Turkey Recipes – 7 Tips For Cooking Wild Turkey

Posted on April 26, 2012 by havalon

What To Do After Field Dressing Your Turkey

By John Jameson

Cooking Wild Turkey in BrineHarvesting a wild turkey is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have after heading out on the hunt. And once you’ve mastered the art of field dressing your bird and transporting it (or its most succulent parts), to the final destination in your kitchen, the only thing you have left to worry about is cooking your wild turkey.

1. One of the most common problems unseasoned turkey hunters run into when cooking wild turkey is that the bird comes out dry. There’s nothing wrong with the bird or the cooking method. A tender bird is ensured only through proper preparation, no matter what method of cooking—deep-frying, brining, grilling, roasting, etc.—is employed.

2. Pluck or skin the bird as soon as possible. If you’re plucking and can’t complete the task right away, make sure you have a way to boil water to 140°. Plucking and skinning ahead of time ensures that the feathers don’t cool into the skin and make it tough.

3. Properly field dressing your turkey is crucial. Unless you live less than an hour from where you are hunting, you should bring along the sharpest hunting knife in the woods and field dress your bird while out on the hunt. This will eliminate acids from building up inside your kill, which can make the final product less appetizing. If you are only taking the breast meat and thighs, you can use the gutless field dressing method. Pack a few gallon size freezer bags and some paper towels just in case you need to do your work in the field.

4. Your wild turkey is not the same as a store-bought turkey. A store-bought turkey has been soaked in juices and injected with plumping preservatives to keep it juicy. Wild turkeys are very lean. Therefore they need to be basted at least twice as often, if not three times as often, as a store-bought bird.

5. You can also utilize the beer-can method by putting a full opened can of beer inside your turkey for roasting. With this method you stand the open beer can upright and you position the bird over the top of the can. The beer steam then helps moisten the bird during roasting. Look up detailed directions on this method on the web. There are different variations so just choose one that appeals to you.

6. Deep-frying your wild turkey is probably the best method for a truly juicy bird. Use a deep-fryer when cooking wild turkey this way. The fat from your turkey will mix in with the oils from the fryer and the pairing will moisten the bird as it cooks. A 20-lb. turkey fries for approximately 60 to 75 minutes at 350°.

7. If you aren’t deep-frying your wild turkey, then brining overnight is highly recommended. You can brine the whole bird, or parts. Use a solution of 1 cup of salt and
1 cup of sugar to each gallon of water. That’s all you really need for a successful brine, but it’s a good idea to add flavoring items like a chopped onion, cut up lemons, rosemary, bay leaves, white wine and so forth. But don’t skip the salt because that is the “active” ingredient that helps seal in moisture. For a Wild Turkey Brine recipe from the National Wild Turkey Federation, click here: www.nwtf.org.

Ready to buy the sharpest hunting knife in the woods? Click Here.

What are your tips for great tasting wild turkey?

 

Posted in Field Dressing Tips, How To, Skinning Knives, Spring Turkey Hunting, Turkey Hunting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How to Choose Your Turkey Calls (Part 2 of 2)
by Steve Sorensen

Posted on April 24, 2012 by havalon

Using Common Sense When Choosing Calls Will Pay Off When It’s Time To Switch Calls

After understanding what rules to use when choosing calls, and the reasons to switch calls, let’s get specific. What calls should you carry?

Box Calls:
Start with a box call. Box calls come in many styles and designs. Some might be easier to run. Some might be louder or softer. Some might be more durable. Box calls are great on windy days, and whenever you want to call aggressively. They reach out with lots of volume, but you can tone them down, too. Always carry at least one box call.

How to Choose Your Turkey Calls Part 2 by Steve Sorensen - Image 1

In thick morning fog, Matt Stephenson called in a hen with his
"Roll Call" and this tom followed, gobbling all the way.

If you carry a second box call, make sure it has a tone clearly distinct from the first – otherwise there’s little reason to carry two. Different types of wood, or thicker sideboards, or more length all contribute to a different sound.

Pot Calls:
What about pot calls, also called pan calls? Their popularity has risen dramatically in the last 15 years. Lots of people make them, and many are deadly effective. Originally the working surface on these calls were slate, but now they’re made from a variety of materials including ceramic, aluminum, copper, glass, plastic, and other new polymers.

