the wings are best saved for calls

Wild turkey is good to eat..... I prefer wild turkey over tame turkey. Prepare it any way you prepare chicken.....grilled, roasted, baked, fried, soups or gumbo.
I like to use the breast mainly. Cut the breast into 1/4" strips, tenderize with a mallet, wrap it around cream cheese and jalapeño, then wrap the outside with bacon. Secure it with a toothpick (that's been soaking in water), season with garlic, salt and pepper. Grill them hot and fast while mopping them with a melted lemon butter mixture until the bacon looks done.

I love the taste of wild turkey, although not everyone does.

Look at my article in the last Parker Pages. I included Jim Wescott's recipe for wild turkey. It was the best I ever tasted.

Maine season closed Saturday June 4th. One last guides hunt before New Brunswick spring black bear hunt with traditional archery gear resulted in this 14 pound jake. Yappy hen led this guy and two buddies out of a hay field and around behind my position over a stone wall and one final smokey BOOM. A 2 5/8s brass shell filled with 1 1/8 oz of #5s and propelled by 3 1/4 drams of FFg Goex black powder work great at 30 yards. Gun is new favorite 32" plain twist 12 gauge SN 19636 courtesy of Mike Franzen!

Tenderizing the breasts is recommended - they can be pretty tough, even on a young bird. And the thighs are excellent too but I don't waste my time on the lower legs or 'drumsticks'.






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Sweet and Sour Turkey
Cut breast into nugget sized pieces
In crock pot mix jar of apricot preserves, bottle of Russian dressing, one packet of dry onion soup mix and handful of raisens. Add turkey and enough water to make a slurry. Cook low and slow. Serve over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.
This will cook while you hunt!! Great camp meal after long autumn trek!

Wild turkey is my favorite wild game to eat. Like all game birds they should not be OVERCOOKED. Here is a old southern receipt we have used since the early 1970's. One picked wild turkey weighted after cleaning. Tie the legs together and pull them down with the wings folded under the body so the turkey will sit upright in a roasting pan. One old dishtowel that has been sitting in cooking oil. Preheat oven to 450. Set turkey in roasting pan and place the oil covered dish towel over the turkey. Turn the oven down to 350 when the turkey is in the oven. Baste as needed. Cook 12 to 15 min. a pound or until the juice runs clear when a fork is stuck between the leg and breast. Or as my wife always said do not worry about the damn legs I am not going to eat them! The legs are great for soup later in the week. This has worked for Thanksgiving dinner at my house for many years.