Been  having a little rain and thena cool down "over here" this past week and I've seen two big hens with their poults all week long in a certain field.... the were abouts shall remain" un-disclosed"  

  Anyway, had an eye on them all week, they are looking some kind of good... Then, low and behold, saw a jake standing in that same field this morning, sporting about a 6" beard.  Now, that my friends is getting interesting

They have their beards for life.   On the average most get to be 10"-12" long .   They tend to drag them off as they feed so they don't get most longer than that.... But their are exceptions!

Do you guys shoot jakes? I typically let the Jakes walk and try for the long-beards. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with harvesting a Jake, but I like the spurs, full fan and beards.

I agree, if you want to kill a jake, he's legal. Myself, I don't fool with them anymore. I turkey hunt for the thrill and am looking for "the show", that means, the dominate bird in full strut gobbling his fool head off.   "As good as it gets"