The killer turkeys are getting BOLD!

[STx]

After practicing the sniper maneuver with distraction some weeks back (http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/369077-killer-turkeys.html?highlight=), my killer "wild" turkeys have really become bold. They're such frequent visitors now that the dog has ceased to notify me of their presence with her bark (I think she's in league with them) and they are doing their best to lure me in to complacency by acting as if they don't notice me until I'm within 30' or so and then slowly moving away as if to draw me towards a trap of some sort. I figured that with what is likely to be my eminent demise at their hands, I should grab the SLR to document them better than the phone camera has for the authorities to identify them once I'm gone. They showed up at 10:30 this morning and have been menacingly loafing about the yard all day.

Anyway, I thought I'd share the photos in case any of you see these thugs in your area as well.

 

[milkman]

You really are out numbered, you're a goner for sure.

 

[check]

Catch the leader and eat him! That usually scares them away, especially if you hang up the carcass after.

 

[Wagtail]

SLR? A Self Loading Rifle!

7.62mm SLR Rifle Specifications

That's a bit of overkill dontcha think?

 

[teejk]

Thanksgiving is not far away. For some reason they tend to hide as the date approaches. Little known fact...the Christmas goose was the inferior meat around the time of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". Turkey was a luxury. Likewise wasn't that long ago that the rib-eye was inferior to the T-bone/porterhouse (until some jack-wagon revealed the secret about the best cut of a steer...I'd like to find that guy and smack him).

 

[STx]

SLR? A Self Loading Rifle!

7.62mm SLR Rifle Specifications

That's a bit of overkill dontcha think?

Seems like a good choice actually, 10 turkeys, 30 rounds, I stand a chance.

 

[STx]

Thanksgiving is not far away. For some reason they tend to hide as the date approaches. Little known fact...the Christmas goose was the inferior meat around the time of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". Turkey was a luxury. Likewise wasn't that long ago that the rib-eye was inferior to the T-bone/porterhouse (until some jack-wagon revealed the secret about the best cut of a steer...I'd like to find that guy and smack him).

My daughter really wants a wild turkey for Thanksgiving, I'm torn. I'd like to oblige her but, the dang things are practically pets at this point. There sure wouldn't be much sport in it.

I've always preferred the NY Strip of the Filet, personally. Rib-eyes are just a little fatty for me.

 

[Wagtail]

Seems like a good choice actually, 10 turkeys, 30 rounds, I stand a chance.

The one that 'hangs back' is the Leader, controlling/coordinating the operation. Standard turkey tactics.

They should've listened to Ben Franklin when he strongly suggested the turkey as your national bird instead of the small scavenger Bald Eagle IMHO rolleyes.

 

[sd455dan]

My daughter really wants a wild turkey for Thanksgiving, I'm torn. I'd like to oblige her but, the dang things are practically pets at this point. There sure wouldn't be much sport in it.

I've always preferred the NY Strip of the Filet, personally. Rib-eyes are just a little fatty for me.

years ago my FIL wanted to try a wild turkey for thankgiving- caught or bought a live one, fattened it up and slaughtered it'
Said it was THE worst tasting, toughest meat bird they ever ate:laughing:

We have a group of 9 that hang out here and a couple neighbors, the dogs don't even bark and they even hang out with the horses. They like to stay up in our two tallest pine trees at night. i have even turned my back on them on occasion
but just like (Chicken Run) I am sure they are plotting something...

 

[dragoneggs]

SLR? A Self Loading Rifle!

That made me chuckle.

The one that 'hangs back' is the Leader, controlling/coordinating the operation. Standard turkey tactics.

They should've listened to Ben Franklin when he strongly suggested the turkey as your national bird instead of the small scavenger Bald Eagle IMHO rolleyes.

That was cerebral... I think?

 

[oosik]

Take care!!! Around here the wild turkeys will come into a yard and act - all friendly. Folks will sympathize and begin feeding them. Soon the turkeys will start scratching/digging for more food. Before long the yard will look like the pics, shown on this site, of what the wild hogs will do to a yard.

Neighbor down the road has had her yard/shrubs/flowers torn to ribbons by the turkeys. Only by setting up a feeding station in a far off field has she regained control of this situation. Its been three years now and finally her yard looks somewhat like it use to.

 

[PHPaul]

They're all over the place up here too. This bunch was being kind enough to harvest the weed seeds out of my failed garden this year.

As long as they stay away from the scuppernongs, they're welcome to the rest.

