More important is what you do right after you shoot the turkey. Most damage to the birds take place after you shoot them. They flop around and can make a mess of things.

Get to your bird right away and pin him to the ground....or hold him up by his legs. Don't let him flop around because you will lose lots of feathers. I shot a gobbler several years ago that did several back flips down a hill before I could get to him. When I got to him, over half of the tail feathers alone were gone.

The next thing to do is wipe off any blood that has gotten on feathers.....especially around the head. Then place some paper towel inside the mouth to help soak up any blood and prevent it from getting on the feathers.

I'm not a fan of putting them in a plastic bag because that can promote moisture. If it will be a while before you can get to the taxi, just place the bird in a cooler with some ice. (Keep the ice in the original bag. I like to put that bag inside another bag to help keep the bird from getting wet)

Good luck!!!