I was resolved to take a gobbler with my bow this year though I have tried halfheartedly the past two years and switched back to a shotgun. Yesterday morning was the sixth time out this spring (if you count mentoring a youth on their Saturday, which I do count). Three of those previose hunts were in the spot I went to Tuesday. I had seen a nice gobbler there twice but he always went with the hens. One day he strutted with a hen for 5 hours, teasing me as he paced back and forth 50-80 yards from my blind.
Tuesday started out similarly. He gobbled the most from the roost as I have heard from him before. Then he joined 3 hens and a Jake in the field in front of me. They ranged back and forth for two hours before two hens approached within 25 yards of my blind. He couldn't stand them being so close to my fan decoy and came gobbling and running in to reclaim his harem. I took the shot at 26 yards. I hit him a little bit forward and he flopped into the woods and down over a ridge. It took me a little bit to find him and my dad joined me for the search. I found him just as my dad arrived. 20 lb. 9 inch beard. 7/8 inch spurs
I don't have money to spend on a turkey mount, but I was wondering if anyone has experience preserving turkey skins (with tail feathers and wings still attached). What's the best way to get the flesh off such a thin hide?
Also, I was wondering if many guys take on turkeys without a blind? What do you look for in setting up?
Thanks! I will try to post some pictures soon. Maybe some video too.
I can not help w/preserving the skin either sorry. I have heard a few people on here take their turkey's feathers and use them on their arrows, that would be a nice way to remember your turkey. Put them on your turkey hunting arrows!
On top of doing without the immense advantage of a manmade blind, I've been using 60-65 lb selfbows which offers a turkey hunter other challenges the compound bow doesn't.... zero letoff, so no drawing early and waiting for a bird to step out from behind an obstacle and twice the length to navigate from the sitting position. Lots of fun trying though :^)
I prefer to hunt them after 'green up', and use that and any available terrain features for cover, just like deer hunting from the ground... fallen or loggeed treetops, huge boulders, creeks or washouts, a stump, bush or tree, whatever is available. I've even had turkeys spend considerable time just a few feet from me while I sat in the open with my back against a wrist-thick sapling and no background cover... just couldnt close the deal. I think my best chance will come late season, on a lone gobbler, full strut, facing straight away.
The best way to flesh your bird yourself is a soft wire wheel on a small motor or a drill in a vise. Run the skin along the feather track in the same direction as the quill. This should clean all the fat off the quills and skin. It might take a little to get hang of it but will work great. After you get it clean then wash the skin in a degreaser. Dawn dish detergent should work fine for you. You can then soak the skin in acetone or mineral spirits(5-10 min) for a final degreasing. Blow dry...borax...and done!
*Note- Borax is not a tanning agent and is only a temporary bug deterrent that will dry the skin out. If you do not get all the fat off birds and wash & degrease properly... You will get bugs!
Good Luck!
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Did a little more searching online and found that cornmeal and borax used together can work well to preserve any meat that is missed in the fleshing out process. I wish I had done more research before season. I may have kept the whole head/neck and legs too. O well maybe next year. I'll learn on this one and hopefully improve from there
Good luck to everyone still seeking a candidate to wear your tag.
I'll be sure to get a few pictures of the skin when it's finished.
Honestly,it was a lot more luck than skill.I just had a good set up that worked out.
Pick up a Denny Gulvas DVD called hunting pressured gobblers.It's more of an instructional dvd than entertainment but it's all filmed in northcentral Pa.It will make you a better turkey hunter and they do have some archery footage without blinds.
