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Turkey
Turkey Talk: Is There Really Such A Thing As Overcalling?
The turkey world is pretty relaxed compared to the whitetail arena. People just don’t get as worked up about differences of opinions and tactics when it comes to longbeards. Turkey hunters are like the folks at a concert who sway to the music in unison, gently brushing shoulders, while holding their...
Tony J. Peterson
May 3, 2023
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Turkey Hunting Tactics
Turkey
How to Kill a Tom Off the Roost
More turkeys are killed during the first hour of daylight than any other one-hour period during turkey season. This was true last season and it will hold true as this season plays out. It’ll be true again next year and the one after that, too.
This isn’t coincidence. Rather, the first legal hour of...
Andrew Johnson
Apr 7, 2020
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Turkey
The 6 Turkey Vocalizations You Need to Know
Biologists have confirmed that wild turkeys have at least 29 different calls or vocalizations, ranking them among the most vocal of birds. And perhaps the most appealing aspect of turkey hunting is engaging in a conversation with a cooperative tom as it thunders toward your setup. As a good friend...
Andrew Johnson
Mar 27, 2020
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Turkey
How to Find the Dumbest Tom in the Woods
Frustrated turkey hunters often talk about the need to find unpressured birds, with optimism that these animals will be easier to pattern or deceive. On public lands, or highly pressured private ground, finding these places can be easier said than done. During your continued search for the...
Dylan Tramp
Mar 31, 2021
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Turkey
A Guide to Hunting Wild Turkey
Wild turkeys are the big game of the small game world. Weighing upwards of 25 pounds, a mature bird is capable of supplying multiple meals for even a large family.
While many states have fall turkey hunting seasons, hunting for these birds is generally regarded as a spring activity. April or May...
Steven Rinella
Dec 4, 2018
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Turkey
How to Turkey Hunt in Big Woods
If you take away agriculture from turkey hunting, it starts to feel like chasing whitetails in big woods. Low game densities, sparse sign, and endless cover all conspire to make the process more challenging than typical turkey hunts. But big woods toms are available for the taking. Like their...
Tony J. Peterson
Mar 30, 2020
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Turkey
3 Common Mistakes Turkey Hunters Make
Sunrises, ticks, and mistakes are all parts of turkey hunting. Some days the planets align and we can sling a dead turkey over our shoulder regardless of how many errors we made. But most other days we leave the woods frustrated and empty-handed.
Sometimes it’s because the turkeys simply didn’t want...
Andrew Johnson
Apr 21, 2021
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Turkey Hunting Gear
Turkey
3 Turkey Calls Every Hunter Should Own
Many turkey hunters are gear junkies and I’m no exception. Each spring I overload my vest with an assortment of turkey calls—knowing full well that many won’t see the light of day until I unpack after the season closes.
Fact is, I just checked my vest, and here’s the tally: 13 mouth calls, two box...
Andrew Johnson
Apr 23, 2020
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Turkey
How to Choose the Right Turkey Load
There was a time when all my turkey, small game, waterfowl and upland shot shells were 2 ¾-inch, #6 lead, 12-gauge field loads. Since then, shotgun loads for all game species, including wild turkeys, have come a long way. These days, turkey loads come in a vast array of configurations, many of which...
Brody Henderson
Mar 12, 2020
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Turkey
The Best Turkey Shotgun
Turkey guns fall into one of two camps. First, there are jack-of-all-trades firearms that serve more than one master. In the fall, these guns might pull duty in the duck blind one day and the uplands the next. Once spring rolls around, full chokes replace modified chokes and some fiber-optic sights...
Andrew Johnson
Feb 22, 2021
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Turkey
3 Never-Fail Turkey Decoy Setups
If you want to increase your decoy effectiveness this spring, consider what the real turkeys are doing. A 30,000-foot-view explanation is that flocks start out as big as they’ll be all season and shrink to smaller groups as spring progresses.
This means that multiple decoys are a solid choice on Day...
Tony J. Peterson
Apr 10, 2020
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Turkey
How to Kill a Decoy-Shy Tom
There’s one frustrating scenario every turkey hunter is familiar with: a gobbling tom comes in on a string, but hits an invisible wall at 75 yards before shuffling away. There are plenty of reasons why a longbeard will change his mind and pull a 180, but the most common involves some level of decoy...
Tony J. Peterson
Mar 25, 2020
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Turkey
How to Make Turkey Decoys More Deadly
Now more than ever, having realistic turkey decoys is critical.
“There’s been an education curve out there for these birds today,” veteran turkey hunter and MeatEater contributor Tony Peterson said. “We’ve killed off a lot of the dumb ones.”
With most of those “dumb” birds gone, we’re left hunting...
Mark Kenyon
Apr 13, 2020
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Turkey
How to Pattern a Shotgun for Turkey Hunting
When it comes to turkey shotguns, modern choke-and-load combinations are capable of throwing ultra-tight patterns out to 40 yards or more. At the same time, turkey hunters should remember that a properly outfitted scattergun’s pattern is likely no larger than a baseball at 10 to 15 yards.