Some have multiple surfaces – check out the Tripletone Flipsider from Woods Wise Calls (www.woodswise.com). On one side it has a crystal or glass surface. On the other it has two surfaces – copper and a ceramic-like material but lighter, and needs no care and maintenance. With one call, you have three distinct tones.

Another option for making different sounds on your pot calls is to test different strikers. Hunters Specialties (www.hunterspec.com) offers a three-pack of strikers made from different materials, so you can test different combinations of surfaces and strikers.

Diaphragm Calls:
Then, the mouth calls, or diaphragms. These offer several advantages – the big one is you can call without movement. Another plus is that they’re comparatively inexpensive. However, since you can’t try them out in a store, you can end up spending anywhere from $4 to $10 a pop to find the ones you like. Experimenting with diaphragm calls can run your tab up fast.

How to Choose Your Turkey Calls Part 2 by Steve Sorensen - Image 2

The new Haint gobble call from Down-N-Dirty Outdoors is amazingly realistic.

Diaphragm calls come in a variety of configurations. Makers use latex reeds in varying thicknesses and with multiple layers. They also put various cuts and notches in them to create different tones. Other variables come into play, too. The variable no one talks about is the shape of your own mouth. What your buddy likes might sound completely different coming from your mouth.

Whatever calls you carry, make sure they give clearly different tones not just between calls of the same basic design, but between box calls and diaphragms, diaphragms and pot calls, pot calls and box calls.

Those three basic styles don’t cover all the calls you might need in the turkey woods. You might want to supplement your basic calls with an unconventional style. Check out “The Roll Call” (www.outoftheboxgamecalls.com), by a callmaker named Matt Stephenson. It features a rolled surface made from brass. It operates similar to a pot call. It’s directional, and it works when wet. It’s always a good idea to carry at least one call that works wet.

Locator Calls:
Then there are locator calls. The old tried and true crow call can make a gobbler speak up when nothing else can. The barred owl call is an effective locator call at roost time or in the morning. Learn to make these calls with your voice, and you’ll travel lighter.

Other sounds can be effective locator calls, too. Peacock screams and coyote howls can scare up a gobble. So can the shrill notes of a pileated woodpecker. And of course, the slamming of a car door, or the squeaking of a fence gate. No one makes a call with those sounds yet. Maybe next year.

One more call is worth mentioning – the gobble call. Pull this out when you need to make a gobbler jealous, and when you’re certain no hunters will sneak in on you. Most are some kind of shaker tube with a diaphragm inside that vibrates from the irregular flow of air across it. This year, you can add a realistic new gobble call to your arsenal – the Haint Call from Down-N-Dirty Outdoors (www.downndirtyoutdoors.com). It sets a new standard for gobble calls, and you’re gonna wonder if a real gobbler is hiding inside.

***

About Steve Sorensen

Steve Sorensen, Outdoor WriterAward-winning outdoor writer and speaker Steve Sorensen loves the Havalon knife, and has been a fan of knives since he begged his dad for a hunting knife when he was six years old. His articles have been published in Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine, Sports Afield, and many other top magazines across the USA. Invite Steve to speak at your next sportsman’s event, and follow his writing on his website, www.EverydayHunter.com.

Click HERE to read more articles by Steve.

Posted in Guest Writers, How To, Land & Water Fowl Hunting, Spring Turkey Hunting, Steve Sorensen, Turkey Hunting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How To Field Dress Your Turkey

Posted on April 22, 2012 by havalon

7 Easy Steps To Field Dressing Your Turkey

By John Jameson

With the increasing number of wild turkeys in the woods, turkey hunting is becoming as popular a sport as deer and elk hunting. If you’re hunting with the intention of cooking the whole bird, you must learn how to field dress a turkey. On the other hand, if you are hunting for sport and want a trophy, you should avoid field dressing your turkey as it will make mounting an impossibility. For mounting, just take the turkey to a taxidermist without any field dressing at all.

How To Field Dress Your Turkey - by John JamesonOn the hunt, there are two main reasons you should field dress your turkey before arriving home. The first is if you are far from home and will be unable to do a full cleaning within a short period of time. The second reason is if the day is extremely hot. You don’t want the meat to spoil before you can field dress it.

