Thread: Turkeys

Obviously turkeys are fairly common in New Zealand ? Whats the opinion on hunter / farmers on here about the real value of having them around on their property?

Eat grass and shit all over the place. Not popular with the farmers I know. As a sporting proposition, little interest, but fun for training new/young hunters and meat harvest can be good.

Yep they are a pain. Fond memories of when me and the Mrs first got together, we'd go for a walk round the farm in Norsewood of an evening, her with the .22 and me with .303 and we'd deal to a lot of magpies turkeys rabbits and hares. Very romantic

Turkey hunting in NZ is clearly very different from here in the states.

I personally LOVE turkey hunting, but we can only do so in a very short window and believe it or not, they get very wily and hard to bring into range (can only shoot them with shotguns or bows here). Agree with everyone about the flavour—absolutely splendid. If anyone needs recipes for cooking the legs, which taste great but can be tough as cordwood, PM me. As for the contention that they're no good for sport, you ought to try calling them in the spring. Damn good time. Really hope I get the chance to chase the big chickens when I'm out there.

Originally Posted by video hunter

Obviously turkeys are fairly common in New Zealand ? Whats the opinion on hunter / farmers on here about the real value of having them around on their property?

Like anything it's about balance. They do eat crickets n bugs.....a lot of grass as well.....

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Originally Posted by LostYank

Turkey hunting in NZ is clearly very different from here in the states.

I personally LOVE turkey hunting, but we can only do so in a very short window and believe it or not, they get very wily and hard to bring into range (can only shoot them with shotguns or bows here). Agree with everyone about the flavour—absolutely splendid. If anyone needs recipes for cooking the legs, which taste great but can be tough as cordwood, PM me. As for the contention that they're no good for sport, you ought to try calling them in the spring. Damn good time. Really hope I get the chance to chase the big chickens when I'm out there.

Your right...chase them a few times they cotton on to bipedal beings with a long pointy thing...,

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Originally Posted by LostYank

Turkey hunting in NZ is clearly very different from here in the states.

I personally LOVE turkey hunting, but we can only do so in a very short window and believe it or not, they get very wily and hard to bring into range (can only shoot them with shotguns or bows here). Agree with everyone about the flavour—absolutely splendid. If anyone needs recipes for cooking the legs, which taste great but can be tough as cordwood, PM me. As for the contention that they're no good for sport, you ought to try calling them in the spring. Damn good time. Really hope I get the chance to chase the big chickens when I'm out there.

You don't need to call them, just walk up to them and shoot them or grab them out the tree when they are roosting

Originally Posted by tiroahunta

Your right...chase them a few times they cotton on to bipedal beings with a long pointy thing...,

I think that goes for most animals. Even much derided goats can be spooky when under a lot of pressure.

Used to get a few with the wheel arch on the trailer, would avoid them with the ute but then they'd try and cut back in behind the ute and get collected by the solid steel wheel arch. It took no prisioners, the feathers would still be settling half an hour later. Not even much good for dog tucker - a bit too tenderised...

May not be PC these days....

To the older gentleman on this forum who may remember and confirm that at one stage in NZ, turkeys were actually issued with gumboots....

Believe it or not... enjoy?

https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tow...-gumboots-1968

Originally Posted by video hunter

Obviously turkeys are fairly common in New Zealand ? Whats the opinion on hunter / farmers on here about the real value of having them around on their property?

they eat bugs so they get a free pass till their numbers reach problem levels then they are knocked down a bit

they also eat all your Puha if that bothers you, Im pretty sure my crew wants them all gone for that reason alone

Originally Posted by video hunter

May not be PC these days....

To the older gentleman on this forum who may remember and confirm that at one stage in NZ, turkeys were actually issued with gumboots....

Believe it or not... enjoy?

https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tow...-gumboots-1968

hahaha that's brilliant, got any more?

Originally Posted by Bill999

they eat bugs so they get a free pass till their numbers reach problem levels then they are knocked down a bit

they also eat all your Puha if that bothers you, Im pretty sure my crew wants them all gone for that reason alone

Pretty easy to tip over if they have been on the electric variety

Originally Posted by MB

You don't need to call them, just walk up to them and shoot them or grab them out the tree when they are roosting

There was a Barry Crump book, might have been "hang on a minute mate" or "The adventures of Sam Cash", where two of his characters went collecting turkeys at night: One poked them with a stick when roosting on a fence, and the other used a pair of sharpened hedge trimmers to lop off their heads when they stuck them out to see what had woken them up

Originally Posted by video hunter

May not be PC these days....

To the older gentleman on this forum who may remember and confirm that at one stage in NZ, turkeys were actually issued with gumboots....

Believe it or not... enjoy?

https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tow...-gumboots-1968

ahh yes the good old Fred Dagg jokes