Shooting Jakes

[2012_taco]

Doc, I think it is more of a trophy thing. Its a long beard contest! I personally let jakes walk and I don't shoot a buck smaller than 8pt. It is my own restrictions, I certainly don't have anything against those that do, each to his/her own. I do it mainly because it is the only way I can help the population become adults. If you take out a spike or a jake they do not get any older/bigger.

[turkeyfeathers]

I am not much of a turkey hunter, in fact in all these years I have only been out a couple of times. So if I seem to be a bit ignorant on the subject, it is only because I am.

 

So this whole question of shooting jakes is a total mystery to me. What exactly is behind the controversy in shooting jakes? Does it relate to just holding off for a bird with more meat? Or does it relate to challenge with the assumption that older birds are wiser birds? Or is there some biological reason that makes shooting older birds a better choice for flock health or something?

 

For some reason, I never really had an interest in turkey hunting, and I'm sure my questions are kind of dumb. But I have always wondered about this controversy and thought I would ask.

As little as you think you know about turkey hunting you're on the right track in your thoughts.

I simply don't shoot jakes as they don't typically give you "the show" I'm looking for. Adult birds will give you more meat. You're shooting next years tom. They maybe a little dumber to the call too. Not opposed to anyone shooting them, everyones trophy is different. 

Do you bowhunt? If you have a passion for that it's pretty safe to say you'd get easily hooked on spring bird hunting. 5 more sleeps until I hit my happy place

[asav2013]

I don't shoot just because of the beards as it's the image every one paints as a old smart mature Tom, it's the spurs I go for, long beards aren't uncommon, 1 1/2" hooks or bigger not so common, spurs will tell Ya the age of a bird, hunted. A bird 4 straight days last year , had a 9 3/8" beard and 1 1/2" spurs gonna be hard to top, I know a guy who's got 3 1 3/4" spurred birds and its taken him almost 40 years to do so , iv seen big 11 inch beards that only have 1 inch spurs, every ones trophy is different , but big spurs float my boat

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[ATbuckhunter]

Never shot a Jake...but that's because I never see any. If i see one this season, hes getting peppered. 

[Doc]

As little as you think you know about turkey hunting you're on the right track in your thoughts.

I simply don't shoot jakes as they don't typically give you "the show" I'm looking for. Adult birds will give you more meat. You're shooting next years tom. They maybe a little dumber to the call too. Not opposed to anyone shooting them, everyones trophy is different. 

Do you bowhunt? If you have a passion for that it's pretty safe to say you'd get easily hooked on spring bird hunting. 5 more sleeps until I hit my happy place

I think the problem I have with spring turkey season is that this is the time I am going nuts trying to clean up leaves and lawn and pick up branches and sticks that are everywhere, and make repairs and do maintenance on buildings and equipment. Frankly, I don't have a minute to spare right now. When you add all that to the fact that turkeys have become pretty scarce in my area for the past decade or so, there's not a whole lot of time or motivation. And of course in the fall, I am bowhunting for deer which is priority #1. So I have almost zero turkey hunting experience. I must say that given the fact that a turkey harvest here would be a rare event, I probably would not be all that picky. But, I was just curious what the significance of turkey age is in hunting.

[2012_taco]

I don't shoot just because of the beards as it's the image every one paints as a old smart mature Tom, it's the spurs I go for, long beards aren't uncommon, 1 1/2" hooks or bigger not so common, spurs will tell Ya the age of a bird, hunted. A bird 4 straight days last year , had a 9 3/8" beard and 1 1/2" spurs gonna be hard to top, I know a guy who's got 3 1 3/4" spurred birds and its taken him almost 40 years to do so , iv seen big 11 inch beards that only have 1 inch spurs, every ones trophy is different , but big spurs float my boat Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Spurs are the only way to know how old a bird really is. It's the first thing I check after the bird is down. I always look for the beard and fan to be sure it is an adult, but unless the bird is right on top of me I rarely can see spur length. Am I missing some thing? Is there some trick to judge spur length at 20+ ydrs?

