First Turkey Shot

[NePaSmoKer]

My son bought a new turkey gun yesterday. Went out this morning and he got one. This is the first turkey for him. He has to go back to Iraq on the 16th, i'm going to miss him  :'(




nepas

[Roadking]

Looks like a Jake. How much did it weight? Did him use run and scatter or sit?

[NePaSmoKer]

He sat against a tree, said they came up behind him then right out in front. We have a friend who owns 50 acres we hunt on.



nepas

[KevinG]

Nice bird! I know when I got mine I was proud as a peacock (oops wrong bird), I mean totally excited. I did the mount myself, you may want to do it with your son, a good bonding moment before he leaves.

[Roadking]

Wait until you eat the breast meat it'll spoil you.
 
Here's a photo of Joans first bird 23 lbs., 9-1/2 inch beard.

[Fuzzybear]

But boy don't they stink inside!  Not fun cleaning them! :P

[Roadking]

But boy don't they stink inside!  Not fun cleaning them! :P

Not my way I just rip the skin off of the breast and take the breast meat off. The rest is garbage. I'll save the beards, tail and sometimes spurs.

[Fuzzybear]

I agree with your way of stripping the bird but up here in Washington, there's a goofy law regarding "wasting" of meat (including the legs) and if we get caught "wasting" meat, there's a hefty fine for bagging one.  The $14 tag it costs us for each turkey is nuts compared to storebought so I don't hunt them anymore.  (the $14 is in addition to the $19 small game tag you have to purchase first in order to be eligible to buy the turkey tag)  They run around my house 29 at a time thanks to my wife who feeds them deer corn! 

[KevinG]

The $14 tag it costs us for each turkey is nuts compared to storebought so I don't hunt them anymore.  (the $14 is in addition to the $19 small game tag you have to purchase first in order to be eligible to buy the turkey tag)

I know the feeling, I gave it up too because the license is $54.00 and the tag is $25.50, pretty hefty price for a bird you can usually get for free if you spend $100 in normal grocery bills.

[NePaSmoKer]

The last time my son was out hunting was 2000. He got the military tags (all of them) for $19

The turkey dressed out at just a tad over 11 lbs.


nepas

[Roadking]

The only place we hunt turkeys is N.J. and S. Carolina. When we get one in Jersey we're only 10-15 minutes from home, so we don't field dress until home, which is only breast meat. The meat on the leg or thighs I don't eat too tough. I guess you could use them for soup, but to me just a waste of time.

In S. Carolina we had to field dress because they check in a turkey just like a deer. They take weight, spur measurements, and etc. and issue a transportation tag.

[classicrockgriller]

They are actively restocking Turkey's here in Texas, but I don't hunt them either.

Turkey Breast in store was $1.47 a lb the other day.

[ArnieM]

Congrats to your son and the fine looking bird nepas.

I don't hunt turkey.  Actually I don't hunt anything anymore except occasionally for an exceptionally 'smart' squirrel that won't leave the bird feeder alone.

Sorry to hear your son is going back.  I'm sure you're worried but also very proud of him.  My prayers are with him.

[classicrockgriller]

Nepas, Your son is a fine looking young Man. When he goes back and gets an addy maybe you can post it a.

I'm sure there would be people on the forum that would love to send some christmas goodies to him and his buddies.

Maybe if he has a need or wants list or items that can not be sent that would help. I am also sure there is a cutoff
date for stuff to be sent, that would help too. Keep him safe, you have a lot of BBQing to teach him.

[rdav01]

Congrats let me or i should say us how it turns out