So what do YOU do with your bird after the kill?

[okiegobblers]

Looking to get some different thoughts on what guys do after the bird is down.  Do you always remove the fan, beard, spurs for a trophy? Do you field dress it or take it back to the house to clean?

[buck_hunter21]

First thing I do is get pictures taken. Then the fan, beard, and spurs are taken off. Lastly, breasted out.

[dirt road ninja]

First thing I do is get pictures taken. Then the fan, beard, and spurs are taken off. Lastly, breasted out.

About the same thing, unless I have someone else with me then we tie it up in a tree and go after another bird.

[jblackburn]

Pictures in the fiels then back home or camp.  Remove beard, fan (if nice), and spurs.  Sometimes I remove wings if I know someone who needs feathers for arrows or wants to make a wingbone call.  I usually fillet out the breast meat and debone the legs/thighes then go after the little pieces of loin meat next to the back bone.  I have a turkey fryer, so sometimes I pluck out the whole bird for frying.

[TauntoHawk]

Pictures and back of the truck while we work on finding the next bird.. turkeys aren't like deer and dont need to be field dressed right away. they are fine in the shade hung up in the shed or covered in the back of a truck for a few hours..

After hunting is done at noon we weight it, and messurements are taken from the beard and spurs at removal. I dont keep many fans but I would take it now and place on a board with Borax to dry if I was keeping it. Breast out the meat and prepare for the next one!!!

[okiegobblers]

Appreciate the replies!  Glad to know that they do not have to be field dressed right away.

[rawalley]

step on his head

[TURKEYWHACKER]

If I'm alone, I head to camp or home. If I'm with a buddy we'll work together to get him a bird after I stash my bird in the shade. Beard and spurs are added to collection, possibly fan and wings if I know someone is lookin' for some. Breast em out and take the legs and thighs. Of course pictures are a must.

[mcgruff1533]

1.  Walk back from the field.

2.  Take some photos.

3.  Remove the breasts, legs/ thighs and wings.

4.  Remove the fan, beard and feet.

5.  Put shotgun away, open bottle of Wild Turkey 101 and reflect on the hunt.

[jyoung]

Usually cut the beard and feet off, dress him out, and then my girlfriend collects the feathers she wants for her craft making and the rest gets chuncked.

Jonathan

[stinkpickle]

I don't worry about field dressing 'em like I do with deer.  I've gone hours before cuttin' 'em up and they tasted just fine.

[hoyt]

1st First thing is take photos

2nd if I'm going to mount it make sure the feathers are smoothed out and be carefull carring it home.

3rd. mount or not I pull the breast out.

4th if no mount and spurs are long cut them off along with beard

5th cut off wings and tail if no mount and make traditional fletching with the wings and wall mount with the tail.

6th eat it.

[WildTigerTrout]

step on his head

A  turkey hunting friend of mine told me once when I first starting turkey hunting "You have not won the game until you are standing over your gobbler with your foot on his neck" truer words have never been spoken!

[Triplgobble]

I usually pluck him & spend the next hour scratching lice.

[Trevor2]

1.  Walk back from the field.

2.  Take some photos.

3.  Remove the breasts, legs/ thighs and wings.

4.  Remove the fan, beard and feet.

5.  Put shotgun away, open bottle of Wild Turkey 101 and reflect on the hunt.

YES THIS!!!! Except I just breast and on .3. and its budlight or jim beam on .5.