Here’s how to make a clean, quick cut for traditional field dressing.

1. Lay the turkey down on its back.
2. Remove some of the breast feathers over the breastplate as this will make it easier to complete step number three.
3. Run your index finger down the breastplate until you locate the bottom of the breastplate.
4. Using a sharp knife, (uh, can you say “Havalon,” sharpest hunting knife in the woods) slice the bird from the bottom of the breastplate down to the anal vent, which is located in a narrow passage between the bird’s legs.
5. Extract the most easily removed entrails like the intestines, kidneys, liver, etc.
6. Again using a knife, remove the heart, lungs and windpipe.
7. Fill the body cavity with ice to keep your bird cool and fresh until you can transport it to your final destination.

How To Field Dress Your Turkey - by John JamesonThose hunters who prefer to take only pieces, such as the breasts and legs, should understand how to field dress a turkey with these modifications. For the breasts, cut through the skin on the breast and slice along the edges of the breasts for easy removal. To remove legs and thighs, use your Havalon knife to cut through the thigh muscle, while pulling up on the leg and thigh until the joint pops and the portion comes loose.

Depending on how you intend to cook the turkey, the way you remove the feathers will be affected as well.

• To create the best results for roasting, smoking and deep-frying, hunters should pluck the feathers and leave the skin intact.
• To create the best results for pan frying or grilling, hunters should opt to completely skin the bird.

Next post: Tips on Cooking Your Wild Turkey


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Posted in Field Dressing Tips, How To, Land & Water Fowl Hunting, Spring Turkey Hunting, Turkey Hunting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Paul’s Stories from the Road:
Best Hunting Knife for Skinning Boar

Posted on April 20, 2012 by havalon

By Paul Schwartz

Paul Schwartz, Havalon Division Sales Manager

Paul Schwartz, Havalon Division Sales Manager

Today, I was spoke with Matt from North Carolina. One species that Matt guides hunts for is wild Russian boar, and according to Matt, cutting through the hide of these beasts is like cutting through steel armored plating. On one of Matt’s guided hunts, a repeat client from Maryland observed him sharpening his hunting knife five, six, or more times to dress-out one animal. As is typical for Matt (and most other hunters), he worked harder dressing the hog than hunting it. The client could not believe the amount of work Matt was going through, so he said he would send him a knife that he had to try. Matt was more than happy to accommodate, because after years and years of sharpening knives, like most, he was horrible at it. But he was of the attitude, that it’s probably just another one of those “latest and greatest” tool suggestions.

Not too long after, Matt and his brother each received the promised Havalon Piranta knives. After using his knife, Matt was amazed at how easily the scalpel blade cut through the hide, and was thrilled that he did not have to sharpen his knife. I will paraphrase what Matt said next, “My Piranta is the gall darndest best hog hunting knife I have! That knife will cut through the hide of a boar like nothing I have ever seen. I can completely dress two large boars with one blade.”

Need I say more?

Matt is very eager to become a dealer for Havalon. He knows that having our knife available to his clients will benefit them immensely.

****

About Paul Schwartz:

As the Sales Manager for Havalon Knives, Paul’s primary responsibility is to manage the day-to-day sales through Havalon’s retail, dealer, and web outlets. But Paul adds that making each customer feel appreciated and happy is also an essential part of his daily work.

Originally from Cincinnati, Paul makes his home with his beautiful wife, Maura, in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, which is right on the border of Indiana and Ohio. Paul says, “I can hop, skip, and jump into Ohio. I know; I have done it.” Paul and Maura love dogs, and currently have three rescue dogs. And when Paul’s not working or spending time with his family, he enjoys going to the local stables, jumping on a trusty steed, and spending hours riding through the woods, enjoying the Indiana scenery and wildlife.

What’s your story? Please email me at pschwartz@havalon.com. Let us know why your Havalon Knife is the best hunting knife you have ever used, and what knife now stays back home in the old coffee can.

Posted in Hog Hunting, Paul Schwartz, Reviews of Havalon Knives, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How to Choose Your Turkey Calls (Part 1 of 2)
by Steve Sorensen

Posted on April 20, 2012 by havalon

Two Rules For Choosing Calls,
And Two Reasons For Switching Calls

I could be wrong, but I think turkey hunters have more calls to choose from than any other kind of hunter. There must be a million.

