I have nowhere near the time or land that holds a lot of birds as I like, plus out of state new places and different subspecies....makes me wonder if I am of the majority or minorityof my thinking that if a shot at a legal bird presents itself after all the hard work is passable???? Taking the hunt and enjoying nature out of the equation because that's already been had do you let it walk because of a few broken tail feathers short beard or small spur's??? Not this cowboy no free passes here, what about y'all?
I let some walk every year to keep from tagging out early. I like shooting them as much as the next person but I would rather catch and release than tag out early. I know I'm probably in the minority.
We are only allowed one gobbler here in NH.
Therefore, when I see a full fan, whether it is May 3rd, or May 31st, I pull the trigger. Just not enough days to hunt, and the only birds that get free passes are jakes.
Jakes always get a pass. If I'm after a particular bird, others might or might not get a pass. For me, the experience of working a bird is just, if not more, pleasurable than closing the deal. if on every opening morning, a bird lit off the roost and came right in, and I killed it, after a while that wouldn't be much fun.
I can count on one hand the birds I've let walk that I could of shot in 15 years of turkey hunting. Those situations were all the same. Got caught hunting in some bad weather and moved to a field. Turkeys like fields in rainy wet weather. Turkeys piled out infront of me and huddled up. Wouldn't gobble wouldn't strut. They Just sat there and got wet. When I go out I'm hunting not killing. I felt like I was bird watching. I didn't get the urge to shoot. I don't care if it's a super jake that gobbles or a hard drumming mature bird I'm shooting if I get the fever!
Jakes get a pass............always.Over the years i've been lucky enough to walk up on a few gobblers,mostly during a light rain or windy days.I killed a few of those birds.Now unless i'm planted with my butt on the ground and a bird comes in that I believe came to the call,I wont shoot.Like others have said I enjoy the hunt.If its legal and you shoot one however it may happen,i'm not looking down on anyone and will offer my congrats.
First two weeks yes, any thing that comes into gun range after that gets shot in the face.
:gobble: As long as you follow the laws of your state, it is your hunt so it is your call. Nobody else has control of your conscience. I will let a kid shoot a jake no worries. I want kids to get involved with our sport. I will never shoot another jake. My choice, but I see no evil in doing so. My son's first bird was a jake as was mine, it may be a family tradition, we shall see when my daughter is old enough to hunt. This is only the second generation of turkey hunters in my family, we shall see. Good luck everyone.
To me this sport is like deer hunting, some will shoot anything that is legal and there is nothing wrong with that. As I get older, I find myself being selective. I was told when I first started turkey hunting, you can kill jakes until you kill your first gobbler after that you can't cross back over that line and I've held myself to that. To me, it's not about killing birds, it's about the total experience of the outdoors. Killing a bird is "Icing on the Cake." :z-twocents:
I will pass jakes but if I'm with someone that wants to shoot one they can. Still enjoy seeing those super jakes.
Jakes and small toms get a walk. I'm retired and tag soup is no big deal for me. Leave a few for the young'uns.
Gman
I've let countless birds walk in the past, mostly jakes. But I let 2 different toms walk that I don't intend to do again. One was because I was waiting on a bigger bird that put the mojo on me and a buddy. I kept telling my buddy that birds is coming out farther down, he kept telling me no he's coming here. Well a 2 year old with about an 8-9 inch beard run up. He said there he is. I told him, no that wasn't Roy (yeah, we'd done named this bird). He got a little upset with me for not killing him. He said well where is Roy then? Roy gobbles....ahhh, there he is. Roy came out farther down the tree line just like I thought he was. Buddy goes back the next day while I'm in church and kills Roy! 12 inches of beard with 1 1/2 hooks! The other bird was one that would fly down in a field every morning and gather his hens. They'd be gone till late in the afternoon, then come back to fly up to roost. I'd looked at the fine gobbler so many times down my gun barrel and he'd be looking back at me just like he was reading my soul, actually he was probably looking at the green sight on the end of my gun... ;D......another fellow ended up killing him this very same way. 11 1/2 inch beard, 1 1/2 hooks. I vowed right then and there I'd never let another turkey get under my skin like those two did!! If I limit out early, I'll just call for my wife or take my camera!
