Would you eat the breast of this bird?

[WNCTracker]

Nasty spur wound into the gut. Smelled pretty bad but breast Meat smells good. I took the breast from the opposite side...do you think it's safe?


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[nsselle]

Toss that, it's just a turkey breast

[Greg Massey]

I'm just not that hungry...looks pretty bad...i don't think anyone will tell you to eat it... i bet he got that from fighting another gobbler..spur...

[spaightlabs]

Cut it out, leave a couple inch margin around it and you'll be fine, but if you are concerned, don't worry about tossing it either.

[g8rvet]

Couple of thoughts.. 

First, the discoloration and the looks of a bird wound are very different than mammal species, so just looking at it makes it seems much worse and more contaminated. 

If there is discoloration of the breast meat, there has been bacterial contamination.  You "could" eat it if you cooked it well, but it will taste bad.  If the gut wound is below and does not connect to the breast muscle and there is no discoloration of the breast meat, and no bacterial contamination of the meat, it should be fine. 

I killed a bird many moons ago, had been shot with a rifle in the breast on one side.  Was green and stunk.  I removed the opposite side which smelled fine and was healthy in appearance and it tasted fine. 

To be fair, if this bird were in a slaughter house, the whole carcass would probably be condemned.  Just only cook the good meat, no jerky, only well cooked dishes and it will be okay. 

[WNCTracker]

Yeah, I hate to waste a tag on it. I wonder if they'll replenish one. I called the GW and he told me to call the wildlife biologist tomorrow. So I'll do that. Anybody know if they replenish tags for things like this or did I take one for the team?  I'll eat the tag without complaint. It was one of my favorite all time turkey hunts. Two boss gobblers gibbling like crazy on a PM hunt.


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[stinkpickle]

Cut it out, leave a couple inch margin around it and you'll be fine, but if you are concerned, don't worry about tossing it either.

Agreed.

[dublelung]

Trim away the bad and cook it as usual. We all eat much nastier than from the supermarket

[Rapscallion Vermilion]

Cut it out, leave a couple inch margin around it and you'll be fine, but if you are concerned, don't worry about tossing it either.

Agreed.

Good advice.  I would have no qualms about trimming away the bad parts and cooking the rest. 

[SteelerFan]

Deep fried turkey nuggets out of breast meat cures all. Looks like a wound as you described, no infection or nasty to the meat of the breast. If in doubt, throw it out. I wouldn't worry about a replacement tag for one meal.

That said, it is just 1/2 a breast... Quick trip to the market and it can be replaced.

[Marc]

Yeah, I hate to waste a tag on it. I wonder if they'll replenish one. I called the GW and he told me to call the wildlife biologist tomorrow. So I'll do that. Anybody know if they replenish tags for things like this or did I take one for the team?  I'll eat the tag without complaint. It was one of my favorite all time turkey hunts. Two boss gobblers gibbling like crazy on a PM hunt.

I disagree with you about wasting a tag...

I would guess being wounded, that if anything this bird was more cautious.  You still had the enjoyment of a great hunt, and you likely ended what would have been an extended period of suffering for this bird.

If I have two equally desirable birds in range, and one is limping, I would likely shoot the "limper."  If the meat is good, all the better, but I feel better about preventing further suffering for a bird that would possibly or likely not survive...

Great job, and very nice bird.

[Dr Juice]

Toss that, it's just a turkey breast

Concur

[Va limbhanger]

I think I would pass on that breast. No telling what type of bacteria is living in and around that wound.

[PineyRooster]

just cut the nasty part out and the rest should be fine.. through the years on occasion ive had to trim out green spots and shot out of breasts of gobblers that had been previously wounded.

[Marc]

I think I would pass on that breast. No telling what type of bacteria is living in and around that wound.

As g8rvet points out, even if the bird is covered in bacteria, cooking the bird well will kill all the bacteria...  Worst that would happen with a properly cooked bird is that it will taste bad...

Granted, I was far more courageous about eating "iffy" birds before I had small children...  Being overly cautious, I would probably chuck the breast on the bad side, and salvage the breast meat on the unaffected side...