I learned...
Andrew Johnson
Mar 4, 2021
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Turkey Processing
Turkey
Video: How to Mount a Turkey Cape and Fan
A wild turkey's feathers rival nature's finest works of art. They're beautiful. Typically, hunters save a gobbler's fan, beard, and spurs, but in this video I'll show you how to make a turkey cape mount. It will display all the beautiful parts of the turkey and look great on your wall. All you'll...
Clay Newcomb
Apr 27, 2021
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Butchering & Processing
Is a Turkey Sponge Edible?
When I began to remove the breast from my first tom, I was dumbfounded to find handfuls of a yellow, jellyfish-like substance in front of the crop cavity. I wasn’t sure what it was at the time, so it stayed in the woods.
With a little research, I learned that this gelatinous tissue is called the...
Danielle Prewett
Apr 26, 2019
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Turkey
Video: How to Make a Wingbone Turkey Call
The wingbone turkey call is a classic tool that’s as old as turkey hunting itself. These are a blast to make, fun to use, and most importantly, can help you kill a gobbler. Now that doesn’t mean I’ll be tossing out my Phelps Jake Brake or box call anytime soon. Using a crafted wingbone is like...
Clay Newcomb
Mar 30, 2021
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Recipes
Turkey Stock
Stock is an essential ingredient in any good home cook’s kitchen. This liquid gold can make soup, stews, braises, and sauces into something special. Nothing you buy at the store will compare to the homemade version, especially when you use wild game.
This spring, be sure to save the carcass, wings...
Danielle Prewett
May 3, 2021
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Butchering & Processing
How to Clean a Gizzard
The gizzards of game birds like pheasants, ducks, and turkey are under-appreciated little nuggets of meat. Perhaps it’s because they look strange and are difficult to trim without proper instruction. Well, we’re taking the mystery out of preparing them by showing you how to clean a gizzard and how...
Danielle Prewett
Feb 22, 2021
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Cooking Techniques
How to Cook a Turkey Tail
I’m a curious cook by nature. I’m also a frugal cook who tries to utilize animal parts that most folks leave in the field. My freezer is full of odd things like hog testes, alligator cheeks, and the alien-looking chunk of protein that is a turkey’s tail with the feathers removed.
Being the guinea...
Danielle Prewett
Apr 13, 2020
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Turkey Hunting Videos
Turkey
MeatEater Hunts: Michigan Spring Turkey
Southern Michigan in the spring is an audio rich landscape. Of all the springtime sounds, one stands above the rest: the gobbling turkey. Mark’s goal is to call in a tom using a diaphragm call, which would be a first for him.
MeatEater Staff
Apr 4, 2019
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Turkey
Video: Coyote Attacks Hunter's Wounded Turkey
Earlier this week, I was turkey hunting with my wife in Montana when something unusual happened. After I called in a Merriam's gobbler and shot it, a coyote ran in and tried to steal the bird. Here's a video of the attempted heist in progress.
Janis Putelis
May 4, 2021
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MeatEater S04 E09 Mar 6, 2014
Spring Break: Florida Osceola Turkey
Steven Rinella and his friend and wild turkey specialist, Robert Abernathy, head to southern Florida to hunt Osceola gobblers. Steve hopes to finish off his Royal Turkey Slam, achieved by bagging all five subspecies of the American wild turkey—a quest that's been a decade in the making. These two...
Steven Rinella
Mar 6, 2014
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MeatEater S02 E12 Jan 27, 2013
Sonoran Super-Birds: Mexico Gould's Turkey
Steven Rinella crosses the border into Mexico's desert to call in the Gould's wild turkey. Of the five turkey subspecies in North America, the Gould's is the largest but rarest. On this unique Mexican adventure, Steve finds exciting action for gobbling toms. With locally made charcoal at his...
Steven Rinella
Jan 27, 2013
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MeatEater S04 E13 Aug 21, 2014
Surf n Turk: Wisconsin Turkey and Carp
Steven Rinella scratches his spring turkey itch this year as he visits Southeast Wisconsin to call in some big eastern Toms with his buddy Jerod Fink. The guys also plan to do some bow fishing after dark so they can enjoy a real Midwest turkey and fish fry.
Steven Rinella
Aug 21, 2014
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MeatEater S02 E01 Jul 1, 2012
Big Sky, Bigger Birds: Montana Wild Turkey
Steven Rinella and his brother Matt load up the llamas for a backcountry spring Turkey hunt in Montana's Powder River Breaks. They will pack deep into the rugged badlands to find gobbling birds. With two tags each, there's plenty of action and camp-fried turkey schnitzel is on the menu.
Presented by...
Steven Rinella
Jul 1, 2012
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MeatEater S04 E09 Mar 6, 2014
Spring Break: Florida Osceola Turkey
Steven Rinella and his friend and wild turkey specialist, Robert Abernathy, head to southern Florida to hunt Osceola gobblers. Steve hopes to finish off his Royal Turkey Slam, achieved by bagging all five subspecies of the American wild turkey—a quest that's been a decade in the making. These two...
