Jakes, Jakes and more Jakes!

[Rollo]

So I've had a couple of toms strutting on my place a week before opening day. Now they've seemed to disappear but now I have like 8 jakes and a few hens all over the place. There's 2 in particular that hang together and won't leave. They come around just about every time I call. I actually ran them off this morning but within an hour they were back. They were being aggressive towards my jake decoy but didn't attack it. I drove in this afternoon and there were 6 more jakes in my pasture. One actually walked up to the front of my garage while I was working on the tractor. Could these punks be chasing off my toms? I'm really don't want to harvest any jakes but it's mighty tempting right now...

 

[WORM82]

They taste just as good fried!

 

[SKFOOTER]

But they'll be longbeards next spring! :tu:

 

[poorhunter]

I've LOTS of jakes this year too. Next couple years look great!

 

[Hunt 365]

I saw 22 jakes together last Sunday...unreal! I came up with a theory for the incredible hatch...Cicadas. They were everywhere when poults were hatched. Poults don't have to roam as much for food, equals less predation. What do you guys think? Not trying to hijack your thread

 

[stringtalker]

They would be dead jakes, I don't cull any turkey, if its legal it's dead

 

[Boll Weevil]

Could these punks be chasing off my toms?

Yes. Roving bands of jakes will indeed harass gobblers even to the point of running them off.

 

[Rollo]

I saw 22 jakes together last Sunday...unreal! I came up with a theory for the incredible hatch...Cicadas. They were everywhere when poults were hatched. Poults don't have to roam as much for food, equals less predation. What do you guys think? Not trying to hijack your thread

Not at all. All comments welcome! And a very good point. More food and higher protein content may equal faster growth or stronger birds then able to roost in the trees earlier? Looks like you'll have a bumper crop next year too!

 

[Rollo]

Could these punks be chasing off my toms?

Yes. Roving bands of jakes will indeed harass gobblers even to the point of running them off.

I was afraid of that. Well, at least it's interesting to watch and learn from them...

 

[Rollo]

I did watch a Tom fight off 4 jakes trying to get to a hen this morning on a neighbors property. Was cool to watch. Wish I were filming.