I feel the same as you 7mm. I've called in many jakes in my lifetime but have never and will never kill one even if I had not killed anything and it was the last day. IMHO I feel its like shooting a spike buck, if you dont let him grow you may have killed a potential record breaker. As long as the tail fan feathers are straight and even across he's far game. Again its just how I feel.

I'll shoot any tom I get in but just cant see myself taking a jake. Theres nothing wrong with it I just wont take one.

This year I'll be trying a few days of bowhunting - Bearded turkey = Dead Turkey (unless I miss, which is much more likely)

Never shot a jake but i might .just depends on the moment!

I did kill a 9" ,19 lb with 3/4" spurs on saturday!

I have only had a few chances at a jake but never taken one . but i might someday!

One thing to remember is that if you pass on a turkey, he's not necessarily even going to be around the next year. The way these turkeys divide up territory, he may be around in the fall, but by spring he could be several ridges over. You can call in a turkey from a long way off, so I would think there is no guarantee that a jake is next year's bird...maybe for somebody, but not necessarily you...just another thought to throw in.

I'm just curious #1 How many of you guys that posted a response to this question deer hunt? and #2 Those of you that did respond and deer hunt, do you thing its ok to harvest button bucks or not? I may not should have asked this question here, I apologize if I made anyone angry, but I was just curious.

Any bird called in is a trophy. As for me, I won't shoot a Jake now. When I first started hunting, I would shoot the first legal bird I called in. Now I prefer to take longbeards only. When I take new hunters, I tell them to shoot any legal bird that comes in. I feel that if I call him in< I have won the battle & he is mine whether I shoot or not.