The air is still and the birds are gobbling. Youre perfectly hidden in the woods, still as a stone. A tom is two dozen yards away and approaching the area of your calls. You raise your firearm and take aim. Success!.
Now it’s time to get that bird home. The period immediately following the kill is critical for turkey preservation, and if you’re not careful, it’s very easy to undo all of your hard work. This guide can help you ensure that your turkey makes it to the dinner table or your trophy room, regardless of your level of experience or familiarity with the sport.
The weather will affect how you transport your turkey home whether you bagged a gobbler in the spring or the fall. After field dressing the bird on a warm day, you can pack dry grass into the empty body cavity and press the sides of the cavity together. Insects will be repelled by the grass, which will also help absorb any blood and keep the meat from spoiling.
However, if its cooler out, the body temperature will naturally lower in the air without bugs getting in. When a bird is carried freely, its body can cool off easily, which helps preserve the meat. Unless the weather is extremely cold outside, you’ll want to avoid carrying birds in a lined game pocket.
Make sure you have the necessary tools to preserve the bird during your journey if you are far from home. A hard-sided cooler with ice pack substitutes inside will aid in rapidly reducing the bird’s body temperature so that the meat doesn’t go bad. Additionally, you can prepare your cooler with leak-proof frozen water containers to keep it cool during the hunt.
Congratulations on successfully bagging a wild turkey! Now that the thrill of the hunt has subsided, it’s time to tackle the next crucial step: processing your bird for delicious and wholesome meals This guide combines insights from two renowned sources: Realtree’s “9 Things You Should Do After Killing a Turkey” and Joel Nelson Outdoors’ “How to Clean Your Wild Turkey” to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the process, from field dressing to plucking and preparing the meat
Essential Steps After Harvesting Your Turkey:
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Safety First: Always ensure your shotgun is unloaded and safety is engaged before approaching the downed bird.
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Express Gratitude: Take a moment to appreciate the successful hunt and the bounty you’ve acquired,
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Tag Your Turkey (If Required): Check your local regulations and follow tagging requirements, including attaching the tag to the bird’s leg and filling out any necessary information.
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Capture the Moment: Take photos of your accomplishment with your turkey, either in the field or later at home.
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Field Dressing: If you have a long walk back to your vehicle, field dress the bird by removing the entrails and tucking the head under a wing for easier transport.
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Check-in Procedures: Follow your state’s regulations for checking in your harvested turkey, whether through an automated system, a local checking station, or mail-in registration.
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Share Your Success: Inform your friends and family about your accomplishment, but be mindful of potential bragging and boasting. Consider posting photos on social media later, following your preferred approach.
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Utilize the Entire Turkey: Don’t let any part of the bird go to waste. Use the breast meat, leg meat, thigh meat, wing meat, and other parts for various culinary creations. Explore wild turkey recipes for inspiration.
Cleaning Your Wild Turkey:
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Timing is Key: Pluck your turkey within the “sweet spot” of 1-3 hours after the kill for optimal feather removal. Plucking too soon can damage the skin, while waiting too long can result in stubborn pin feathers.
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Scalding (Optional): If desired, scald the turkey by immersing it in water heated to 150-155°F for 20-30 seconds. This loosens feathers for easier plucking.
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Plucking Technique: Start by removing the tail-fan, beard, and spurs. Then, pluck feathers from the neck towards the breast and back, working your way up to the wing joint before removing the wing. Continue until all feathers are removed.
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Cleaning and Preparation: Remove any birdshot beneath the skin. Wash the bird thoroughly inside and out with clean water. Consider brining the meat overnight for added flavor and moisture.
Additional Tips:
- Wear kitchen gloves for better grip and protection during plucking.
- Use a sharp knife for clean cuts when removing the wings and legs.
- Store breast meat in double freezer bags and whole birds wrapped in multiple layers of freezer paper for optimal preservation.
