Georgia's Turkeys Safer on Thanksgiving Day Than in April Because of Hunting Season

April is a terrible month to be a turkey in the state of Georgia.

Georgia's wild turkeys should fear April even more than November, as the state's turkey hunting season is open fully.Photo byDeanLand / OurTravelCafe.com

While November is the worst month for the distant farm-raised cousins of Georgia's wild turkeys, the Peach State flocks enjoy regulatory immunity from the Thanksgiving slaughter.

But Georgia's turkeys should be terrified in April. That's because the state's annual turkey hunting season will be open fully as of Saturday, April 6. Again in 2024, thousands of hunters are expected to try targeting tasty turkeys.

Turkey hunting is permitted on private lands beginning on March 30, while hunting on public lands begins on April 6. Georgia's 2024 turkey hunting season ends for all on May 15, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division, which is reponsible for managing all game hunting in the state.

In recent years, nearly 20,000 Georgians have participated in the state's annual hunting seasons, based on license and big game permit purchases. In 2023, hunters bagged 11,912 turkeys, with kills recorded in most of Georgia's 159 counties.

Turkeys were harvested from almost all of Georgia's counties in 2023 -- including populated areas Cobb, Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties.Photo byGeorgia Department of Natural Resources

All age groups are represented in the Georgia hunter group, with youngsters often accompanying parents and grandparents into the fields and forests to hunt, learn about conservation, and harvest turkeys for family feasts.

Unlike the farm-raised, grain-fed, hybrid-bred turkeys common on Thanksgiving tables, wild turkey has a more intense flavor, leaner meat, and darker meat in the thighs and legs compared to the white breast meat. By contrast, domestic turkeys have more fat content due to their controlled diet and lack of exercise.

Wild turkeys have less fat and thus are cooked at lower temperatures and more slowly than their farm-raised Thanksgiving cousins.Photo byAshim D’SilvaonUnsplash

Wild turkeys are cooked differently than the store-bought holiday turkeys, too. When cooking wild turkey, it's crucial to brine the meat to retain moisture since it is very lean. Breasts should be cooked at low temperatures to prevent drying out, while legs, wings, and thighs require longer cooking times at low temperatures to tenderize. Wild turkey breast meat tastes firmer than domestic turkey breast and can resemble dark meat in flavor. It is recommended to cook wild turkey carefully to avoid dryness due to its lower fat content

Both a Georgia hunting license and a Georgia big game license are required for turkey hunters. In addition, a state harvest record is required for turkey hunters. Turkey limits for 2024 are two gobblers per season, with a daily bag of one.

Georgia DNR's "Turkey 101" online course helps new and novice hunters learn all about turkeys.Photo byGeorgia Department of Natural Resources

For novice and want-to-be hunters, Georgia's Department of Natural Resources offers a Turkey Hunting 101 course online. The course familiarizes hunters with regulations, turkey identification, habitats, hunting gear, hunting locations and more.

In addition, hunters can access the The Adventure Together - Hunt Georgia website which contains valuable information for new hunters like how to go hunting, where to find hunter ed classes, and what licenses you'll need. There's also over 70 videos on topics ranging from planning your hunt, to selecting a firearm or bow, to how to process your game meat!

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