Typically I go after the older long beards with the full lighter colored fans. According to reports for this year a mature long beard might be harder to come by this spring in both south and west Texas. If you were on a 3 day hunt and are allowed to take jakes would you take him or try to wait out that elusive old long beard?

We'll be on a hunt in Hill Country this week and one of the owners said they've seen a few small scattered flocks of mature birds, but have seen hundreds of jakes all over the place. I've never killed a jake before and figured if a jake is the first thing to come in maybe I should just take him and then work for an old gobbler later since we can take two birds. The meat would probably be better anyway. What do you guys think?

No..but I can see how kids and beginners would take one..they are actually illegal to kill here in Mississippi unless you are a youth hunter

Karl, What part of Mississippi do you hunt in, I am familiar with parts of that state.

I have killed the occasional jake for some good tender eating on occasion so I guess I would. Last year I let them all walk though, depends on my mood, but if you want a Jake and it is legal (In Texas they are legal) they are good eating.

If there are a ton of them what does it hurt to take a few? Im not a big turkey hunter but if I get the chance at one he will probably hit the dirt.

Hey Mr. Jackson,
I also go for the mature birds, but if jakes are plentiful and you want to, drop the hammer. I'd be more concerned with how many tags I had if I was gonna get several more opportunities to hunt this year. Shame to burn a tag on a jake and have to pass on a gobbler later in the season cuz you're out of paper...

Doug

Well I have four tags and two more scheduled hunts after this one. One in east TX where I can only take 1 bird, and one in Menard where I can take 1 bird during a father/child turkey hunt where I'm supposed to speak. If I can take two birds on this first hunt I should have all I need with the remaining 2 tags. Only way I'll do any extra hunting is if I don't kill on these scheduled hunt...then I might be heading up to the grasslands.

I just don't know if I'm cool with letting birds walk after paying $300 to hunt for 3 days. I'm usually more concerned about meat when I hunt, but in the past I've had the opportunity to take more older birds than Jakes. I like to collect beards, spurs, and fans so I would most definitely prefer an old gobbler over a Jake, but if there are as many as he says then we shall see what happens.....

I'm taking my boy out for the youth hunt, first legal bird that shows hopefully will go home with us. He has never killed a turkey yet and we don't have many around. I'm not concerned about a trophy for him this season. Just hope we see some.

No.

southwest MS- Natchez- Meadville area...

ok closest to there I have hunted is Hazelhurst area. Mostl hunt Newton and Jasper counties, in Mississippi

I wouldn't have a problem at all taking one especially since this will be my first year with a bow.

i dont think i would take a jake....turkeys dont taste good anyway.... ill just wait on the long beard.

But, wont judge u if u want to take one.

I am taking kids this year, so they will if some walk by. I have only taken one in the past just to have a set of jake feathers. For me, hunting is really about the experience. I am only calling this year.

If its a memorable hunt and a great experience for you, then take one. Harvesting any legal animal is a gift, so if you get the chance and want to take one, take it...if you decide to let it walk by, then maybe you will see it again next year...

Will take a jake with no regrets at all and are better eating too. I have more beards and spurs laying around than i can shake a stick at and 2 longbeards mounted so not worried about trophys. Dont really bother me at all if i dont kill one at all as long as the wife does and i can hear em gobble!

No, Jakes are for newbees and Children.

You need to let me cook one for you Brandon.....tastes like chicken!

Yes I will shoot a Jake....or two. One of the "Summer Grillin by the Pool" staples at the Mallard house is Grilled and fried turkey strips.....with Dos XX Amber!




What Hoytman said. Well played!!

I would always prefer a long beard but I'm not about to go out and have a bird stuffed so as others said its about the experience of the hunt. Jakes are just as exciting to get going and call in as the biggest tom.

To say Jakes are for kids sure I guess but in my limited expirence I've had more success getting 9-10" long beards in than Jakes.

Don't consider it quite like a spike buck vs a 12 point drop tine.

I'd rather call in a jake anyday of the week I found by locating and setting up for a call then sitting under the tree a 3" spurred long beard is roosting in and shooting when he lands.

Jakes are for people who like to hunt AND eat what they kill. To say that jakes are for newbees and kids is ridicules and degradding to the hunter and the bird! If thats what you want to kill is gobblers only thats ok and your preference. Im not a trophy hunter so beard and spurs mean nothing to me. The hunt and the meat is what matters to me.

Thank you for saying that. I agree 100%. I normally don't shoot jakes, but I have, and I'm sure I will again. I think I have killed 5 in my years of turkey hunting. For the person who said calling in a jake can be just as fun as a mature gobbler, you are correct. I have called in jakes that gobble and strut just like a mature bird and were just as hard headed. I have a jake on my property right now that if I hadn't seen him I would have guaranteed he was at least a 2 yr. old. He gobbles hard every morning I am there. He struts for the hens just like a mature bird does, and he is just as stubborn as a 4 yr. old. I have no problem with any hunter taking a jake, old or new. And for the record, turkeys taste great, especially fried strips.