How to Choose Your Turkey Calls Part 1 - Image 1 by Steve Sorensen

If you choose the right call and use it well, turkey hunting can sometimes be as easy as falling off a log. Usually it isn’t, so don’t get discouraged.

OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but passionate and resourceful turkey hunters have dreamed up countless types of calls. Many of them are amazingly realistic, with better turkey sounds in them than some self-respecting turkeys have.

Most hunters have one or two old reliable – “go-to” calls that have worked for them. They’re easy to run, feel natural, and give the hunter confidence. But many hunters also clutter their vest pockets with some of the latest, greatest calls to hit the market in the last few years, but still use nothing but their go-to calls. Why load yourself down with calls that you really don’t believe in, and calls you’ll never actually use in the field?

 

Two Rules For The Calls You Choose

The thought you put into choosing your turkey calls before the hunt can make a big difference during the hunt, so it’s best to have a plan. I recommend carrying only a few calls, and I follow these two rules:

Rule #1:  My first standard is for every call to offer ease, comfort and confidence. If a call fails on these points, I probably won’t use it, so I don’t carry it.

Rule #2:  After those three qualities, I select calls for a variety of tones – low-pitched, high-pitched, smooth, raspy, soft, sharp.

Many hunters suggest carrying a box, a pot, and a couple of diaphragms. (That’s not a bad idea, and I’ll talk more about that in Part 2.) But what if your slate sounds a lot like your box call? Are you really giving the gobbler something different when you switch?

Two Reasons For Switching Calls

How to Choose Your Turkey Calls Part 1 - Image 2 by Steve Sorensen

When you’re switching calls, make sure you’re giving the gobbler the voices of more than one turkey.

You never know what a gobbler will respond to, so when you’re switching calls in an attempt to trigger a response, make an intelligent decision. Don’t change calls just for the sake of changing calls.

Reason #1:  When changing calls, switch from smooth to raspy. Or high-pitched to low-pitched. Or a soft sound to a bright, sharp sound.

That stubborn old gobbler isn’t standing out there thinking, “Hey, that was a Woodhaven pot call, and now I’m hearing a Quaker Boy box!” He doesn’t know the difference between types of calls, but he does notice if there’s a change in tone, and the change in tone is vastly more important than the change in call style. That’s why choosing your calls properly is so important.

Reason #2:  Most hunters think that changing calls is simply an attempt to give the gobbler a sound he likes. Yes, he might respond to your second or third different sound, but maybe it’s because the second or third sound gives him the impression that you’re more than one turkey, and he’s missing out.

When I switch calls, I try to make sure he thinks he hears more than one turkey. After all, every turkey grew up as a member of a flock, so the most ordinary thing in the world is for a turkey to hear the voices of more than one turkey. That seems totally realistic to him.

Why Switching Calls Works

The life story of every turkey involves other turkeys every day. You know – “Birds of a feather…” and all that. Where more eyes are pealed for predators, turkeys feel safer. Where one turkey is scratching for food, other turkeys are copycats. Where one gobbler is mating, others watch. (It’s not really “kinky”, it’s just that wildlife has no private moments.)

When you switch calls, you don’t want to sound like you’re saying, “Well, this didn’t work. I might as well try that.” There’s no confidence in that. Instead, try to sound like you’re a hen that has called in another hen. That means you shouldn’t completely abandon one sound for another. When you switch from a diaphragm to a box call, go back to the diaphragm for a yelp or two. That tells the gobbler a second turkey showed up – and maybe he should, too.

Next time I’ll talk about the specifics about call choices based on the above rules and reasons.

***

About Steve Sorensen

Steve Sorensen, Outdoor WriterAward-winning outdoor writer and speaker Steve Sorensen loves the Havalon knife, and has been a fan of knives since he begged his dad for a hunting knife when he was six years old. His articles have been published in Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine, Sports Afield, and many other top magazines across the USA. Invite Steve to speak at your next sportsman’s event, and follow his writing on his website, www.EverydayHunter.com.

 

Click HERE to read more articles by Steve.

Posted in Guest Writers, Hunting & Fishing Equipment, Land & Water Fowl Hunting, Spring Turkey Hunting, Steve Sorensen, Turkey Hunting, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment