Turkey butchering
 

Anyone butcher their own bird? Seems like it might be pretty easy. How soon after the kill do you have to gut and butcher? Weather may get pretty warm in NJ to leave a turkey outside for a while.

RE: Turkey butchering
 

I usually just breast them out...

RE: Turkey butchering
 

I think most everyone does their own butchering on turkeys. Three ways to do it.

1. The hard way: pluck it!

2. The easier way: skin it!

3. The easiest way: cut the breast out and the drumsticks if desired and throw the rest away!

RE: Turkey butchering
 

most of the time the people i hunt with just breast them.

RE: Turkey butchering
 

If you aren't planning on having it mounted get it gutted as soon as possible. When I get home I skin them then soak them in saltwater.

RE: Turkey butchering
 

a word of caution when plucking..... Do it far away from everything, out in the middle of a field preferably!! The little feathers will get into EVERYTHING!! Easy way to breast.... Pluck enough feathers on the breast to expose the skin in the center of the breast about 2" long 1/2" to 1" wide. Tear skin up and down as far as you can to expose the breast (it will tear pretty easy, but you may need to start it with a knife your first time), run your hunting knife down each side of the breast bone to seperate the breast meat from the rest of the carcus, DONE. No Knife? Left wing under left foot, right wing under right foot, grab a hold of the breasts, pull. Do pheasants that way and you can pound through 20 or 25 birds in an hour!!

RE: Turkey butchering
 

Well I did my first one this morning and it was very easy. I started by cutting off the fan, wings, beard and head. Then I got some water boiling and dunked him in it for about 10 to 15 seconds and started plucking,(BTW, this method of plucking is probably the only way I'll do it from now on) and the feathers came out with ease. After I had the feathers out, I cut down at the bottom of the breast bone to the anis. Reach a few fingers up and pull the guts out. Remember to save the gizzard or heart if you want. Finally I cut the legs off of the drumsticks.

I did it this way because you save all of the meat and waste nothing.

CJW

RE: Turkey butchering
 

Anyone here deep fry your turkey whole? MM...mmmmmm

RE: Turkey butchering
 

Tried that once but the head kept popping up to the top and the feathers got real greasy!:D:D

RE: Turkey butchering
 

oh yea i hear you MO_Bowhnter its the best kind of way to eat a turkey !! from what i think.