Shooting your first wild turkey is an exciting moment for any hunter. Once you’ve taken down your bird, though, the real work begins. Properly caring for your turkey after the shot is critical for preserving the quality of the meat. Follow this step-by-step guide to learn what to do after you shoot a turkey.
Approaching the Downed Bird
After taking the shot, keep your shotgun or bow ready in case you need to take a follow-up shot. Even if the turkey looks dead, it may just be stunned and could pop back up and try to run away.
Once you reach the downed bird, don’t take your eyes off it until you are sure it is dead If the turkey is still alive, you may need to deliver a killing shot to the head or spine depending on your weapon.
A flopping bird may simply be reflex actions – don’t shoot again unless you are sure it is still alive. Be extremely cautious when picking up a wounded turkey, as the spurs and broken wing bones can cause serious injury. If needed, you can suffocate the turkey by pinning its head and neck under your boot.
Field Dressing
Field dress the turkey as soon as possible after harvesting it. This involves removing all internal organs so the carcass can cool quickly.
Start by making a shallow cut just below the breastbone, being careful not to puncture any organs. Reach inside and remove the entrails in one handful if possible. Make sure to remove the lungs by running your fingers along the ribs.
Also remove the heart, liver, gizzard (if saving these for consumption), crop, windpipe, and gullet. Don’t rinse the cavity, just allow it to air dry. Tag your bird once field dressing is complete.
Transporting the Turkey
Avoid tossing or dropping the turkey once harvested, as this can bruise the meat. If you won’t be going directly home, hang the turkey in a shady spot by the neck or feet.
Have a large cooler ready with ice or ice packs to transport the bird. Place ice packs inside the cavity for maximum cooling. Keep the bird dry – don’t submerge in ice water.
If you can’t hang or ice the turkey, it’s best to simply breast it out in the field, removing the wings, thighs, and legs. The cut up parts are much easier to transport than a whole bird.
Aging the Turkey
Aging, or hanging, a turkey for several days can help tenderize the meat and concentrate the flavor. Aging works best for older toms with tougher meat.
To age a turkey properly:
- Hang at 40°F or less for up to 4 days.
- Keep the skin on for aging.
- Hang by neck or place on back on a rack for air circulation.
- Wet pluck birds aged over 3 days to prevent mold growth.
- Don’t age birds with broken bones or shotgun pellets in meat.
Skinning or Plucking
Before cooking, you’ll need to remove the feathers by either skinning or plucking. Skinning is much faster, but you’ll need to cook the turkey immediately as the skin protects the meat.
To skin, simply cut the skin around the cavity opening and peel it back with your fingers. Cut the wing and leg joints to remove skin completely.
For plucking, you can either dry pluck or wet pluck. Dry plucking involves pulling feathers individually. Wet plucking means briefly dipping in hot water to loosen feathers. Singeing will remove tiny pin feathers.
Cooking Your Turkey
Wild turkeys are much leaner than domestic turkeys. Covering the meat or mixing with fatter meats helps prevent drying out. Consider cooking different parts separately, as the white and dark meat require different cook times.
Grinding or dicing the meat makes it very versatile for meals like turkey tacos, casseroles, soups, meatballs, and more. Be sure to check the meat carefully for any remaining shotgun pellets or bone fragments before consuming.
Follow these steps and you’ll have delicious, restaurant-quality wild turkey on your dinner table in no time after a successful hunt. Proper field care is just as important as your shooting skills when it comes to enjoying the fruits of the harvest. Let us know how your next post-hunt turkey preparation goes!
After the shot, field dressing and cooking
After the shot, don’t take your eyes off the turkey. Quickly and safely get to the downed bird to make sure it’s dead, or to take a second shot if it’s not.
Turkeys are high-strung birds that can move quickly. A lot can happen between when you take a shot and when your bullet or arrow hits the bird that can lead to a wounded bird. You’ll want to be ready to take a second before the bird can run or fly away.
How to pluck a wild turkey
Theres more than one way to pluck a turkey. Whatever method you choose, don’t just grab a handful of feathers and start yanking. This could rip the very thin skin, and once you’ve ripped the skin it’s difficult to finish plucking. In fact, at that point you may need to resort to skinning the bird.
Keep the feet attached to while turkey while plucking it. They’ll give something to hold on to as you rotate and move the carcass around for thorough plucking.
YOU’RE AIMING WRONG! Turkey Shot Placement | Shotgun Turkey Hunting
FAQ
What to do right after you shoot a turkey?
For most hunters, breaking the bird down and getting it in a fridge or on ice will be more practical. I stress “on” ice, not “in” ice. Just like any meat, submerging it in a slurry of ice water will discolor and wash out the flesh.
How long after shooting a turkey do I have to clean it?
Clean it immediately after killing. If you don’t clean an animal immediately it’s like marinating the meat in death juices. It will have a strong flavor you will not like.
How long to hang a turkey after killing?
Place a field dressed turkey on its back on a rack, or hang it by the head for proper ventilation. Age turkey meat uncovered, for up to 4 days (remove the hardened outer layer that forms prior to cooking). Juvenile birds generally don’t need aging.
Do you have to gut a turkey right away?
The key to eliminating any “gaminess” in the meat is to take proper care of it in the field. After your shot, you’ll want to field dress your bird as quickly as possible. The goal is to cool the bird down by removing its internal organs and allowing air to circulate in the body cavity.