Ontario spring turkey 2016

Cintax said:
Presently afield. I can see the big Tom but he's working alongside the far fence row. Hopefully they will work themselves this way.
Click to expand...

do you have a tom decoy??? I've been able to hide behind one and crawl over to birds that wouldn't cooperate...... it's fun too. ;)
 
They are in my field now, but off to the left of me. I can't see them right now. I have a hen decoy in the breeding position with a Jake decoy a few yards behind it.
 
Superbrad said:
Well done....lol

I took a jake this morning...... Was stuck on a call for work and didn't hit the woods until 8:15..... Managed to do some run and gun and called him in to about 15 yards..... Hopefully I get another chance to get out... But in the meantime the boys wil be happy that we will get our annual turkey strip feast ..... To be honest, it was just nice to get out in the woods.....
Click to expand...

good times. congrats, hope you get out again.
I ended up going to a farm down the road this morning because we didn't see anything yesterday here at home. was a cold ride on the quad going down the road at 4:30am........ :( wanted to take my bow but I decided late last night that I was going to the farms I used to hunt at just down the road and my double bull is set out in the filed here at home. I have to move around too much to take my bow out in the open like that.
 
Cintax said:
They are in my field now, but off to the left of me. I can't see them right now. I have a hen decoy in the breeding position with a Jake decoy a few yards behind it.
Click to expand...

if you can get yourself a tom decoy some day...... it's super fun to get behind the fan and crawl out to them when they won't cooperate. sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but fun to hide behind it and try.
good luck out there. kind of wish I still had a tag. :(
 
Success! Not sure of weight but he feels heavy. This is the guy I have been watching all week.

He came dashing in from the left as predicted. Charged right into my Jake decoy. I waited until he turned around, raised up the barrels and took him in the head. I paced it at 7 yards roughly.

This is my 1936 Francotte in 12 gauge. I admit that the 30" barrels were a little awkward.




He's got decent hooks too! Last year's had nubs.
 
Cintax said:
Success! Not sure of weight but he feels heavy. This is the guy I have been watching all week.

He came dashing in from the left as predicted. Charged right into my Jake decoy. I waited until he turned around, raised up the barrels and took him in the head. I paced it at 7 yards roughly.

This is my 1936 Francotte in 12 gauge. I admit that the 30" barrels were a little awkward. He's got decent hooks too! Last year's had nubs.
Click to expand...

Awesome! I was hoping your delay in posting an update was due to you sealing the deal! Nice job.
 
Runningfool said:
Awesome! I was hoping your delay in posting an update was due to you sealing the deal! Nice job.
Click to expand...

It definitely was. So I don't have a game scale but I weighted myself and then myself with the bird and came up with 19.8 lbs. I can't believe that, he is so much larger than the bird I got last year but nearly the same weight. The beard is 9-1/2" long and hooks are both even at 1-1/4" each.

I guess I have the job of plucking it now. This weekend, we are going to smoke it in my buddies Green Egg. Now it's time for a beer and to get to work - the fun ends when the gun goes boom.
 
Superbrad said:
Good stuff Cintax...... If you are going to smoke it, just a suggestion..... Brushing with slightly dilute maple syrup makes a nice outer glaze......
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea.What's the best way to dress out the bird for smoking? I was going to do it whole, but is there a good way to take out the ponch without making a mess of the skin?
 
I behead, then pluck mine and cut extra skin around the neck area out and actually remove the neck entirely (unlike a traditional bird)..... Then I pull the bad stuff out through the neck hole and cut everything out from around the butt.....Leaves the skin intact everywhere else......
 
Last edited:
Here is the last one I maple glazed and smoked....

turkey2010.jpg
 
That looks amazing... Thank you for the tips on dressing the bird. Last year I just skinned it. We did it in the slow cooker. It was great.
 
Dear Gad, that looks like alot of work... but yummy.

I just cut the breast patties and the legs off and chuck the rest... we had baked inner breast for supper Wednesday, Roast breast Thursday, turkey sandwiches for lunch today and a nice turkey stirfry for supper... two breasts are stripped and brined and in the smoker now for some turkey jerky (big annual hit)... roast turkey leg soup for the weekend.
 
hoytcanon said:
Dear Gad, that looks like alot of work... but yummy.

I just cut the breast patties and the legs off and chuck the rest... we had baked inner breast for supper Wednesday, Roast breast Thursday, turkey sandwiches for lunch today and a nice turkey stirfry for supper... two breasts are stripped and brined and in the smoker now for some turkey jerky (big annual hit)... roast turkey leg soup for the weekend.
Click to expand...

Lol..... I have to admit I am not as ambitious with turkey prep as I used to be..... That one was in 2010..... I do as you do.... The drums go for homemade soup in the crock pot and the two breast fillets go one of two ways.....

First favourite for the kids is turkey strips..... Slice them into strips (durrr) dunk in milk and then fish crisp and fried in a cast iron pan.....

Second is either cold smoked and served as club sandwiches or cedar planked on the bbq..... With homemade made bacon bbq marinade.....

I talk a big game, but I haven't gutted a turkey or a fish in a long time..... Lol
 
Honestly, I'm only going to the trouble because of the Green Egg thing. I'd have skinned the breasts out for simplicity. Legs aren't bad to pluck and wings are the worst.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom