Thread: Turkey time

I was always told May until September - re time of year which echo's what rushy was saying, Any month without a R in it.

Shot - well Sunday we used SP #2 lead 36's and #3 Lead 40's, and that went well. Back in may I could stand on their wings pull the legs and they'd split along the center of the chest and throw all the guts out the other way in front of you. Easy then to cut the breast off and fold the legs through the skin and a simple snip of the drumstick with secateurs and cut the tendon to the ball joint in the hip and done! Saw it on Youtube for pheasants. Super quick if you have quite a few...

However this time either the skins got tougher or I've got weaker. Couldn't get it to break for anything so handfuls of feathers later and some deft knife work all done - but certainly not the easy way it was back in May. Anyone else tried this? Thinking It might be and excuse for some kind of motorised winch more power!!!!

But the birds were really golden and had heaps of body fat right through - must have been a easy winter or they've feasted on maize since autumn. Cant wait to try it.....

Smidey they can suffer a bit of delay in the plucking.

Yep will do. I think the key will be a quick fryso it won't dry out.

turkey lasagna using a chicken lasagna recipe but substituting the chicken for turkey is divine too
just one breasted turkey needed to feed the family

Really awesome to see people giving these birds a place on the menu. I have plugged them all year round couldn't taste the difference, I use number 4 or 6 shot! I am dab handy now with breasting, thighs and drumsticks in a timely manner, practice makes perfect.

Check out the amount if grass they can put away, times that by at least 8-9. I can see why farmers like the numbers kept down

There are a few good feeds there Survy

Originally Posted by Rushy

There are a few good feeds there Survy

Sure is Rushy , those buggers waited til I left the farm to head back to Auckland before they showed up 20 meters from the house. Must have shown up for a committee meeting to complain about me :-/

Nah body shot. Usually one round drops them no worries. Suppressor and subs. Of course you could use the flashlight in the eyes and a baseball bat on the noggin at night when they're sitting on the fenceposts. Guns are always my preference though otherwise we'd be discussing this on a baseball bat forum

if you aim where the neck starts getting thicker its perfect with the 22
one shot drops them,
beats trying to hit their head waggling about
subs and just walk after the mob as they drop if they are relitivly quiet

A little bit of dishwash detergent in the hot water makes the plucking easier too as it breaks down the grease on the birds.

My plan when we get to NZ is to hunt them with a bow, after calling them in like they do in the USA.

Originally Posted by Taff

My plan when we get to NZ is to hunt them with a bow, after calling them in like they do in the USA.

Usually you can just walk up to them and shoot them with a bow. Either that or have a couple people round them up like sheep dogs towards the person with the box.

As far as I know our turkeys are retarded unlike the American turkeys. I was told this is because our turkeys have no natural predators.

Whatever the reason, our turkeys are still retarded.

Yeah they certainly aren't shy, no need for camo face paint stealth ninja blinds here.

Although the yanks do like to get dressed up so maybe there aint any need for them there either.

Got out this morning spotted one as soon as we drove into the block, it took off up the fenceline so we followed in the truck till it disappeared over the brow, hopped out and snuck over the edge and it had let us right to a mob of at least a dozen....definately retarded

Had a big blaze up, got momentarily distracted by a couple of hares. Got two of each out of that volley, coupla big gobblers but choke was a bit tight. And yes I am wearing hot pink hi-viz


We caught up with a couple more mobs, gave my mate a hoon with no luck, at about mid day we went back around to where we had the first bomb up to see a big mob heading up into the blue gums, with the last few rounds I ran behind the ridge to the other side of the blue gums and got another couple of hens.

8.5kg of meat all up, got some good tips off youtube for whipping out the breast and legs only took a couple of mins per bird. Definitely taking chilly bin and more ammo next time (one box didnt cut it) and gotta get my .22 done it wouldve been the tool for the job.

Awesome day burning round the farm in the wee suzuki got into some wet spots and climbed some hills, definately gained a bit more respect for her especially on road tires