- Label all frozen turkey parts with the date and cut for easy identification.
Alternative Option: Breasting Out:
If plucking seems daunting, you can opt for breasting out the turkey. This involves removing the skin and slicing out the breast meat, along with the tenderloins. The legs can also be removed for additional meat. This method is quicker and less messy than plucking, but you’ll miss out on using the skin and other parts of the bird.
Processing your wild turkey is an essential step in enjoying the fruits of your hunting success. By following these comprehensive guidelines, you can ensure proper handling, cleaning, and preparation of your bird for delicious and satisfying meals. Remember to prioritize safety, respect the animal, and utilize every part of the turkey for maximum culinary benefit.
Taxidermy Doesn’t Have to be Taxing
Whether you harvested a legendary, trophy-worthy tom, or you had a successful hunting season and have an abundance of turkey meat at home, taxidermy is a great way to commemorate your successful turkey hunt.
As Kentucky outdoorsman and author, Jarrod E. According to Stephens, “A mounted animal is more than an investment; it’s a trophy to remind you of your past successes,” in a piece for the National Wild Turkey Federation “.
You will be able to maintain the bird’s splendor and beauty for many years to come by hiring a taxidermist. However, you should research potential taxidermists in advance to make sure they can meet your needs before you even set foot in the woods.
How to Skin a Turkey
The procedure of de-skinning a turkey entails removing the entire skin from the bird, removing the legs and thighs for cooking, and filleting the breast meat. This is a quick and easy method for harvesting the meat without having to open the turkey.
Before you start skinning the bird, you can save the tail fan or cape for mounting:
- Take precaution to protect the tips of the feathers.
- Approach the bird from behind.
- Slice the skin in half lengthwise and pull it in the direction of the tail.
- The portion of the bird’s tail that contains the tail feathers should be cut off where it narrows just before the Pope’s nose, leaving part of the back skin exposed. To make a display, remember to save the secondary feathers as well.
- When you get home, fold the fan shut, then use a knife to cut away the triangle-shaped base and scrape off as much fat and meat as possible from the skin, bone, and feather quills.
- To dry all exposed surfaces, combine salt and sodium borate 50/50. Apply to all exposed surfaces.
- Spread the fan open and let it dry that way. To hold the feathers in place and make any necessary adjustments, place the fan on a piece of cardboard. Once the fan dries, it will be difficult to make any changes.
Place another piece of cardboard on top and tape them both together to dry for a few days. After the feathers are dry, eliminate any excess sodium borate or salt and use a hot glue gun to attach the smaller feathers to the exposed areas and base.
Once youve removed the tail fan or cape, you can remove the beard. Trim the beard, being careful to preserve a tiny bit of skin at the base to help hold the bristles in place.
How to Clean a Turkey the EASY WAY!
How many steps does it take to butcher a Turkey?
After nearly two decades of hunting and killing America’s grandest game bird for its bountiful meat, I think I’ve refined my butchering process pretty danged well. Learn how to clean a wild turkey in 5 steps—including how to remove its breasts, legs, beard, tail and spurs.
Is there more than one way to butcher a Turkey?
There’s more than one way to butcher a wild turkey. After nearly two decades of hunting and killing America’s grandest game bird for its bountiful meat, I think I’ve refined my butchering process pretty danged well.
How do you remove a craw from a Turkey?
It is in the center/top of the turkey’s breast and is secured by a thin wall of tissue. Cutting the edges of the craw loose from the breast and pulling it upward will remove it. Optional: At this point I typically like to examine the contents of the craw to see what kind of food is a staple of my bird’s diet.
Should you pluck a Turkey before cooking?
Considered the traditional style of cleaning a wild turkey, plucking is a perfect way to prepare your bird to be roasted, smoked or whole deep-fried. Before you remove the entrails or field dress the turkey pluck the turkey’s feathers to preserve the skin and keep moisture in the turkey while cooking it whole.