shooting jakes?

[GobbleNut]

I love to hear a long beard gobble.  I love the challenge of an older bird even though they often win.  Long beards and sharp spurs.

I have heard this alluded to previously...  I am hunting Rio's in California, and cannot for the life of me tell the difference between a jake and a tom gobbling.  Seems to me that a weak gobble is a nervous or hesitant bird, and that a strong gobble is a horny or confident one...

Can you guys actually tell the difference between a jake and a tom from the gobble?

With Rio's in particular, it seems a lot of the jakes can sound like mature birds.  In the places I have hunted them, it is very often difficult for me to tell them apart.  Of course, there are exceptions.  Some jakes just gobble with that short, jake warble, while others seem to master the full gobble at an early age.  From my experience, this holds true for all of the subspecies to some degree, however.
The bottom line is that anybody that shoots at a gobbling bird that they can't clearly see the fan and/or the beard will eventually be looking at a dead jake when they walk up to it. 

[savduck]

I've been hunting them 23 years, with plenty of long beard kills under my belt. I have, will, and still do kill jakes on occasion if the mood or a specific situation strikes me to do it. I let plenty walk, and my goal is a long beard but if the blood lust sets in for one reason or another they will die. I will never apologize or never make an excuse that killing one was an "accident". As a hunter I was taught to properly identify my target before ever putting my finger on the trigger. I'm sorry, if you as a hunter have followed this golden rule of hunting,  then you know you squeezed on a jake, and in no way was it an accident. Own it, the sky wont fall in because you shot a legal gobbler that didn't have 3/4 spurs and a 8 inch beard. Bet your family couldn't tell the difference at the dinner table.

I don't have an issue with it, and never will. Don't have an issue with guys not wanting to do it either. To each his own. What I have an issue with is guys pulling the trigger on something they didn't clearly identify.

[savduck]

I love to hear a long beard gobble.  I love the challenge of an older bird even though they often win.  Long beards and sharp spurs.

I have heard this alluded to previously...  I am hunting Rio's in California, and cannot for the life of me tell the difference between a jake and a tom gobbling.  Seems to me that a weak gobble is a nervous or hesitant bird, and that a strong gobble is a horny or confident one...

Can you guys actually tell the difference between a jake and a tom from the gobble?

In the early part of our season down south, yes you can. By the end of our season a lot of the jakes have full gobbles. Their full gobbles sometimes are still faster and higher pitch than an older mature 3 or year old gobbler.

[catdaddy]

I'd have no problem in shooting one if I felt like it--I just haven't felt like it in 20 years or so. 

[West Augusta]

I love to hear a long beard gobble.  I love the challenge of an older bird even though they often win.  Long beards and sharp spurs.

I have heard this alluded to previously...  I am hunting Rio's in California, and cannot for the life of me tell the difference between a jake and a tom gobbling.  Seems to me that a weak gobble is a nervous or hesitant bird, and that a strong gobble is a horny or confident one...

Can you guys actually tell the difference between a jake and a tom from the gobble?

Usually, I think I can.  But if a turkey comes in gobbling, I will continue to call him in.  When he gets close, it's easy to see the beard and tail.  I let them pass.  That's my choice.  It may not be yours.  I'm not putting you down in anyway.  I just like long beards and sharp spurs. I'll let him grow a few years.

[West Augusta]

Now I will confess to shooting a turkey with a 5" beard.  Not a jake.  He came in gobbling hard.  I called him across a small creek and up a very steep bank.  He showed with a full fan and a full gobble.  BANG.  I rolled him over and thought I shot a jake.  1 1/4" spurs so I was very happy with an older bird with a snow shortened beard. 

[Marc]

Usually, I think I can.  But if a turkey comes in gobbling, I will continue to call him in.  When he gets close, it's easy to see the beard and tail.  I let them pass.  That's my choice.  It may not be yours.  I'm not putting you down in anyway.  I just like long beards and sharp spurs. I'll let him grow a few years.

I passed on some jakes...  Frustrating to work a bird for an hour and it turns out to be a jake.

Had a jake come in this year with a thunderous gobble (after working him for almost 2 hours); he got a pass...  Had a tom come in with that warbly uncertain gobble...  Although he did light it up towards the end.

Had a tom come in this year after working him for a while with no beard...  Full tail fan and good spurs, but a big hole where his beard should be (he came within about 10 feet of me).  Maybe he lost it in a fight or a gambling debt...  Who knows...

Maybe cause our breeding season takes place earlier, or maybe it is the subspecies, or maybe I just have crappy hearing and am tone deaf (which is true)...  Sure wish I could tell them apart from the gobble, cause it would save me a lot of frustration.

