BKE Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 I am new to this but am going to give it a try. I was doing some deer scouting and came upon Turkey tracks in the ares and what I think was a area scratched up by turkey so I am going to go out this year, I was going to wait til next year. Season just started here 3/24 and goes to May. Reg's state 3 gobblers per season, now here's what I could use some assistance on, a Jake is a young Tom correct? And if so does he qualify? Is it real easy to mistake a Jake for a Hen (that I don't want to do). How far will a bird travel between watering hole and feeding area, area I stumbles on is a patch of oaks (still lots of acorns on the ground) surrounded by pines with swampy(water) area 2 or 3 hundred meters away. I know they're turkey tracks but not alot, could it be just a bird or 2 or are they not loaners? Any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Taking gobbler,Jake Vs. Tom? 1. a Jake is a young Tom correct? And if so does he qualify? Yep...a jake is a 1 year old gobbler. Not sure what GA law is but here in MS for adults over 15 our law states that we are limited to gobblers with at least a 6" beard or a mature gobbler. Youth hunters (15 and under) are allowed 1 jake in their 3 bird bag limit. Gobblers are considered to be mature at 2 years. Adult gobblers have full fans. All the tail feathers are the same length. Jakes have a notched fan. That means the middle tail feathers are longer the the outside feathers on either side. A jake's beard is less than 6" and sticks strait out. A gobbler's beard is almost always longer than 6" and hangs down. 2. Is it real easy to mistake a Jake for a Hen? Not to me it isn't. An Eastern Gobbler (jake too) has black tipped feathers. Hens have brown tipped feathers. The feathers on a gobblers neck stop at his waddels while a hens feathers will go all the way up near her head and up the back of her head. Chances are any gobblers you see will have red waddels too. You might want to visit the NWTF site to check out pics of both. Although a few hens have beards, the vast majority don't. All gobblers have beards of some length unless they've been pulled out from fighting. I've only seen 1 beardless gobbler in my life and that was in Texas. He was a mature gobbler too (full fan) that I guess lost his beard in a fight with another gobbler. 3. How far will a bird travel between watering hole and feeding area, area I stumbles on is a patch of oaks (still lots of acorns on the ground) surrounded by pines with swampy(water) area 2 or 3 hundred meters away. Depends on the bird but I wouldn't think lack of water was a problem for birds in GA. TX yes, but not GA. I would think they are apt to find water almost anywhere in their daily movement in GA. Food shouldn't be a problem for them to find either so they are apt to feed just about anywhere in GA. Their diet is pretty diverse. If you have a swampy area though I'll bet some birds are roosting close to or over it. Some birds just perfer to roost over water like that. 4. I know they're turkey tracks but not alot, could it be just a bird or 2 or are they not loaners? There are probably more birds around than you think if you're seeing some tracks. They really aren't loners except when the hens go to nest and the gobblers split up looking for hens. Even when gobblers split up during the breeding season I see some traveling together. I also see jakes group up alot during the spring too. Outside of the breeding season gobblers generally flock up together while hens with their polts will flock up seperately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nut Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Taking gobbler,Jake Vs. Tom? Rhino answered your questions pretty well Check with your state's regulations on what qualifies as a legal bird. In Ohio it is stated as a bearded bird which would include a bearded hen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trkyturd13 Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Taking gobbler,Jake Vs. Tom? ya jakes are legal here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Re: Taking gobbler,Jake Vs. Tom? Jakes are leagl here in WI. I shot one last year..it ate just as good as a big gobbler.. I have no problem blasting one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HoppeMan Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 Re: Taking gobbler,Jake Vs. Tom? Well, here in Iowa, the regs state: "The daily bag limit has been increased to 1 bearded or male turkey per license with unfilled transportation tag. The season bag limit remains 1 bearded or male turkey per license." So jakes, toms. I personally wouldn't care which I got...It's a'll meat to me! Take care, Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsman2500 Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 Re: Taking gobbler,Jake Vs. Tom? jake are legal. youth and adults can kill jakes. jakes are your young gobblers. good luck to you this year!! get ya a big un' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Colorado Bob Posted March 27, 2007 Report Share Posted March 27, 2007 Re: Taking gobbler,Jake Vs. Tom? Colorado regs say a "bearded turkey". So as long as it has a visable beard----it's legal. Tom, Jake or even a bearded hen. CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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