Over-run with wild turkeys

[superior]

I have wild turkey coming out the ying , not to mention the Yang ! When ever I go outside, they come running over to me like pterodactyls. Apparently, the previous owner of my property used to feed them. They crap everywhere and are NOT spooked by a blast from my Stoeger side by side! I asked a local if they were good to eat and what he told me didn’t sound promising. He said “ I breast them out and soak’em in ranch dressing for 24 hours”. I’m thinking they must not be good eating if you have to do all that. I figure since they tear up my yard and wife’s garden, I may pop a few. After all, “ He was coming right for me” !! Is there a way to cook them up to make them eat good? Or is my neighbor just a ranch dressing lover ? ( gross ! )251462

[megasupermagnum]

I don't know how they are out in Idaho, but here in MN wild turkey tastes like a sweet version of store bought. I pluck them, and bake them just like you would any other turkey. It's right up there with some of the best meat I've ever had, but I love turkey.

[Skunk1]

Deep fat fried and turkey jerky are my favorites.

[jcren]

I don't hunt turkey, but a friend does and gives me meat. Love the breast meat, but drum sticks are tough!

[gumbo333]

Take the breasts and bone the thighs, the legs and wings aren't worth much. Unless ID wild turks are very different, try one, they are very good. Our wild turkey breasts are a darker creamy color, thighs are pretty dark but meat quite good. darnded good with stove top stuffing. Shoot them just below the head, in the neck, make sure they are dead, a wounded turk will about kill you with its spurs and wings.

[Texas by God]

Deep Cajun fried sure is good. I hardly eat domestic Turkey but I love Rio Grandes. The flavor is so much better. I want to try air fried- I just need the bird......

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[rking22]

I slice the breast meat about 1/2 thick and season to taste, fry in bacon grease on cast iron, yummm! I grind the thigh meat for chili or anything else using lean ground meat, great flavor but tough to fry. Legs are 75% tendon and bone, cook them down for soup stock. Gizzard and heart are good. They taste way to good for their own good:)

[trails4u]

I'll third or fourth deep fried..... We cut the breasts up in about 1" cubes, soak in milk for ?? whatever time they soak, and then dredge and deep fry as you normally would. Tony Chachere's in your flour dredge is a nice touch.

[superior]

Take the breasts and bone the thighs, the legs and wings aren't worth much. Unless ID wild turks are very different, try one, they are very good. Our wild turkey breasts are a darker creamy color, thighs are pretty dark but meat quite good. darnded good with stove top stuffing. Shoot them just below the head, in the neck, make sure they are dead, a wounded turk will about kill you with its spurs and wings. I love stovetop and farm turkeys . I pressure cook the bones for the best soup this side of Progresso. I just finished a batch of beef jerkey so that sounds doable. They walk right up to me so the shot will be easy . I’ll just go for the head with 7.5 shot. I’m sure he won’t be alive afterwards. But yeah , I’ve seen those spurs and they look quite formidable . Do you dunk’em in hot water like a chicken before plucking?

[country gent]

If you want to put the time in and "earn it"

I have plucked them ( a miserable job) soaked over night in a light salt brine. Put on rotisserie in my smoker and smoked low and slow over cherry wood chips. This can take 10-12 hours to get done thru. I tie the legs and wing with butcher string so they don't flop around. Very good smoked but takes a lot of time

[JM7.7x58]

I have only cooked one. It was very tasty. It had a stronger flavor than store bought. But still very good. I plucked it and then roasted it, unstuffed. Made soup with the carcass and a big batch of turkey enchiladas with the left overs.

The skin was to tough to eat, and plucking took forever, that was the only bad part. If I ever get another one I will skin it, cover it in bacon and roast it.

JM

[RU shooter]

If you want to put the time in and "earn it"

I have plucked them ( a miserable job) soaked over night in a light salt brine. Put on rotisserie in my smoker and smoked low and slow over cherry wood chips. This can take 10-12 hours to get done thru. I tie the legs and wing with butcher string so they don't flop around. Very good smoked but takes a lot of time
Mouths watering as I read this ! May do this to a small store bought one when they go on sale after the holiday I've done whole chicken but not turkey

[Hickory]

A friend of mine has the same problem, and he tells it like this, " Every year I plant tomatoes, peppers, egg plants, melons, green beans, and sweetcorn in my garden but the only thing I ever harvest out of it is turkeys."

[Screwbolts]

What we (My Family and hunting friends) have found that works wonders on all wild fowl is to soak the meat in whole milk for 12 to 24 hrs then cook anyway you want. break the fird down ito smaller pieces and use a large Ziplock back to soak in milk, that way it doesn't take as much milk. The enzymes in the milk tenderize the meat and it will be delicious. Season anyway you desire after soaking in the fridge overnight or longer.

