sport to pass the time till fall I guess....

I do not think it is as much the deer hunters as it is the shows on TV. They are doing the samething with turkeys as they have with deer hunting.

Bottom line is if it makes you happy and is legal, shash some heads. If a jake catches me in the right mood will I bust him, you bet!