May 2005 in North Idaho.

This was a jake with an attitude. He came in all puffed up with a tri-colored head and a fan that lacked the longer centermost feathers common in a jake's fan. I took the bait because it looked like a longbeard to me. The beard was, in fact, 5 1/8 inches but he was definitely a first year bird. It was a fun hunt and a memorable end to a great season. About an hour later I called up the longbeard that was hanging with this group. So that was a moral victory and maybe he will be around next year.