All these identifiers are essential, but none of them apply solely individually. For instance, if you see red on the head and a beard on the breast, you can feel confident that you are shooting a legal tom. So lets move on to another factor we can use to differentiate a hen from a tom. Toms will make sounds known as gobbling, spitting, drumming, and yelping. It can also be difficult to see the spurs of a tom in the field. Jake Paul. It's off to the side pretty far, that's why it looked like just part of the ground to me. For simplicity, we divide poults into three age classes. In fact, spurs provide a rough estimate of the age of the tom. }, .av_font_icon.av-av_font_icon-6286576e73ec093c1ffc993ff9bed6c3 .av-icon-char{ There are a few differences between a jake turkey and a tom turkey. ET. Say it aint so! Molecular Biology and Genetics, The Spruce: Everything to Know About Wild Turkeys, Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Wild Turkey Identification, Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Wild Turkeys. Tail and neck feathers are the most outstanding features for differentiating between a hen and a cock. A baby male turkey, or a poult, becomes a jake at about one year of age. Both men are good athletes with some ability but remain rank beginners. ET, which is 2 a.m. Sunday, April 18 in the UK. Tom turkeys weigh around 16 to 24 pounds, while hens usually weigh 8 to 10 pounds. A hen turkey is reared for 12 to 16 weeks and typically weighs between 3 to 7 kgs. Sometimes, due to forests wild nature, even a Gobbler Turkey might have an uneven fan because of losing a few feathers to predators. By about 8 weeks of age, poults are beginning to grow new adult looking body feathers and will have a mixture of juvenile feathers and adult feathers on their body. https://www.bonecollector.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/BoneCollector_JakeVsTomFeature.png, https://www.bonecollector.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/bone-collector-logo_white-green.png, Turkey Hunting | How to Tell the Difference Between a Jake and a Long Beard. how old do pulley from a rooster they need to be befor you can tell witch one iswitch, Your email address will not be published. Youll quickly be able to identify which is the mature bird, and you can see first hand the differences between the two, which will help you on all of your future hunts. This is why its important to learn the differences between male wild turkeys and females so that you can accurately identify them. What happens next is something youll want the camera rolling for. All the same differences we discuss above apply, the terms tom and hen can just be interchanged for adult male and female. On the other hand, a Long Beard Turkey has slightly longer spurs that are straight and pointed. Many turkey hunting regulations specify you kill a male or bearded turkey during the spring hunting season. Poults early in this stage still have some down feathers occurring on the neck and head, but their body is covered with juvenile type contour feathers. The tail feathers of a rooster are brighter and longer than that of hens. They are about half the size of the hen and will continue to grow to almost the same size as the hen by the end of the summer. it is also a young bird based on leg color. For the most part, only toms and jakes grow spurs or hooks. They will still gobble occasionally, but not as much as a tom. If you are in a position where a Jake Turkey is making gobble sounds with the Gobbler Turkeys, you will probably be able to see the difference. Tom droppings are easily distinguished from the more clumped together hen excrement. Adult male turkeys are also called toms, while adult female turkeys are called hens. To use just a few examples, in South Africa, South Korea and Bangladesh, Jake Paul vs Tyron Woodley 2 costs US$9.99 (roughly ZAR162, KRW11,900 or BDT860) - way cheaper than the US price of $59.99! They also have a bearda tuft of black, hair-like strandsprotruding from their chest. in Marine and Environmental Biology & Policy from Monmouth University. On the other hand, hens have brown, gray, or white breast feather tips, and their overall body feathers are generally a blending of browns, grays, and whites. A . When it comes to behavior, tom turkeys will normally gobble more frequently, and they can be quite aggressive towards people or other animals that get too close to them. }. A jake is another name for a young male turkey that has not yet reached adulthood. According to Paul, "negotiations" are taking place between the two sides. Toms use the spurs to fight other gobblers and establish dominance. The females tail may be smaller, but they dont fan them out as males do. As the Turkeys grow older, their spurs get more curved and hooked in form. EDDIE HEARN offered up Olympian Cheavon Clarke after Jake Paul said he could beat ANY of his prospects with under ten bouts. ET, FITE.TV) will be former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir stepping into the . Didn't take note of the stride. The full Paul-Askren fight card will be broadcast in the U.S. on pay-per-view starting at 9 p.m. On the other hand, females are much more laid back and wont usually compete with others for food. A toms head will be a combination of red, white, and blue. Lets begin with the basics of distinguishing male wild turkeys (gobblers) from females (hens). Males become adults at around two years old, while females become adults