Hunting wild turkey is a popular sport.
Hunting turkeys in the wild is a popular sport. Although turkey hunting can be undertaken with muzzle-loading shotguns and even bows and arrows, shotgun hunting is most common. Wild turkey, properly prepared, makes a great dinner-and not only at Thanksgiving. Although cooking a turkey should be within the capabilities of any competent home cook, turkey hunting is a sport requiring expertise, physical fitness and experience in handling weapons.
Instructions
Hunting
1. Wherever you hunt turkey, a license or permit of some kind if likely to be required. Regulations and hunting seasons vary according to the individual state, but are easily researched by finding the state's wildlife and environment website.
2. Shotguns are widely used in turkey hunting.
Properly equip yourself with a semi-automatic or pump-action 12 gauge shotgun and ammunition. Turkey are often best hunted from a blind (a hunter's hideout), and you should decide if you have the skill to build one yourself on location using available vegetation. If not, ready-made blinds can be purchased and assembled for when you find a good spot. You can also use a decoy to attract your targets and you should wear a camouflage jacket or shirt for better concealment.
3. Imitating turkey calls helps to attract the birds. Once a turkey is in range, you can take a shot from your blind. You can also quit the blind and stalk the turkey, taking care to ensure that although it hears your call it does not see you. The aim is to make a one-shot kill.
Cooking
4. Roast turkey is traditional.
The traditional way to cook turkey is to roast the plucked, drawn bird in an oven until crisply golden outside and cooked all the way through, and for this you will need a roasting pan and salt and pepper to thoroughly season the skin. Wild turkeys are generally smaller than farm-raised birds, and roasting time should therefore be shorter-about twenty minutes per pound should be sufficient, starting the oven at 500 F for half an hour, then lowering it to 325 F. It's done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 F, the juices run clear, and the legs move easily in their sockets.
5. Since wild turkeys are leaner than farm-raised birds, they can also be less tender. An alternative to roasting is preparing turkey stew in a large Dutch oven or deep pan (disposable aluminum is ideal). In France, the turkey's blood was traditionally added, but you can use red wine or a mix of wine and chicken stock. Joint the turkey up and braise it long and slow in the seasoned liquid, adding carrots, onions or other vegetables and herbs for flavor.
6. Wild turkey can also be stewed or braised.
Even if you roast the turkey, you can still cut up the leftovers and make a stew with them. The ready-roast turkey stew takes much less time, and will be ready when the vegetables are done.
Tags: turkey hunting, farm-raised birds, popular sport, than farm-raised, than farm-raised birds