shooting jakes?

[laturkeyhunter]

just wondering whats everybodies opinion on shooting jakes i personally have never done it although i have had several opportunities and in 8 years of hunting have yet to kill a turkey in my home state of louisiana. the reason i asked the question is because i was watching a fairly popular hunting show the other night and they ended up shooting 3 or 4 jakes on camera and it just kinda struck me as odd that they did that.

[snapper1982]

 

[Marc]

I don't have a problem with it.  I certainly shot my share when I was starting out...  I probably would not brag about it, but I would not feel bad about it either on a tough year or with limited hunting time.

[d.winsor]

On the last day of the season, if I had not filled my tag, I would probably have to think about it, if the jake presented itself.  Otherwise any other time I would let him grow to gobble the next year.

[HogBiologist]

 If it is legal and there are plenty of birds, he is riding home with me. First legal bird eats just as good as the rest of them. My pecker is long enough. I don't need to shoot a "trophy" to prove it.

[RAY]

No problem with it at all. Some of my most memorable hunts were shooting jakes.

[Tommy Strutsalot]

I don't have a problem with someone else shooting one, I let them walk every time tho.  Longbeards only for me. 

Also, my turkey spots that are local are sensitive and I have a "no jake" rule in place when I take others to some of those spots.  Other than that, have at it.

[Snoodsniper]

I've shot a few. They're pretty tasty! Nowadays I let them walk but if one comes in and my son is with me its probably going to get it.

[mikejd]

We r I hunt on public land if you let them walk they keep walking right in front of another hunter.
so I have no problem with it. It does not happen very often but sometimes it does. sometimes i think.its almost as hard to call a jake in as a 2 yr old. Jakes are usually afraid of a butt woopin were as those 2 yr olds are at that age were they think who they are since they have been around for a season already.

[guesswho]

If it is legal and there are plenty of birds, he is riding home with me. First legal bird eats just as good as the rest of them. My pecker is long enough. I don't need to shoot a "trophy" to prove it.

Never crosses my mind to shoot one, but I don't fault anyone who does.  My pecker is long enough.  I don't need to kill "the first legal bird" to prove it.

[Cut N Run]

I've never shot one myself.  Strictly personal preference on my part.  I've had jakes in front of me on the last day of the season with a tag left in my pocket, but I knew I'd rather see them next year when they'd be bigger and more challenging. I've called in jakes for others to shoot, though they'll always get a free pass from me every time.

I'd also say a lot depends on where you're hunting.  If the hunting land is yours (or your lease), the hunting pressure is light, and a gobbler stands a good chance of surviving to maturity, why not let the jakes walk?  You'd only be robbing yourself of future longbeards by taking the young birds out.

If you're hunting on land that you won't get many more chances to hunt, you're on a paid hunt away from home, and the mature gobblers just ain't showing up, go for it.  It is your tag, spend it however you choose.

Jim

[bbcoach]

I was told when I first started turkey hunting that it was OK to take jakes until you killed your first gobbler, once you killed your first gobbler you couldn't cross back over.  I have stuck to that rule.  At this point in my life, I would rather eat tag soup then shoot a jake but I don't have a problem with someone who does.

[GobbleNut]

I don't shoot jakes anymore, either,...but if I thought it would make my pecker grow, I would have to reconsider!   

[West Augusta]

My personal choice is to let them walk even though they are legal here.  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.

[drenalinld]

We r I hunt on public land if you let them walk they keep walking right in front of another hunter.
so I have no problem with it. It does not happen very often but sometimes it does. sometimes i think.its almost as hard to call a jake in as a 2 yr old. Jakes are usually afraid of a butt woopin were as those 2 yr olds are at that age were they think who they are since they have been around for a season already.

With this reasoning every jake on the property will walk in front of a hunter and be killed and turkeys will be extinct there in a few years. Shoot em if you like, but that reasoning doesn't make sense to me.