Watmart caries the 1.5 gallon bags if you need larger bags.

Ken

[Ateam]

My family loves wild turkeys, they are so much better than store bought. I ALWAYS brine mine though, this keeps the meat from drying out when cooked and also tenderizes. Prepare any way you like after brining but smoked and fried are two of my favorite. Plucking is a pain, but worth it.

[ole_270]

Fillet the breast meat off the bone. You can chunk it up and deep fry, cut into strips for "chicken" strips, bake whole, whatever you like. It is good, just tougher than domestic.

[smoked turkey]

That is amazing how your wild turkeys are "not" wild. In our area they are very weary. I love hunting them with my 12 gauge muzzleloader. I don't like to be wasteful, but after lots of tries to "eat the whole bird", we just take the Brest and thigh meat. It gets deep fried and it is So good. Try it, you'll like it. Without proper tags here, an illegal bird can cost a thousand dollars. We are serious about pour turkeys.

[SSGOldfart]

Be very careful They are a Game Bird. Which means they have a season when they can be harvested. Check with your state fish and take before shooting them. They are very good eating birds.

[reloader28]

Try throwing some firecrackers out there in the flock. They make a HUGE mess in your yard.
Our wild turkeys have zero fat and are hard to cook without completly drying them out.
Personally. I dont like the flavor near as good as store bought or one of our home raised turkeys and they are way tougher. The ranch dressing thing sounds pretty nasty.

[Minerat]

You might contact your Wildlife Department and maybe they have a reintroduction program where they can be moved to an area that DW wants to start a flock in. As game birds you have to have a tag here to take and they have seasons.

[waksupi]

Try throwing some firecrackers out there in the flock. They make a HUGE mess in your yard.
Our wild turkeys have zero fat and are hard to cook without completly drying them out.
Personally. I dont like the flavor near as good as store bought or one of our home raised turkeys and they are way tougher. The ranch dressing thing sounds pretty nasty.

I lay a pound of bacon strips over the breast when cooking them. Keeps them moist.

[Mica_Hiebert]

The wild turkeys around here only the breast meat is edible. I prefer to cut into strips, bread and fry in oil then eat with fry sauce (mayo mixed with ketcup for those of you not from idaho)

[megasupermagnum]

The wild turkeys around here only the breast meat is edible. I prefer to cut into strips, bread and fry in oil then eat with fry sauce (mayo mixed with ketcup for those of you not from idaho)

Bunk! Maybe they are tougher out west, but to throw away everything but the breast is just wrong.

[dverna]

I hate the dumb things. Friend of ours feeds them and they run up to us when we exit the car to get fed.

Supposed to taste good though.

[Hogdaddy]

The ones down here ( N/Fla) are pretty tasty, soak in butter milk make for good table fair ; )
H/D

[superior]

Thanks for all of the very good advice about food preparation, as well as the advice about the legality issues. I’m going to contact fish and game first. If they don’t want me shooting them, I won’t. If they give me permission, I will shoot and EAT them. Enough of you have remarked on how well they eat for me to give it a try. At the same time, if anything is “ coming right for me” with spurs and wings, I may make a command decision. After all, self defense trumps everything in my book, even if more so than the right to protect my property from some critter that has the strange idea that HE owns it. Thanks again guys.. much appreciated

Jim

[rking22]

SES ,,,,( shoot Eat shutup) :)

[megasupermagnum]

A quick search shows Idaho offers private land owner depreciation permits. It looks like the season starts December 1st. That should work.

[waksupi]

The wild turkeys around here only the breast meat is edible. I prefer to cut into strips, bread and fry in oil then eat with fry sauce (mayo mixed with ketcup for those of you not from idaho)

I put the legs and back in a crock put, cook the meat from the bone, and make turkey and rice or noodles.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I wish I had your problem of turkeys in the yard! None around here, and I bought and released 8 turkeysyears ago, but they disappeared after a few weeks, probably from coyotes.

[MrWolf]

About two years ago I had three seperate flocks around me. Then coyotes started becoming more numerous. They were so loud one night when I was on the phone with my girlfriend that I just said hold on a sec and fired a half dozen shots down in the holler where they were. They got quiet but another pack started up. Been quiet lately. Probably just jinxed myself or they ate everything in the area.

