What's Wrong with Shooting Jakes?

[Uncle Nicky]

In response to the "What's Wrong with Shooting Young Bucks" thread, I also ask, what is wrong with shooting a 1-year old male turkey in the spring season?

Edited April 3, 2019 by Uncle Nicky

[moog5050]

I would shoot the egg if I came across one at this point.  lol

[Culvercreek hunt club]

My first turkey I took was actually a bearded hen.  I see nothing wrong with taking Jakes. 

[turkeyfeathers]

Absolutely nothing.  Everyones trophy is different

    I've personally shot 1 jake in my life. About 3 years ago fall hunting. I called as I was making my way out of the woods and about a dozen heads pop up . I shot the first red head I saw. Funny part was I had just taken a call from my brother who's property I was hunting and he was out west. There I am talking on my phone, hang up, call and 25 yards from where I was talking all these heads pop up. I shoot and text brother. He's like what?! I was just talking to you 30 seconds ago. Another fun jake story. Couple years back I had 2 longbeards hammering all morning. They hung up at 100 yards or so. Descended down the  big hill. They'd gobble occasionally and shut down for a few hours. After a bit I hear crappy gobbles and then see 9 jakes and 1 hen coming in through a field almost on top of me. I could have shot any one of those 9 . all of a sudden they boot scoot boogey and gobble at the same time   I then see the 2 LB's again and the jakes were going to go kick their butts. A hen comes running up the hill and almost across my feet. the 2 Toms were nervous but went into 3/4 strut as the jakes got closer. I putted once and once LB came out of his partial strut and I tipped him over at about 30 yards. When I shot all the jakes gobbled and took off running. Had I shot one of those jakes one of my best to date toms wouldn't have gone home with me that day.

[NFA-ADK]

How could you!!!  Just kidding, your tag shoot what makes you happy!  Don't worry about what everyone else is doing.

[UpStateRedNeck]

If it's a slow day I like to put a load of birdshot into bush next to a Jake.  It educates him, makes him much more wary down the road.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Nothing, turkeys are food


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[turkeyfeathers]

1 minute ago, UpStateRedNeck said:

If it's a slow day I like to put a load of birdshot into bush next to a Jake.  It educates him, makes him much more wary down the road.

Many years ago on opening day in was hunting a golf course I had sole permission to hunt. Gobbles everywhere and can tell they're jakes. They come running down a small ledge into my lap practically tripping over each other to get to me thinking they're get lucky for the first time in their life. I then hear a yelp yelp yelp at the loudest volume you could imagine coming from the property line from a box call. I stop calling at let these seven doof jakes get almost into the lap of the other guy. I call them back, stop calling, he calls, they head to him, I call them back. did this a few times until I looked at my watch and almost noon. Time to go. Sorry dude lol

[moog5050]

3 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Many years ago on opening day in was hunting a golf course I had sole permission to hunt. Gobbles everywhere and can tell they're jakes. They come running down a small ledge into my lap practically tripping over each other to get to me thinking they're get lucky for the first time in their life. I then hear a yelp yelp yelp at the loudest volume you could imagine coming from the property line from a box call. I stop calling at let these seven doof jakes get almost into the lap of the other guy. I call them back, stop calling, he calls, they head to him, I call them back. did this a few times until I looked at my watch and almost noon. Time to go. Sorry dude lol

I remember that day well.  And if you didn't want me to shoot the jakes, you should not have set me on that property line with the box call.  Unforgiveable!

[Fletch]

3 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Many years ago on opening day in was hunting a golf course I had sole permission to hunt. Gobbles everywhere and can tell they're jakes. They come running down a small ledge into my lap practically tripping over each other to get to me thinking they're get lucky for the first time in their life. I then hear a yelp yelp yelp at the loudest volume you could imagine coming from the property line from a box call. I stop calling at let these seven doof jakes get almost into the lap of the other guy. I call them back, stop calling, he calls, they head to him, I call them back. did this a few times until I looked at my watch and almost noon. Time to go. Sorry dude lol

Son of a beech, that was you! I quit turkey hunting that day!

[Fletch]

Shit Moog was there too! Maybe there was no Turkeys at all just a bunch of shit callers lol!

Edited April 3, 2019 by Fletch

[The_Real_TCIII]

Many years ago on opening day in was hunting a golf course I had sole permission to hunt. Gobbles everywhere and can tell they're jakes. They come running down a small ledge into my lap practically tripping over each other to get to me thinking they're get lucky for the first time in their life. I then hear a yelp yelp yelp at the loudest volume you could imagine coming from the property line from a box call. I stop calling at let these seven doof jakes get almost into the lap of the other guy. I call them back, stop calling, he calls, they head to him, I call them back. did this a few times until I looked at my watch and almost noon. Time to go. Sorry dude lol

I shot an 8 under 64 that day...with three bogeys


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[Pygmy]

3 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

I shot an 8 under 64 that day...with three bogeys


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That's pretty good for 18 holes....

