Shoot a Jake or wait for a Longbeard?

[chbarnha]

I called a jake up this morning. I didn't shoot him, then again its illegal in Miss. except for a youth.

what constitutes a jake in Mississippi? just curious

[mightyjoeyoung]

I called a jake up this morning. I didn't shoot him, then again its illegal in Miss. except for a youth.

what constitutes a jake in Mississippi? just curious

Apparently THIS idiotic regulation.  Directly from the MS Outdoor Digest...   What do they expect?   Hunters to ask the bird to stand still while he breaks out the calipers?   PA has some dumb regs, but this takes the cake. 

One (1) adult gobbler or 1 gobbler with a 6-inch or longer beard per day, 3 per Spring season. Hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest 1 gobbler of choice (any age) per day, 3 per spring season. 

[Gobble!]

I called a jake up this morning. I didn't shoot him, then again its illegal in Miss. except for a youth.

what constitutes a jake in Mississippi? just curious

Didn't know any state had that kind of regulation. I like it.

[g8rvet]

I called a jake up this morning. I didn't shoot him, then again its illegal in Miss. except for a youth.

what constitutes a jake in Mississippi? just curious

Apparently THIS idiotic regulation.  Directly from the MS Outdoor Digest...   What do they expect?   Hunters to ask the bird to stand still while he breaks out the calipers?   PA has some dumb regs, but this takes the cake. 

One (1) adult gobbler or 1 gobbler with a 6-inch or longer beard per day, 3 per Spring season. Hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest 1 gobbler of choice (any age) per day, 3 per spring season.

That may sound bad, but if you think about it, is not that big of a deal.  99% of jakes I have seen have a 4" or way less beard, while 99% of longbeards I have seen have 8" plus beard.  I don't believe I have ever seen a 6" beard bird that I did not know was a jake.  I killed one once that was right at 6", but it had a jake fan, I knew what I was doing.

In Florida, we had a 5" spike rule.  Still do, in a way.  In order to be an antlerless deer, it must have less than 5" spike and if you have antlerless tag you can kill it.  If it is longer than 5", it is not legal because it does not have a forked horn.  It is pretty simple, if you are not sure, don't squeeze the trigger.   

[BrowningGuy88]

I haven't read every reply, but I get the gist of the discussion.

My answer is simple. It depends.

[Gobspur]

I killed a 3 yr old longbeard last Wednesday.  I killed a jake last Thursday.  The jake was twice as smart as that longbeard and gave me a great battle.

My opinion - It's about the game, not what they look like.

[mightyjoeyoung]

I called a jake up this morning. I didn't shoot him, then again its illegal in Miss. except for a youth.

what constitutes a jake in Mississippi? just curious

Apparently THIS idiotic regulation.  Directly from the MS Outdoor Digest...   What do they expect?   Hunters to ask the bird to stand still while he breaks out the calipers?   PA has some dumb regs, but this takes the cake. 

One (1) adult gobbler or 1 gobbler with a 6-inch or longer beard per day, 3 per Spring season. Hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest 1 gobbler of choice (any age) per day, 3 per spring season.

That may sound bad, but if you think about it, is not that big of a deal.  99% of jakes I have seen have a 4" or way less beard, while 99% of longbeards I have seen have 8" plus beard.  I don't believe I have ever seen a 6" beard bird that I did not know was a jake.  I killed one once that was right at 6", but it had a jake fan, I knew what I was doing.

In Florida, we had a 5" spike rule.  Still do, in a way.  In order to be an antlerless deer, it must have less than 5" spike and if you have antlerless tag you can kill it.  If it is longer than 5", it is not legal because it does not have a forked horn.  It is pretty simple, if you are not sure, don't squeeze the trigger.   

The jakes we get up here would put that to the test.  18 pound jakes with 6"+ beards.  We also for decades had a 3" spike or better rule.  Found an awful lot of dead "legal" bucks in the woods during rifle season...

