newby question

[somedude]

I have never shot or killed a turkey but that's fixin to change.  At least I hope.  When I do dust roll him, how do I skin-process him.  I have hunted deer and squirrels all my life but aint got a clue about a turkey.  Sorry for the dumb question but i don't want to waste anything.  <>< del

[bnew17]

Just like with deer, everybody has their way. I lay them on the tail gate, breast up. get a sharp knife and just cut through the feathers and skin lightly. Peel back the skin off the breast and cut the meat out. Voila

[somedude]

OK, thanks.  I just have never done it and don't like to mess one up because of my ignorance.   thanks again   <>< del

[Timmer]

If you hunt upland birds it's pretty much the same but just bigger.  In general, it's quite easy.  Some of your effort depends on what you want to keep.  While warm, I peel off the skin.  You can fairly easily get it off the breast and back.  It gets tough down at the legs and at the wings but you wouldn't necessarily need to do that if you aren't keeping the lesser parts for soup and such (I've not found a great way to cook the legs to eat them straight out). Once it's skinned, you will have the belly exposed so you can gut it like any other animal.  Also, the neck will be exposed so you can cut that off. 

I watched a video where a guy stepped on the wings and pulled the legs and in about a minute it was beautifully skinned.  I tried it once and it didn't work for me.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR HUNT!

[FireFly908]

I watched a video where a guy stepped on the wings and pulled the legs and in about a minute it was beautifully skinned.  I tried it once and it didn't work for me.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR HUNT!

Are you sure he wasn't pulling your leg?  LMAO!   

[reynolds243]

Just like with deer, everybody has their way. I lay them on the tail gate, breast up. get a share knife and just cut through the feathers and skin lightly. Peel back the skin off the breast and cut the meat out. Voila

exactly the same here. i cut the breast out the same as i would a deer back strap.

[Basser69]

Just like with deer, everybody has their way. I lay them on the tail gate, breast up. get a share knife and just cut through the feathers and skin lightly. Peel back the skin off the breast and cut the meat out. Voila

exactly the same here. i cut the breast out the same as i would a deer back strap.

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[somedude]

Yall are the bestest! :jesus-cross:thanks

[bowhunter84]

Just like with deer, everybody has their way. I lay them on the tail gate, breast up. get a share knife and just cut through the feathers and skin lightly. Peel back the skin off the breast and cut the meat out. Voila

exactly the same here. i cut the breast out the same as i would a deer back strap.

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[jshively]

While I do the same with the breast meat, I always feel bad about wasting the thigh and leg meat.  Pretty tough stuff, but I have some success with peeling off the skin and taking the carcass and meat and making some Turkey and Dumplings.  I do a similar thing with squirrels.

[knightrider]

Just like with deer, everybody has their way. I lay them on the tail gate, breast up. get a share knife and just cut through the feathers and skin lightly. Peel back the skin off the breast and cut the meat out. Voila

[pdqt]

I skin out the legs and take the thigh meat. It works real good in a pot of soup.   The squirrels I pre boil [if they are not young ones] until they stick tender with a fork, and bread them with seafood breader with extra seasoning salt and pepper and brown them in a skillet. An extra step but well worth it IMOP.   

[guesswho]

While I do the same with the breast meat, I always feel bad about wasting the thigh and leg meat.  Pretty tough stuff, but I have some success with peeling off the skin and taking the carcass and meat and making some Turkey and Dumplings.  I do a similar thing with squirrels.

I keep all the meat as well.  I take the back, wings, and legs and cook in the pressure cooker.  Then take the meat and make turkey and gravy with bisquits, tastes a lot like squirrel and gravy.  I even keep the liver, heart and gizzard.  They go in the pressure cooker at the same time.  My dog's love them.

[bnew17]

I saved the legs off my last bird and tried grilling them. Mistake....it was like chewign on boot leather!!! Anybody got a better way to cook the legs for eating?

[hunts4ever]

I JUST PLUCK THE FEATHERS OFF THE BREAST AND PEAL BACK THE SKIN. HES GOT 2 SECTIONS OF MEAT THAT YOU CAN FILLET RIGHT DOWN EACH SIDE OF THE BREAST BONE LIKE A FISH. HOPE THIS HELPS. GOOD LUCK!