Next thing I do is trim the skin off the drum sticks by cutting along one side and peeling it back. The below picture I am cutting the feet off at the drum knuckle. I save the feet as I use the spurs or the whole leg for hunter safety classes or the spurs to adorn a wingbone call.
Do the same to the other side.
I now cut along the keel bone (breast bone from the neck region down the breast bone to the body cavity. I then filet this off and it should look like this.
Take the second breast off and put aside - we will trim these later.
Got ahead of myself a bit but this picture shows the backside of the bird.
Notice I have not or will not cut into the body cavity. This also shows where I cut the thighs off.
Now take the legs and push flat. You should hear the thigh bone pop out of the socket and they should lay flat.
I cut from the above thigh connection through the thigh bone joint and straight back until this is free [Next 2 pictures]
That is it!
the last thing I do is I cut the wings off at the body and save for wingbone calls.
I will then cut the tail off at the narrowest point between the body and tail.
Set this aside we will mount this later.
Now I trim all loose membrane off the breast. You'l see it. Use your filet knife. Also trim out any shot or holes, blod clots anything that don't look right. This helps give you the best piece of meat you can get. You should end up with two very nice pieces of wild turkey white meat. Rinse in cold water and freeze. I then cut the thigh free from the drum stick, trim as above, and wash and freeze these too. Do save the drum stick bone for a future wingbone call and a very good slate striker.
All said and done this takes me about 15 minutes of my time and trouble. After all you all shot this bird...et your trophy! ;D
JW