Is it me? Turkey question

[bcla]

In your post you specifically stated "I don't know how legal it would be for me to grab a turkey in the neighborhood and just eat it". I think my response was quite appropriate. You may note I said nothing about roadkill or attempted to state what the hunting rules might be where you live -- particularly since I have no idea where that may be.

Yes, wild turkeys are sometimes aggressive.

I know it would be illegal to hunt them. It was just an common expression and not a statement on my understanding of whether or not it would be legal.

I got interested and apparently it is possible to get depredation permits to take turkeys that are considered nuisance animals. I'm not sure if firearm discharge is legal where I live, but it would highly unusual in any case. I guess a bow or crossbow (a la Dukes of Hazzard) might be legal.

 

[cabanafrau]

I know it would be illegal to hunt them. It was just an common expression and not a statement on my understanding of whether or not it would be legal.

I got interested and apparently it is possible to get depredation permits to take turkeys that are considered nuisance animals. I'm not sure if firearm discharge is legal where I live, but it would highly unusual in any case. I guess a bow or crossbow (a la Dukes of Hazzard) might be legal.

A good rule of thumb regarding use of a bow or crossbow is you generally don't fire them in areas where you would not be able to legally fire a rifle or shotgun to hunt, as being hit with an arrow from them would be equally as lethal or severely wounding as a bullet might be. They are all projectiles when fired.

 

[RedAngie]

I ordered a fresh not frozen turkey and it still came frozen. Are they suppose to be frozen?

I think a lot of those so-called fresh turkeys (at supermarkets anyway) are partially frozen. I've poked at them and there are definitely frozen spots. I don't think they're 100% rock hard solid frozen, but still maybe 50% frozen.

I usually get the store brand frozen turkey breast for free for spending a certain amount. Those are not great, but they're acceptable. Turkey is only a small part of the Thanksgiving dinner anyway. Most people like the sides better.

 

[bcla]

A good rule of thumb regarding use of a bow or crossbow is you generally don't fire them in areas where you would not be able to legally fire a rifle or shotgun to hunt, as being hit with an arrow from them would be equally as lethal or severely wounding as a bullet might be. They are all projectiles when fired.

I get that. However, there are still those who get depredation permits and use them in residential areas. I believe it's mostly city ordinances that don't allow for firearm discharge, but there may also be "prohibited areas" in unincorporated areas as defined by the county. I don't hunt and I haven't really had cause to take down a turkey, but I've heard of cases where a professional hunter was brought in to take a nuisance animal. I was thinking that a strict matter of law, using a bow might be legal where discharging a firearm would not.

I do remember the uproar when there was a deer that was shot by Oakland Police. I mean - shot seven times with police sidearms. I'm still trying to figure out what they were thinking. It's not like deer aren't common in Oakland. I live in a similar neighborhood and I've never heard of the cops shooting a deer.

http://abc7news.com/archive/7420987/

 

[Elleshoodat]

Turkey doesn't taste any better or worse to me, but I do find myself liking dark meat more (I used to only eat white). That goes for turkey and chicken.

And I'm with those who prefers sides (or ham) over the actual Thanksgiving turkey anyway. I just cook it for tradition's sake.

 

[soccerdad72]

Either I'm not very picky or don't recall turkey from the "old days", but we've typically had pretty good tasting turkeys for a long time.

 

[cabanafrau]

I get that. However, there are still those who get depredation permits and use them in residential areas. I believe it's mostly city ordinances that don't allow for firearm discharge, but there may also be "prohibited areas" in unincorporated areas as defined by the county. I don't hunt and I haven't really had cause to take down a turkey, but I've heard of cases where a professional hunter was brought in to take a nuisance animal. I was thinking that a strict matter of law, using a bow might be legal where discharging a firearm would not.

I do remember the uproar when there was a deer that was shot by Oakland Police. I mean - shot seven times with police sidearms. I'm still trying to figure out what they were thinking. It's not like deer aren't common in Oakland. I live in a similar neighborhood and I've never heard of the cops shooting a deer.

http://abc7news.com/archive/7420987/

No, use of a bow won't make hunting in a residential area where a firearm isn't allowed any safer.

 

[bcla]

No, use of a bow won't make hunting in a residential area where a firearm isn't allowed any safer.

Well - even the police shooting at an animal in a residential area isn't safe, but I'm thinking what's legal.

There are unincorporated areas in my county where there are residences and where hunting is legal. Quite a few homeowners have found bullet holes, including one guy who says that he saw a shot make a hole about 4 feet from his head. There are requirements for separation from residences (without permission), but that might not help that much when a bullet can travel several times that distance. There was one case where someone claimed that he had permission from a homeowner, but he was still within the distance of other homeowners who hadn't granted him permission.

I'm not an expert on hunting laws, but I've never heard of anyone bagging an animal in my neighborhood.

 

[cabanafrau]

Well - even the police shooting at an animal in a residential area isn't safe, but I'm thinking what's legal.

There are unincorporated areas in my county where there are residences and where hunting is legal. Quite a few homeowners have found bullet holes, including one guy who says that he saw a shot make a hole about 4 feet from his head. There are requirements for separation from residences (without permission), but that might not help that much when a bullet can travel several times that distance. There was one case where someone claimed that he had permission from a homeowner, but he was still within the distance of other homeowners who hadn't granted him permission.

I'm not an expert on hunting laws, but I've never heard of anyone bagging an animal in my neighborhood.

