Todays my first day of the season. I was stuck in school this morning, but my buddy was out at our spot. He spotted 8 toms and 9 hens early this morning.
I will be heading out there around 4pm or so. So, my question is, About what time do the birds usually head back to the roost???
If you think that questions stupid, you’ll love this one… What do I do after I get one? I will be alone tonight so I assume the first step is to gut it?.?…
Also, anyone got a good recipe???
Turkeys go into roost right before dark, early enough that there is still spenty of light. After I get one I usually pluck all the feathers off, gut it, cut the head off, legs, and wings, wash it up and either cook it or do whatever. I heard that having a person smoke the turkey can be great otherwise stick about 2 lbs of butter in the chest cavity and put it on a rost cooker. Very good!!
Turkeys go into roost right before dark, early enough that there is still spenty of light. After I get one I usually pluck all the feathers off, gut it, cut the head off, legs, and wings, wash it up and either cook it or do whatever. I heard that having a person smoke the turkey can be great otherwise stick about 2 lbs of butter in the chest cavity and put it on a rost cooker. Very good!!
We use to pluck and do all that work, but I think it is much easier to just cut the breast out and take the legs out without the skin. Then there is no need to pluck. I would get your pics done and then just cut the meat out. We have been deep frying the last few years–very tasty!!
Good luck
We use to pluck and do all that work, but I think it is much easier to just cut the breast out and take the legs out without the skin. Then there is no need to pluck. I would get your pics done and then just cut the meat out. We have been deep frying the last few years–very tasty!!
Good luck
When deep frying, I prefer the skin on the turkey! Plucking can take a while, but if you dip the turkey in a kettle of boiling water for just a few seconds, the feathers come right off very easily! We deep fried two turkeys last year…a wild one and one we purchased from the store and you couldn’t tell them apart! 
When deep frying, I prefer the skin on the turkey! Plucking can take a while, but if you dip the turkey in a kettle of boiling water for just a few seconds, the feathers come right off very easily! We deep fried two turkeys last year…a wild one and one we purchased from the store and you couldn’t tell them apart!
If plucking a turkey do so while they are still warm (ASAP) for the easiest plucking. After they cool it is very hard to pluck them. I never have used the dip method and have always considered it to be a rather messy alternative. You can field dress them if you want to – just open around the vent and then in a straight line up to the base of the keel, remove the entrails and it is field dressed. I am with one of the others – it is a much simpler job to just breast them out and take any other parts you wish without skin… for deep fat frying you would want the skin on and the bird whole and plucked as mentioned above. We have even used the injectors that are available to add a little extra moisture and flavor and that works great as well. Good luck – but don’t count your chickens before they are in the bag – they can be an educating challenge to hunt! Chuckles
If plucking a turkey do so while they are still warm (ASAP) for the easiest plucking. After they cool it is very hard to pluck them. I never have used the dip method and have always considered it to be a rather messy alternative. You can field dress them if you want to – just open around the vent and then in a straight line up to the base of the keel, remove the entrails and it is field dressed. I am with one of the others – it is a much simpler job to just breast them out and take any other parts you wish without skin… for deep fat frying you would want the skin on and the bird whole and plucked as mentioned above. We have even used the injectors that are available to add a little extra moisture and flavor and that works great as well. Good luck – but don’t count your chickens before they are in the bag – they can be an educating challenge to hunt! Chuckles
I seen turkeys fly up to roost a hour before sunset to half hour after sun set! If its a clear night and a full moon out they will change trees. I watched them go to roost and the next morning I found them 100 yards down along the ridge top. best thing to do is find there strut zones and set up there. I been hunting them for about 25 years.
Do you know what direction they are coming from? try to set up in front of them before they get to roost.
Best thing to do is pluck while your bird is still warm. Then take it to a good locker and have them smoke it.
Opening morning of Iowa first season baged my Tom at 6:30am 22’8oz 9 1/2″ beard 3/4″ spurs. I just can’t wait until may 2 to fill my second tag! 
I seen turkeys fly up to roost a hour before sunset to half hour after sun set! If its a clear night and a full moon out they will change trees. I watched them go to roost and the next morning I found them 100 yards down along the ridge top. best thing to do is find there strut zones and set up there. I been hunting them for about 25 years.
Do you know what direction they are coming from? try to set up in front of them before they get to roost.
Best thing to do is pluck while your bird is still warm. Then take it to a good locker and have them smoke it.
Opening morning of Iowa first season baged my Tom at 6:30am 22’8oz 9 1/2″ beard 3/4″ spurs. I just can’t wait until may 2 to fill my second tag!
Sounds like a beauty…
Went out and saw (and heard) nuthin, sure are alot of deer though. 
Sounds like a beauty…
Went out and saw (and heard) nuthin, sure are alot of deer though.
Deep fat frying is great as stated above. Most of the meat is in the breast how ever and the easiest way to clean a turkey if not keeping the whole bird is to breast it and take the thigh meat.
We will take breast meat from turkeys (as many as you want) skinned to the locker to smoke. That way you only pay for solid meat instead bones etc. Drumb sticks on a turkey have lots of toothpick like bones in it. Thigh meat goes into soups/stews etc.
My wife has a recipe made of turkey/morels that is easy and you’d swear you was in a gourmet chef’s kitchen. THE BEST. Can’t wait for 4th season!
Deep fat frying is great as stated above. Most of the meat is in the breast how ever and the easiest way to clean a turkey if not keeping the whole bird is to breast it and take the thigh meat.
We will take breast meat from turkeys (as many as you want) skinned to the locker to smoke. That way you only pay for solid meat instead bones etc. Drumb sticks on a turkey have lots of toothpick like bones in it. Thigh meat goes into soups/stews etc.
My wife has a recipe made of turkey/morels that is easy and you’d swear you was in a gourmet chef’s kitchen. THE BEST. Can’t wait for 4th season!
So they only move from tree to tree during the night hours if there is a full moon or? ? ? I have walked right up to them in the tree in the dark and they don’t leave..until sunrise. I always thought they could not see well during the night. or don’t have any night vision I might be wrong but sure seemed weird the one year i was set up in the tree next to the gobbler and watched him pick at his feathers until it was light enough for him to fly down.
So they only move from tree to tree during the night hours if there is a full moon or? ? ? I have walked right up to them in the tree in the dark and they don’t leave..until sunrise. I always thought they could not see well during the night. or don’t have any night vision I might be wrong but sure seemed weird the one year i was set up in the tree next to the gobbler and watched him pick at his feathers until it was light enough for him to fly down.
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