I pass on jakes too. I'd rather get a crack at him down the line when he's carrying more weight & has more sense. Plus, if I get after a stud gobbler, I kind of get possessed.
Jim
Jakes getva pass with me but a full fan or long beard, and I'm making a BLT.
Shoot jakes (or gobblers) if you want to,...or not. Just do it with the right attitude about it. It seems some folks think turkey hunting is about "body counting". I have hunted around (not with) a person or two that were so fixated on killing their limit, or as close to it as they could come, that they would shoot whatever got in range, and as many of them as they could. I suggest that anybody that hunts turkeys with that attitude is doing it for the wrong reason.
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.......
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.
Quote from: Gobble! on March 07, 2015, 08:00:10 AM
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..... :funnyturkey:
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.
Jakes are illegal here in Ms, thank goodness!
As long as it's legal it's the individual's decision. No right or wrong answer except for that particular person.
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 :turkey2:
First day or last day of the season and no bird, I'll pass.
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. ;)
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.
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.
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.
Full fan, and I'm going to try for him....
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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.
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.
Quote from: Gooserbat on March 07, 2015, 10:31:26 AM
Jakes getva pass with me but a full fan or long beard, and I'm making a BLT.
My thoughts exactly. I just do not have time as my luxury to be picky as far as size or age. My only exception is jakes. If jakes were all I saw all season, then tag soup it would be. If he has a full fan on opening day, at 5:30 in the morning, my 835 eats, and I will be extremely happy.
I hear enough gobbles, and enjoy my time in the woods while I scout in the pre season.
I am not nor will ever judge another hunter that chooses to pass on a younger or smaller Tom, or is hunting a particular bird. I have said and stand by that hunting is an extremely personal endeavor. I get only one tag, and am not particularly fussy about when I punch it.
Full fans and longbeards only.
Aint no fun in killing a jake.
When I leave the truck geared up before dawn, I am turkey hunting. I am not turkey calling. If my intent was to bird watch, go hiking, enjoy nature, pick mushrooms etc... I'd leave that heavy piece of wood and metal at home. If I can get within shooting distance of a longbeard, I do my best to kill him.
Back before a wife and kids I let a lot of birds walk. We were trophy hunting, and we'd be checking spurs. 2 yr olds got to walk. To this day if I can't get a bird closer than 20 yards I let them walk because I don't feel like I won the battle.
Quote from: jakesdad on March 07, 2015, 07:10:31 AM
Jakes get a pass............always.Over the years i've been lucky enough to walk up on a few gobblers,mostly during a light rain or windy days.I killed a few of those birds.Now unless i'm planted with my butt on the ground and a bird comes in that I believe came to the call,I wont shoot.Like others have said I enjoy the hunt.If its legal and you shoot one however it may happen,i'm not looking down on anyone and will offer my congrats.
this is me to a tee
Jakes always get a pass, first day of season or the last. Just a personal choice and I don't begrudge anyone for killing them.
:welcomeOG:
Quote from: catdaddy on March 08, 2015, 10:51:11 AM
When I leave the truck geared up before dawn, I am turkey hunting. I am not turkey calling. If my intent was to bird watch, go hiking, enjoy nature, pick mushrooms etc... I'd leave that heavy piece of wood and metal at home. If I can get within shooting distance of a longbeard, I do my best to kill him.
^ this
I only get a few days (less than 5) to hunt. Season may be longer, but I don't get the time. If he is legal, the mossy will bark. I am hunting, not nature watching.
Good responses guys :icon_thumright:
Never shot a jake & never will
I don't shoot Jakes deliberately, but a couple have met their maker because they had a full gobble and the red head appeared in my diamond. :funnyturkey: :turkey2:
I used to have a lot of time to hunt, but just don't anymore so if opportunity knocks I take it.