I have always skinned them to avoid plucking. DO you think leaving the skin on gives it a better/moist taste? if so, whats the best way to pluck them?

That's what I've heard, preferred is to pluck them leaving skin on. Keeps them moister..

Big pot of boiling water. Submerge the turkey in the boiling water. It will help in loosening the feathers. Much easier to remove the feathers this way.


Gman

I pull the breast out, cut it into strips then make chicken fried breast strips. It is amazing.

If I am going to smoke a wild turkey then it is plucked, otherwise fillet the breast, pull the legs and thighs and skin them for potpie or other dishes and get those nice pieces off the back, that gets most of the meat off and doesn't take nearly as much room in the freezer and vacuum packs nicely.

For plucking a turkey the old tried and true scald with hot water then pluck seems to work best

I only pluck them when im dippin them in peanut oil

Skin it, and filet the breasts - Wrapping in bacon & smoking gives a 'better/BEST taste'!

Skin it.

We always plucked ours, with two people it went pretty quickly. We tried the scalding method but it didn't seem to work very well and you ended up plucking a wet bird with feathers sticking to everything.

However, after reading the suggestions above about skinning/boning, I may try one that route in the future. After 25 years we've finally got enough again to hunt.

Skin it if your gonna chicken fry, pick it if your gonna bake or deep fry "whole bird" keeps it moister.

Fillet the breast and leave the rest.

This. Batter and chicken fry = yum yum!

I always skin my turkeys

always just breast it out.

my first one I tried plucking, didn't take me long to switch to skin

Chicken fry the breast on turkeys AND duck. Only way to go
Dont forget the cream gravy and biscuits!!

Booyahhh baby,,,

I thought folks quit plucking turkey in about 1890

I've only killed one. I plucked it as soon as I got to it. The feathers came off clean.

Good info, now I just need to shoot a turkey

thanks for sharing. We slowed down on the turkey killing because we couldn't find a good way to cook the breast without it drying out. We didn't try the chicken' fry.
Killing will now resume.....

I pluck our birds. If I'm cleaning multiple birds, I'll dip them in hot water to loosen the feathers and make it a little easier. Water temp should be around 140 degrees. If the water is too hot, it will rip the skin.