I know some people are strickly trophy hunters but when it comes to turkeys the main thing is calling em in and if ya take em then comes the fried strips! mmmmmmm.

Small world. I was born and raised in Jasper country and cut my teeth hunting turkeys there. I try to go back each year to hunt with my dad and BIL. I was going back last week, but dad told me due to all the rain all the bottoms we hunt were flooded and the turkeys weren't gobbling. Hoping to go back this weekend. You hunt public or private?

If I am paying for a guided turkey hunt I would prefer to shoot a longbeard. If I am at the lease I am sticking an arrow in whatever is legal

Good lawd that made me hungry! SM I see you and I eat alike!!!

With my bow, probably so. Let so many go last year that came to the call with shotgun. Kids yes, 100%...Will be taking kids for youth hunt this weekend and they get the go ahead on any tom, jake or longbeard that comes in as none of them have shot a bird ever.

Not exactly trying to fill my freezer with turkey meat, so I'll wait on a gobbler.

Now I will have my son with me this year with the 410, and first legal bird to get within 15 or 20 yards I'm going to let him shoot.

I know what you mean about the Youth hunting, taking a co-workers son this weekend for his first hunt. Any legal bird we can get in range will be fair game for him. Will also be taking out a rifle incase we see some hogs, never know around there.

I respect most of your posts but this school of thought is flat out assinine. Hunting was originally a means to gather food. For some folks it still is. If an experienced hunter wants turkey for the freezer then by all means he can kill four jakes and I will be happy for him.

BarneyWho, I hunt mostly on private land but on occasion have hunted public land around there. Hunted public land a lot when I was at Mississippi State.

I should have said, The new guys and Kids I take each season can shoot Jakes. I myself only shoot Toms.

It's all up to you, I'll be hunting hogs and calling every now and then... I'll hold out for a big un.

Just so You know if the new Guy wants a Tom I can do that also. Last season a fellow from work wanted a Tom. We went the last week of the season. He passed on many Jakes (im guessing 7). 3 hunts and about 17 miles later he got his dream bird. The Tom was ALOT more work. But to Him worth the extra it took.

You know that's right! I grew up in East Texas and my momma's motto was "If it died it's fried". We ate deer, duck, quail, dove, turkey, rabbit, frog legs....etc. I never remember eating any of them that wasn't chicken fried in a cast iron skillet that was about the size of a trash can lid.



On really calm evenings I can sit on my back porch and if I hear yelps with a MS accent coming from the West across Lake Ray Hubbard, I know it's komon over in Rowlett tuning up for the season!



..........but don't even think about using an effen electronic call and a rifle!!


In 2007 we had the most unbelievable hatch I've ever seen on one of our ranches (we are still working long beards from that hatch). That spring we litterly had "Gangs" of 20-30 Jakes running though the whole ranch. On one weekend hunt we had these delinquent SOB's ruin three straight set ups where me and SM Jr. would be working a long beard and a gang of Jakes would come running in and chase the old gobbler off. I gave the then 10 year old SM Jr. the "Green Light" if a Jake came to the call after that. Two set ups, and two doubles later, SM Jr. had filled his tags. Still to this day he tells me...."Man dad, that was the best hunt of my life!"




Finally!!! A topic that everyone is joining in the reindeer games!!! This may very well get me thru Friday when me and SMJ head out for Youfff Seeeson.

Thats Him in the flesh.

Small world. Never thought I'd see Jasper County, MS on this forum. I actually signed with MSU to play football, but ended up out here at TCU.......long story.




SM, I'm not sure if I should admit this or not, but our mom's might have been sisters.

To each his own. I will drop the hammer on the first legal bird that gets too close. After the meat is in the freezer I will sit back and wait for a Tom.

Yep..I think thats the plan I'm going with....




Especially after seeing this...SM you wrong for this man..got a brotha stomach over here growning...LOL

I will answer this question the way my Grandpa wouldve.
"Does a fat baby s&!t yeller?"

SM that would be me practicing those Southern Belle Yelps, purs, clucks and chackles across the lake.

Those fried turkey strips look good. I will have to give that a try since I got rid of my old smoker...

You know Tjack everytime I look at that picture it makes my mouth water for some fried turkey strips.....and a Ziggy...or five. Time to put some more Yard Bird breast in the freezer and the grease! SM Jr. and I are headed to lease tomorrow for the youth season opener on Saturday.

IMO this is the same discussion as "would you shoot a 1 1/2yr old fork horn whitetail? "

It's not about which one tasts good, or why your out there, or whether you hunt for trophies . . it's about conservation of the population.

Jakes are next years gobblers (duh)
Only so many jakes are hatched each year. Jakes killed this year will not mate with hens . . . ever.

