Turkeys are the quintessential Thanksgiving icon and an important North American bird. In fact, Benjamin Franklin made the case for the turkey as the national bird of the United States! However, the turkey famously lost to the bald eagle by a single vote. Most everyone knows what the colorful and enigmatic tom turkey looks like, but can you tell the difference between a turkey hen and a jake turkey?
As a turkey hunter and outdoor enthusiast, I’m always eager to learn more about these fascinating birds. In particular, understanding the differences between young male turkeys (jakes) and mature male turkeys (toms) is key for ethical hunting practices. In this article, we’ll explore the unique physical characteristics of jake turkeys and how to distinguish them from adult gobblers.
A jake is a male wild turkey under 2 years old that has not yet reached full maturity. They are essentially the teenage boys of the turkey world – energetic and excitable, but still developing
During the spring mating season most jakes are not yet capable of breeding. But they are showing interest and practicing their skills. By age 2 jakes reach physical maturity. But many remain in juvenile flocks, still perfecting their strutting and gobbling abilities.
By the third year, jakes graduate to full “tom” status ready to compete with other mature males for breeding rights. Understanding how to identify jakes helps hunters avoid mistakenly harvesting adult toms or hens during hunting season.
Distinct Physical Features of Jake Turkeys
While jakes share some characteristics with adult gobblers, several key differences help distinguish them:
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Beard – The most definitive feature is the beard, a cluster of coarse feathers protruding from the chest. A jake’s beard is typically less than 6 inches long, while a tom’s beard is over 8 inches.
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Tail Feathers – A jake’s central tail feathers are pointed and protrude higher than the outer feathers when fanned. A tom’s tail feathers are uniform in length.
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Leg Spurs – Jakes have small, sharp spurs up to 1/2 inch long. Tom spurs exceed 1 inch. Hens lack spurs entirely.
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Size – At 2 years old, jakes are noticeably larger than hens but smaller than mature toms. Their lanky build shows they are still growing.
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Coloration – Jakes have a mix of juvenile and adult feathers. Their heads often flush brighter red than the blue heads of hens.
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Behavior – Jakes form small bachelor flocks away from hens. They excitedly practice strutting and sparring together.
Comparing Jake and Hen Turkeys
While jakes exhibit some male characteristics, they can still be confused with female turkeys:
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Beard – Most hens totally lack a beard. Some may have a thin, kinked beard.
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Head – Hens have blue-gray heads without the bright red coloration of males. No flashy wattles.
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Size – Hens are noticeably smaller than jakes. More petite, uniform body shape.
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Tail – Hens have a rounded, fan-shaped tail. No spiked middle feathers like a jake.
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Spurs – Hens never grow leg spurs. If you see spurs, it’s a male!
Jake vs Tom Turkeys: Mature Differences
Several features help distinguish adolescent jakes from older gobblers:
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Beard Length – Toms have beards exceeding 8+ inches. Jakes’ beards remain under 6 inches.
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Head Color – Toms have bright red heads. Jakes often still show some juvenile blue coloration.
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Tail Shape – Tom tails are fully fanned out. Jakes have uneven tails spiked in the middle.
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Body Size – Large, heavy toms outweigh gangly jakes by 20+ pounds.
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Spurs – 1 inch+ tom spurs dwarf the 1/2 inch stubs of jakes.
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Strutting – Mature toms strut confidently. Jakes still practice amateurish moves.
Identifying Jake Turkeys While Hunting
When pursuing wild turkeys, focus on these characteristics to distinguish young jakes:
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Inspect tail shape and beard length from a distance first.
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Get a closer look at small leg spurs if possible.
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Note any red coloration on the head as a sign of a juvenile male.
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Watch for pointed wing feathers rather than rounded adult feathers.
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Observe behavior – jakes tend to move together in groups.
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If unsure between a hen and jake, err on the side of caution.
Why Proper Jake Identification Matters
Being able to accurately identify jake turkeys is an important skill for hunters. While jakes are legal quarry during spring turkey season in most states, hens and adult toms are off-limits. Responsible hunters should be 100% certain before taking a shot.
On top of legal considerations, choosing not to harvest jakes is a personal decision some hunters make. Shooting jakes may offer an easier hunt compared to pursuing wise old toms. But for those seeking a challenge, passing on jakes helps maintain the allure of the spring woods.
Understanding the characteristics of jake turkeys takes some experience. But the ability to properly identify them in the field is critical knowledge for hunters. With practice, we can appreciate jakes for the unique phase of development they represent.
Turkey Hen Identification
The best way to tell a hen from a jake is to take a closer look at the typical characteristics of a hen turkey. Neither males nor females have feathers on their heads, and both can have some coloration of their heads and faces. However, while males have brightly colorful heads that flush red, white or blue depending on their excitement level, hens generally have dull gray or blue color on their heads. Females also do not grow the characteristic fleshy wattles on their face or neck like tom turkeys do.
Additionally, though bearded hens do exist, 95 percent of hens do not grow a beard on their chest like their male counterparts. Even rare bearded hens have short and wispy beards compared to those of males. Finally, hens do not grow spurs on their legs like jake turkeys and toms do.
What Is a Jake Turkey?
To learn how to distinguish jakes from turkey hens, you need to be able to answer the question “What is a jake turkey?” Though jakes can look a bit like turkey hens, or females, a jake turkey is a male that has not reached sexual maturity. A baby male turkey, or a poult, becomes a jake at about one year of age. Once he reaches two years old, he is known as a tom turkey.
Jake turkeys have a few key characteristics that can help you identify them. First, they have a short beard, which is a cluster of wiry black feathers growing from the center of their chest. Next, they have distinctively longer tail feathers in the middle of their tail. When jakes raise their tail feathers to display to females or other males, the middle feathers stand out an inch or two above the rest of their tail. Finally, jakes have short spurs growing from the backs of their legs. They will eventually use these spurs to fight with other males for breeding rights over females.
Turkey Identification – Turkey Hunting for Beginners
FAQ
How do you tell if a turkey is a Jake?
On adult gobblers (called toms), the beard can be 7-9 inches or more in length, but on young gobblers (called jakes) the beard is <6 inches long.
At what age does a Jake become a Tom?
Jakes are year-old immature male turkeys, which lack the long beard, leg spurs and full tail fan of a mature tom, which is a male at least two years old. Instead of a long, 8-10-inch beard hanging from the center of its chest, like a mature tom, jakes sport stubby little three or four-inch beards.
How to tell if your turkey is a boy?
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.