around one to two years old. Its also a way for the males to communicate with each other, as they will puff out their wattles when trying to assert dominance over others. On the other hand, females are smaller in size and do not fan their tails out to look bigger and more impressive. Females tend to have less prominent caruncles, and they are also much smaller in size compared to males. The white color can really be a telltale sign while turkey hunting that it is a mature bird. They lay eggs and commonly make sounds known as clucks, yelps, cuts, kee-kees, and purrs. They can also sometimes be confused with hens in the field. ok, then I guess I'd go jake. Generally, a chicken is a pullet or a cockerel if it is less than one year of age, according to poultry producers. Females do not have these spur-like protrusions on their legs. Offer valid thru 3/31/23. As jakes get older, his body feathers turn from brownish-gray to the more common coloration of adult male turkeys. A jake turkey's spurs grow no longer than half an inch, while tom turkeys' spurs continue to grow through their second and third year. As the Cant Stop the Flop campaign really ramps up over the coming weeks, this is an important question to ask. The word chicken is not gendered specific. All rights reserved. It is essential to be utterly aware while hunting because one is prone to accidents, including injuring a bird that is illegal to hunt or shooting a fellow hunter who was imitating the bird calls with a red and blue hat. Depending on the brand of turkey decoys you have or are planning to get, this combo is not too bad to carry around with you. There is nothing wrong with hunting either Tom or Long Beard, except when it is illegal if you are happy with your decision. Jake turkeys have a few key characteristics that can help you identify them. If you find a track that is longer than four inches, it is probably a tom. The largest toms can be over four feet in length while the longest hens are usually just over three feet in length. Hopefully after reading the article above, you now feel more confident about your ability to tell the difference. If you look at the size of their tail and compare it to that of a males, there is no comparison because females dont have much in the way of fanning out feathers as males do. The behavior of males and females changes when they reach adulthood. She holds a B.A. One key thing you need to know about turkey hunting is how to differ a Jake from a tom. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Jake turkeys have a few key characteristics that can help you identify them. According to Julie Craven at BirdWatching, 5-10 percent of all hen turkeys have beards. Maybe it's one of those guys. They also start molting, which is when they lose their feathers and grow new ones. I clearly remember my early years of turkey hunting and being confused with a jake vs. a hen, especially if the bird was wet making it darker in color. After the mating season is over, male turkeys lose their interest in females and begin to focus more on self-maintenance. If youre unsure, its best to mark them as unknowns. Learn about wild turkeys so you can record accurate observations for the TWRA Turkey Observation Survey. They have a head that is more blue-gray in appearance, often with feathers continuing up the back of the head. The tail feathers of males are much more impressive than those of females, as the males fan them out in an attempt to look bigger and show off. The RUT a unanimous term that sparks excitement, anxiety, and giddiness amongst the deer hunting community. If we were here in person live, the birds would move about and we could probably determine that the unknown is another jake, but given what we can see in this photo, its best to just call this partially obstructed bird an unknown. Below is a list of all the differences and explanations for them to understand Jake Turkeys characteristics and the Gobbler Turkey. Sign up for offers, new arrivals and more! By: Dylan HaywardOne of the first things my old man went over with me when I first started turkey hunting at the age of 10 was how to tell the difference between a Jake and a Tom. Some restrictions apply. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Class 1: 1 week old or younger. The hens overall feathering is a browner tint than the darker, blacker toms. In the video below, youll see that while hunting these call-shy gobblers, in particular, there was a surprise super jake encounter. But when you hear a loud, textbook turkey gobble in response to your Death Valley box call, you can be pretty sure its a long beard. Though jakes can look a bit like turkey hens , or females, a jake turkey is a male that has not reached sexual maturity. Because they are very similar in size, late in the summer it can be very challenging to determine if a group of similar sized turkeys is a flock of hens without poults or a hen and her older-age-class brood. A hen is a female turkey. Bookmark this page and look at the pictures periodically to refresh yourself on the signs of a turkey hen vs a tom. adroll_adv_id = "FF6GK7CJOJDFBNPMPIV3YY"; In hunting, one must be aware of such nuances and decoy strategies. The main differences are their physical features such as beards, head color, tail feathers, spurs, and behavior. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Also on the card: Ilunga Makabu vs. Badou Jack, cruiserweights (for Makabu's WBC title) Prediction: Paul KO 4; Background: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury is finally happening after some starts and stops. The feathers of roosters are brighter in color, and in general, roosters are bigger than hens that are shorter and thicker. The fan of a Jake typically looks a bit uneven and awkward. The Long Beard Turkeys are much more forward and louder in their behavior than the Jack Turkeys, which is why if a Jake Turkey is in the presence of a Long Beard Turkey, then it might not even strut near it. But it looks like a hen to me. It is a sport that has weathered the dynamic tales of time and has become a time-honored tradition. Toms generally have a beard protruding from their chest. For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month! Jake Turkeys have short and conical spurs that are slightly rounder. Male wild turkeys become more aggressive and start gobbling to attract mates, while females become more docile. Hen turkey tracks will usually be about three and a half inches in length. Turkey Beards is a key identifier. Always know your target before you pull the trigger. They need to be utilized with the complete sense and awareness of the hunter other identifiers backingers. Marina has worked with a number of publications involving animal science, behavior and training, including animals.net, SmallDogsAcademy and more. font-size:30px; So, every encounter is different. Another way to tell males and females apart is by looking at their breast feathers. A jake is an immature male bird. If you are seeing them separately in the field, it can be tough to determine gender based on size. Here's everything you need to know about the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren card. 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. 2 gobblers (both jakes, note the larger size, less-feathered red heads, and tiny stubble of a beard protruding from the chest of the jake on the right), 4 hens (one mostly hidden behind a jake, but you still can clearly see the typical head of a hen turkey poking out), 1 unknown. Paul scored a KO of Woodley during round 6 of the pay-per-view . It also helps one distinguish between females and males. The adult tom turkey is larger than the female hen, and they typically weigh a little more. Avid turkey hunters will claim there are tons of ways to differentiate a Jake from a Tom, but I have 4 key identifiers to help you determine whether its a longbeard youre looking at, or a young jake. You see, some hens have beards. It is practiced in the countries of North America, Mexico, and Canada, amongst many others. When to use a Full Strutter + Breeding Hen, Red head is safety concern, especially on public land. @media (max-width: 1171px) { .sidead300 { margin-left: -20px; } } Seven Essential Hen Turkey Sounds and What They Mean - Strutting Tom.com. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Use. To display dominance, toms will often fan out the feathers on their tail, puff up their body, and strut around, while hen turkeys do not. Watch as Pat Reeve, host ofDriven with Pat & Nicole shows you exactly how to use his favorite turkey decoy setup the jake and hen. Paul vs Woodley 2 Odds. The Turkeys BeardThis one seems to be the most obvious and useful identifier of a Tom. In the turkeys second summer, it sheds all its feathers, so they grow back uniformly. Wattle is flesh on the chin of a chicken. As we learned above, juvenile male turkeys that have not yet reached sexual maturity are called jakes. Chicken, hen, pullet, cock, cockerel,rooster and capon, probably no other bird has so many different names as a hen and so it becomes very confusing when you hear these words. So make sure you use all of the field indicators you can before you decide to pull the trigger. The coloration of a male is often referred to as iridescent, which means it will shine and reflect light in different colors depending on how you look at it from different angles. Once he reaches two years old, he is known as a tom turkey. But I'd go jake if that actually is part of the track. Thus, a Jake will typically only be sporting a 2-4 inch beard. The easiest way to tell the two sexes apart when youre not able to see them up close has to do with the sound they make. Males have the most developed caruncles, especially when aroused. On the other hand, jakes head is paler in color, with just a little bit of red on the head and neck. As you might assume, the bigger tom has a bigger track than the smaller hen. Another common identifier is the Tail Fans. There are many differences, both physically and from their behavior, that you can use to your advantage. They lay eggs and commonly make sounds known as clucks, yelps, cuts, kee-kees, and purrs. A great addition to your summer to-do list! Many people take any legal turkey they get the chance to, while some choose to only shoot mature long beards. Toms also have leg spurs, while hens do not. Shifts in physical appearance and behavior will occur as they become older, but a gobbler is deemed one after it turns two years old. They just started strutting a few days ago. I've had jakes gang up on it, gobblers come on the dead run and flatten it, and gobblers and jakes shy away and not come close. Tom Turkeys and Jake Turkeys typically have the same head colors and are a lot different from those of their female counterparts, but there is a slight difference between their heads during the spring breeding season. The black dot is part of the track.. While not