[dbHunterNY]

nobody passes anything for turkeys where i am. people care less about the turkeys versus the deer here. lost a lot of ground that was corn around here that has turned into other stuff that isn't great turkey food. numbers are down so i don't i guess.

if i'm hunting with the recurve this spring that might change.

[wolc123]

My own wild turkey killing experience is limited to a single young hen last fall. When it comes to non-wild turkey,  I always liked the dark meat better than the white meat.  The drumsticks from that wild hen were very good eating, especially compared to those from older, wild spring toms that friends have given me on occasion.  They were actually on par with those from farm-raised domestic turkey, and a bit better than any of the grocery store stuff that I have had.   I can only assume that the eating quality of the drumsticks from a wild spring jake would be somewhere between those from that fall hen, and an older spring tom.   I have a couple of spring tags and I would not hesitate to use one on a Jake, if the opportunity prevents itself, just to find out.   My experience with eating the drumsticks, coupled with the bugs in the woods at that time of year, has cured me of any desire to pursue mature spring toms.   

As far as the "young buck" comparison goes, the big difference in eating quality happens between 6 months and 1.5 years.  The reason for that is the 6 months old bucks have been primarily milk fed.  Since turkeys do not eat milk at any stage of their lives , the young ones might not be that much tastier.  Only one way to find out.          

[greensider]

I have one mounted bird and a bunch of beards and you can't eat much of the meat on older birds I will always take a jake over bigger bird 

[turkeyfeathers]

12 minutes ago, greensider said:

I have one mounted bird and a bunch of beards and you can't eat much of the meat on older birds I will always take a jake over bigger bird 

But you ate otter didn't you?

[greensider]

Yup but it was tender not tough as leather like a couple year old bird that's dry even in soup

[mowin]

I've taken my share of jake's. See nothing wrong with it. 

I'll admit, it's been probably 15+ yrs since I've taken one though.  

I've definitely been irritated enough to think about blasting 'em. Especially when a group of 6-8 of 'em gang up on a LB and run him off. 

[TreeGuy]

I only shoot LBs. Yep I'm that guy.

Best part, I won't judge anyone that shoots Jake's. Besides billy.


Just like deer. I go for the mature bucks. Also won't judge someone for shooting small bucks. Besides wolc.

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[G-Man]

Nothing!! The guy that taught me to hunt use to pick on me for killing Jake's  , so one day he said why don't you shoot a long beard or are they to tough for you....my response. well I can shoot two long beards but why.? A challenge happened .so I did kill two in 5 days. He said well I guess you can kill long beards.. I went back to shooting 1st legal bird I get in range. 

My question to him was why kill a gobbler in fall When it's a lot more fun to hear them in the spring.. he use to target gobblers in fall for both his birds. Imo I'd rather hear them in spring.. and take an excess hen ..less competition in spring that way....

[Five Seasons]

I did a poll a while back about what most of us thought was harder, deer or turkey and i'm pretty sure it was a landslide for turkey. 

Blast away. If we want to debate anything, I think it's fall hens. 

[ATbuckhunter]

Nothing wrong with it. The way people see you shooting a jake is not like the way people see you shooting a young buck for some reason. Its not as big a deal for most people if they see you shot a jake. My first spring gobbler a few years ago was a nice big jake that tasted amazing. I try not to shoot jakes, but I guess ill never say never when it comes to turkey hunting. 

[GreeneHunter]

19 hours ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

My first turkey I took was actually a bearded hen.  I see nothing wrong with taking Jakes. 

She was Italian huh ? 

[Five Seasons]

1 hour ago, ODYSSEUS said:

Being a Year Round hiker has benifits as far as knowing what gives with the Local Turkey population. For me-- that would be 20 miles- North,West,East and 25 miles South. Alot of areas as you can imagine. Last Spring was --( The Spring Of The Jake's)! At least in my area. I feel there will be plenty more 2 year Gobblers feeling their Oats and Gobbling big-time this May. I would rather work a Hefty 2 year old that is full of himself and WILL make mistakes rather then a 16lb 5 year old that will circle you and come in from behind. I will take those 3/4" Spurs everytime-- no problem. Getting back to Makes-- if, I call up a Hefty Jake on the NJ Opener--- down he goes. No matter how many birds you have taken-- we all start the Spring Season at Zero.  Jakes are more Tender in their Legs . Good eating!! I have taken 37 Jake's between Spring and Fall. Fall hens are Tender too.

wait a second... your ~50 mile spread is the distance between Rochester and Pembroke.