Well stepped in it again today. Met some folks back at the check station today that were doing their routes. Conversation was going good till someone said they heard 7 birds 3 long beards and 4 Jakes. Of course I asked if he seen them and he said no. Well I said, that is a tough call without seeing the bird, of course a couple others proceeded to side with him and said I needed to spend more time in the woods and get my ears checked. One guy even said he could usually tell the difference between a 2 and 4/5 year old. Of course the others there that knew me were waiting after that comment. I just tactfully gave them my experience and luck, and the guy I was going to reference just happened to be there at the game check station.

I explained a few years ago this gentleman thought the same about Jake vs LB gobbles. We were and still do hunt together on occasion. Well one year we heard these 2 birds going off and he had first choice so he said he will take the one since the other was a Jake. I said go for it and I went to investagate the Jake. Well about an hour later the Jake was on my carry sling with 1 1/4" spurs. As luck would have it this happened about the same over the next 2 years but we heard only one bird and he said since it sounded like a Jake he would pass. Well both those birds had 1" and 1 1/8" spurs.

After he confirmed that to them we all had a good laugh and the one guy said, he may start looking or listening to things with a different mindset.

Just wondering what you may think on this.

I for one many years ago may have thought the same but now will try to at least give it a try and see what maybe is on the end of that gobble. But even after calling in and seeing some were Jakes there were a few Jakes that gave me a great hunt and learning experience although no shots were fired.


Earl

Some jakes may be identified by their gobble alone but I've had jakes gobble just like toms and toms gobble like jakes.
They don't get a free pass until I eyeball them.

Last week i went to spot i got to hunt and was standing there listening for some gobbles then all of a sudden one gobble about 60yrds from me then i sat down real quick not to be spotted by the longbeard then across the path that goes in between two fields two more sang out they were in the same tree gobbling back in fourth to each other but you could definitly tell the boss bird was because when pitched off the limb he landed about 70yrds from me then two hens i never heard or seen till they came walking by me worked there way towards the boss gobbler. Well while he was strutting courting those hens both the other gobblers came up through the woods which they didn't gobble one time on the ground came snicking in one ran up to one of the hens an puffed up while the other watched then out of nowhere the boss ran up to him started kicking some tail litterly and both sub-boredant gobblers fled the scene went about 150yrds and start gobbling, man what a show...

Bingo. I went after one bird one time cause he was the only one doing anything. I just knew it was a jake. Well the bird was straight up a ridge above me and I was in the bottom. I didnt want to go the long rough way around to get above so I tried him from where I was at. He gobbled every breath coming in then when I seen him about 60 yards blowed up with a full fan and beard swinging I clicked the safety off and shot him about 30 yards. Had a 10.5" beard and 1.125 spurs. He fooled me but I got the last laugh

I was looking down the gun barrel last spring a couple times only to be amazed that what showed up was a jake! I would have never believed 1 particular turkey would have been a jake by his gobble, but he was! Sometimes you can clearly tell it's a jake, not alway's!!Guess I need to spend more time in the wood's or get my hearing checked as well! I know one thing,I won't walk away until I'm SURE it's a jake!

I've killed two jakes that came in through thick cover. Never fanned out & never got a good look at their beards, but when they gobbled they had me convinced they were mature toms.
Play like the big boys; pay like the big boys.

A few years ago I was chasing two birds that I would swear were jakes. Never could get them to come in for a good look, but they sounded like jakes for certain.
My time on that farm ended and WV Boy came in a day or two later and collected one of those birds. At least I think it was one of them since I never heard any other birds in the 5 days I spent chasing those two. Big old double-bearded gobbler. Nice work Randy.

Thanks..

I used to think the same.. but have heard too many jakes that sound like LBs and vice versa .. only time I think for certain they are jakes is if I hear them jake yelp as well as gobble.. which they do a lot.. but I will still call them in and take a look if there is nothing else close..

Ditto what Barry and WVBoy say. I have been fooled a few times...BOTH ways. Its true you can tell, but you can be fooled too. Last year I called in a group of Jakes and they all gobbled. the last one sounded like a longbeard and we waited on him to show....he had a healthy gobble, but he was a jake. A superjale though with a nice 6 inch beard but his tail fan was for sure a jake. You just never know.