The killer turkeys are getting BOLD!

[teejk]

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.

I don't find the breast meat to be particularly stronger in flavor but the meat is certainly "coarser" in texture (not the "mush" that has been bred into their domestic cousins). As for the legs and thighs, a lot of meat but also a lot of tendons and tough (we have a huge flock here and never know where I'll see it...they put on a lot of miles). Good for a soup that you will have simmering for hours (not a quick meal). I have a combination pressure cooker/smoker that reduces the time a lot.

 

[DrRod]

Yes, wild turkey is a safe distance from domestic turkey. I think it fair to say we are spoiled with light, tender meat. But IMHO, nothing is worse than goose -- wild or tame. Tough, heavy, dark, oily, strong tasting meat with no redeeming value. Any time someone says they are going to try goose for Christmas out of a sense of nostalgic tradition I always tell them to have a backup turkey, ham, meatloaf, etc. as no one will like the goose. Easy to see why turkey has taken over as the dish of choice.

 

[check]

I don't find the breast meat to be particularly stronger in flavor but the meat is certainly "coarser" in texture (not the "mush" that has been bred into their domestic cousins). As for the legs and thighs, a lot of meat but also a lot of tendons and tough (we have a huge flock here and never know where I'll see it...they put on a lot of miles). Good for a soup that you will have simmering for hours (not a quick meal). I have a combination pressure cooker/smoker that reduces the time a lot.

OK, that does it. Turkey season starts October 11 here in Ontario. Why is there never a hunter around when you need one?

 

[STx]

OK, that does it. Turkey season starts October 11 here in Ontario. Why is there never a hunter around when you need one?

Is there some restriction in Canada that prevents you from hunting them yourself? I'm asking seriously, I don't know the rules there.

 

[check]

Is there some restriction in Canada that prevents you from hunting them yourself? I'm asking seriously, I don't know the rules there.

Yes - you need a gun!

 

[teejk]

Yes, wild turkey is a safe distance from domestic turkey. I think it fair to say we are spoiled with light, tender meat. But IMHO, nothing is worse than goose -- wild or tame. Tough, heavy, dark, oily, strong tasting meat with no redeeming value. Any time someone says they are going to try goose for Christmas out of a sense of nostalgic tradition I always tell them to have a backup turkey, ham, meatloaf, etc. as no one will like the goose. Easy to see why turkey has taken over as the dish of choice.

I like goose but it is definitely a "low and slow" cooking process. Tame goose is very greasy and requires some effort to get it on the table. Wild goose (at least the Canada variety) presents the opposite problem...the meat is very dry and requires some effort as well to make a meal (I smoke mine). Like turkeys I guess being penned in and fed with little exercise will produce different meat than the wild varieties that have to fly/walk miles in order to get their bellies full.

 

[ovrszd]

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.

I'm not a hunter either. I'm a provider.

Maybe try the head shot when they aren't walking.

 

[ovrszd]

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?

So I tell you they are good. Someone else tells you their Dad says they ain't and you go with that. Maybe go to town and buy a fatted bird then. Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

[STx]

Yes, wild turkey is a safe distance from domestic turkey. I think it fair to say we are spoiled with light, tender meat. But IMHO, nothing is worse than goose -- wild or tame. Tough, heavy, dark, oily, strong tasting meat with no redeeming value. Any time someone says they are going to try goose for Christmas out of a sense of nostalgic tradition I always tell them to have a backup turkey, ham, meatloaf, etc. as no one will like the goose. Easy to see why turkey has taken over as the dish of choice.

I shot a Specklebelly one year that we had for Christmas Dinner, it was delicious. I agree that domestic, snows and Canadas are pretty nasty.

 

[check]

So I tell you they are good. Someone else tells you their Dad says they ain't and you go with that. Maybe go to town and buy a fatted bird then. Happy Thanksgiving!!

No way! I'm waiting for more votes, and the trend seems to be leaning toward "wild is good". Anyone else want to chime in?

 

[Steave]

My vote is you can eat it if you're very hungry but I prefer store bought anyday. I find it a little tough even tried boiling it first to tenderize. Tried roasting it like a store bought and that didn't work. A neighbor battered it and deep fried it in small chunks about the size of meatballs and it tasted ok but we were drinking too. :drink:

Long story short I vote dog food.

Hunting those turkeys won't cause them to leave the area. Only the one that didn't survive the hunt will be gone. The others will come back as long as they find food in the area.

