BigDaddy12t

I am on my second year hunting turkeys, and have yet to shoot at one. This morning I had 2 jakes (beards were only about an inch) come in from behind me. Had no idea until one gobbled about 3 feet from my blind. I could have shot either one of them, but let them walk. So, my question is, do you shoot jakes if they are legal?

Mrs. Mahan

From time to time we will for meat purposes. Also depending on what we're seeing that year. There's a group of jakes that has been coming to the feeder almost everyday. So it wouldn't hurt to take 1 of them. My little brother actually took one out yesterday.

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/atta...1&d=1460557252

DTC

I choose not to shoot jakes but have no issues with anyone that does. The issue I have is the guy that shoots jakes every year and then complains about not having any mature turkeys. Jakes turn into loud mouth 2 year olds that gobble a lot.

olsaltydog

I am with DCT on this, I don't shoot them and have eaten tags over the years due to only seeing jakes, but on other years we have taken them. Usually when introducing someone to turkey hunting and yes they are legal here as most places. I view it similar to deer hunting, a new hunter can take anything legal in my view. It will develop their knowledge and experience with a reward for learning something over their time in the woods instead of setting arbitrary limitations that could take them years to develop. It allows them to progress over their hunting life and broaden their abilities.

flags

Can't eat that beard. I have no problem dropping the hammer on any jake that wants to come courting. They are legal and I hunt for meat.

rackreapers

It's illegal in Arkansas to kill Jakes unless you are a youth hunter. Long beards all the way!

mrbb

I don't, but its more cause I tend to hunt turkeys as a way of killing time and being in the outdoors
most seasons I call in birds even long beards and just let them go, if its early in the season, or know I have a LOT of time left to hunt

on a side note, I have had long beards that were as dumb as they can be, so, its NOT always a long beard is a smarter bird or more challenging hunt.

and LAST, maybe something to think about

up here in the north, with winters, many times LONG breads break off and then come spring time, they are very short, but mature Tom's

so, going by beard alone up north can leave more than Jakes walking

JoeA

If he's strutting and gobbling...let him give you a good show and bust him. If you did everything right, and fooled one to come courting it's your hunt.

If I'm on private land with limited hunting pressure, I can see holding out for a longbeard. When I'm on public land or highly pressured land, I pull the trigger.

maytom

I pass as well. I collect beards and spurs for my displays. A jake will usually have a small dinky beard and nubs for spurs. Just a restriction I place on myself, if others take a jake, nothing wrong with that at all!!!

Champlain Islander

It is legal to shoot them here but I haven't done it. I hunt for the joy of it and like the meat but I always hold out for a long beard. I have friends who do shoot them and that is OK with me.... Their choice.