Homegrown TURKEYS are Terrific

(Page 2 of 5)

October/November 2001
 
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Watching or Hunting Wild Turkeys

Wild turkeys, widely distributed throughout the United States and Canada, are fascinating to watch and a challenge to hunt or photograph. The procedure is the same for either activity, only the tools are diff erent. You'll need to become skilled at finding these wary birds. Look for what turkeys look for: sites with open woodlands or forests with scattered natural or artificial clearings.

Whether you are a hunter or watcher, a good pair of 10x50 binoculars are a necessity. Don't scrimp: Get a good pair. Poor binoculars are worse than no binoculars, especially when your best observation time is near dusk or dawn, as it is for turkey watching. The key to finding turkeys is locating their food source. During the spring and summer, grasses and insects are plentiful, and turkeys can generally be found at forest edges and in open pastures and meadows. As the season progresses toward fall, you will find turkeys in the woods gobbling wild grapes, nuts and even dogwood berries.

If you don't have wild turkeys on your own land, a good initial plan is to scout out an area by vehicle. If it's not public land, get permission from the owner before scouting. When you find an area with turkeys, go into the area early in the evening and listen for turkeys flying up to roost: They prefer the tallest trees and ridges. Be alert for the sound of wings beating the air and hens cackling. You may also hear a gentle assembly call given by the older hens. Once you have found a comfortable location, remain still and, above all, quiet.

For more information on wild turkeys:
NATIONAL WILD TURKEY FEDERATION
P.O. Box 530
770 Augusta Road
Edgefield, SC 29824-1510
(800) 843-693 www.nwtf.org

RELATED CONTENT

If you want to raise turkeys to sell, my personal favorite is a medium-size strain of the Broad-Breasted Bronze. However, this bird has only been available recently from private breeders because of a temporary, outbreak of a slow spreading, chronic respiratory disease in commercial breeder flocks. This fast-growing modern bird has the abundance of breast meat that U.S. consumers have come to expect. A Broad-Breasted Bronze usually has two to four times the amount of breast meat as a wild turkey. A Bronze generally will reach a dressed weight of 16 to 25 pounds in about 24 weeks, the standard time required to raise a high quality turkey. It could take a heritage bird up to two years to reach this weight, and some never will. This time period is important because turkeys don't add fat until 22 weeks. Fat is where much of the flavor is, so you want a good layer under the skin to self-baste the bird as it cooks.

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