[rondog]

Reminds me of my Great Uncle John's place in OK when I was a kid! Their ranch house was in a remote area in river bottom land, and the freakin' turkeys would roost in their back yard by the hundreds! Was NOT unusual to see the damn things EVERYWHERE on the property - in the yard, the corrals, the trees, just everywhere. Yeah, Aunt Juanita could make some turkey vittles!

[iamdrglass]

The wild turkeys around here only the breast meat is edible. I prefer to cut into strips, bread and fry in oil then eat with fry sauce (mayo mixed with ketcup for those of you not from idaho)

Are you from S.E. Idaho North Utah? Not many people know what fry sauce is :)

[MT Gianni]

I lived near Pocatello 35 years ago and was suprised to hear they had turkeys. After reading some about the G Jack flock I would not be surprised if they were brought in the same way they were introduced into Montana's Bitterroot valley. Some turkey hunters missing their hunting drove to NW MT and put a trail of corn to a horse trailer. When it had a pattern they shut the doors at 4 AM then drove it where they wanted and unloaded. There is now a 2 bird limit and many peoples yards are overrun with turkey.
You have no legal season and no help from IFG. I assume some of your neighbors would bark at SSS. Your options involve seeing if noisemakers, predators or domestic animals drive them out. Other wise you are just fencing gardens with a high fence. Reality is the flock will be found by cougars, fox and coyotes who may just stick around. I know what I would do but don't know how close neighbors are. Fort Hall used to have some very good fireworks.

[762 shooter]

You need tags and there is a season.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/turkey-season-opens-september-15

762

[Tripplebeards]

If they walk right up to you the odds are somebody probably hatched them from an egg or raised them from polts and their tame. I don’t know if you still can but about 10 to 15 years ago you could buy them right here at Farm and Fleet or eggs on line and raise them. I bought some eggs right off of eBay and patch them in my incubator. I raised a dozen or two of them for my buddy and I don’t remember what breed they were but they looked exactly like wild turkeys. They used to walk up full strut and knock his kids over while they would wait for the school bus every morning. He gave them to a farmer after that. What you have there are probably some tame, extremely large chickens.lol

[Larry Gibson]

251569

[iamdrglass]

I lived near Pocatello 35 years ago and was suprised to hear they had turkeys. After reading some about the G Jack flock I would not be surprised if they were brought in the same way they were introduced into Montana's Bitterroot valley. Some turkey hunters missing their hunting drove to NW MT and put a trail of corn to a horse trailer. When it had a pattern they shut the doors at 4 AM then drove it where they wanted and unloaded. There is now a 2 bird limit and many peoples yards are overrun with turkey.
You have no legal season and no help from IFG. I assume some of your neighbors would bark at SSS. Your options involve seeing if noisemakers, predators or domestic animals drive them out. Other wise you are just fencing gardens with a high fence. Reality is the flock will be found by cougars, fox and coyotes who may just stick around. I know what I would do but don't know how close neighbors are. Fort Hall used to have some very good fireworks.

I am not a turkey hunter yet, but there is a general season and a draw season on them. The turkeys were introduced by IFG 20-25 years ago with the help of IIRC N***. They have done real well here in S.E. Idaho. The general season was introduced I think in this area last year or the year before. Kinda funny that part of the people think there great and dont mind feeding them and having them do property damage and other 1/4 complains about them but wont allow hunting and the other 1/4 want them dead and there families dead.

[Tripplebeards]

Yeah check out turkey breeds, blue slate, royal palm, and bronze. These were the domesticated ones that looked almost like the eastern wild turkey and I raised all of them. I think the bronze or royal palm are the closest.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Are you from S.E. Idaho North Utah? Not many people know what fry sauce is :)

North Central.

[Mica_Hiebert]

In idaho there is a spring and fall turkey season and you are allowed 2 tags.

[DiverJay]

Hate to say it but them things are now your pets. Enjoy.

[smoked turkey]

The above post about predators that also think wild turkeys are good to eat will take care of your turkey problem in a while. We used to have lots of turkey here with exceptionally large flocks. Now that is just a memory. We have a few pass through the yard here from time to time. My observation is they gorge on insects, seeds, and seem to even like acorns at times. I don't view them at all as a nuisance bird. I enjoy watching them, hunting them during season, and having deep fried turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy. Enjoy them while you have them.

