Finally got one

[vicente 0]

I've been trying to get a turkey with my bow for a while now been a frustrating few seasons, decided I'd give the head loper style broad heads a chance this year.

 

On a related note best ways to preserve the skin and feathers, I have the most meat free part covered in borax to dry anything else I should do with out, I put the ants to work on other parts of it.

[mikechell 0]

Nice bird!

[zip 0]

Congrats!The struggle is real here in GA for turkey.If you don't get one on opening day here;your chances drop dramatically

[vicente 0]

Yea I'm in a somewhat rural area little crowded for gun hunting so not much pressure on the birds.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Congrats on a nice bird!

[tjm 0]

Now you have lots fly tying feathers.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Wow! Nice bird!

 

 

I had one in to 15yds full strut, couldnt raise the shotgun because a hen was standing about 10ft to my right. Maybe another opportunity will present before season ends here in Ga.

 

Again, sweet bird. Especially with a bow.

[fshng2 0]

I've been trying to get a turkey with my bow for a while now been a frustrating few seasons, decided I'd give the head loper style broad heads a chance this year.

 

On a related note best ways to preserve the skin and feathers, I have the most meat free part covered in borax to dry anything else I should do with out, I put the ants to work on other parts of it.

 

Two friends gave me a few wings and some feathers with skin still attached two years ago.

I was able to preserve them and they turned out as good as I hoped they would.

Matter of fact I used some of the natural maribou feathers today on the Pencil Popper post I did in April flies from the vise.

 

I slit the inside of the wings and removed all the flesh and most of the bone except the last couple of inches near the wing tips as they will dry like a squirrel tail.

Scraped any fat from wings and body skin.

Rubbed Borax on all skin areas.

Then placed on cardboard with skin side up and put at least a 1/4 coating over skin.

I covered with plywood and weighted it with anything heavy, tool box, concrete blocks etc.

Left it to dry about 1 week , then removed weight and plywood and left it to dry another 2 weeks.

After I was sure it was dry I shook the loose borax off on to the cardboard.

I then took wings & skin outside and smacked it against my concrete wall until no borax would come off.

Lastly I stored the wings and skin in large freezer type bags.

[vicente 0]

Wow! Nice bird!

 

 

I had one in to 15yds full strut, couldnt raise the shotgun because a hen was standing about 10ft to my right. Maybe another opportunity will present before season ends here in Ga.

 

Again, sweet bird. Especially with a bow.

Last year I called one in from really far away and I was just sitting up behind the pump house and he got to about 50 yards and stopped, wasn't a place I felt really comfortable taking him at that range pretty annoying. This one was about 25 yards, my arrow cut clear through his spine right below his head he never even took a step.

[vicente 0]

thanks fshng2 I figured that was pretty much the way to go about it nice to hear I was doing things right, lots of really nice maraboo on this bird.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Thats awesome. I love getting out and hearing them gobble. The interaction back and forth with the birds gets my blood pumping.

[Kinni 0]

Way to go! I got mine on Monday too. Good eating and some awesome feathers to put to use.

[vicente 0]

nice kinni, the feathers look nice, and the soup has been delicious.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

I love the breast cut into strips, seasoned and breaded, and pan fried! We also use the thigh meat for turkey and dumplings. Its a bit tough and stringy on wild birds for anything else.

[Steeldrifter 0]

Had something happen yesterday that made me think of this post. I was out riding the mountain bike yesterday and I usually go through the cemetery and stop to visit some relatives graves when I am out biking. Rode through the back of the cemetery and had a really big tom just casually walk right across about 15 ft in front of me taking his sweet ol time and in no hurry. Really seemed odd because here in Royal Oak its all city/burbs, the cemetery has some wooded area in the back where he was but it's no more than maybe 1-2 acres at the most. Seemed a bit out of place to see him,he was a nice big healthy bird as well.