12 EASY STEPS
1. To begin, hang your tom by the head.

2. With a sharp knife, cut the skin where the feathers on the neck meet the skin of the head.

3. Continuing down the back and toward the tail, remove the skin in an approximate two-inch wide strip. You will notice that the feathers attach to the skin in rows and the narrow strip of skin actually holds a much wider angular blanket of feathers.

4. Remove the skin to and including the fleshy end of the tail.

5. With knife and spoon, remove the fat and flesh.

6. Cover wet skin in Borax.

7. Lay Borax covered skin on large piece of flat corrugated cardboard.

8. With straight pins, pin the head end to cardboard.

9. Fan tail, spread to the desired width and pin each feather in place.

10. With an ice pick, lay each feather in place.

11. Let dry three to four weeks.

12. Remove pins, shake loose Borax and hang.

Note: You may wish to mount the cape on a piece of wood cut to fit the cape.—Rob Keck

Lohman's kit was an absolute cinch to do. The author first, of course shot his bird. After removing the the beard carefully and taking care of the breast meat, the next step was removing the tail.

The National Wild Turkey Federation’s Grand National Taxidermy Championship, held each year during the NWTF’s national convention, has raised the level of awareness of top-notch turkey creations.

Once you’ve brought your mount home, these tips will help keep your bird in top shape.

1. Do not place mounts near heat sources such as fireplaces, hot lighting or air vents.

2. Keep mounts out of direct sunlight to keep them from fading.

3. Do not keep mounts in damp areas.

4. Clean mounts with a dry cloth, brushing the feathers in the direction they lay; do not use a vacuum cleaner for cleaning.

5. Check mounts periodically for signs of insect infestation. Contact your taxidermist if you find anything suspicious.

6. Handle mounts as little as possible. They become more brittle over time.

7. Keep temperature extremes to a minimum. Constant room temperatures are best.

8. Clean glass eyes with a damp Q-tip.

9. Make sure all wall anchors supporting mounts are secure. Inspect periodically.

10. The tips of tail and wing feathers may become “ruffled.” Simply smooth them out with your fingers.

Be sure to catch some of the best taxidermy in North America at the NWTF’s Grand National Taxidermy Championship next year during the Federation’s National Convention and Sport Show in Charlotte, N.C., February 21-24, 2002. For more details, call 800-THE NWTF.—Rob Keck

LOHMAN KIT CONTINUED…

The author's mount took him all of 20 minutes to build and hang on the wall.

Some hunters don’t realize this, but you can remove a turkey’s beard easily by grabbing it firmly where the beard meets the breast feathers. Give the beard a solid yank and it usually comes off bearing nothing but a little white skin that holds it all in one piece. Otherwise, take your knife to breast skin around the base of the beard. Carefully cut all the way around the base of the beard. Then, do the necessary trim work and lay on the borax.

Next, pin the fan down flat on a fairly large piece of cardboard. A few days to a week is about all the time the fan needs to dry out. Now, it’s ready for the Lohman Kit.

Simply lay your flattened fan into the back piece of the mount. Place the piece of foam that’s included in the kit on top of the fan. Next, place the decorative front plate on top of the fan. Now, slip the black, beard-holding inserts into the holes. These inserts keep the entire unit tight as a drum. Now place your swingin’ beard into one of the beard holders and you’re ready to go lookin’ for a place to hang your trophy!–Nino Bosaz

For a huge selection of turkey mounts see eders.com

Of course, there’s no guarantee you’re going to harvest a wild turkey just because you go hunting, but trying is half the fun. While going to the store is still the most reliable means of getting dinner, spending time in the woods, getting some exercise and the pride of being self-reliant is what a traditional life outdoors is all about.

To learn more about turkey hunting, how to get involved in turkey hunting and find more great recipes for wild turkey and other game, contact the NWTF at 800-THE NWTF or check out the Federation’s web site at www.nwtf.org.—Doug Howlett

Cajun Mardi Gras Wild Turkey Breast
Get out your beads, masks and doubloons! It’s time for Mardi Gras, which is Latin for “removal of flesh.” Carnival has many symbols, including Boeuf Gras or “fatted bull.” Traditionally, Boeuf Gras is the ancient symbol for the last meat eaten before the Lenten season of fasting begins. Thanks to this delicious wild turkey recipe from Dave Constantine of Durand, Wis., in the Wild About Turkey cookbook, Dindon Gras, or “fatted turkey,” may be the newest Mardi Gras symbol! An easy to prepare entree, Cajun Mardi Gras Wild Turkey Breast served over rice is easily complemented with a Caesar salad, yeast rolls and, of course, a King Cake or Moon Pies for dessert. As they say in Mobile and New Orleans during Mardi Gras: “Laissez les bon temps roulez!” (Let the good times roll!)

