Umm..if youre a kid and it is your first turkey maybe.

But NO, Adults do not generally shoot Jakes. That is killing next years gobbler today. And he carries half the meat. So definitely No

It’s legal but I would not shoot one.

I’ve only killed 1 Jake on purpose and it was my very first when I was 18 yo. It was a super Jake with 6 inch beard and had what sounded like a full gobble to me, but that was my first time hunting them. I’ve killed a few on accident when they pop their head over a hill or from behind a rock. I’ve probably killed 5 all together and except for that first one, I’ve felt guilty every time.

justifying the legal killing of an animal must be the new woke aldeer

I've never seen deer have a bad hatch

I never have and don't because it does nothing for me. It seems like a cheapened experience to me. However, it is legal and I'm not gonna knock anyone else for it.

We got ourselves a wise guy here 😁

If all I have is a jakes to hunt I'll kill one or two. Good thing about turkeys you can kill ever Tom and some hens will still hatch out a clutch of chicks . Last years hens dont need bredding Lol

I've killed one. He came in running to a call and was the second one to pop his head over a trash pile, and I smoked his blue headed butt without a seconds hesitation. Same situation I'd do it again probably. If I can positively identify that it's a Jake and get to watch him I won't be shooting him, but come in like he did and he's gonna get shot.

Wild turkey is good, but none of us are hunting for the meat either. We got deer season for that

Bc you have eyes that don’t look in those directions

When I first started Deer and Turkey Hunting in 1968....Dallas County had a Fall Season. There were about 6 members who were avid fall hunters. The Norm. was to bust a young flock up and wait about 20 minutes....then call using the "Kee-Kee Run" lost call. Those little Turkeys probably only weighed about 12 pounds....little beards from about 1/2" to 1" long. They typically killed about 15 each fall on the 10,000 acres we had leased. Nobody ever questioned it.....it was just how you fall hunted Turkeys. Guess some still do it that way in the Fall Season Counties.....

If a jake is with a group of hens or in company of a few longbeards I’ll give him a pass but if he comes in screaming like he’s the boss then I’ll fill his face with shot in a second

I try not to shoot them, I had got out of the truck first day of this season and gobbling all around me, I set up 40 yds from the truck and hit some soft purrs, I heard spitting and drumming but had a bad line of sight, then I caught movement and seen a blue head sticking up over a blow down, and I rolled him with the 835. 4 more flew off, well it was a jake, disappointed slightly I went and weighed him at 20lbs 4 1/2 inch beard, no spurs. Biggest Jake I have seen.

A wise man once told me “Sometimes you gotta shoot a hostage”.

how many of y’all would’ve given this “gobbler” a hall pass - https://youtu.be/WTOOBYczacE

I’ve only ever killed one and it was because there was a turkey gobbling over a rise, a red head popped up and got shot. Turned out to be a jake. I’d never shoot one on purpose and I’d never let someone who was hunting with me shoot one unless it was a kids first bird.

You can’t eat the beards and spurs fellas

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Funny coming from the guy who was all in for shooting every deer he could in the cdw zone. [/quote]

I've never seen deer have a bad hatch
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Bc you have eyes that don’t look in those directions [/quote]

I've seen alot in my day, but your right I've never looked in the right direction to find a deer nest.

Nope. Only gays shoot jakes. Some of you done told on yourselves.