# Plucking your birds.



## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

With the fall season right around the corner I would like to know the easiest way to pluck a turkey, or pheasant for that matter. Without having to skin it out or just cut the breast out of it? I usually just skin mine but they tend to dry out when roasting even when done in an oven bag, the same for any pheasants I am fortunate enough to get.


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Also interested!


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## bird-dogman (Apr 7, 2010)

I bought the book:
Anyone Can Build a Tub-Style Mechanical Chicken Plucker"
Herrick Kimball

I still haven't build the plucker yet, maybe this year ! :glasses-nerdy:


Jim


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

I gut the bird then put it in a 5 gallon bucket of hot water. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes then pluck the feathers. Works very well.


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

Pheasants I soak in warm wtr,pluk soak pluck till clean of feathers.
Turkeys i like to plk as soon as possible,usualy rite after pics n chk in.
Hang upside down from tree by legs.Start at legs and work down I dry plk
them works good for me.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

How warm of water? I tried this last year but I think the water was just too warm because it cooked some of the skin so I just ended up skinning out a wet turkey, what a mess!


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## Backtroll (Mar 7, 2010)

I soak in 140-160 degree water. Any hotter tends to cook the skin and it will tear easier. However, I usually just skin. I remove the breast meat from the carcass. This gives two large pieces. I cook in a crockpot using various soups (mushroom), vegies, and season to taste. The meat will not dry out using this method. The thighs and legs are cooked in a pressure cooker. Remove the meat from bones, and tendons. Use with gravey over biscuts, rice, noodles. Enjoy you harvest!!!


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## fshgw/2 (May 24, 2004)

Last year, my son and I bagged fall turkeys for the first time. We soaked the birds and plucked them. Seemed to take a long time but was worth the effort. I brined one of the birds and roasted it for Thanksgiving. It was great, not dry at all.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

Can't think of anything related to hunting I hate worse than plucking birds. For me there is no 'good', it's all horrible. So for turkey the best method I've found is make my kids do it. Not quite sure how they do it, but I know it makes a mess. As far as pheasant goes I just breast them out and found the easiest method for that is to lay them on their back, put one foot on each wing, and pull firmly on their feet. The entire edible contents of the bird pulls out in a nice clean package.


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## The Ojibwa (May 30, 2010)

The reason for the hot water is to kill germs and help remove dirt and feathers. Boil up some water and let it cool to the point where you can put your hands in but is uncomfortable. Let the bird soak for less than 2 minutes and start plucking. As said before, soaking too long in too hot of water will tear the skin. Once you have it plucked, take a small propane torch and burn the "hairs" you missed while plucking. The key is not to burn the skin, but the remaining tiny feathers. 

This is how we do chickens...so maybe with a tough old gobbler you may have to soak longer, but the principle is the same.


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