[megasupermagnum]

If they walk right up to you the odds are somebody probably hatched them from an egg or raised them from polts and their tame. I don’t know if you still can but about 10 to 15 years ago you could buy them right here at Farm and Fleet or eggs on line and raise them. I bought some eggs right off of eBay and patch them in my incubator. I raised a dozen or two of them for my buddy and I don’t remember what breed they were but they looked exactly like wild turkeys. They used to walk up full strut and knock his kids over while they would wait for the school bus every morning. He gave them to a farmer after that. What you have there are probably some tame, extremely large chickens.lol

Huh, now that you say that, I notice they look just like the eastern turkeys we have here. Looking up pictures of Merriam's, I don't think that's what those are. I didn't think they had eastern turkeys west of the Dakota's. We raised broad breasted bronze turkeys a few times, and they do look a lot like an eastern wild turkey.

[Tripplebeards]

Well it makes perfect sense if you’re out in the yard shooting your gun and they’re still standing there staring at you. I would assume they are tame and raised. I believe you can buy Eastern turkey eggs as well to hatch. Turkeys here in Wisconsin run and fly if they see you a 100 yards away. I forgot I did buy some eastern eggs and hatched them as well. I’ve also done the same with ringneck pheasant.

Yep, just google...

http://southernfarmhatchery.com/Wild-Turkey.php

http://www.avbirds.com/turkeys/eastern-wild-turkey/



If their tame and you can walk right up to them you might as well pen them up before someone else shoots your pets.lol. We could walk up to ours and pick them up or walk within a few feet and then they would walk faster in front of us because they didn’t want to get picked up...that would be a good way to test them.

[rking22]

I suspect they will still taste good:)

[MT Gianni]

You need tags and there is a season.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/turkey-season-opens-september-15

762

The article from the Idaho State journal quoted some problems with turkeys in a specific area near Pocatello that is what the OP has listed as an address. There is no season in that drainage and IFG hauled 12 problem turkeys out of the flock then killed them and gave the meat away to charities. Some residents were mad the birds will killed rather than relocated, other were ticked they didn't take enough. Out of respect for the OP's address and privacy I won't post the article but it is not yet an open season or a landowner depredation in all areas.

[megasupermagnum]

Well it makes perfect sense if you’re out in the yard shooting your gun and they’re still standing there staring at you. I would assume they are tame and raised. I believe you can buy Eastern turkey eggs as well to hatch. Turkeys here in Wisconsin run and fly if they see you a 100 yards away. I forgot I did buy some eastern eggs and hatched them as well. I’ve also done the same with ringneck pheasant.

Yep, just google...

http://southernfarmhatchery.com/Wild-Turkey.php

http://www.avbirds.com/turkeys/eastern-wild-turkey/



If their tame and you can walk right up to them you might as well pen them up before someone else shoots your pets.lol. We could walk up to ours and pick them up or walk within a few feet and then they would walk faster in front of us because they didn’t want to get picked up...that would be a good way to test them.

I'm not sure that follows if you have food in the yard. Turkeys are skittish and bold at the same time, as odd as that sounds. For the past 2 years we have had a flock of turkeys roost high above our rifle backstop at our shooting range. Just last week I was shooting the muzzleloader while a hen just walking around on top of the hill. 2 hours later I could still hear her cluck not far off.

[Deadeye Bly]

Here in Virginia I eat the whole turkey. Picking them is easy if you do it right. You need a 5 gal bucket and lots of hot water about 180-200 Deg. For every pot of boiling water add 1 qt of hot tap water for the right temp. You need to cut the legs off at the mid joint or they won't fit in the bucket. Dip head first until scalded then hold by the head and dip the back end. This loosens the feathers and makes them easy to pull off. Be sure to remove the crop or food pouch in front of the breast.
We always cook them whole. You must cook them in a roasting bag to keep them from drying out. The meat is darker than store bought turkeys but tastes as good or better. You can be sure they weren't fed antibiotics or growth hormones. I like to eat the legs. They have lots of tendons but are very tasty. I love to chew on one for breakfast.

[rockrat]

Guy I know, down by Ridgeway started putting feed out for the birds, not expecting such large birds!! He said they congregate near the side of the house with the kitchen and raise a fuss when they see someone at the kitchen window in the morning, wanting breakfast.

Kind of like the magpies around here, they just wait for me to feed the cats, then come in for leftovers.

[chaos]

I don't know how they are out in Idaho, but here in MN wild turkey tastes like a sweet version of store bought. I pluck them, and bake them just like you would any other turkey. It's right up there with some of the best meat I've ever had, but I love turkey.

That must be nice. I taxidermy waterfowl for fun. The Rios that we have here in Texas are NASTY beasts. They literally make me puke. I wont shoot them, much less eat them.

[Texas by God]

The whole bird, plucked, stuffed with sliced apples and onions, smoked over mesquite wood. It takes all day but is so good. Cajun spice injected and deep fried in peanut oil is amazing. Buttermilk battered chicken fried breast strips is quick and good.
If I see one TODAY- it’s in big trouble! Run them over here, Chaos- we’ll take your quota of those nasty birds.

