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Shot a Turkey, now what?

BizCT

By BizCT,
in Turkey Hunting

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BizCT Grand Master

BizCT

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I've never been into Turkey hunting, so I have never shot a turkey in my life.  CT deer season starts 9/16, so does fall turkey season (2 either sex).  I have been getting turkey on my trail camera where I plan to hunt deer. If the shot presents itself while I am deer hunting, I think I might shoot one with my xbow depending on how much work it is to get the turkey ready for the table.  Of course, I will begin to research how to butcher a turkey, but I figured I would post this and see some of your methods after harvesting a turkey.

 

Thanks!

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jjb4900 Newbie

jjb4900

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you'll get answers all over the place...........some just skin them, some just breast them out and toss the rest, I always pluck them, gut them and roast em, the breast is pretty much the only really good part after roasting (if ur expecting anything like a domestic bird), but I like to get the most out of what I shoot.... I take the legs and carcass and make soup

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PREDATE Newbie

PREDATE

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It's not difficult to field dress a turkey. I used to skin the whole bird, but nowadays just breast em out.

Breasting involves no gutting, you just skin the breast and cut it away from the ribs. Then you walk away with 2 nice cutlets.

Carry a gallon sized ziploc bag with you and a small cooler in the vehicle or blind.

 

 

Edited by PREDATE
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sampotter Newbie

sampotter

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I've never been into Turkey hunting, so I have never shot a turkey in my life.  CT deer season starts 9/16, so does fall turkey season (2 either sex).  I have been getting turkey on my trail camera where I plan to hunt deer. If the shot presents itself while I am deer hunting, I think I might shoot one with my xbow depending on how much work it is to get the turkey ready for the table.  Of course, I will begin to research how to butcher a turkey, but I figured I would post this and see some of your methods after harvesting a turkey.

 

Thanks!

 

How did the crossbow vote turn out?

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Water Rat Mentor

Water Rat

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Posted

It's not difficult to field dress a turkey. I used to skin the whole bird, but nowadays just breast em out.

Breasting involves no gutting, you just skin the breast and cut it away from the ribs. Then you walk away with 2 nice cutlets.

Carry a gallon sized ziploc bag with you and a small cooler in the vehicle or blind.

Couldn't have said it better myself.............right on the money PREDATE.

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G-Man Veteran

G-Man

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legs ,back and wings have a lot of meat on them especially on a big bird. oven cooking bag with cream of mushroom soup low temp, falls off the bone and is the best turkey you ever had. terrible waste to toss them because your to lazy or don't know how to prepare them properly.

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jjb4900 Newbie

jjb4900

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legs ,back and wings have a lot of meat on them especially on a big bird. oven cooking bag with cream of mushroom soup low temp, falls off the bone and is the best turkey you ever had. terrible waste to toss them because your to lazy or don't know how to prepare them properly.

exactly........

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PREDATE Newbie

PREDATE

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Not really, just size difference.

 

As for your other question, pretty much just use your own judgement as to whether or not the meat will spoil, at least cover the (unskinned but gutted) bird with grass and leaves. If the yotes, fox, opossum or skunks don't find it, you're all set.

I know Walmart sells a camo backpack cooler for like $30. We use them for turkey hunting. Good for keeping calls dry and drinks/meat cool.

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G-Man Veteran

G-Man

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you can use any cream soup you like/ or marinade, its all for moisture and flavor.. like i said don't know how to prepare. take a 22 lb tom, take 2 breasts off, 8 lbs..leave another 8 on bird to be tossed? turkey salad sandwiches are great as well.

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vipertech Newbie

vipertech

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While it is probably best practice to do this as soon as possible, 9 times out of 10, I just take the bird home and then field dress it there.  As far as gutting  turkey goes, it is super easy.  All you need to do is cut an opening from the bottom of the breast plate to the anus.  Then reach inside along the back and yank everything out.  It will all come out without too much trouble but make sure you get everything.  You want to remove the crop too.  Make a cut at the neck where the skin meets the feathers.  Take out the windpipe, and the crop.  It's a sack thing that is extremely mushy and somewhat gelatinous.  If you open it and examine it, you can find out what your turkey has been feeding on.  I used to pluck all of the feathers but that became far too tedious. Now I skin it.  I don't just breast them out because I like the leg and wing meat as much as the rest of it.  

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