Well, I screwed up this weekend. I killed a jake. Last day of our season on public land and I hadn't heard a gobble. After about an hour of dry calling I looked up to my right and a turkey was standing there, his beard was actually hanging so I thought it might be a longbeard, but his body seemed very small to me. I thought about it for a bit and convinced myself it was a longbeard. I hate it, because I believe deep down inside I knew it wasn't. At 50 yards through the thick stuff I kept saying, "What if it is a longbeard?" So I shot! I hate it. No reason for it. I knew I shouldn't have shot, but I did anyway. He was an impressive jake from a beard standpoint. He had a 7 1/4 inch beard with 1/2 inch numbs and was a scrawny 13.4 lbs.

If you are into irony, the first day of my season down in South Carolina in some bitter cold weather I didn't shoot a longbeard because I believed it to be a jake. His head was tiny, and I couldn't see his beard. So I passed he turned out to be a longbeard. Interesting start and finish to 2005!!!

Now I can be upset at myself for an entire off season. I love to hunt turkeys, but I hate when killing one takes over and causes me to act against my gut feeling. Killing the jake isn't the end of the world, but I really didn't want to do it. So I hate that I did.

Hey Ryan don't sweat it bud all of us have done the same thing or similar. Look at the bright side of things at least you were able to enjoy this yrs. season. Because of my work schedule I almost missed it; but by the grace of God I was able to take a week off. I filled my tags this year with a little help. Count your blessings and be thankful you had the chance to take a bird. I know so many that didn't. Take care and good luck next year. Hey Ryan email me your ph# again I lost it.

at least you know what you did wrong and regret it.
hard to decide on spur of the moment,
while you regret it, you just gained some experience that you will carry with you

That is one huge jake, not being disrespectful but are you sure that it was a jake? Did it have the tail feathers of a jake?

Yea, it was a jake. It had rounded off nubs and a jake fan.

Seeshhh, good thing I did'nt see a jake on the last day with the way my season went.

I know you didn't want to take a jake and i'm the same way. Sometimes i think we put to much into not killing a jake. Most of us who get the chance to hunt a lot and a lot of places it's a good thing, but we shouldn't and i don't expect everyone to follow what we try to do. A lot of the guys here take a jake as the only bird they get all year. I don't have a problem with that. I was aked by the land owner to take a jake for him to eat this spring and i did. Had fun doing it too, was the first time my wife and i had doubled. Two nice birds, 15 and 16 pounds with 5 and 6 inch beards. Of course her's was the biggest!!

Ryan,

I had the same exact scenario last spring. I had worked an area the day before, and slipped in around 10:30. I hit the calls, and was answered within minutes by a gobble. Within 5 minutes, there stood three birds, looking identical.

Except the one in front had a longer beard. They never went into strut, so I'll never know...

Having not punched a tag last year, though, I probably shoulda' pulled the trigger, because I also no longer hunt that property...

i did the same thing 8 jakes passed uo 7 and was like thats gotta be the big one i was hearing boom my dads like nice long beard i said no its not[:@] what are you gonna do

Rather kill that big of a jake than no turkey at all