Steven Rinella
Mar 6, 2014
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MeatEater S02 E12 Jan 27, 2013
Sonoran Super-Birds: Mexico Gould's Turkey
Steven Rinella crosses the border into Mexico's desert to call in the Gould's wild turkey. Of the five turkey subspecies in North America, the Gould's is the largest but rarest. On this unique Mexican adventure, Steve finds exciting action for gobbling toms. With locally made charcoal at his...
Steven Rinella
Jan 27, 2013
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Turkey Recipes
Recipes
Turkey Schnitzel
I discovered turkey schnitzel while filming a backcountry turkey hunt in Montana. Our cameraman and director, Mo Fallon, took a look at our supplies, which included a dead turkey, salt, panko breadcrumbs, oil, and a lemon. He hatched a plan. We sliced the turkey breasts into thick slabs and then...
Steven Rinella
Jan 2, 2023
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Recipes
Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
As an upland hunter, my favorite Thanksgiving tradition is to roast a couple whole pheasants. But before the pie is even served, I’m already thinking about how I’ll use the remaining scraps of meat. Whether you have pheasant, turkey, or some other white meat poultry on the table this year, you’ll be...
Danielle Prewett
Nov 23, 2020
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Recipes
Copycat Chick-fil-A Turkey Nuggets
This recipe captures everything I love about joints like Chick-fil-A: comfort food that’s easy to make and full of flavor. I marinate the wild turkey nuggets in pickle juice before frying, then dip them in a copycat Chick-fil-A sauce. This dish will have every deer across the county saying, “EAT-MOR...
Danielle Prewett
May 4, 2020
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Recipes
Fresh Turkey Breakfast Sausage with Sage Recipe
The flavors of wild turkey and sage complement each other perfectly, especially when combined in a spicy breakfast sausage. This mixture can be stuffed into lamb casings to make breakfast-sized links, but I prefer to leave mine bulk and then form it into small patties that are easy to fry next to a...
Steven Rinella
Nov 21, 2018
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Recipes
Buffalo Turkey Sandwiches
It’s damn hard to beat a crispy buffalo turkey sandwich. Like poutine or a Sloppy Joe pizza, this dish is where wild game intersects bar food perfection. Brined in buttermilk and fried until golden brown, I’m convinced that pairing this pub grub with a cold drink is the best way to celebrate a dead...
Danielle Prewett
Apr 20, 2020
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Recipes
Orange-Clove Smoked Wild Turkey
If you’re successful in your wild turkey hunting pursuits, this is a recipe not to miss. This smoker recipe is the ideal savory and sweet combination. Smokey and sweetness combined with the savory roasted vegetables.
A crowd pleaser for spring or turkey hunting success alike.
Originally Published on...
Steven Rinella
Apr 15, 2018
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Recipes
Turkey Katsu
I can't think of a better first meal after a successful turkey hunt than fried breast. This katsu recipe is based on a Japanese fried cutlet dish with a light, crunchy crust. I hammer the meat thin to tenderize it while also cutting down on the cook time. Less time in the fryer keeps the turkey...
Wade Truong
Apr 8, 2021
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Recipes
Turkey Egg Rolls
Turkey season is upon us, and that means droves of hunters across the country are getting ready to harvest some of nature’s “other white meat.” These big birds yield a lot of great meat, but many folks are left questioning what to do with the legs. Wild turkey legs are very tough and full of tendons...
Michael Vialpando
Apr 12, 2021
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Turkey Podcasts
The MeatEater Podcast
Ep. 104: Turks!
Las Vegas, NV- Steven Rinella talks with Becky Humphries of the National Wild Turkey Federation, First Lite's Ryan Callaghan, along with Janis Putelis of the MeatEater crew.Subjects discussed: The National Wild Turkey Federation; defining turkey habitat; the Lacey Act of 1900 and playing by the...
Steven Rinella
Feb 19, 2018
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Wired To Hunt
Wired To Hunt Podcast #211: Answering Your Spring Turkey Questions
Today on the show Spencer Neuharth, Dan Johnson and I celebrate spring turkey hunting season by sharing a few of our latest turkey exploits and answering listener-submitted turkey hunting questions. To listen to the podcast, click the Play button in...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...
Mark Kenyon
Apr 26, 2018
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Wired To Hunt
Ep. 274: Turkey Hunting Roundtable
Today on the show I’m joined by Ben O’Brien, Tony Peterson and Spencer Neuharth to debate all things turkey hunting – including calling advice, decoy set-ups, weather impacts and more. Subjects Discussed What’s the story on Ben O’Brien’s turkey tour...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...
Mark Kenyon
Apr 4, 2019
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The MeatEater Podcast
Ep. 262: The Jake Brake
Steven Rinella talks with Jason Phelps, Dirk Dirham, Seth Morris, Phil Taylor, Corinne Schneider, and Janis Putelis.Topics discussed: Chester The Investor makes a solid plan on a walleye boat; how skepticism is the chastity of the intellect; reconsidering the use of a sous vide wand to warm up your...
Steven Rinella
Mar 1, 2021
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