# How do I preserve my turkey beard and spurs?



## utbowhntr (Sep 11, 2007)

Finally drew a tag this year. if I get a bird, how do you take care of the spurs and beard of a turkey? Also, do you mount them, put them in a trophy case/box of some sort, or what do you do with them? Thanks for any info? I drew for the northern region and more than likely will be hunting in Morgan on a person's grandfathers farm that I work with. However, if this falls through, does anyone have any suggestions of where else to scout for turkeys. Just a general place to start looking just as a backup. You can PM me also. I will also be taking my 15 year old son with me who has never been on a turkey hunt. Thanks again. Utbowhntr


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

A couple of things for you. When you remove the beard, be sure to cut a pretty good piece of the skin with it. DO NOT just give the beard a pull as it will pull off the skin and as time goes by it will start to come apart. Salt the end with the skin and let it dry out. In this condition it should stay good for years. The spurs can be left on the leg (from the knee down) and the entire leg(actually the pair) preserved as a trophy or a section of the leg that includes the spur can be cut...maybe a 1/2" above and 1/2" below the spur. The leg is hollow and this short piece of the leg that contains the spur can be put on a necklace or be included in other ways as part of you tail mount. There is no other preserving needed other than to let the leg dry out. Good luck...and remember...when they're coming in...DON'T MOVE!


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## ram2h2o (Sep 11, 2007)

Good advise from Bp. However if you salt the end of the beard make sure you keep in a dry place ( low humidity). You can also try using Borax to treat the skin end of the beard too. Remember don't move when he's coming in and shoot for the area between his head and body, if you only aim at the head you can miss. Good luck!


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## utbowhntr (Sep 11, 2007)

Any specific type of salt I should use? Also, is there a noticeable taste difference between a wild turkey and a domestic turkey? Do you cook a wild turkey different? Thanks.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Regular old table salt works fine, the borax works great too. Course rock salt is not so good cause it won't stick to the flesh as well as the fine stuff. 
About the only thing that you will find different about wild turkeys is that they will probably be a little tougher...you can drive nails with a good old wild turkey leg...so slow cook methods might work best. I prefer to breast them, brime and then cold smoke (smoke only, no heat) the breast and then cook the breast on the George Foreman grill. And the legs...soup!


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