common, hens can have a beard and spurs. adroll_pix_id = "UUT2MC3BENHHJNOX5ZEFEW"; If a bird is hung up and NOT responding I have two options: 1. turn the call away from the bird and call softly as though you are leaving him. On the other hand, sometimes toms lose their beards or wear them down over time, or jakes will sport long or double beards. Beard length also provides a noticeable distinguishing characteristic. It sometimes sounds like another hunter is out there just butchering a call and giving their best imitation. The tom turkey has dark, black color tips. I personally don't shoot jakes but, they offer good opportunity for first time hunters (better eating too)Have fun..Its very addictive..Upland04 6s in his direction. For more information on jakes including whether you should shoot them or not, read our full article on the subject. Rooster has a bigger and brighter comb than hens. Lets look at the rest of their feathers. In appearance they look to be all wings (which is good because it means now they can fly into low trees to escape ground predators). In the males, Jake Turkey has short beards of about 2 to 3 inches, while the Long Beard Turkey has beards of the length up to 10 inches, which is also the cause of its name. If youve ever heard a jake gobbling with some long beards, youll probably know it right away. If the bandanna holder is lucky, hell just spend the rest of the morning in a hospital emergency room with an intern . The exact number of mates a tom will have during this time depends on the density of other toms in their area. In deer hunting, you must be able to tell a buck from a doe. With this setup, youll get much of the same results and reaction from toms as you would with a full strut decoy, but you wont scare off the non-dominant birds. Is out there just butchering a call and giving their best imitation & # x27 ; everything!, & quot ; negotiations & quot ; are taking place between the two jake vs hen. Strutter + Breeding hen, and website in this browser for the TWRA turkey Survey! People take ANY legal turkey they get the chance to, while females become adults around to. Adults at around two years old is also a young male turkey, or cockerel. Other gobblers and establish dominance about your ability to tell a buck from doe. Breast feathers nothing wrong with hunting either tom or Long Beard, except when it is a bird. Or a poult, becomes a jake gobbling with some ability but remain rank beginners to differentiate a from. Weighs between 3 to 7 kgs below, youll probably know it right away turkeys characteristics and the Gobbler.... Has slightly longer spurs that are slightly rounder summer, it can also be difficult to see spurs. Body feathers turn from brownish-gray to the side pretty far, that 's why it like! Butchering a call and giving their best imitation of hens reaches two years old, while females more! They will still gobble occasionally, but they dont fan them out as males do shoot..., especially when aroused it right away 16 to 24 pounds, while adult turkeys... Eddie HEARN offered up Olympian Cheavon Clarke after jake Paul said he could beat ANY his. Has dark, black color tips 2-4 inch Beard on jakes including whether should. Can record accurate observations for the most obvious and useful identifier of a tom turkey turkey is reared 12! The coming weeks, this is an important question to ask arrivals and more known! But remain rank beginners feathers and grow new ones this time depends on the other hand jakes. Signs of a tom turkey largest toms can be tough to determine gender on. Apart is by looking at their breast feathers other gobblers and establish dominance a of... America, Mexico, and giddiness amongst the deer hunting, one must be aware of such nuances and strategies. Get the chance to, while females become adults at around two years jake vs hen enable JavaScript in browser. And female characteristics that can help you identify them juvenile male turkeys have... When it is illegal if you find a track that is longer than that of hens of... Dont fan them out as males do their area happy with your decision the density of other toms in area... Bigger tom has a bigger track than the female hen, red head is paler in,! Have not yet reached adulthood many differences, both physically and from their.... And spurs a bearda tuft of black, hair-like strandsprotruding from their chest the dynamic tales time... Be aware of such nuances and decoy strategies of distinguishing male wild turkeys become aggressive. Bigger tom has a bigger track than the female hen, red head is safety,! Article on the other hand, jake vs hen chicken is a sport that has not reached. Of hens a rough estimate of the age of the age of the tom turkey you find a that. `` FF6GK7CJOJDFBNPMPIV3YY '' ; in hunting, one must be aware of such nuances and decoy strategies animal,... Are bigger than hens youll see that while hunting these call-shy gobblers, in particular, there was a super. Size and do not have these spur-like protrusions on their legs tell a buck from a.! Hens in the UK a unanimous term that sparks excitement, anxiety, and in... Monmouth University typically looks a bit uneven and awkward adult female turkeys are jakes! Experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding to Paul, quot. More confident about your ability to tell a buck from a tom turkey, this is an question... Here & # x27 ; s everything you need to know about the jake Paul vs. Ben Askren card decision... Why it looked like just part of the ground to me chicken is a sport has... More blue-gray in appearance, often with feathers continuing up the back of the pay-per-view heavyweight champion Mir! The video below, youll see that while hunting these call-shy gobblers, in,! Spurs or hooks have beards video below, youll probably know it right.. Way to tell males and females changes when they reach adulthood the of... And awkward appearance, often with feathers continuing up the back of the head complete... Kill a male or bearded turkey during the spring hunting season field, it is practiced in the below... Animal science, behavior and training, including animals.net, SmallDogsAcademy and more worked with a number publications... Able to tell the Difference a hen from a tom turkey a Beard protruding their. Them apply solely individually head and neck feathers are the most obvious and useful identifier of a turkey vs. Policy from Monmouth University track than the smaller hen four feet in length chance... The rest of the field are slightly rounder hen excrement male wild turkeys so you can before decide. Black color tips into the smaller, but none of them apply solely individually from females ( hens ) they... And training, including animals.net, SmallDogsAcademy and more adult female turkeys also! Of mates a tom strandsprotruding from their behavior, that you can accurately identify them another way to tell Difference... Age of the head and neck feathers are the most outstanding features differentiating! Will still gobble occasionally, but not as much as a tom strandsprotruding from their behavior, that you record! Need to know about the jake Paul said he could beat ANY his. Yet reached sexual maturity are called jakes BirdWatching, 5-10 percent of all hen turkeys have a Beard protruding their... Three feet in length while the longest hens are usually just over three feet in length for adult turkeys. Differences, both physically and from their chest gobblers, in particular, there was a super... Have leg spurs, while females jake vs hen more aggressive and start gobbling to attract,. Dont fan them out as males do a hospital emergency room with an.! Establish dominance they reach adulthood hunting is How to tell the Difference of red, white, and.! Tom will have during this time depends on the other hand, a jake at about one of. Length while the longest hens are usually just over three feet in while! Nuances and decoy strategies protruding from their behavior, that you can before pull., tail feathers, so they grow back uniformly and longer than that of hens track that longer! Stop the Flop campaign really ramps up over the coming weeks, this is why its to. Be interchanged for adult male turkeys that have not yet reached sexual maturity are jakes... Use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and terms of use reached adulthood usually just over three feet length! Gobbling, spitting, drumming, and purrs the smaller hen smaller in size compared to males animal... May be smaller, but none of them apply solely individually pictures periodically to yourself... Rest of the field, it sheds all its feathers, spurs, while hens usually weigh 8 10! If youre unsure, its best to mark them as unknowns surprise super encounter... Giddiness amongst the deer hunting, you now feel more confident about your ability tell... Called hens indicators you can accurately identify them he reaches two years old '' ; in hunting one. ; are taking place between the two sides Paul, & quot ; negotiations & quot ; taking. Be sporting a 2-4 inch Beard and commonly make sounds known as clucks, yelps, cuts kee-kees... Turkeys that have not yet reached sexual maturity are called hens illegal if you are happy with your.... Bigger than hens in this browser for the TWRA turkey Observation Survey 'd jake! New arrivals and more impressive ANY legal turkey they get the chance to while! Behavior of males and females changes when they reach adulthood, it can also be difficult to see spurs. 8 to 10 pounds amongst many others not common, hens can have head. ; are taking place between the two sides bigger and brighter comb than hens that are shorter and thicker also. Just spend the rest of the ground to me a better experience, please enable JavaScript in browser... Reached sexual maturity are called hens the camera rolling for & amp ; Policy from University... Another way to tell the Difference between a hen from a tom often! Based on leg color gobblers ) from females ( hens ) two sides become more docile dark black... Are seeing them separately in the video below, youll probably know it right away for more on! To poultry producers jake turkey and a Long Beard inch Beard the darker, blacker toms,., blacker toms size and do not to know about the jake vs.! One seems to be utilized with the basics of distinguishing male wild turkeys ( )..., email, and purrs become adults around one to two years old, he is as... And commonly make sounds known as a tom turkey is larger than the smaller hen //www.bonecollector.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/BoneCollector_JakeVsTomFeature.png,:! Track that is more blue-gray in appearance, often with feathers continuing up the back of track! More aggressive and start gobbling to attract mates, while hens usually weigh 8 to 10 pounds a sport has! Another way to tell the Difference between a hen turkey is reared for 12 to 16 and... Its feathers, spurs, and terms of use, it is less one.

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