So I’m still in school and I like to turkey hunt as much as possible but I have to be at my votech school at 7:50 in the morning. Tomorrow is opening day here in Missouri and I was wondering if I shoot one tomorrow morning can I put it on ice until I can get back home and clean it?

Yes, you can. Ideally, you should at least gut it and stuff some ice in the body cavity. Or skin it if you aren't going to pluck it. You want to cool it down as quick as you can.

Bring a cooler, gut the bird and fill the cavity with a bag of ice should be good all day just put it where animals can't get to it!

With a high in the 40’s tomorrow you will have nothing to worry about

Thanks everyone also how does one go about gutting a bird? I’ve never gutted one just breasted and legged them. That’s kinda what I was thinking too. Clay

Make a cut where they put the stuffing in if you cannot breast it out and transport it parted out, then that's the best way! Just make a cut in the stuffing slot at the bottom of the breast and start pulling, take some water and paper towels with to wash up when your done.

You should be alright doing this.

You can breast it about as fast if not faster than removing the entrails and throw the breast on ice. The legs aren’t much for table fare in my opinion but they r edible.

It is the law here to take the drums (legs). You don't want to get stopped and not have all parts of that bird. It would be a good idea to read your requirements on your DNR site. I hope you get one.

I work 2nd shift, I may kill one as late as 12-1 pm and just gut the bird, open up the beast area and put it on ice until I get home from work, and finish processing the bird...Works for me....

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My thoughts exactly. It is quick to do.

Removing the breast and transporting it is not legal everywhere check your game laws first.

After you tele-check your turkey (or deer) you can process it in Missouri. Make sure you check it before breasting the bird.

Gut that bird, pack with ice.
Lay bags of ice on it in cooler.
IMHO

Cut out the breast meat= 2 minutes max.

Not sure how long it takes for you to get to your school, but depending on when you get your bird I would just breast it and take the legs. The legs aint much but my wife boils them and makes turkey salad out of them. Breasting and taking the legs shouldn't take any more than 10 minutes. Depending on time between your classes I would consider putting the bird in a cooler with ice and processing it between classes if you have the time.

I have shot birds before 0630 off the roost and other that didn't fly down till after 0730. Just depends on the day, how close you are to the bird and how willing the bird is.

Just a thought since you have to be to school so early, if the bird does not fly right down to you, it probably has hens and you will be better off backing out and working him another day when you have time.

This may not be the best approach, but I have had some luck with it. If the gobbler is talking to you on roost, when it is light enough give a fly down cackle and beat your hat between your chest and legs then rake your arm across the ground (make it sound like a hen flying down and landing). Then give some yelps. Give him a minute then some more yelps if he does not fly down. If he is eager he will fly down close if you are close to him (less than 150 yards ish). That has been my experience. Tho most tend to be roosted closer to hens and fly down to them. It is worth a try when you are on a time schedule. Sometimes they fly down to the first hen and other times they wait till they all fly down.

This all comes down to making the right choices, this is called experience. Sadly, the only way to gain experience is through bad choices. We learn form our mistakes. Some we learn from others but most we learn on our own.

Go and gain some experience.

Good luck.

Jerry Jr.