Gang of thug jakes

[Up Hill]

Last year my son and I spotted a couple of nice strutters at the end of a cut the eve before.  Sat the following day and never saw them. After not showing the next morning we did a little running g and gunning g. Got them to respond but seemed Tobe pushing them further.  Went back to the blind,a little frustrated, and had gang of 8 jakes come in. They acted like they owned the place too. Hind sight 20/20, now we know why the strutters didn't show. My question is what could we have done differently? 

[Up Hill]

They are and I left it up to my son. We let them all walk off

[Tnandy]

Not sure about your preferences are but I have had 3 different old time, bonifide ole turkey hunters and killers, tell me the same thing. Pick out the lead jake and take him. All 3 guys told me the same thing. Said they will bust up for a few weeks. Not sure, never done it and too, you may not want to kill a jake. I had a group of 7 mess me up half a season one time in a prime spot with other long beards there. They finally moved on far enough that I could hunt in peace lol. Every time I got on a bird, they came in and run him off. Very frustrating lol

[Up Hill]

Sounds like good advice and makes sense. I didn't realize that they could control a whole area!  Life sure ain't easy for an old gobbler. Glad deer don't act like that,lol

[Treerooster]

I've always thought that when you have a poor hatch followed by a good hatch there are a bunch of jakes around that will suppress the not-to l-many toms. Toms will gobble less and be less vocal/visible to avoid the negatives of the jake gang.

My response, when I figure that out,  is to call more subtle and try to get as close as I can when I do locate a tom. Listening for drumming too.

[jhoward11]

Smile, because next year gonna be a free for all of 2 yr. olds.  Reserve the one you want now!

[Up Hill]

Yeah, a little payback,lol

[Tom007]

Good luck.....

[g8rvet]

Not sure about your preferences are but I have had 3 different old time, bonifide ole turkey hunters and killers, tell me the same thing. Pick out the lead jake and take him. All 3 guys told me the same thing. Said they will bust up for a few weeks. Not sure, never done it and too, you may not want to kill a jake. I had a group of 7 mess me up half a season one time in a prime spot with other long beards there. They finally moved on far enough that I could hunt in peace lol. Every time I got on a bird, they came in and run him off. Very frustrating lol

I was told the same thing and I actually did it to a gang of 4 that I watched run birds off a small piece I hunted.  Killed the lead jake and then about two weeks later took one out of two nice longbeards that came in and that I had not seen all season. 

[WV Flopper]

 Kill all 8 of the Jake's and the Toms would be workable. Just kidding!

Hopefully, this year you have more two year olds than Jake's running around. I had the same issue two years ago. Covered up in Jakes, worked out good last spring.

[backforty]

I always scare the crap out of them when they come in. Don't know if it does any good but makes me feel better.

[zelmo1]

I have found that gobblers tighten up if there is a gang of jakes around. Last year I saw a ton of jakes and the story was the same, quieter gobblers. But all it took was a little more patience and dont hunt the multiple birds. The gobblers still want to breed so they will be doing the same things, just quieter. I am hoping that the big jake numbers last year turn into big longbeard numbers this year. We shall see. Z

[g8rvet]

I have found that gobblers tighten up if there is a gang of jakes around. Last year I saw a ton of jakes and the story was the same, quieter gobblers. But all it took was a little more patience and dont hunt the multiple birds. The gobblers still want to breed so they will be doing the same things, just quieter. I am hoping that the big jake numbers last year turn into big longbeard numbers this year. We shall see. Z

Pretty much describes my season last year on private ground.  Counted 8 jakes running with a smallish longbeard.  Put them all in front of my great nephew and he missed one. 

[Cowboy]

Jakes are like a bunch of punk teenagers.  Get more than one and they want to beat up on the old guy. They will run a gobbler to death.

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