Did you pass on birds?

[kbgibby]

Since things are slowing down here, thought I'd toss this one out. There's a fair amount of discussion on the whitetail forum about passing up the young bucks. While it's tougher to judge the maturity of a tom when his spurs aren't showing, I wondered how many jakes or two-year-olds you guys passed by this spring? Do you think it makes much difference overall (ala QTM - quality turkey management)?

I let two jakes go early on and always try to take a hen in the fall.

Threebeards

 

[Pupster]

I personally passed 18 different shots on jakes this year. I'm not really sure if I could tell a 4 year old from a 2 yr old because I never try to look at their spurs when they come in. My rules are, if it has a full fan and a swinging beard, it's gonna get it! I've let upwards of 10 bearded hens go in the past 20 yrs. I've never fall hunted but probably would NOT shoot a hen if the opportunity presented itself. I figure the more hens we have the more turkeys period. I don't have a problem with someone taking a hen in the fall either, just personally I don't think I would.

Since the two can hardly be compared (QDM vs QTM) because turkeys just happen to become trophy's automatically be reaching the age of three. Deer on the other hand don't reach trophy status unless their racks determine it whether they are 3,4,5 or 6yrs old. All (buck) deer are different. But other than the spurs and a beard (which has really nothing to do with age) all turkeys are just turkeys. I mean you really can't "field judge" them.

Whew! after typing all of that I'm not sure any of it makes sense!

Pupster

 

[Waukon1]

I passed up on 4 jakes opening day of 1st season. Never saw a bird after that

. Until 4th season

 

[ironwood]

One of my boys and I took the first things that presented themself to us. They were both good toms. My thirteen year old boy passed on three jakes and then was a little slow getting his gun up on a decent tom. When I said take him he was not ready. When he said now I told him it was to far, turns out it was only 41 yards by his measure and I have been listening to it ever since. Anyway he is thirteen and chose to pass all on his own, with the Jakes. He just wanted to shoot a bigger bird.

 

[Shredder]

I inadvertantly passed on a few because I did not have the patience for silent birds. I would stand up, putt, putt, putt, and elect not to shoot at a flying bird. Not quite the answer you were looking for but I'm being honest,...

 

[hook]

Second season I was holding out for a mature gobbler and passed on jakes day 1 and day 2. I guess you could say I paid the price since I didn't bag a bird second season. Fourth season I told myself I would take ANY male bird with a beard. Ended up shooting a mature gobbler... go figure.

I don't particularly think that taking young birds hurts anything but I base that decision on the timbers I hunt and the number of birds known in the area.

For example I have a small 40 acre pasture timber that holds 3 - 4 gobblers each year. I won't shoot a jake from this timber. On the other hand, I hunt a 500+ acre timber that I woundn't be afraid to shoot a jake from since their are birds on every ridge.

I would love to shoot a 28+ pounder some day but the smaller birds fit in my fryer pot a lot better.

 

[hershy]

...I passed on 5 jakes this year...2 busted me from behind at 15 yards as I was working some mature birds...they saw me reaching back to rustle the leaves...couple days later I called in 3 jakes that gobbled deeper & harder than most toms...I thought I was on mature birds and was shocked to see the short beards...they got my heart pounding - if it wasn't so early in the season I would have been proud to put my tag on one of those boys...