The taste

[bearslayer]

We have a lot of turkeys in the area but I have never shot one because I did not think I would like the meat. We shot two geese last fall and could not eat them,so have been reluctent to try turkey. Is the meat the same as domestic turkeys or just dark meat? We eat deer ,moose ,couger ,bear,elk,stone sheep,and most upland birds so am just wondering.

[shoot-em-dead]

You have got to be kidding. You don't know what turkey tastes like.

[shoot-em-dead]

I was just looking at my last posts and realized that my post here could have been taken as me being rude. Sorry if it was taken that way. What I was trying to imply was that I can see you are an avid hunter and a successful one and it supprises me to see that you have not gotten into turkey hunting. I have shot three wild turkey and they all were no different than store bought. I did raise 10 turkeys a few years back and they were good oven baked but we smoked one and it was barely edible. We also deep fried one and it was good except for it was very moist to the point that it was like you dipped it in water. So personally I like to just have them oven baked. The turkey I got this year I was going to smoke it but I couldn't find the pucks for the smoker my friend gave me. My wife baked it and it was awesome. Again I apologize, I didn't realize how rude my post looked.

[WAcoueshunter]

I know lots of fulltime hunters who don't turkey hunt and would have no idea what a wild bird tastes like.  I've only had one - a tom I shot in the late fall hunt a couple years back.  I've heard the spring birds can be pretty dry, but the fall bird was loaded with fat for the winter.  The breast meat tasted the same, even to non-hunters.  It was fantastic.  The dark meat was more tough, as you might expect from a bird that actually gets to walk/run around.  The drumsticks were almost a steak constency.  I still dug into them Henry VIII style, but they definitely were tough.  All in all though, the fall bird is close enough to a farm bird that you'll really enjoy it.  Can't vouch for spring birds.

[jackelope]

deep fry them.

[turkeydancer]

What we know as a domestic was a wild Mexican subspecies that is now extinct in the wild that was taken back to Europe and domesticated.

I deep fat fry mine after injecting with marinade and sprinkling with Cajun seasoning.  I have had friends and family for a platter of wild and a platter of domestic during summer parties.  They all swear that the wild tastes better ... to me it tastes the same .... is it psychological? .... maybe?

You don't want to start wild turkey hunting though ... it becomes addictive and you won't want to wait until you can be after them again ... way to much fun.

[rasbo]

brined and smoked is awesome

[bearslayer]

Thanks for the info. I think I will try hunting them this fall.  U never know if you like them till you try them! Seems not to many hunt them around here.