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When preparing your turkey for the pot, you can either skin it or pluck it. Because wild turkeys have such thin skin, many hunters prefer skinning their turkeys as it ’s must faster than plucking the bird. Pick up where you left off gutting the bird Simply continue making the cut in the skin from the body cavity, all the way up the breast bone to the base of the neck. The skin is thin enough that you often can peel it free from the breast meat. Slide your thumbs under the skin and working it up and away from…

There's more than one way to pluck a turkey. Whatever method you choose, don’t just grab a handful of feathers and start yanking. This could rip the very thin skin, and once you’ve ripped the skin it’s difficult to finish plucking. In fact, at that point you may need to resort to skinning the bird. Keep the feet attached to while turkey while plucking it. They’ll give something to hold on to as you rotate and move the carcass around for thorough plucking. Dry plucking a bird – simple but time consuming To dry pluck a turkey, hang it up…

For hunters, spring marks the beginning of the “turkey year” so let’s trace turkey activity through the year beginning in the spring. Spring nesting season The peak of the breeding season has already passed by the time the spring turkey hunting season opens April 15. Toms will breed with multiple hens throughout the spring and early summer. As the eggs develop, the hen will build a ground nest in a place with good cover and close to good brood habitat, which is normally an opening in the forest cover. Once she starts laying eggs, a hen will lay one egg…

Whether you’re out the night before preparing for your morning hunt, or studying the habits of a flock throughout the year, scouting ahead of your hunt will help you find more birds during your hunt. Use optics to spot birds With binoculars or a spotting scope you’ll be able to spot and study birds from a distance without spooking them. Don't be in a hurry when watching turkeys through binoculars or a spotting scope. The birds won’t know you’re there, so take time to study the hens and toms in the flock. See if there’s a big tom you want…

Shooting a target while standing up at the range is a lot different from shooting a turkey while sitting in a ground blind. When practicing for a hunting trip, recreate your shooting scenario. Whether it will be standing, sitting, kneeling, and in or out of a ground blind. Shooting a turkey There ’s no substitute for practicing in conditions that closely resemble those you’ll be hunting in, and this is especially true for bowhunters looking to bag a turkey. Turkeys are nervous birds with very small kill zones, so accurate shot placement is critical for getting a quick, clean kill…