I'd still have no issues taking a jake towards the end of the season though...  My first bird was a jake, and it remains to be the most exciting bird I have killed to date.

[mikejd]

Usually, I think I can.  But if a turkey comes in gobbling, I will continue to call him in.  When he gets close, it's easy to see the beard and tail.  I let them pass.  That's my choice.  It may not be yours.  I'm not putting you down in anyway.  I just like long beards and sharp spurs. I'll let him grow a few years.

I passed on some jakes...  Frustrating to work a bird for an hour and it turns out to be a jake.

Had a jake come in this year with a thunderous gobble (after working him for almost 2 hours); he got a pass...  Had a tom come in with that warbly uncertain gobble...  Although he did light it up towards the end.

Had a tom come in this year after working him for a while with no beard...  Full tail fan and good spurs, but a big hole where his beard should be (he came within about 10 feet of me).  Maybe he lost it in a fight or a gambling debt...  Who knows...

Maybe cause our breeding season takes place earlier, or maybe it is the subspecies, or maybe I just have crappy hearing and am tone deaf (which is true)...  Sure wish I could tell them apart from the gobble, cause it would save me a lot of frustration.

I'd still have no issues taking a jake towards the end of the season though...  My first bird was a jake, and it remains to be the most exciting bird I have killed to date.

Once they get that big the smart ones shave there beard and start to gobble like a jake.

[RAY]

 

[West Augusta]

 
You don't get old by being stupid.

[Fatbeard]

I don't have a problem with it the ones we have shot have been very good to eat! They gang up on the toms and run them off

[GobbleNut]

I've been hunting them 23 years, with plenty of long beard kills under my belt. I have, will, and still do kill jakes on occasion if the mood or a specific situation strikes me to do it. I let plenty walk, and my goal is a long beard but if the blood lust sets in for one reason or another they will die. I will never apologize or never make an excuse that killing one was an "accident". As a hunter I was taught to properly identify my target before ever putting my finger on the trigger. I'm sorry, if you as a hunter have followed this golden rule of hunting,  then you know you squeezed on a jake, and in no way was it an accident. Own it, the sky wont fall in because you shot a legal gobbler that didn't have 3/4 spurs and a 8 inch beard. Bet your family couldn't tell the difference at the dinner table.

I don't have an issue with it, and never will. Don't have an issue with guys not wanting to do it either. To each his own. What I have an issue with is guys pulling the trigger on something they didn't clearly identify.

I agree that the point about positively identifying your target is one of the fundamental rules for all hunting and shooting, and it should be strictly adhered to.  However, there is a difference between being sure of your target and being sure that the turkey you are aiming at is a mature gobbler or a jake. 

I believe if the truth be told, that there are very few turkey hunters that have not been in situations where they positively identified their target as a male turkey, but could not tell if it was a mature bird or not. 

I have been in numerous situations where I have had birds come in at bad angles, or from behind, and have had to make snap decisions on whether or not to shoot a bird that was clearly a gobbler, but was not in a position where I could see the fan or beard.  Being completely honest, I have shot a handful of gobblers over the years that I "speculated" on. 

No, I did not speculate that they were gobblers,...I knew with 100% certainty that they were,...but as to whether they were mature birds or not, I relied entirely on my best judgement that they were, based on my experience and their behavior.  Only one time in those instances has one of them turned out to be a jake,...and that jake was one of the toughest birds I have ever hunted, and I would have bet my last dollar before I pulled the trigger that he was a wary old longbeard.

Now, I may be mistaken, but I would bet my last dollar again right now that the great majority of turkey hunters, if they have hunted much, have been in that same position and have had to make the choice, on the spur of the moment, as to whether to pull the trigger or not.  I also have absolutely no doubt that many of them have pulled the trigger on birds that they thought were mature gobblers only to find out that they had shot a jake.

Anyone here that can honestly state that they have been in the position of watching a bird that was clearly a gobbler walk away where they could not see the beard or tail fan and have never pulled the trigger,....well, you guys have my admiration. But if you are one of them, there is no doubt in my mind that you are in a very small minority here.

[RutnNStrutn]

As with other hunting topics, my opinion is this. If it's legal, and it makes you happy, go for it!! It may or may not be the choice someone else might make, but other people aren't facing the same circumstances as you. Some people have lots of primo private land to hunt, plenty of time to scout and hunt, and plenty of opportunities at gobblers. Others don't. It's up to you to evaluate your opportunities, and your preferences, then do what is right for YOU!!
Personally, I've shot a few jakes in my career for various reasons. I hold out for longbeards these days. But I don't fault anyone who shoots a legal jake.

[DirtNap647]

no reason for anyone to look down on someone elses trophy

[troutfisher13111]

Good post GobbleNut