Post your 2014 birds here!

[djnoodle]

I called him to me with a box call. 40 yard shot. Really great reward for my first turkey hunt ever! 

[RustneckNW]

From the Klickitat! Shot on the morning of the 16th!

[PA BEN]

Nice birds guys. I hope to add a picture soon.

[BOWHUNTER45]

If you going to prepare it whole (roast, deep fat fry, smoke, etc) then pluck .... if you are going to cut it up (soup, pot pie, fingers, etc) then skin.

I don't ever deep fat fry, and I never pluck a wild bird.  PITA plus the wild bird fat us usually rather bad.  So to keep these wild birds from drying out if you want to roast whole or smoke...wrap in bacon after skinning!  Everything is better cooked with bacon, isn't it? 

If you do decide you are willing to go through all the mess and trouble of plucking...still use bacon!  Pull back the skin layer bacon and pull the skin back over the top holding the bacon in place.  It really adds a pleasant flavor to an otherwise bland wild turkey.  Even store bought turkey is rather good this way IMO.  Throwing some fresh thyme under the skin along with the bacon is one of my favorites too 

A friend of mine got one when he went over and gave another friend the breast meat ...We cut them into chunks and seasoned them up with salt pepper garlic and a little montreal seasoning and then wrapped them in bacon ..put them on the Q and it was to die for ...did the same with some elk backstrap and man it was off the chart ....

[PA BEN]

Got-er-done today.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Good job ..PA 

[WaltAlpine]

If you going to prepare it whole (roast, deep fat fry, smoke, etc) then pluck .... if you are going to cut it up (soup, pot pie, fingers, etc) then skin.

I don't ever deep fat fry, and I never pluck a wild bird.  PITA plus the wild bird fat us usually rather bad.  So to keep these wild birds from drying out if you want to roast whole or smoke...wrap in bacon after skinning!  Everything is better cooked with bacon, isn't it? 

If you do decide you are willing to go through all the mess and trouble of plucking...still use bacon!  Pull back the skin layer bacon and pull the skin back over the top holding the bacon in place.  It really adds a pleasant flavor to an otherwise bland wild turkey.  Even store bought turkey is rather good this way IMO.  Throwing some fresh thyme under the skin along with the bacon is one of my favorites too 

A friend of mine got one when he went over and gave another friend the breast meat ...We cut them into chunks and seasoned them up with salt pepper garlic and a little montreal seasoning and then wrapped them in bacon ..put them on the Q and it was to die for ...did the same with some elk backstrap and man it was off the chart ....

The Montreal Seasoning is good with a lot of stuff! If I'm successful this weekend, I'll give that a try

[MerriamMagician]

Forgot to add my eastern on this thread

[chuckster]

First time he responded to my call I could barely hear him gobble. Five min later he was strutting at 30 yards. Must have ran the whole way, great hunt. The good weather seems to be helping. 8 1/2 inch beard right at about inch spurs.   

[hdshot]

1st spring gobbler. 

[hdshot]

Friend's gobbler.

[hdshot]

Does anyone know why mine was tan at the base of the fan, while my friend's bird was blond at the base?   

[djnoodle]

Awesome birds! No idea on the color, unless the darker one was just dusting itself and got the light color dirty...


BTW Admins, Is this thread going to be stickied at some point?

[wannabhntr]

Does anyone know why mine was tan at the base of the fan, while my friend's bird was blond at the base?

Three years ago I called in two separate birds for my son up by Deer Park (Hunter's first turkey(s)) in the turkey thread. I was told one was a Merriam and one was a Rio. I guess there is both and some hybrids up that direction. I don't know if that's true but like I said, that is what I was told. If you were close to the area that could be the case. Good looking birds. I'm in a slump myself. Hoping to change that soon.

[270Shooter]

Does anyone know why mine was tan at the base of the fan, while my friend's bird was blond at the base?

i think it's just genetic variances between the two, I shot one like yours in a merriams area and I've seen some with all bronze colored tips even on the main feather come out of the klickitat before.