 

[ovrszd]

Nothing finer than thick sliced wild turkey breast rolled in batter and fried in a cast iron skillet. Makes an excellent sandwich.

.22 rifle round to the head. Prevents having to pick out shotgun pellets.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Nothing finer than thick sliced wild turkey breast rolled in batter and fried in a cast iron skillet. Makes an excellent sandwich.

.22 rifle round to the head. Prevents having to pick out shotgun pellets.

I am not a hunter, but isn't it illegal to kill a wild turkey with a rifle? One round to the head would be a preferred method if you are good enough.
Time for a tale about that. When I was about 15 my mother wanted me to kill a rooster for her to make some soup. "Shoot it in the head" she says. Well I take my Dad's .22 out fully loaded with 15 rounds and start trying to hit that rooster in the head. After using up all the rounds, I came in and got a fresh box of shell and reloaded. Every shot was cutting feathers from that chicken but just not doing the job. Finally after about 25 shots, I got one in the head.
When my mother was cleaning him, she showed me his neck which had about a dozen bullet burns all over it. Not a one broke the hide but came close enough to put a black mark on the skin.
IF you have ever watched a chicken walk, their head is moving back and forth with each step which makes for a difficult target especially with open sights.

 

[check]

Nothing finer than thick sliced wild turkey breast rolled in batter and fried in a cast iron skillet. Makes an excellent sandwich. .22 rifle round to the head. Prevents having to pick out shotgun pellets.

OK, now we are getting somewhere. Do they really taste that good? Has anyone else tried them?

Canadian Thanksgiving is coming up THIS weekend!

 

[STx]

My dad tells me that the breast meat is very good, though stronger flavored than store bought, and the rest is basically dog food.

Turkey season opens in Nov here and rifles are among the legal means. I have a .17HMR that is a tack driver and would be perfect for the job, I just haven't decided whether or not to take one yet. If I do, it will be back in the property somewhere, not near the house. I actually like having them around and don't want to run them off. I have a couple of designated areas that I feed them in where I don't care about the scratching, I toss probably a pound of corn out each day. I'm hoping to get them comfortable enough that they'll come running when they see me throw the corn, the last few days I've waited until they've shown up to do it so they'd see it happen.

They were around all through the Spring season this year also. I watched them and even grabbed the rifle once but, never wanted one badly enough to risk running them off. There's a BIG Thom that we see occasionally, his beard is like 2" off the ground. I watched him puffed up and strutting along the fence line one morning, that was a real sight to see, they're beautiful birds when they do that.

 

[check]

My dad tells me that the breast meat is very good, though stronger flavored than store bought, and the rest is basically dog food. Turkey season opens in Nov here and rifles are among the legal means. I have a .17HMR that is a tack driver and would be perfect for the job, I just haven't decided whether or not to take one yet. If I do, it will be back in the property somewhere, not near the house. I actually like having them around and don't want to run them off. I have a couple of designated areas that I feed them in where I don't care about the scratching, I toss probably a pound of corn out each day. I'm hoping to get them comfortable enough that they'll come running when they see me throw the corn, the last few days I've waited until they've shown up to do it so they'd see it happen. They were around all through the Spring season this year also. I watched them and even grabbed the rifle once but, never wanted one badly enough to risk running them off. There's a BIG Thom that we see occasionally, his beard is like 2" off the ground. I watched him puffed up and strutting along the fence line one morning, that was a real sight to see, they're beautiful birds when they do that.

Dog food! But I like The dark meat best on a domestic turkey. Too bad. Maybe some taste better than others depending upon where they grow up?

 

[MF283]

My favorite thing to do is watch them from inside the shop/barn picking through dropped horse feed. When they're close enough to the sliding door, sling it open & watch them go crazy trying to get away, which usually brings a dog into the picture barking & carrying on, funny as all get out.

Ronnie

 

[STx]

The breast on a wild turkey is dark meat because of how much more active they are. The legs, thighs, etc are just too sinewy and tough from what he tells me. You could probably make a good soup out of them, like with an older chicken, but eating them otherwise would be like chewing on leather.

 

[davesl708]

Nothing finer than thick sliced wild turkey breast rolled in batter and fried in a cast iron skillet. Makes an excellent sandwich.

.22 rifle round to the head. Prevents having to pick out shotgun pellets.

Sandwich sounds great. Will have to try it.
I usually skin the bird (don't like the skin) then wrap in bacon and stuff with potatoes, carrots, onions and bell peppers. Then roast.

Prefer wild over pen raised.
I see a lot of good sandwiches in those photo's.