Cajun Mardi Gras Wild Turkey Breast
1 pound bacon, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
Cajun poultry seasoning, as needed
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 (2-pound) boneless turkey breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In a large, heavy skillet, add bacon and sprinkle it with Cajun seasoning. Fry until crisp. Drain, discard grease and set aside. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and sauté the chopped onion until tender. Remove onion, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine turkey, 2 tablespoons of oil, Worcestershire sauce and more Cajun seasoning. In the same skillet, heat remaining butter and oil until sizzling. Add turkey, bacon and onion. Sauté until turkey is brown and tender. Serve entree over rice. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey
Springtime is a time of rebirth, a time of new beginnings. It is at this time of year that families celebrate many special occasions—Easter, Passover, christenings, weddings and Mother’s Day—just to name a few. And Spring is a great time to show off your newly- bagged gobbler! A.M. Glombowski of Lake Forest, Ill., has a delicious recipe using a whole bird—Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey. This is an easy-to-prepare recipe that will look beautiful on your special table this spring, or any other time of the year. Enjoy!

Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey
14 slices bacon, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup water
1 (8-ounce) package cornmeal stuffing mix
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup dry red wine, divided
1 (10- to 12-pound) wild turkey

Fry eight slices bacon until crisp. Drain bacon, crumble and set aside. Sauté the chopped onion and celery in bacon drippings. When the vegetables are tender, add 1/2 cup water, and simmer for five minutes. Stir in stuffing mix and crumbled bacon. Dissolve bouillon cube in 1/2 cup hot water. Add 1/2 cup red wine to bouillon. Add the bouillon-wine mixture to the stuffing mixture, and stuff the turkey. Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan. Lay 4 slices of bacon across the breast, and wrap a slice of bacon around each leg. Cover pan with foil; then place lid on pan. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 4 1/2 hours. Remove cover and foil. Pour remaining wine over the turkey. Baste every 10 minutes while cooking an additional 40 minutes. Yield: 12 to 15 servings.

Marinated Wild Turkey Rolls

No matter the holiday or special gathering, a hors d’oeuvre made from a wild turkey is made from the heart. Marinated Wild Turkey Rolls, a recipe from Gary L. Crafton of Coffeeville, Miss., is easy to prepare and a tasty treat. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or friends over to watch the big game, everyone will love snacking on these. Once cooked, the rolls will easily stay warm in an oven on the lowest setting until serving time. The rolls also may be frozen (after the initial cooking). Just defrost them in the refrigerator and heat them in the oven before serving. At a dressy get-together, serve this meaty fingerfood in a silver chafing dish, or use a terra-cotta cooker as a serving container for a more casual affair. Enjoy!

1 (5 lb.) wild turkey breast, deboned
12 ounces commercial Italian dressing
12 strips thickly sliced bacon
toothpicks

Cut breast meat along the grain into long, thin 1/4-inch-thick strips. Submerge strips in dressing, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for three to six hours. Drain. Place a strip of bacon onto each sliced turkey breast strip, cut the bacon/turkey strip 4 inches long, roll into a pinwheel, and secure with a toothpick. Place in a large non-stick skillet and cook over very low heat for about an hour. (You may also try baking them at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.) The turkey roll is done before bacon browns. Yield: 6 servings

Southwest Shrimp, Turkey and Rice Soup

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
½ cup onion, sliced or diced
½ cup celery, diced finely
1 cup instant long grain rice
1 tbsp. cooking oil
several cloves of garlic, minced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
¾ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ pound of turkey, cooked, in bite sized pieces
jalapeno pepper, sliced
green onions, sliced
cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

In a large saucepan, combine broth and water and bring to a boil. Add onion and celery and cook for 2 minutes; add rice, bring back to a boil then cover, remove from heat and set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic, red pepper, jalapeno (optional), shrimp and turkey; sauté just until shrimp are done (they will turn red); about 3 minutes. Stir the shrimp/turkey mixture into the rice/broth mixture.

Divide the soup evenly among 4 to 6 bowls. Top each bowl with a little chopped cilantro and green onion and serve with a wedge of lime.

Wild Turkey Dijon

2 pounds boneless turkey breast
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup green onions, finely sliced
sliced mushrooms, morels preferred
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup cream

Slice the turkey breast into serving size pieces and pound gently with a meat mallet (or the edge of a plate). Season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the turkey, turning once, until done. Remove to a warm platter. Add garlic, green onion, mushrooms to the pan and sauté until onion is tender (add more butter if necessary). Stir in mustard, lemon juice, sherry, and cream and stir over simmer until slightly thickened. Add turkey to sauce until heated through. Serve with rice or noodles. About 4 servings.

Answer:
For sure, you should be using the largest broadhead so that you cause as much tissue damage as possible. Penetration is not an issue with turkeys, but since their kill zones are small (about the size of your fist) you need to place your arrow precisely. A wide cutting diameter will help to improve your recovery rate on marginally hit birds. The biggest heads are mechanical models with cutting diameters of 2 ¾ inches. Some of the largest are made by Vortex, and others are made by Rocket. Mechanical heads are not legal in all states so check your regulations before using them.

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Any arrow that works on deer will work on turkeys, but the addition of a string tracker is definitely a good idea. String trackers effect your arrow flight past about 25 to 30 yards, but since you won’t be taking long shots at turkeys anyway (because the kill zone is so small) the drag of the string through the air won’t effect your accuracy at normal hunting distances.

One of the coolest turkey broadheads available is the: Arrowdynamic Solutions Gobbler Guillotine it is available at eders.com Check out the video below.