Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: Hangfire on December 15, 2009, 08:52:32 PM

Title: turkey weights
Post by: Hangfire on December 15, 2009, 08:52:32 PM: What are actual weights of Merriam's turkeys? I have weighted only a few, most under 20 pounds, around 16-18 pounds for spring gobblers and 12 pounds fall hens.

The hen I shot yesterday weighed 12 pounds live weight. Boned out was 4 pounds 3 ounces of ground turkey.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: fishunt247 on December 15, 2009, 10:39:34 PM: Depends, but 22 #'s is a big Merriams.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: steen on December 15, 2009, 10:44:53 PM: To me a turkey is a turkey. One or two or five pounds doesn't make a diference nor does how long the beard is or spurs. If you shoot any turkey and the tail feathers are pretty and you didn't put to many beebees in the meat it's a great turkey. Just my opinion. I shot a jake that weighed 15-16 lbs.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: PA BEN on December 16, 2009, 05:42:25 AM: Ave. tom is 17 to 19 lbs. They will w/more in the afternoon then right out of the tree in the morning because there craw is full.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: yelp on December 16, 2009, 10:29:27 AM: My heaviest shot by hunters in 1994 was 24.3 lbs. Anything over 19 lbs is a big bird.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on December 16, 2009, 10:38:17 AM: Most 2-year old spring toms run 16-19lbs. I agree with Yelp that anything over 19lbs is a big Merriam's. I've never killed a mature tom in the fall, when weights would be maximum. The heaviest I've killed was a 1.5 year old fall jake (would have been a 2 y.o. in spring) that was 21.5lbs. As a 2 y.o. spring tom he would likely have been 3-5lbs less. Fall jakes and adult hens for me have run 11-14lbs, the smallest I've killed was a November juvenile hen that was only 8lbs live weight.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: Hangfire on December 16, 2009, 07:20:54 PM: Thanks a lot that is the kind of information I wanted.

Any real good Turkey recipe's, We really like patty's made from ground turkey especially the older birds.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on December 16, 2009, 08:52:28 PM: I generally make two dishes with my birds. Breast them out, cut into 3/4" steaks/cutlets, marinate overnight in the fridge in a mixture of:

1" cube of peeled ginger, sliced thin
4 cloves crushed garlic
salt and pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon (or one orange)
1/2c olive oil

Grill just until cooked through.

Legs, thighs and scap meat from the carcass goes into the crockpot, cover with water and simmer low 24 hours. Pour out the stock (can make good stuff with this too), remove meat from bones, tendons, joints, etc. Shred meat by hand or with a fork. Add an entire bottle of quality barbeque sauce (or your own recipe), cook a couple of more hours. Serve on hamburger buns, dee-licious!
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: Wacenturion on December 16, 2009, 10:16:22 PM: Quote from: yelp on December 16, 2009, 10:29:27 AM
My heaviest shot by hunters in 1994 was 24.3 lbs. Anything over 19 lbs is a big bird.

