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Bagged a bird yesterday that had 1/4'' spurs and a 4'' beard and with the smallest tail fan I have ever harvested (even compared to jakes).
Sounds like a Jake right?
The bird itself was a decent size (I didnt weigh it though) but the tail feathers were all the same length and the wing feathers were rounded, so I reported it as mature. It also had a large snood.
Could this be a bird from a late or second clutch 2 years ago? or just a freak show?
As a lay person not being a biologist the only way of aging a bird is the appearance of the fan. 2 center feathers longer than the rest then its classed as a jake. If its all even across the arch when opened then its classed as a adult.
Guess I bagged a pygmy Tom, It also didnt have the typical chest jelly/fat (not much anyway) and tasted like a Jake.
It's a jake, spurs tell the tale of age.. Ignore the other stuff..beards tails body weight is all unique.
Any pictures?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mox72
I've said it before and I'll say it again spurs and beards are pretty to look at but taste like crap. Better to bag any bird then no bird at all. Given the chance would never pass on a jake in the hope of bagging a tom. Likewise side by side the bigger bird would always go down no matter if its Jake or tom thats usallay an after thought.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bowj
I'll post them once I transfer from cam to comp.
Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers
I agree, I'll take a jake anyday. Much tastier.
If it weren't for the 'good size' part I'd say bearded hen.....
Na, that would be cool but red head, gobbling, beard, spurs, male colouring.....Quote:
Originally Posted by sullyy
Sounds like a Jake to me
I was told that sometimes when a jake was hatched early spring of the previous year it allows it to have more time to grow. Resulting in a super jake with a full fan but small spurs.
according to the ministry,the tail feathers don't matter.The leading wing feathers of ADULTS have white barring to the tip,and the tip is usually rounded.I noticed this on three birds this year,they had a different number of longer tail feathers,but were adult birds.
The spurs don't lie. Unless he broke them both off, I'd say jake.
It takes time to grow spurs. Feathers are different on EVERY bird, of any species.
The beard doesn't mean much. I've seen massive toms with tiny beards. Ice/snow can break them off etc.
S.
I tend to agree that it is a jake but by the definition on the reporting worksheet I reported it as mature. Personally, Im calling it a Jake.
Here are some pics:
I posted the smallest Tom fan that I have in my collection as a reference as well (the one below). See that the fan in question (top) has uniform feather length. I didnt save any of the wing feathers, but they were all rounded.
It looks like my original guess at beard length was about 1/2 an inch short.
I wouldnt quite call the spurs nubs, but very short at 1/4 inch.
Sorry for the 2 bad pics, took them in my shop with cell phone.
That'd be a jake, the variations I've seen from jake to jake in their tail fans is astounding. Spurs are your tell-tale and those nubs are a jakers.
jf
Jake for sure.
BTW in rare cases hens can grow spurs too ;-)
Quote:
Originally Posted by sullyy
Ya, I decided to do some research after your first response and discovered that fact. I also learned that there have been cases of gobbling hens, and also strutting hens.
There is a scene from one of the Primos turkey hunting videos a few years back where they filmed a hen that was strutting and gobbling. It sounded funny!Quote:
Originally Posted by mox72
I think it is possibly a very late jake that just had not changed any tail feathers yet. I have seen them with only 2 feathers swapped out, to almost a complete fan and only a couple of shorter feathers on the ends. The pics will help, but by the sounds of the spurs and beard, that would be my guess.
Another helpful hint that it's a jake
The end of the short beard will have a brownish tint to it
Which it does, another point for jakedom. Thanks SB.Quote:
Originally Posted by STUBBLE BUM
IMO, a jake has light grey colored feet/leg because it is less than a year old, a adult tom doesn't it's feet are red.
Super jake. I have them at two farms I hunt. I think because we had a real early spring last year the were hatched early
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...pse6b2cfe1.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps3684d723.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...psae899109.jpg
Pretty much a full fan but no spurs.
[quote=Road;650729]Super jake. I have them at two farms I hunt. I think because we had a real early spring last year the were hatched e
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...pse6b2cfe1.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps3684d723.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...psae899109.jpg
Notice the leading wing has white barring to the tip.Page 33 of the regs.they classify this bird as an adult.
Jake. Mid tail feathers are longer.