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Should I shoot a jake...

Thank you everyone. I think now I will most likely lay the smack on the first gobbler that comes within range whether its a tom or jake. I wanted to have a full tail fan to make a mount of my first bird, and wanted to be able to say that my first bird was a longbeard, but I'm thinking now I'll take whatever comes first, it'll still be a turkey and I will probably have trouble not shaking the gun when I put the bead on him...
 
I have a rule of thumb. Shoot the first legal bird I can because that may be the only bird I get a chance at the whole season. worry about beard and spurs later. hunting time is limited and fishing is warming up.

the only exception I have to that is if I can see a better bird on the way in to the blind. then I will wait.
the best I've ever done is 2 birds in one season so I if dont want to be skunked I go with the rule of thumb.
 
catman529 said:
I wanted to have a full tail fan to make a mount of my first bird,
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Jake tail mounts look good too :) !

Like others have said, it is your hunt. Do what pleases YOU and don't look back!
 
as i said before....you will NEVER forget the first bird you kill so just be sure you dont mind telling the story for years to come. If you have no problem wanting to tell the story of how it happened then do what you feel good about. pulling the trigger isnt everthing so if you do decide to pass on something it is not the end of the world.
 
I can guarantee you this much:

If your hunting for your first tom and a jake comes in strutting and gobbling, your going to smoke him :D I did and I dont know many newbies that would not.
 
i am usually against killing an immature animal, but since it is your first i would say take it. but you may find it easier to kill a tom. i kill 4 toms last year and never even saw a jake
 
My most exciting hunt was a jake. He was a big jake at about 18lbs but absolutely a jake. I was set up on a filed that is about 300 acres. I watched the birds as they flew down and congragated in the field. By my rnage finder they were 328 yards. When all was said and done there were 9 birds strutting and about 20 hens. Unforgetable sight. I figured it would be useless to call. I already had my decoys out so I figured I didn't have anything to loose. As soon as I hit my call they gobbled. I called conservitively for about 2 hours. I was watching the birds through my binos when one of the birds started attacking the others and running off all of the gobblers. He had a running buddy helping him. After the gobblers walked off from this super aggresive bird I started calling a little more aggressively. The two birds came at my b-mobile on a dead run. I was carrying the little 20 gauge that day and he busted me about the time I got a bead on him. Boom!! I was shaking. Very few birds will give this kind of excitment. By all means, shoot a jake. reflex264

Here he is......

turkey040409-2-1.jpg
 
reflex264 said:
My most exciting hunt was a jake. He was a big jake at about 18lbs but absolutely a jake. I was set up on a filed that is about 300 acres. I watched the birds as they flew down and congragated in the field. By my rnage finder they were 328 yards. When all was said and done there were 9 birds strutting and about 20 hens. Unforgetable sight. I figured it would be useless to call. I already had my decoys out so I figured I didn't have anything to loose. As soon as I hit my call they gobbled. I called conservitively for about 2 hours. I was watching the birds through my binos when one of the birds started attacking the others and running off all of the gobblers. He had a running buddy helping him. After the gobblers walked off from this super aggresive bird I started calling a little more aggressively. The two birds came at my b-mobile on a dead run. I was carrying the little 20 gauge that day and he busted me about the time I got a bead on him. Boom!! I was shaking. Very few birds will give this kind of excitment. By all means, shoot a jake. reflex264

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Great story!

I would much rather hunt a gobbling jake that wants to 'play the game' than a sneak-in, silent "mature" two yr old any day :D !
 
catman529 said:
so you know I haven't killed a bird yet. What if the first bird I call into my setup is a jake? Should I wait it out and see if an old gobbler comes in behind, or should I take him? Will most likely be on the WMA.

I know there is no right or wrong answer, just looking for opinions.
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nothing wrong with shooting a jake
twra gives you four birds
kill a jake and then hunt for a LB
espicially on public ground
 
eddie c said:
I have a rule of thumb. Shoot the first legal bird I can because that may be the only bird I get a chance at the whole season. worry about beard and spurs later. hunting time is limited and fishing is warming up.

the only exception I have to that is if I can see a better bird on the way in to the blind. then I will wait.
the best I've ever done is 2 birds in one season so I if dont want to be skunked I go with the rule of thumb.
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VERY GOOD RULE OF THUMB THERE - MOSTLY THE ONE I FOLLOW.
 
Sweetie...you take whatever is legal and a trophy in your eyes. If a Jake comes in and you want to take it, do it legal and feel good about it.

Don't ever let anyone tell what your "trophy" should be. :)
 
Outdoor Lady said:
Sweetie...you take whatever is legal and a trophy in your eyes. If a Jake comes in and you want to take it, do it legal and feel good about it.

Don't ever let anyone tell what your "trophy" should be. :)
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X2
 
I had the same question on my mind this weekend. Then I remember how I usually am thinking that night "Man I should have shot that jake". Or when im sitting there at end of season sweating hot, thinking man, i had my chance with those jakes, now i may not get any at all.

So im no longer discremanating with my turkeys. If its got a beard its going down.

2 Jakes did this weekend :)
 

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