Question for you turkey hunters

[Dano]

With the season underway, I have been talking to a couple of turkey hunters about how they prepare and cook their kill. Both said they only take the breast meat because it is too much work for too little to pluck or skin the birds. I'm guessing this is standard practice? Am I correct? I belive this is normal for smaller quarry like grouse etc., but I thought turkeys were quite large birds.

[misfish]

If they are just taking the breast,IMO, they are wasting the bird. I got my first and did it the same way I do a goose. Skinned the whole bird. I found the turkey to be much easier. Lots of meat on them legs.

 

[Dano]

That doesnt look too bad! The way they were talking, there was no meat on the legs, which I found funny, because I see far more turkeys walking than flying.

Thanks Brian.

[misfish]

I should add Dano,with the skin removed,I just wrap it with bacon. Maple is my fav. It makes up for the skin being removed.

[ch312]

those who breast them out are too lazy to be bothered and are wasting good meat. it is definitely NOT the normal thing to do for turkey. it doesnt take that long to pluck a bird...especially since you can only take 2 per year. its not like the goose hunting groups that come home with 40 birds from one hunt.

 

pluck and deep fry in peanut oil :thumbsup_anim:

[misfish]

those who breast them out are too lazy to be bothered and are wasting good meat. it is definitely NOT the normal thing to do for turkey. it doesnt take that long to pluck a bird...especially since you can only take 2 per year. its not like the goose hunting groups that come home with 40 birds from one hunt.

 

pluck and deep fry in peanut oil :thumbsup_anim:

 

ch312. I know you are one of the more educated hunters here,I would like to ask.would breasting a bird,not be against the law as far as wasting meat or your kill ? I know many that breast ducks and geese aswell,but to me,they are wasteing thier kill.

Like you say,they are lazy,as far as I am concerned.

[walleyejigger]

it is indeed against the law as it's considered wasting game, even the folks who clean they're partridge by stepping on the wings and pulling on the legs could be charged, even though there isn't that much wasted on a small bird like that,

 

i used to be one of the lazy/unlawfull ones when i used to duck hunt, we used to just carve out the breasts,

 

this was told directly to me by a CO in the timmins area 2 seasons ago, i've always plucked partridge