Dressing my wild turkey with my little Farmer necker.

[dipbait]

I like that knife. Looks like something Id carry all the time.

 

[Kismet]

cooking/eating wild turkey is quite different from the domestic one. the meat is tougher and flavor can be strong, esp. in a big horny Tom.
the best are the Spring chicks hunted in late Fall. they dress to about 7-8 pounds and are reliably tender and sweet (but not legal in most places ?).
roland

Can only give my experience, but in the 7-8 birds I've gotten, only two were not tougher than bull hide. I pressured cooked the meat, slowly, let it get good and moist...but damn, that's tough meat. Folks I know make sausage out of their wild birds.

I don't hunt them anymore. At fifty-nine cents a pound, commerical turkeys are more cost-efficient, and easier to cook.

Barred feathers are used in ceremonial fans and head-wear, at least by the Cherokee I send mine to.




Kis

 

[ejes]

I don't find the meat tough at all, though it is not as tender as domestic turkey because it is leaner. I cut it across the grain when I prepare it for the deep fry into nuggets or strips, or to use in turkey cacciatore. I brine them overnight though, maybe that has something to do with it too. The legs can be sinewy, but that is why I crock pot them all day for turkey and noodles. Again it turns out extremely tender.

I don't hunt them for cost effectiveness, that is for sure! But, it keeps my confidence high and skills sharp for that day that I might have to hunt for my meals. I get enjoyment and relaxation from it and my family likes the meat. Plus, I know the meat is not altered in any way with chemicals, vaccines, hormones, etc. I get enough of that with all the other stuff I buy to eat.