Author Topic: Field Cleaning Turkeys (Read 594 times)

JRSR126 · « **on:** February 06, 2005, 03:27:25 AM »

Some questions from a Newbie to turkey hunting. How long do you have after you shoot a turkey till you gut them? Is there anything special you have to do. A guy told me for hogs you have to castrate them asap or the meat will be tainted. Do you need to say cut the jugular and bleed them right away. Butchered chickens as a kid and my Dad always bled the chickens when we cut off their heads. Would not let the chickens run around with their heads cut off. Rather morbid post. Please advise. In case of dumb luck and I bag a turkey my first season, I want to know how to protect the meat till it gets to the freezer.

Steelbanger · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2005, 04:34:18 AM »

I don't consider myself a turkey hunter but I've killed some over the years and I always remove the entrails asap. It certianly isn't a big project like gutting a deer. Back when we had pheasants & I carried a shotgun we always gutted them immediately. As for bleeding the turkeys, I hunt with rifles and bleeding doesn't seem to be a problem.

dukkillr · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2005, 05:19:36 PM »

you breast them out, just like ducks, geese, or even a chicken. Split the skin along the breast bone, pull the skin back until the breast meat is exposed, and cut it along the bone. the legs are stringy and tough but if you want them you can cut them off. cleaning a turkey this way takes 2-3 minutes and you get the only good meat.

turkeyhunter · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2005, 05:53:07 AM »

I always just skin them out and breast them out but I do keep the legs and thighs. I smoke the legs and thighs slowly wrapped in aluminum foil and the meat falls right off the bones. I like the dark meat better than the white when done that way.

I don't worry about field dressing them but I usually do have the in the freezer within a couple of hours.

JRSR126 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2005, 06:23:34 PM »

Thank you for the good information.

limbhanger · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2005, 05:53:40 AM »

For those who don't like eating the legs and thighs, I suggest trying cornbread dressing made from the turkey's dark meat. It is great. Just boil all the meat off the turkey after removing the breast, and use the meat for your dressing. It's a terrible waste to kill a turkey and only eat the breast.

daddywpb · « **Reply #6 on:** March 11, 2005, 01:03:33 PM »

I ground up the meat from the legs and thighs and made turkey chile. I don't think I could just breast a turkey and throw the rest away. What a waste. My wife uses the feathers to tie fishing flys, I'm making two wingbone calls, and the tail fan and beard will be mounted.