Seems quite a few Jakes are being harvested by FH members!!
Yesterday, I had some free time to get hunting for a few hours. Lots of birds heard in the distance, but they weren't coming into my set. I was doing a slow walk-about at the end of the legal hunt. Just checking at the end of the day, stop motionless and look /listen. While standing in one spot, 3 hens came out near me from behind a tree.
They were only 20ft from me, just behind some 2ft tall cedars, I was standing in the wide open. One hen stopped, raised it's beady eye above the cedar and looked at me for the longest time. I stood still as stone. She wasn't sure what to make of it, but must have figured I was a tree.
Then the Jake appeared following up the hens. The 3 hens continued on their mission, one by one going through the rail fence. But the Jake didn't follow. I didn't know where he had gone, but then TWANGGGG! He must have figured he wouldn't fit between the rails, behind some bushes he jumped onto the electric fence wire, then pushed off that onto the top rail.
I couldn't see the Jake, but through an opening, 30 yards out I could see the 3 hens marching on their "trip" on the other side of the fence. So I levelled the gun at the opening, and waited for the red head of the Jake to appear.
A few seconds later, a waving redhead appears - BOOM. He dropped quick and I was over the fence in a flash... but he was hit hard, no need for a followup shot.
Weighed about 17lbs, a bit lighter than last year's first bird which was 22lbs, but also a jake.
2010 Year of the Jake
<img src="http://www.fish-hawk.net/photogallery/a ... 0_011a.jpg">
Some details...
30 yards. 12gu 4x6 duplex 1.5 oz shot, 5 pellets in the head, another 6 in the neck. Taken while still hunting.
PS
Also harvested some Leeks while hunting this week... anyone who wants to take these should aquaint themselves with how to do it sustainably - only take the outer bulbs to allow the main plant to survive...
Taking a Leek
<img src="http://www.fish-hawk.net/photogallery/a ... eks_01.jpg">
Year of the Jake
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i got worms
- Bronze Participant
- Posts: 418
- Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 9:05 pm
- Location: the mighty st. lawrence
jake
That is a good size jake.
Congrats
Regarding the mostly jakes harvested this year;
I know for myself, time and places to hunt, is the issue so the first legal bird was what I wanted. So I got a jake.
Another guy, at the outfitter has been hunting for 4 years, had seen a big Tom, and was still out on his 3rd day trying to get that Tom when I left.
Actually the jake was great eating last night, not so dufferent from regular turkey so that even the 4 females in my house liked it!
Super
Congrats
Regarding the mostly jakes harvested this year;
I know for myself, time and places to hunt, is the issue so the first legal bird was what I wanted. So I got a jake.
Another guy, at the outfitter has been hunting for 4 years, had seen a big Tom, and was still out on his 3rd day trying to get that Tom when I left.
Actually the jake was great eating last night, not so dufferent from regular turkey so that even the 4 females in my house liked it!
Super
congrats on the bird and great pics!
congrats on the bird and great pics!
and the leek looks just good.