If you say you'd rather shoot a bird with long spurs and a long beard - dont shoot jakes.
If you say you like to have succesfull hunts year after year because you like to eat them - dont shoot jakes.
If you want to teach you child about conservation and harvesting mature game - dont shoot jakes.

Get off the "instant gratification" kick of shooting the first bird you see. Work for it and respect it and most importantly teach that to your kid.

Ditto!

Well little dog im on the oposite side and have no problem with taking a fork horn or a jake and it has nothing to do with conservation! Nature supplys us with so many birds and TPW supplys us with the tags to keep the population stable not by wether we choose a jake or longbeard. Also bobcats and coyotes and any other predator out there doesnt care what it is wether it be a jake or hen or longbeard they all taste like turkey. You have that holly than tho trophy or nuthin attitude that wrecks hunting in my opinion. If you want to stricktly trophy hunt thats fine and ok by me but to justify it by making everybody think we are gonna hurt the population is a bunch of bull.

Well..just got back from Mountain Home and two hours after I arrived on Thursday morning I took a nice gobbler with an 8 inch beard and inch long spurs. On my last hunt this morning I wasn't set up an hour before a flock of about 7 jakes came up on my set up. One in the bunch had a very light colored fan which was unusually full for a jake, so I decided to take him as I thought about those fried breast stips that SM posted on the forum. Have some meat in the freezer, some trophies for the wall, and two more tags to go for two up coming hunts....

Get out the skillet!!! Congrats Tjack!!

This guy was huge...they didn't have a scale at the ranch to weigh him, but I know for sure he was over 21 pounds...That beard was about 8 1/2 inches

Nice bird! congrats.

Shotgun they get a pass. I have yet to take a turkey with my bow and they will get shot at under 35 yards.

Congratulations, nice birds! If they are a trophy to you, thats what matters!

Well Mr Hoytman you are only partly correct. You got the "than thou" part right. As to being more holy than anyone else, not hardly.

Since you have decided to so pointedly single me out as "the problem" when I post my opinion on the question, I'll respond directly to you.:

The problem folks are anyone with the attitude that:
The government will take of you.
The mentality that you can do anything within the bounds of the rules and everything will turn out alright.
That those who make the rules are responsible for keeping your life all rosy.

For example; If there were no restictions on antler size, you would take the approach that it was fine and totally acceptable to shoot spotted button bucks. . . and assume no responsibility for the consequences.

Im not a trophy hunter.
I not only follow the letter of the law, but i also apply ommon sense and consideration of the future of the game I pursue.
That appearently makes me "more holy than thou" . . good.

Please, use your tags on the first jakes you see and quickly return to the house. Its totally legal. I'll be watching for your post in a year or two saying "where are all the gobblers?".

p.s. HEB is having a sale on whole turkeys. Much bigger than the jakes youll shoot and alot lower cost if you can do the math.

You are correct about some things too, The goverment WILL take all they can get and not think twice. Also you are correct about the antler debate! Most people know how i feel about antler restrictions but will say i hate what it has done in my county and some surrounding countys. It has ruined the deer hunting and pretty much wiped out the deer population with the 4 deer limit where it used to be 1 buck. We had lots of deer and you could take 1 buck, small or large and it was your choice. Now with mentalitys like yours and the so called ULTIMATE hunt for big mature deer we seldom see a deer and are allowed to kill 4 deer. I havent shot a deer in my county for 4 yrs now because of the decline and probably wont this year because the numbers just arent there to justify it. You seem to forget its about the hunt not the horns or the beard in this case. Yes i am a meat hunter and love it. To me to shoot a animal or bird soley on antler size or beard size is a injustice to the game your hunting and is killing the sport the same as high lease prices and faulty science. Ireally dont mind that some are trophy hunters and some are meat hunters but what i do have a problem with is trophy hunters that bash others because they arent. You are right about another thing it is cheaper to go buy a turkey but again there is fun in calling in a frozen turkey.

the ranch I hunt makes me wish hens were legal too. Too many birds there a nuisance, they come in to the feeders and clean up like vaccum cleaners. Any bird with a beard gets smacked, we need to kill a bunch.
never really understood the term trophy aplied to a turkey, thats an oxymoron, like a trophy hog or trohy coyote.
Old bucks taste like crap so do old turkeys, and large fish, if you want good eating no matter what species it is, pick the youngest.

You better believe I'd take a jake as long as I been after my first turkey. Brown County is flat loaded with them, at least where I'm hunting. Lots of mature birds and jakes.

9 days and counting. I only have 4 days to turkey hunt this year and the first legal bird I call in will be in the fryin' pan soon after. 2" beard or 12", doesn't matter to me. My main goal is to call in a bird for my fiance, she shot her first one last year (4" jake).

I really dont mind anybody wanting to hunt mature birds but like vanguard says if you want a good eating animal then a young animal is the way to go. And turkey numbers are good thru most countys so kill a jake for the fryer and wait on a long beard second. Good luck to everybody opening day!