[chaos]

The whole bird, plucked, stuffed with sliced apples and onions, smoked over mesquite wood. It takes all day but is so good. Cajun spice injected and deep fried in peanut oil is amazing. Buttermilk battered chicken fried breast strips is quick and good.
If I see one TODAY- it’s in big trouble! Run them over here, Chaos- we’ll take your quota of those nasty birds.


If it was legal to give away tags, you could have mine.

Ground BUZZARDS is all they are.

[rbuck351]

I live in NW MT for the last three years and we have more wild turkeys than anyone here knows what to do with. Lincoln county has a three bird limit but I haven't shot one yet. Last year there was an article in the paper talking about the problem of all the turkeys hanging out on the school playground and making a mess. Apparently some folks feed them as they will come running to me when they see me step out of the house. They won't come much closer than 10 feet or so but bagging one should be pretty easy. Getting about time to fire up the turkey fryer.

[Tripplebeards]

They taste better than any store-bought turkey on the planet. I cut the breasts up in the strips and smoke them and make turkey jerky out of them. The legs I cut all the meat off which takes a lot of time and then I grind it up in my grinder and make burgers or use it in chili which I just did last week or the old classic cheesy hash brown hamburger helper of course. I’ve also batter fried the Breast chunks like nuggets. I even plucked my first one from head to toe back in 89 and took it in to the local meat plant and had it completely smoked with the skin on. That was the coolest thing on gods green earth when I got it back it looked like something from a classic Christmas show turkey. I’ve got a bunch of them on my property they were making noises all morning long while I was deer hunting.

[superior]

That must be nice. I taxidermy waterfowl for fun. The Rios that we have here in Texas are NASTY beasts. They literally make me puke. I wont shoot them, much less eat them.

These Turks are meriams and riograndes.. they look identical except for coloring.

[Wolfer]

I don’t care for domestic turkey but love wild turkey. Ive given up on the legs and wings and only keep the breast. Sliced thin across the grain and smacked a few times with a meat hammer. Rolled in flour and fried like chicken strips. It’s pretty easy to over cook them. Ive also chunked the breast up and deep fried it. Barbecue on the grill and smoked in the smoker. It’s one of my favorite meats.

[LenH]

That must be nice. I taxidermy waterfowl for fun. The Rios that we have here in Texas are NASTY beasts. They literally make me puke. I wont shoot them, much less eat them.

A turkey hunting friend of mine says that a freshly shot wild turkey smells spoiled when cleaned. But the Wiled turkey breast that he gave me were very tasty.

[Cary Gunn]

Hey Superior,

I'm anything but an expert on wild turkey genetics, but doesn't the wild, western Merriams' strain have a white border on the tail?

The birds in your photo seem to have a light-brown or bronze tail border, more like that of the Eastern Wild Turkey, or maybe some of the domestic strains.

But -- no matter what the color on the edges of their tails -- they'll be mighty tasty if properly dressed and cooked. And, the younger birds will be lot more tender than the wise, old Toms and crabby, old hens.

Shoot a small one, with just the start of a stubby beard on this breast. Then pluck rather than skin him, and he'll taste better than any store-bought bird. His legs, however, may still be dry and tough.

Happy trails, and fine eatin' to ya,

-- Cary Gunn --

[dale2242]

We have had 25 feeding through the yard most every evening.
I guess they don`t know it`s turkey season....dale

[Deadeye Bly]

We had wild turkey for Thanksgiving today. It was as good as any turkey I've ever eaten and I'll be eating it for a few days. Now I need to make turkey soup, maybe turkey noodle soup and then some turkey posole. I like turkey leftovers.

[superior]

Hey Superior,

I'm anything but an expert on wild turkey genetics, but doesn't the wild, western Merriams' strain have a white border on the tail?

The birds in your photo seem to have a light-brown or bronze tail border, more like that of the Eastern Wild Turkey, or maybe some of the domestic strains.

But -- no matter what the color on the edges of their tails -- they'll be mighty tasty if properly dressed and cooked. And, the younger birds will be lot more tender than the wise, old Toms and crabby, old hens.

Shoot a small one, with just the start of a stubby beard on this breast. Then pluck rather than skin him, and he'll taste better than any store-bought bird. His legs, however, may still be dry and tough.

Happy trails, and fine eatin' to ya,

-- Cary Gunn --nope, none of these are easterns. Just meriams and Rios

[trapper9260]

I ate the wild ones around here and bake them like normal turkey and they are good .