# 1st Turkey



## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

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After getting blanked last year, my first year of turkey hunting, my luck changed this year. As soon as I got out of the truck today I heard birds sounding off. This went on until just after sunrise and then it all went quiet. I had seen birds in this spot several times so I just waited and finally at 8am I had 3 jakes come out of the woods and once they saw the decoys the race was on to see who would get there first. Trouble was, they were grouped up so tight that one shot would have taken all 3. The biggest one finally moved forward a bit and I made the shot. Nice to finally see one up close - they are a beautiful bird.


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## tb (Jul 26, 2002)

Congratulations. I think that going out, by yourself and learning how to hunt a new species is one of the most rewarding things afield. By the way,are you sure its a jake? Looking at the tailfeathers, seems like it might be older. I'm no expert but I thought the middle tailfeathers of a jake were longer. Your bird may be older than you think.


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

tb said:


> Congratulations. I think that going out, by yourself and learning how to hunt a new species is one of the most rewarding things afield. By the way,are you sure its a jake? Looking at the tailfeathers, seems like it might be older. I'm no expert but I thought the middle tailfeathers of a jake were longer. Your bird may be older than you think.


Thanks. Well, the guys at the registration weighed it at 16lbs. It had about a 5 3/4" beard. Spurs were next to nothing. I guess I thought by the weight and lack of any spurs that it was a jake but I could be wrong. Being that it was my first bird in the decoys, it sure looked like a 747!


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

The tell tail sign of a mature bird is the fan......it is an older bird.

The beard could have gotten rotted or cut of or a number of other things.

Also the spurs could break off or get rubbed down to numbs. Weight is nothing either.....you bird could have had a hard winter, been chasing hens, breeding, etc.

I say you shot a 1 1/2 to 2 year old bird.

Congrats......To let you know I have been hunting turkeys for 16 years now and I will always shot a jake if the oppurtunity arises. Any turkey in my book is a trophy.

That is a good looking bird. Again congrats! :beer:


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

Thanks Chuck and thanks for the info. I learn more every time out. In another week I get to try all over again on the other side of the river (WI).


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

It is more likely a 2 year old gobbler. Tail fan on jake will have center feathers that are longer. Look again, tough to see if photo is telling all.

A 7 or 8 inch beard would be more typical of a MN 2 yr old bird, but 5.5 inches is probably not uncommon. The six or seven jakes I saw this spring were all sporting visible beards of 1 - 3 inches. Stick straight out rather than hang down.

Hooks in MN are often not as big as in Southern states.

I have shot many MN gobblers. A 17 pound bird is a fairly typical weight for a bird that is living in the woods and has been chasing hens over the past 20 - 30 days.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Shu.....

Prairie hunter is correct. If you want to see the difference in a Jake and a Tom look at my photo album on this site (under Chuck Smith). I would post pic's but still have not figured it out.

I have a picture of a jake I shot in MN. I also have a picture of a tom I shot in MO. Then there are pic's of three toms in MO that me and my hunting party shot on the opener. Also another pic of a turkey I called in for a friend on opening day in MN.

You can really see the difference in the fans.

Good luck in WI. I forgot to apply this year. Next year if time allows I will go over and chase some birds around.

Chuck Smith


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## Shu (Oct 21, 2003)

I looked at the pics - you're right, it's easy to tell that jake by the fan.


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