Often a hen might be bearded, or a Long Beard Turkey has no spurs or has an irregular fan, while a Jake Turkey might produce a gobble loud and long.
How can you tell the difference between Tom and Jake?
As a general rule, jakes will have short beards (about 2 to 3 inches in length), while the tom turkey beard can be up to 10 inches or more (they don’t call them longbeards for nothing). Sometimes toms even get multiple beards, which can be another good sign of maturity.
Do all turkeys make the gobble sound?
Only males gobble
There’s a reason that male turkeys are called “gobblers” — they’re the only ones that make that noise! Each gobbler has a unique call that he uses to attract females during breeding season. Female turkeys also make distinct noises, but they sound more like chirps and clucks.
Which turkey has loudest gobble?
Easterns
Easterns are the heaviest of the turkey subspecies, with weights regularly exceeding 25 pounds. They also have the longest beards and loudest gobbles, and compete with Osceolas for the longest spurs and darkest feathers.
What makes a turkey a Jake?
Jake turkey tails stick up noticeably in the middle, while toms have uniform tail feathers. Beard length also provides a noticeable distinguishing characteristic. Jake turkey beards measure about five inches or less, while the beards of toms can grow eight inches or longer. Spur length also differs between jake vs.
Why is a turkey called a Jake?
Since turkeys are obviously not cats, the phrase was shortened simply to “tom.” Juvenile males are also known as “jakes,” while the young female turkeys are known as “jennys.” Part of the mating process is attributed to the tom’s ability to “gobble” loudly enough to both attract the hens and dissuade other males.
Should I shoot a jake turkey?
According to the NWTF, there’s no biological reason that exists on whether or not hunters should kill a jake. If a jake is taken legally, no biological backlash comes from harvesting that bird, other than reducing the potential of 2 year olds that could be in the area the following year.
Can a Jake turkey have a full fan?
A Group of Jakes
In the second year, the tail molts in the standard adult pattern from the outside in and the gobbler will then have a full, even fan. Once a bird reaches 2 years of age, he will have an even fan for the rest of his lifetime.
Do turkeys roost in the same place every night?
Overall, the answer to the big question is that turkeys do not always roost in the same place. Turkeys are much like deer in that they shift to different parts of their home range throughout the year. That said, they do seem to favor certain ones, and spend more time roosting in favored locations than anywhere else.
Is a male turkey called a Jake?
Adult male turkeys are called gobblers. Juvenile males are called jakes. Gobblers average around 18-22 pounds and can have a wingspan of 5 feet. Adult female turkeys are called hens.
What does it mean when a turkey gobbles at you?
Male turkeys gobble to attract hens and assert their place in the pecking order, and while a gobble is meant to excite and attract receptive hens, it has nearly an equal effect on hunters. Hearing a gobbler sound off lets a hunter know he or she is in the game and gives them hope.
Can male turkeys gobble?
CUTT: Loud, sharp clucks that are often mixed with yelping. Cutting is a sign that turkeys are excited, not alarmed. GOBBLE: A loud, rapid gurgling sound made by male turkeys. The gobble is one of the principal vocalizations of the male wild turkey and is used primarily in the spring to let hens know he is in the area.
What is the hardest turkey to hunt?
1. Easterns: Hunter pressure in tight habitats make this subspecies the most difficult in the country. More turkey hunters roam Eastern states than any of the others. An Alabama Eastern three-year-old longbeard might be the most difficult turkey of all.
Do Jakes cluck and purr?
All turkeys cluck, yelp, and purr, but toms and jakes are the only turkeys that will gobble. A mature tom’s gobble lasts several seconds and has a lusty rattle. A jake’s gobble attempts are often hesitant and comical. Jakes may yelp-gobble or break off a gobble after two or three syllables.
What is the red thing hanging from a turkey?
wattle
Wild Turkey
And there, dangling from the chin, is a wrinkly mass of bumpy, warty-looking red skin: the wattle. Why have a wattle? Wattles are an adaptive feature that come in handy in several ways. On a hot day, with the sun bearing down, the bare skin of neck and wattle helps release excess heat.
Do you shoot Jakes?
According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, there is no biological reason to not shoot a jake, other than the obvious fact that there will be one fewer 2-year-old next year.
Can you shoot a jake in Mississippi?
Shooting a jake is not legal in Mississippi, for instance, as the state has a 6-inch beard rule, and most juvenile gobblers have beards 5 inches or less. Be sure to check your state’s regulations, too.
How can you tell a male turkey from a female?
The easiest way to determine the turkey’s sex is by examining the feathers on the breast and sides of the turkey. On males, these feathers have black tips. The feather tips are brown on females.
Can a female turkey turn into a male turkey?
1) Female turkeys can basically clone themselves
This seems impossible, but it’s not. Occasionally, the eggs of female turkeys will — without any sperm involved — spontaneously develop into embryos and then into baby turkeys (which are always males).
Can you eat a jake turkey?
You can’t eat the spurs, beards, feathers and bones without some difficulty; trophy parts likely taste pretty gritty. You’re hunting fall turkeys and would rather kill a male bird than a legal either-sex hen.
How much does a jake turkey weigh?
A juvenile or one year old male turkey is called a “jake”. An average adult gobbler weighs about 20 to 23 pounds and a jake will weigh approximately 14 to 16 pounds.