???? Did I say you could hunt turkeys in your neighborhood? I merely said there are hunting laws that provide for turkey hunting.

If the Google can't clarify your hunting queries, perhaps you might try contacting your Department of Natural Resources, or appropriate agency in your state to clarify things for you. Using a bow won't make the hunting anymore legal in densely populated areas. I shudder to think anyone would consider for a moment that a hunter armed with a bow would be any less lethal than one with a firearm in a residential area. One of my daughters is a competitive archer and certified coach. Bows are lethal weapons capable of killing or seriously injuring people if proper rules aren't followed.

Special permits and arrangements are made when professional hunters are brought in to cull nuisance animals from areas where hunting would otherwise be illegal. Police are authorized to use firearms in areas and situations where private citizens may not be -- it's part of the reason they receive the extensive training they do.

 

[tvguy]

Yes poultry has changed....I've switched to organic or some of the better all-natural brands and it has improved the quality/taste.

I think it's the breeding for size. Honestly sometimes if I'm buying run of the mill chicken I look for the smallest sizes and they taste better.

I am debating paying out the big bucks for a organic/not frozen/$$$ turkey for this year.

We have moved away from all natural and organic, we found THOSE were the ones that tasted off.

 

[smokeyblue]

We always have Butterball smoked turkey; turkey tends to be very dry and that process adds some flavor. My grandmother used to find a really fat roasting chicken and use that instead, but my husband insisted on turkey so that is what the kid have grown up accustomed to.

My family loves the butterball smoked turkey, but unfortunately they don't sell it anywhere where we live. Aldi carried them for a short while about 5 years ago and we would go out of our way to get them (nearest Aldi at the time was 3 hours away).

My brother has built a large smoker. I wonder if he would be able to smoke a turkey.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I think a lot of those so-called fresh turkeys (at supermarkets anyway) are partially frozen. I've poked at them and there are definitely frozen spots. I don't think they're 100% rock hard solid frozen, but still maybe 50% frozen.

I usually get the store brand frozen turkey breast for free for spending a certain amount. Those are not great, but they're acceptable. Turkey is only a small part of the Thanksgiving dinner anyway. Most people like the sides better.

Thank you for an answer, I can say the one I had did taste really good. So I may order another one this year. I order the smallest one I can get.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I noticed the 'frozen' fresh turkeys too.
I read up on it, and yes, they are kept right close to freezing for food quality and safety.
Frozen turkeys are deep-frozen at a very low temp.
I am not sure that the deep frozen turkeys are not better!

I am also not sure that there is a negative affect of our turkeys today, compared to just a few years ago.
I tend to think that it is the processing and cooking that make the biggest difference!

 

[indimom]

I don't notice any difference in Turkey? It's still good to me. I'll cook a whole turkey a couple times a year.

 

[Kitty 34]

I don't eat turkey very often but I have noticed a different taste when cooking chicken breasts.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I think a lot of those so-called fresh turkeys (at supermarkets anyway) are partially frozen. I've poked at them and there are definitely frozen spots. I don't think they're 100% rock hard solid frozen, but still maybe 50% frozen.

I usually get the store brand frozen turkey breast for free for spending a certain amount. Those are not great, but they're acceptable. Turkey is only a small part of the Thanksgiving dinner anyway. Most people like the sides better.

Fresh Turkeys are shipped at 26-28 degrees which is just below freezing and have been harvested within the past 3 weeks. They have to ship at that temp or they'll spoil. Frozen Turkeys are shipped at Zero degrees and could have been harvested 6 months ago. So most turkeys have at minimum been frozen a bit on the outside. Even the ones labelled Fresh. They will be firm to the touch if they just came off the truck but are not completely Frozen.

Which is better? Obviously anyone that has seen my posts on cooking threads knows I'm going to say fresh. But you also know what I'm going to say to qualify that. When the Frozen one is 99 cents a pound and the fresh one is $2.19 uh is it that much better? And what is more, when you're buying everything to go with your turkey and for company, you often have enough to get the frozen one free in some places. Let's see. 32 bucks for a 16 pound turkey or... Free. Your mileage may vary but I think I'm going to pick free. Often times, which to buy may not even depend upon the Turkey at all. If you don't have any space in your freezer and barely any in the fridge, you're probably going to buy it the night before Fresh. If you have such space and you did your big shopping the week before, you're better off buying Frozen.

Roasting your turkey correctly vs incorrectly makes far more difference than Fresh or Frozen.

 

[moon]

I don't like turkey so I don't eat it often, but nowadays when I eat chicken I feel it tastes like cardboard. It's like you have to add a million sauces and species to make the taste even passable. I used to love chicken. Not anymore.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I think turkey is just a bland bird. You gotta inject it with creole butter. Omg. Melt in your mouth!

 

[NYCgrrl]

There are soooo many reasons why the taste (and texture) of turkey can change it's hard to pin down and a lot of it has to do modern breeding, feed and cooking styles.

Currently, there is a trend towards less is more in poultry preservation which means the factory injected Butterball is not as popular as it used to be.
So many possibilities but only one day to get it right.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

I like it, but not to eat all the time. If you're talking about Thanksgiving turkey, it needs to be soaked in gravy for my taste. As a few others have mentioned, the turkey is incredibly dry. The gravy helps with that. And then for leftovers, I like doing turkey sandwiches on a baguette. Butter up the baguette, turkey on top, then gravy on top of turkey, so damn good!