[sealer]

For me, its about the tasty eatin.
Dennis

[kdfester]

I find it funny how  most have sold Jakes short and written them off as so easy to kill and automatically would give them a pass.  For being so dumb they and hens have busted many a seasoned hunter.

I vote shoot what will remain a great story to tell others for years to come

[Yoder409]

I'm going to add something, here, to my previous post.

I don't shoot jake's.   I will let a jake walk at 1 minute til quitting time on the last day with two tags left in my pocket.

BUT................ One of the most memorable hunts I ever had in my life was 25+ years ago when I doubled with my dad on a pair of jakes.   It was the first, last and only spring bird he ever killed.   It was the last jake I ever killed.   And ya know what ??   If I would EVER have the chance to double with one of my kids and.it was on a pair of jakes......... HAMMER TIME !!!    I have killed a Pope & Young entry.  I have killed a Boone & Crockett entry.   But some hunting memories are NOT made by beard lor spur length, antler size, and the like..........   Sometimes father and son or daughter trumps any kind of macho pride that I may have over my skills in the outdoors when I'm hunting alone.

[Txag12]

Too each their own so long as it is legal. I personally don't care to shoot one, that's my preference, but I'd have no problem a youth or beginner tagging one while with me.

[mtns2hunt]

Well, the general consensus appears to be NAY on killing Jake's but Yea if some other guy wants to shoot one. The exception being Mississippi where it appears illegal for an adult to shoot a Jake LOL . 

[drake799]

Pass.   If you ever get a longbeard in your hands full say to heck with a Jake lol

[SteelerFan]

I'm going to add something, here, to my previous post.

I don't shoot jake's.   I will let a jake walk at 1 minute til quitting time on the last day with two tags left in my pocket.

BUT................ One of the most memorable hunts I ever had in my life was 25+ years ago when I doubled with my dad on a pair of jakes.   It was the first, last and only spring bird he ever killed.   It was the last jake I ever killed.   And ya know what ??   If I would EVER have the chance to double with one of my kids and.it was on a pair of jakes......... HAMMER TIME !!!    I have killed a Pope & Young entry.  I have killed a Boone & Crockett entry.   But some hunting memories are NOT made by beard lor spur length, antler size, and the like..........   Sometimes father and son or daughter trumps any kind of macho pride that I may have over my skills in the outdoors when I'm hunting alone.

The trophy is in the details. Period.   

[LaLongbeard]

Howdy. Informal poll/discussion... Comments welcomed.

In a state that allows it, would you harvest a jake or pass and wait for a tom? Let's say it is public land and you only have a couple of days to hunt... One tag only.

Ready? Set? DISCUSS!

Dave

The OP asked a question and asked for comments. Several people stated they will or won't shoot a jake. No one singled anyone out about either answer. For some reason the ones that do shoot jakes are more easily offended than the ones that don't. I do not wait all year drive countless miles lose sleep not to mention the money involved to shoot a 9 month old turkey it's not about the meat the beard spurs or fan it is calling a mature gobbler to the gun. I don't sit on field edges in a pop up blind and wait for the noon arrivals either for the same reason. Everyone hunts for a different reason and some seek a higher challenge and will not except anything less.

Nor do the vast majority of experienced hunters.  The thing is, YOU choose to voice your opinion in such a way as to desprage anyone that doesn't see it your way, do it your way, or god forbid disagree with you.  And you do it in a way that literally,  every single time, makes you look like a freaking jackass.  Idk if it was the way you were raised or what.  I don't care.  As I've said, I consider myself an experienced turkey hunter and a damn good one in a state that has all manner of hunter competition,  a large predator problem and a state legislature that seems bent on destroying our hunting rights.   What you do is try to belittle people every chance you get.  There is a way to interact with folks.  You don't seem to understand that.

If your so good at killing long beards  why you shoot jakes ? If you don't care what I think why do you cry at everything I post?
Isn't there a bedpan you should be cleaning instead of worrying about me?