Shooting a jake looked down upon?

[surehuntsalot]

if it's legal where you hunt and it makes you happy,I say go for it

[paintbrush]

Not in my book. Too each their own. Who am I to judge what others do with their tags as long as it is legal?

[VaGobbler]

I say do what feels right to you.  I introduced a good friend of mine to turkey hunting a few years ago, and called in a nice super Jake that he was able to take as is first bird ever.  He and I were just as excited as I was on my first bird.

[WV TURKEY THUG]

ive shot 2 jakes i was just as happy shooting one of them as i did with a long beard. my first and second birds were long beards. if i call in a jake on the first day im going to throw some shot at him. then save my other tag for a longbeard. there is nothing to be ashamed about if u kill a jake

[TJK68]

More power to you brother, what ever makes you happy! No flack from me only Congrats.

[J-Shaped]

Shoot what makes you happy within the guidelines of the game laws, and don't be ashamed of it. It's your choice and many who have a problem with it are, in my opinion, probably in it for the wrong reasons anyway (i.e. Ego).

The last thing turkey hunting needs is to head the way deer hunting has over the last 20 years with the "bigger is better" mentality.

Good luck this spring

[appalachianstruttstopper]

I have, do and will again. Some of my most memorable hunts was with a jake slung over my shoulder walking out of the woods. Also some of my most memorable hunts I have wlked out of the woods empty handed.

You are the one you are hunting for, a trophy for you is a trophy for you! My Dad has been turkey hunting for as long as I have, about 28 yrs and he will bust one in a heartbeat if it came to his calling. He is just as tickled with these trophy's as he is with a 4yr old bird.

[Gobble!]

i will pass but dont care if my hunting buddy wants to shoot him.

[rempumpman]

I have killed many a Turkeys in my day and alot of those Turkeys have been some dandy ones; I travel to several different states, spend several dollars on out-of-state license, and enjoy every penny spent on what I consider the best animal on planet earth to hunt; I kill many long beards and hope the Good Lord allows a few more, so with that said, if you want to shoot a Jake, then be certain that a Jake is still classified as a Turkey and don't you worry not one bit what any other hunter thinks and or says about you killing one if that Jake is a Legal bird in your state;

Would I kill one? after 38 years of chasing these birds all over everywhere, ya dang tootin' I would pull the trigger on one in a New York second if it was legal and I wanted to.........

[Beard Collecter]

Those of us who have been at this a while tend to like to let the jakes walk for future years.  With that said, first bird, or even one taken late in the season when a longbeard hasn't been killed I am all for someone doing that.  It has to do with what YOU will be proud of and to he#% with what anyone else thinks.  You post your first bird and we are going to be happy for you.

X2

X3

[tnturkey]

I could care less. and I will say congrats to anyone who kills a turkey. I would just say its not all about the hunt if you pass one the first day why shoot it the last day? just because you want to kill one sometimes its more about the hunt then the kill. but I will never ever ridicule anyone for shooting anything. its not my place to judge and everyone hunts different and has different standards. don't worry about what people think.

[alclark2]

If he makes you happy go for it! I love telling people about my jake hunts. If they put on a good show and do it for me then its lights out.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

My only jake was my first bird.

Ill never understand why experienced hunters would ever consider shooting one but to each their own. I can enjoy interactions w jakes without feeling any inclination to kill them but that's a personal choice.

[Tommy Strutsalot]

That's cool to see there's a lot of supportive comments 

I will say this, I have never killed a jake, but initially I was fixin to shoot the first legal bird to come to the gun.  For my first bird, my buddy and I doubled up on what were likely 3 years olds, really nice birds.  However, I did learn something last season.  In the 2012 season I was hunting a property pretty consistently with my buddy and it was a jake factory.  There were a couple good ones too who would gobble their little heads off and strut right into the decoys.  This happened every time we hunted and my buddy's only rule was that nobody shot a jake.  It was difficult for me to eat tag soup in 2012 when I could've put the hammer on a decent jake multiple times.  Well his plan worked out, and last spring there were some real dandy birds runnin around that farm.  Three mature longbeards took rides in the truck from that spot alone last season, and if you ask me, it was worth the wait.  Just good for thought!  After that, I may be out of the jake-shooting game for good, but like somebody else mentioned if a jake provides a fun hunt, go for it.

Kill whatever's legal that you want to shoot, and enjoy the sport that we're all blessed enough to enjoy!

[ncturkey]

Tale jake if you want too. I would not take a whole bunch of them in one season. Same some of the jakes so you will have good chance at a longbeard. I knew a guy once that bragged about getting his 5 bird limit. He had taken three jakes and two longbeards on our club. I did not see anything wrong with him taking a jake. But I thought three jakes was a little much. But I did not give him a hard time about. It was his choice. And this is your choice. I would not worry about what others think about it. Good Luck.