# Need Help Identifying



## Rookie21 (Aug 14, 2021)

Had this bird on camera heading to roost last night. It appears that his beard is approximately 5-7 inches long. Is he a Jake, super Jake, or is he a tom. Curious on everyone's opinion.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

_ think it is a jake, but that said, I can only see about a 2 in. beard, so maybe not. good luck_


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## Fishfighter (Dec 20, 2009)

That picture looks like a standard Jake to me.


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## Flag Up (Feb 15, 2009)

Jake


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

I can't seem to enlarge the photo, what I see now is a jake with maybe a 3-31/2" beard.

L & O


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

Jake


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Too bad, it is not fanned out. If the fan is not full it is a dead giveaway if it is a jake or tom even if it is at distance.


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## Yankee#1 (Jun 3, 2015)

He’s walking and when I enlarge it the beard hangs with a noticeable arch/bend. 

My son’s first gobbler was 3-4yo, with 1+” white spurs. The gobblers beard was only 5” from rot/vitamin deficiency - but it still had a clear bend/arch because the bristle feathers soften as they grow.

The beard on a jake doesn’t have an arch because regardless of length the bristles are thick and coarse, which most times makes the stubby beard stick straight out.

I’m going against the grain and saying tom - but I would need to see it in person and see the spurs or fan before I squeeze the trigger…


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

It's a legal bird. That's all I've got


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## Flight of the arrow (Feb 11, 2008)

Yankee#1 said:


> He’s walking and when I enlarge it the beard hangs with a noticeable arch/bend.
> 
> My son’s first gobbler was 3-4yo, with 1+” white spurs. The gobblers beard was only 5” from rot/vitamin deficiency - but it still had a clear bend/arch because the bristle feathers soften as they grow.
> 
> ...


Im with you on this one !
Flight


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## Carpenter Bill (Jan 27, 2018)

old graybeard said:


> It's a legal bird. That's all I've got


Can't eat the beard lol, good eater.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

That there is a bearded legal bird haha. Personally I can’t tell Jake vs Tom without seeing a full fan or spurs. Both are dead giveaways.


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## jjlrrw (May 1, 2006)

Is the difference between a Jake and Tom the same as button buck (6 month old) and buck (1.5 yr old and up)? Except a Jake is normally legal and a button buck is not normally a legal buck.


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## hmrx (May 4, 2012)

Wing speculum is short and straight . Definitely a jake only a year old. A sunken in chest at the beard says Jake with little breast sponge. Legal yes.

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## Yankee#1 (Jun 3, 2015)

hmrx said:


> Wing speculum is short and straight . Definitely a jake only a year old. A sunken in chest at the beard says Jake with little breast sponge. Legal yes.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


If he has ‘beard rot’ he probably has a vitamin deficiency. I say that because the shape of the chest when walking is indicative of weight - not age.

No argument about using the wing patch, but your eyes must be a ton better than mine if you can actually see features on the wing feathers. I looked and could only make out blurs, I couldn’t see a defined shape or color.


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

jjlrrw said:


> Is the difference between a Jake and Tom the same as button buck (6 month old) and buck (1.5 yr old and up)? Except a Jake is normally legal and a button buck is not normally a legal buck.


No. A jake is equivalent to a yearling buck (first set of antlers).
A BB is equivalent to a poult (young of the year).


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## jjlrrw (May 1, 2006)

QDMAMAN said:


> No. A jake is equivalent to a yearling buck (first set of antlers).
> A BB is equivalent to a poult (young of the year).


Thanks, figured I was asking a dumb question as I have heard the term "Jake" since the first time hunting with my Dad and Uncle but never really knew.


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)




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## LabtechLewis (Nov 20, 2008)

QDMAMAN said:


> View attachment 827370
> View attachment 827370


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

LabtechLewis said:


> View attachment 827463



Before revisionist history, the record showed I shut MJ down!


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