This is the time of year for giving thanks, and for giving a nod to the Mayflower, maize, and a magnificent traditional meal in about a fortnight. Being that Virginia is one of the original Thirteen Colonies, what could be more fitting than to cook a wild turkey for Thanksgiving? Ironically (and as veteran hunters already know) this is much easier said than done.
Avid hunter Chip Davis of Roanoke points out that with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, turkey season does not even fall during this time. Official turkey season starts on Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 6; it resumes on Dec. 7 and continues until Jan. 2. Hunting on Thanksgiving day wasn’t included again until more recently. Therefore the window of opportunity to bring home a wild gobbler for the holiday dinner table is narrow to say the least. Davis says “a hunter would be hard pressed to kill a turkey, clean the bird and have it cooked in time for lunch on Thanksgiving—maybe an evening meal could be do-able.”
Davis actually killed his first turkey Thanksgiving Day last year, although the bird did not end up on the Thanksgiving platter. He commemorated the event by saving the wing bones from his turkey and sending them to his second cousin in Martinsville who makes turkey calls from the wing bones, and engraves them as well. The uninitiated may find this merely a curiosity but according to Davis, “His wing bone calls are well known among hunters and game wardens in the area because he donates them for auctions to raise money for the National Wild Turkey Federation.”
Native Roanoker and long-time hunter Larry Long made it happen – he got his turkey to the table and his wife Carla didn’t even have to cook it. There are numerous obstacles to surmount, however. Long points out that turkey season just isn’t in sync with the Thanksgiving holiday primarily because of deer season. He says “since hunting turkeys is a ‘full camo’ type of activity many hunters will stay out of the woods because of the deer hunters; it doesn’t feel safe when you are in full camo and rifles and muzzle loader rifles are in the same woods deer hunting.” Because of the way the hunting seasons are set up, he added, “there are only about 11 days of turkey season that you can be in the woods without deer hunters.”
Add to that some surprising turkey stats that might cause less tenacious types to forego turkey hunting altogether. Turkeys can: fly 40-50 mph; run over 30 mph; hear 3-4 times better than a human; see ten times better and they have a peripheral vision of 270 degrees. Turkeys may not be particularly bright, but they are very well-equipped to avoid getting caught in a hunter’s line of sight.
Long’s solution is to hunt for turkey in the spring, when it is safer as well. The spring season is from April 10 – May 1 (1/2 hour before sunrise until noon) and from May 3 – May 15 (1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset). Spring is also optimum because the spring birds are larger, although hunters are only allowed to kill gobblers in the spring—no hens. If the hunt proves successful, Long advises that from there it’s: “freeze that bird and have it for your Thanksgiving meal in the fall.” Although many consider wild birds to have a “gamey” flavor, Long says he, his wife and two daughters have no problem with it, in fact he says he really doesn’t notice the difference.
Perhaps that has something to do with the recipe he has had around for so long that he can’t remember who gave it to him. His wife Carla gets a pass; Larry does the cooking. The length of cook time requires that either a frozen spring bird is used or the family will have to wait until around midnight on Thanksgiving, but either way Long says it works every time. He prefers to put it in the oven in the evening so it’s ready in the morning. Just don’t leave the pin feathers on (thinking they would just burn off) like he did the first time he tried it. (Wherever this recipe came from, there is a good chance a guy wrote it . . .)
Easy Overnight Turkey (best for 18 pounds plus)
½ stick butter –Rub butter inside and out, any left over, just throw inside
Add to inside of turkey: clove of garlic, 1 large onion (quartered), unpeeled apple (quartered).
Cooking: Breast side down – Bake 1 hr. at 325
Turn on back – Reduce to 200
Bake uncovered 10 – 12 hours
(If you are interested in having a turkey wing bone made into a turkey call, contact Guy Norton III at 276-673-4079)
By Cheryl Hodges [email protected]
It’s really a good idea not to have deer season and turkey season running together. This helps eliminate deer hunters with high powered rifles from shooting at what they think is a turkey; but is actually a turkey hunter making a noise like a turkey.