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 passionate hunter and student of wildlife, I’m always trying to sharpen my skills at identifying different animals. One of the more subtle identification challenges is distinguishing a young male turkey, known as a jake, from mature gobblers and hens. While the flamboyant feathers and behaviors of a full-grown tom turkey are unmistakable, jakes exhibit more subtle features that mark their transition to adulthood.
In this article, we’ll uncover the unique physical traits that set jake turkeys apart. We’ll explore how to recognize a jake based on key characteristics like beard and spur development, tail feathers, body size, and coloring. Since properly identifying jakes is an important hunting skill, we’ll also look at tips for telling the difference between jakes, hens and adult gobblers while in the field.
What Is a Jake Turkey?
First, let’s start with a clear definition of what a jake turkey is. A jake is a young male wild turkey that has not yet reached breeding maturity. Jake turkeys are generally one to two years old. At around three years old, they fully develop into adult gobblers capable of breeding.
Jakes are in a transitional phase moving from the dull brown juvenile poults (baby turkeys) to the flashy iridescent coloring of mature toms. During this adolescent period, several physical traits help distinguish them from hens and adult gobblers.
Identifying Features of Jake Turkeys
Beard
The most definitive characteristic of a jake turkey is the beard protruding from its chest. This beard consists of a cluster of coarse, hair-like feathers.
- In jakes, the beard is typically less than 6 inches long.
- Mature gobblers have beards longer than 8 inches on average.
- Some jakes may have thicker “paintbrush” beards reaching up to 6 inches long.
Tail Feathers
A jake’s central tail feathers are elongated and pointed They protrude noticeably higher than the other tail feathers when fanned upright
- An adult gobbler’s tail feathers are similar in length, forming a smooth, fan-shaped tail.
Leg Spurs
Jake turkeys have small, sharp spurs on their legs that may measure up to half an inch long.
- Mature toms have prominent spurs over 1 inch in length.
- Hens lack spurs entirely.
Body Size
At two years old, jake turkeys are noticeably larger than hens but smaller than full-grown gobblers. Their gangly frame shows they are still growing into their adult body size.
- Jakes are approximately 16 to 18 pounds on average.
- Mature toms weigh 20 to 25 pounds on average.
Coloration
A jake turkey’s feathers show a mix of juvenile and adult characteristics. The head often flushes brighter red when excited compared to the blue-gray head of hens.
- Jakes may still have some blue coloring on their head and neck.
- Gobblers have a fully red, white and blue colored head.
Jake Turkey Behavior
Mature gobblers spend the spring and summer alone or in small groups away from hens. They use this time to practice their strutting skills and spar with other males.
Likewise, jake turkeys form small bachelor flocks rather than following hens. Younger jakes are often led by dominant adults that display breeding behaviors. This helps the jakes develop manners and confidence for when they reach full maturity.
Distinguishing Jake Turkeys When Hunting
Here are some key tips for identifying jake turkeys while out in the field:
- Focus on the fan shape and tail length from a distance. A jake’s spiky tail stands out.
- Look for the telltale beard protruding from the chest. Jakes have shorter beards.
- Watch for jakes extending their wings while walking to reveal small spurs.
- Note any red coloration on the head or neck as a sign of a young male.
- Look for pointed wing feathers rather than the rounded shape of adults.
- Use a fan or feathers as a size reference to judge tail length.
- Observe behavior – jakes are often in small groups rather than paired with hens.
Why Identifying Jakes Matters
Being able to accurately identify jake turkeys is an important hunting skill. While jakes are legal quarry during spring turkey season in most states, hunters must take care not to mistake them for hens or adult toms illegally.
Beyond obeying regulations, properly identifying jakes adds a fun challenge to the hunt. Calling in a vocal young jake strutting his stuff makes for an exhilarating hunt. Their enthusiasm, even if not matched by experience, brings energy to every encounter.
So whether you’re a turkey hunting veteran or new to the sport, take time to study the subtle features that set jakes apart. Learning to recognize beards, spurs, tail shapes and juvenile behavior will sharpen your skills and awareness as a hunter. When you correctly identify that special jake on your next hunt, your knowledge and patience will be rewarded.
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 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.
Turkey Identification – Turkey Hunting for Beginners
FAQ
Are Jake turkeys good to eat?
It is quite a bit chewier than regular Butterball turkey and can dry out real bad in the oven. It does have a pretty good flavor, though. Stay away from real old Toms. Jakes and hens tend to eat the best.
How to 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.
What does a Jake Turkey look like?
A jake turkey is characterized by its shorter beard, shorter spurs, and smaller body compared to adult toms. To identify a jake turkey, look for a turkey with a long beard but underdeveloped spurs and a noticeably smaller size compared to mature toms.
Do Jake turkeys look like hens?
Jake turkeys can look a bit like hens. Jakes don’t yet have the distinctive and colorful waddles that toms sport. This can sometimes make it difficult to tell jakes and hen turkeys apart. You can use their spurs, beards and tail feathers to determine the difference between jakes and hens.
How do you know if a Turkey is a Jake or Tom?
Jared lives in eastern Iowa with his wife Jacky and daughter Remi. Jared Mills explains a few ways to determine whether a turkey is a Jake or a Tom. The factors he goes over are beard length, spur length, fan, and gobble.
What is the difference between a Jake and a tom turkey?
In the jake vs. tom turkey comparison, beard length, spur size and tail feathers all come into play. The tail feathers provide the easiest identification because you can see them from a distance and they require no measuring. Jake turkey tails stick up noticeably in the middle, while toms have uniform tail feathers.
How old is a Jake Turkey?
A Jake Turkey is a juvenile male turkey between 8 to 10 months old. As they mature, jakes start to develop their characteristic long beard and sparse spurs, much like adult toms. They often resemble smaller versions of adult males but lack the rugged demeanor and fully developed features.
What kind of beard does a Jake Turkey have?
Birds known as “super jakes” can have beards up to six inches in length. Jake turkeys will typically have short, rounded spurs. These will usually measure less than half an inch in length. Mature gobblers will have sharp, pointed spurs greater than half an inch unless they have broken them off for some reason.