[asav2013]

It's not always possible but in the woods, or on short grass or plowed field , preety much any where there isn't higher vegetation than his spurs I don't have a problem seeing spurs, maybe I'm missing what your getting at but personally I can tell preety close how big a birds spurs are ..again if I can see them, usually I put in the home work and scout big mature birds from a distance with good binos, or have incounters in the field and become obsessed with him, I can pattern him like a deer , hunting him every single day , till I can figure out just what he does every morning, and our smart him

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[Doc]

So, the object is to shoot the oldest bird in the woods? Is that because older is perceived as wiser and more of a challenge?

[Meat First]

I am not much of a turkey hunter, in fact in all these years I have only been out a couple of times. So if I seem to be a bit ignorant on the subject, it is only because I am.

 

So this whole question of shooting jakes is a total mystery to me. What exactly is behind the controversy in shooting jakes? Does it relate to just holding off for a bird with more meat? Or does it relate to challenge with the assumption that older birds are wiser birds? Or is there some biological reason that makes shooting older birds a better choice for flock health or something?

 

For some reason, I never really had an interest in turkey hunting, and I'm sure my questions are kind of dumb. But I have always wondered about this controversy and thought I would ask.

 

Wasn't a controversy until the OP made it one,  but I guess the same big shot trophy guys that push AR's are know trying to ruin spring turkey season also??  Whatever...

[TeeBugg]

Theres no controversy and last i knew shooting a jake or an old tom has little to zero effect on the flock health. I could be wrong but i think dec controls that with the two bird limit.

I shoot jakes and have no qualms about it. If my ten year old son is with me, yeah id love for a big gobbler to come into range. But if a pack of jakes does the same thing, im taking the bird that presents me with the most ethical shot. When im by myself, my mood dictates what ill shoot. If its 1130 and i havent heard or seen any and a jake comes strolling in...bye bye birdy

Edited April 29, 2014 by TeeBugg

[LuckyPickle123]

Jakes are usually the 1st birds to fall to predators as they come easyest to a call and are nat as warry as their hormones are in full control..no reason not to take one... I've seen red fox yelp like a hen and call Jakes in.. I would assume coyotes have learned to do the same.

 

You've seen this??  Does the fox sit at the base of the tree, with a big ol box call?  Does the fox have a trusty ol shotgun to blow him over when he comes in??  Now that would be quite the sight.  Id pay big bucks to see that ya know

 

Whatttt Does the Fox Sayyyyyyy!!!  (Apparently it yelps, case closed)

Edited April 29, 2014 by LuckyPickle123

[G-Man]

I've seen it, several times, big red fox yelping like a hen stalking turkey,fortunately the coyote population by me is fairly low. I've also seen a hen in aerial combat protecting her poults from a red tail hawk. That was amazing..a hen flipping around in the air talons to feet with a hawk as poults ran for cover.even a hawk using cars on the expressway as cover for a rolling diving attack on mice and rabbits. Benefits of living on the land I hunt 24/7 ... lot of crazy stuff in the world.

[asav2013]

I'm not in any way saying shooting Jake's is bad or sayin I don't shoot to harvest meat, I'm all against antler restrictions, I don't think it's right to be the judge of what some one wants to shoot or should shoot or what's the best to shoot, I just choose to practice not shooting Jake's or smaller bucks out of personal preference, not because it's the best way, or the way it should be, I'd rather see more kids and people getting into the sport , not deter them from it by restricting them on what they can harvest,

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[wooly]

You've seen this??  Does the fox sit at the base of the tree, with a big ol box call?  Does the fox have a trusty ol shotgun to blow him over when he comes in??  Now that would be quite the sight.  Id pay big bucks to see that ya know

 

Whatttt Does the Fox Sayyyyyyy!!!  (Apparently it yelps, case closed)

 

I'm just chiming in to confirm G-mans observations as I've witnessed the same vocalizations from fox on several occasions.

When I set a cam on video with sound over a fox den this spring, I even got the young fox pups practicing their calls from the mound. In one clip you could here a gobble in response not far off!