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I am curious how many people shoot jakes. I am a strong believer if you let the jakes go, you will always have gobbling turkeys in the future. So where do you stand on this subject?
Who shoots Jakes
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Just so ya'll know I voted (I used to shoot jakes, but not anymore). When I was a young kid and learning the sport I killed a couple of jakes, but once I had killed my fair share and got a little older, I quit shooting them and have never had a problem finding a longbeard to kill at the areas I hunt.
With this said, I have no problem with kids killing jakes, or even a new hunter, but I do hope the people that have killed their fair share think twice before pulling the trigger on a jake.
With this said, I have no problem with kids killing jakes, or even a new hunter, but I do hope the people that have killed their fair share think twice before pulling the trigger on a jake.
Depends on if its late in the season and if I have taken a bird or not.I take a turkey more so for there table fair than to just be able to say I killed a long beard.Luckily the past few years I have managed to get a long beard early,I've had a few that I could have taken and did'nt.
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A hungry man! A young turkey hunter! Sometimes an Archer! Always a Poacher!! Never a trophy hunter
:razz:
:razz:
I never shoot Jakes on purpose. I killed my fair share when I was learing the sport, but havent killed a jake in years.
The only thing dumber than a Jake in the spring woods is a................um...........a.........well..........theres nothing dumber than a spring Jake.
Theres no sport in killing a jake, save em' for next year! Unless your a kid, or are new to the sport.
Oh, and if your hungry, shoot a deer!
The only thing dumber than a Jake in the spring woods is a................um...........a.........well..........theres nothing dumber than a spring Jake.
Theres no sport in killing a jake, save em' for next year! Unless your a kid, or are new to the sport.
Oh, and if your hungry, shoot a deer!
To me there is not much difference between a 18lb. jake with a 5 in. beard and a two year-old, 19lb. with a 8 in. beard.
If you have to part the feathers to find his beard that is a different story.
Early hatch jakes are just as much fun as late hatch two-year-olds.
If you have to part the feathers to find his beard that is a different story.
Early hatch jakes are just as much fun as late hatch two-year-olds.
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After the first week or so, it would not be in ones best interest to come by me
As a general rule I let the short beards walk. However I am a firm believer that the trophy quality of the hunt or expieriance can outweigh the trophy itself. Case in point, last season my wife and I doubled on opening day. We had a gorup of jakes sneak in the backdoor while working a gobling pair of two year olds with a hen. The two groups met in front of us and caused quit a racket sorting out pecking order. All the while we were trying to double on longbeards. When my wifes arms started shaking from fatigue I told her to shoot. She said "But I want us both to get one" So I told her I would get the other longbeard if I could.
Long story made short I took a jake, my first in many years. The fact that we were able to double up on my wifes first time to kill a turkey made that jake as much of a trophy as any other bird I have ever killed.
The size of the trophy memory can far surpass the trophy critter. So I will never look down on any hunter that chooses to hammer a jake as long as it was done fair chase and within the boudaries of the law.
I hunt for many reasons but first and foremost I hunt for memories that keep me loving the traditions of the outdoors.
Boom
Long story made short I took a jake, my first in many years. The fact that we were able to double up on my wifes first time to kill a turkey made that jake as much of a trophy as any other bird I have ever killed.
The size of the trophy memory can far surpass the trophy critter. So I will never look down on any hunter that chooses to hammer a jake as long as it was done fair chase and within the boudaries of the law.
I hunt for many reasons but first and foremost I hunt for memories that keep me loving the traditions of the outdoors.
Boom
You pretty much described me there as well.
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If he cant gobble....well, he probly ain't much....as far as having a 5" beard, that bird is able to gobble, and is fair game! Unless it's a bearde hen, in which case she's done...WOs tell me to smoke them bearded hens!:wink:
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I sure can't grasp that reasoning. You'd pass a jake (and a jake is a jake whether 2" or 5") but you'd shoot a hen? You'd let one bird go that might make it next year and might gobble for you, but you would take out a bird that has potential to produce somewhere between 2 and 10 gobbling birds?
I feel about this just like I do about shooting small bucks. If it floats your boat and you are satisfied, then by all means shoot the sucker. If you don't want to and think it unsporting, then that is cool as well. Just quit trying to tell everyone else how to think about what constitutes a good hunt or a trophy harvest.
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if there were anything wrong with shooting a jake the agfc would probably make it illegal, having said that i'll give it a couple weeks before i break down and shoot one.
kinda like politics though. it's your right to feel whatever way you want about the issue but no reason to force your beliefs on someone who doesn't agree with you.
shifty
kinda like politics though. it's your right to feel whatever way you want about the issue but no reason to force your beliefs on someone who doesn't agree with you.
shifty
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I said I had killed my last jake, but I got in a crowd in public land last year and dusted one. I don't plan to kill another. If it happens again, it will be by accident or a similar situation on public land.
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I'm telling you, the WO I talked to said we don't want bearded hens....his reasoning? If all the hens had beards....we'd probly run outta turkeys pretty quick. I never have killed a hen, but my son has killed two, and he sports those beards like they are trophys one is 8" the other 9"!:wink:
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