 

[oosik]

I've shot and eaten both wild goose & wild turkey. Both are a lot tougher & more sinew than tame. The goose has a lot of oil/fat because they feed in the wheat fields. Gotta cook them long enough to cook out most of the fat/oil. Wild turkey doesn't cook up well in an oven - its just too tough and takes forever. Around here most turkeys are cooked in one of those deep fat cookers. Pretty tasty when done that way.

I will kill a wild turkey and take it down to the neighbors. He has a deep fat cooker and when its done we split the turkey.

 

[STx]

So I tell you they are good. Someone else tells you their Dad says they ain't and you go with that. Maybe go to town and buy a fatted bird then. Happy Thanksgiving!!

I didn't say he said it was bad, I said what you did. Legs and thighs are tough and really only suited for soup, breast meat was good but, different than store bought. I wouldn't hesitate to eat one based on what he told me, I just wouldn't expect to be able to throw it in the oven and roast it like a Butterball is all.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

We have turkeys all over the place; they come through 2 or 3 times a day and roost in the creek behind the house. They terrorize the local feral cats, but pretty much avoid our little Boston Terrier, who likes to chase them. Oddly enough, they tend to out run her and rarely have to fly.

I have hunted and killed turkeys, but only in the Spring. They were, in my opinion, practically inedible. I attribute it partly to the fact that a Spring turkey has survived the Winter and gone through some lean times with not much of a food source; Fall turkeys on the other hand would have had a better diet. In any case, we get our turkeys from the grocery store. My Dad was a duck hunter, and we ate lots of duck, mostly oven baked with dressing. Never liked it much but would eat it during a famine. My preference is for quail and pheasant...fried! Equal to anything else with wings and feathers!

 

[teejk]

We have turkeys all over the place; they come through 2 or 3 times a day and roost in the creek behind the house. They terrorize the local feral cats, but pretty much avoid our little Boston Terrier, who likes to chase them. Oddly enough, they tend to out run her and rarely have to fly.

I have hunted and killed turkeys, but only in the Spring. They were, in my opinion, practically inedible. I attribute it partly to the fact that a Spring turkey has survived the Winter and gone through some lean times with not much of a food source; Fall turkeys on the other hand would have had a better diet. In any case, we get our turkeys from the grocery store. My Dad was a duck hunter, and we ate lots of duck, mostly oven baked with dressing. Never liked it much but would eat it during a famine. My preference is for quail and pheasant...fried! Equal to anything else with wings and feathers!

Wild turkey is not for everybody. Anybody with a gas grill (natural by-product of propane is water) or smoker with a water bowl might learn to love the flavor/texture. I grew up being taught that if I shoot something I had to eat it. I stick by that decades later (exceptions for cowbirds and pine squirrels and maybe a few other pests). I can always make it edible.

 

[Otto Syracuse]

Oh my, what a different conversation here than on the hunting forums I visit! I don't know about turkeys in other parts of the US, but northeast turkeys are great table fare.

Wild turkey is delicious, all parts of it, not just the breasts. Like any wild game, or even any meat, it needs proper field care, butchering, preparation, and cooking. For this version, I spatchcocked the bird (split it in half), brined it for 24 hours, then seasoned it with olive oil, salt, pepper and a few other spices, and grilled it on a propane grill. The entire bird was delicious! Rave reviews even from my wife, who was raised on cellphone meat her entire life.

 

[ovrszd]

Friend of mine does something similar and it is delicious.

 

[JRobyn]

The brining might be what is the major difference. Virtually all grocery store domestic turkeys are heavily brined.

 

[dickfoster]

Funny thing, every thread on this forum about any kind of critter eventually turns into how good they are to eat, how to skin em, cook em up etc. Not a place for fans of PETA to hang out. :laughing:

 

[check]

Oh my, what a different conversation here than on the hunting forums I visit! I don't know about turkeys in other parts of the US, but northeast turkeys are great table fare. Wild turkey is delicious, all parts of it, not just the breasts. Like any wild game, or even any meat, it needs proper field care, butchering, preparation, and cooking. For this version, I spatchcocked the bird (split it in half), brined it for 24 hours, then seasoned it with olive oil, salt, pepper and a few other spices, and grilled it on a propane grill. The entire bird was delicious! Rave reviews even from my wife, who was raised on cellphone meat her entire life. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=483547"/>

Otto, how long did it take to cook?