Turkey meat question

[Paulmyr]

I would think it more of  a paletabilty issue than a safety issue if your cooking the meat properly.

[Brian Fahs]

Lots of great responses guys. I appreciate the feedback.

I travel to hunt deer every fall and my neighboring state of Maryland where I do most of my deer hunting accepts donations of deer to feed the hungry. I have done this on trips to the Midwest and in marylands urban deer zones. I never heard of a program for turkey but think it would be cool. I have never had anyone turn down fresh turkey meat that I offered it to.

[ruination]

Bucket of acetone and some dry ice, flash freeze 

[appalachianassassin]

If I'm not going to be home in the next few days, ill give it to a local.

[Zobo]

Drive home and freeze what you shoot before going to the next destination. Break up your trips.

[Lcmacd 58]

Gotta say, I'm not so confident on keeping something on ice for weeks and eating it.

It needs to be frozen as far as food safety is concerned.


A couple days maybe
A couple weeks and the cats get it ...

[lalongbeard75]

I've killed 8 gobblers this season I only kept the 2 from Louisiana to eat. I never had any trouble finding someone that will take the meat. Keeps me from having to miss hunting time looking for ice machines etc. The meat is very low on my list of reasons I hunt turkeys. I'd never waste the meat from one but I'm not going to extreme measures to bring 2 pounds of meat home when I can find someone that will use it locally.

[ruination]

I've killed 8 gobblers this season I only kept the 2 from Louisiana to eat. I never had any trouble finding someone that will take the meat. Keeps me from having to miss hunting time looking for ice machines etc. The meat is very low on my list of reasons I hunt turkeys. I'd never waste the meat from one but I'm not going to extreme measures to bring 2 pounds of meat home when I can find someone that will use it locally.

Dang, you kill small turkeys

[3seasons]

12v cooler is the way to go. I've got one for freezing meat and a smaller one for grocery's   I ran them for 4 days without moving my truck and had no issue cranking it.  Could always get a solar charger for your battery if you're sitting in one spot for a long time.   

Dry ice works great too or just using ice for a week.

Done both but after using the 12v cooler it's way better. No ice, no watered down food,  no mess.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Shiloh]

I buy a cheap $40 cooler from the dollar store.  Use it to keep food and turkey breast in during the hunt.  Of course the breast goes in a 1 gallon zip lock.  Before we fly out the last morning move the meat into my gun case between the foam that protects the guns and fly it home right there.  I got home last week about 12 hours after moving it over to the gun case and it was still almost cold to the touch.

[lalongbeard75]

I've killed 8 gobblers this season I only kept the 2 from Louisiana to eat. I never had any trouble finding someone that will take the meat. Keeps me from having to miss hunting time looking for ice machines etc. The meat is very low on my list of reasons I hunt turkeys. I'd never waste the meat from one but I'm not going to extreme measures to bring 2 pounds of meat home when I can find someone that will use it locally.

Dang, you kill small turkeys

How much does one Turkey breast weigh where you hunt?

[ruination]

I've killed 8 gobblers this season I only kept the 2 from Louisiana to eat. I never had any trouble finding someone that will take the meat. Keeps me from having to miss hunting time looking for ice machines etc. The meat is very low on my list of reasons I hunt turkeys. I'd never waste the meat from one but I'm not going to extreme measures to bring 2 pounds of meat home when I can find someone that will use it locally.

Dang, you kill small turkeys

How much does one Turkey breast weigh where you hunt?

2-4 lbs. would be my guess.  Little less if I trim it up a bunch.

Never had one the size of a chicken breast though.

[lalongbeard75]

Lol. You say 2-4 pounds I say 2 pounds and I'm hunting chickens. You must be a Yankee?

[Old Swamper]

Could never even fathom the thought of hunting and killing turkeys that were not going to be eaten by myself and family. I am not cool enough to be a traveling turkey hunter, however I do take up to 10 day trips locally. What ever does not get ate in camp comes home. I respect turkeys more than most people I know, and enjoy eating them in many different meals. To me, it would be disrespectful to give a hard earned gobbler away. Unfortunately with most today, numbers and states are more important than respecting the Turkey. This is just my opinion. To each their own. 

[lalongbeard75]

Could never even fathom the thought of hunting and killing turkeys that were not going to be eaten by myself and family. I am not cool enough to be a traveling turkey hunter, however I do take up to 10 day trips locally. What ever does not get ate in camp comes home. I respect turkeys more than most people I know, and enjoy eating them in many different meals. To me, it would be disrespectful to give a hard earned gobbler away. Unfortunately with most today, numbers and states are more important than respecting the Turkey. This is just my opinion. To each their own.

Well you called him up and shot him so I don't think the Gobbler really cares who eats him. I have every single gobbler fan and spurs I've killed all the way back to the first one at age 12. The meat is eaten and there's no more the gobblers I kill the fan beards and spurs will be preserved forever or at least as long as I'm alive. That's about as much respect as you could give something you killed. After all if you really want to make the gobblers day just take his picture and yell boo lol. That way the gobbler lives  another day and won't be likely to go to another hen yelping.