If I remember the year right, the same morning near Hunters with Yelp and my son I shot a huge jake...............18.5 lbs. Yelp got his that afternoon. Bears were a bonus....woof, woof....lol.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: PA BEN on December 17, 2009, 05:26:21 AM: Apricot Stuffing wild turkey, this works for skinned goose as will.
Pluck your turkey.
For the stuffing; make regular stuffing, then add 1/2 pt. apricot jam and cut up apple.
On the side in a sauce pan;
1 cub butter
5 beef bouillon cubs
1 bottle cooking sherry
1/2 pt. apricot jam
Garlic and what ever you want to throw in.
Add some of this sauce to stuffing/stuffing needs to be moist because wild turkeys are dry not butter balls.
Stuff turkey and rap turkey in cheese cloth.
Place in roaster pan, back down and cover breast w/bacon strips.
Pour remainder of mixture over turkey.
Cover and place in oven at 350 for an hr.
After 1 hr. Base turkey from pan.
Lower temp to 325, base turkey every 1/2 hr until done.
Gravy;
Boil neck, heart, liver and gizzard w/salt and pepper. Pick and cut any of this cooked meat you want in gravy.
Pour all turkey juice from roaster pan w/water from giblets.
Mix enough corn starch w/milk to thicken. :drool:
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: PA BEN on December 17, 2009, 05:37:41 AM: BBQ turkey breast and legs.
Rub all meat w/cajun rub, place in a bowl.
1 bottle SoBe lean peach
1 cup soy sauce
After meat juices up pour mixture over meat. Let set for a day, mix every so often through out the day.
Cook on low heat, base meat w/mixture.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: turkeydancer on December 17, 2009, 09:31:01 AM: :twocents:
I've found that the average weight usually is between 18 & 22 pounds and depends on what land you're hunting ... private (farm) birds seem to be at the heavier end and public land (forest) birds the lighter end. :chuckle:
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: PA BEN on December 19, 2009, 01:08:09 PM: I shot a 22 lb'er once in the woods, But most of the 20+ lb toms are the yard birds that people feed. I know guys who have shot birds off of peoples front porch and tell a great story of the hunt. :rolleyes:
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: bearpaw on December 19, 2009, 01:26:51 PM: The two biggest birds I have been involved with were both 24 pounds. One had an 11 inch beard, the other had multiple beards and I don't remember just exactly how long they were. But we have not killed anything over 22 pounds in the last 2 years.

I agree with yelp, the vast majority of toms are 16 to 19 pounds, and the bigger ones have been fed all winter at a farm or in a back yard. :twocents:
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: yelp on December 19, 2009, 02:17:33 PM: Quote from: bearpaw on December 19, 2009, 01:26:51 PM
The two biggest birds I have been involved with were both 24 pounds. One had an 11 inch beard, the other had multiple beards and I don't remember just exactly how long they were. But we have not killed anything over 22 pounds in the last 2 years.

I agree with yelp, the vast majority of toms are 16 to 19 pounds, and the bigger ones have been fed all winter at a farm or in a back yard. :twocents:

I caught mine lifting wieghts..LOL :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: PA BEN on December 20, 2009, 06:24:29 AM: Seems like opening day toms are heaver. Just like bucks, breeding before eating.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: Whitelightning on December 20, 2009, 08:20:07 AM: I like Turkey Chowder :drool:
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: bearpaw on December 20, 2009, 02:35:26 PM: Quote from: PA BEN on December 20, 2009, 06:24:29 AM
Seems like opening day toms are heaver. Just like bucks, breeding before eating.

Totally agree, seems they lose weight as breeding progresses during season.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: turkey slayer on December 22, 2009, 08:30:40 AM: I had a bird come in this fall to be mounted that had 3/4 to 1 inch of fat and the weight was 18 pounds. That's not the heaviest bird that I've seen but the most fat I've seen.

Turkey Slayer
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: Wacenturion on December 22, 2009, 09:57:58 AM: Been my experience that the weights of turkeys taken are over stated, whether by inaccurate weighing devices or wishful thinking...lol. Not all mind you, but a good percentage. I always smile every year when I hear rumors of a 30 lb. monster taken somewhere, not to mention all the 24/25 lb. plus birds.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: PA BEN on December 22, 2009, 04:23:22 PM: Most 20+ lb birds are yard birds ;)
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: lokidog on December 25, 2009, 04:13:38 PM: White Salmon/Lyle bird 22 lbs 12 oz. on a certified scale. Spring opening weekend.
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: MtnMuley on December 31, 2009, 04:12:48 PM: Personally over the years I've founds the birds we kill on the opener in the NE to be much heavier (20+) than the later birds we harvest in NCW. I base it on the feed they get in the NE and also later in the season being a little wornout from chasing hens. However, we've killed birds early in NCW and late in the spring in the NE, and the NE birds still outweigh the NCW birds. :dunno:
Title: Re: turkey weights
Post by: strutnrut1984 on December 31, 2009, 06:15:05 PM: my personal best have been 2 easterns at 25 lbs each. one a 5 bearded monster with a 2in spur and the other broken off. and the other bird was a 12 in beard. both killed in mercer county pennsylvania