Have you fellas ever eaten a Maine turkey and did it taste normal? I killed a couple last season there and when I cleaned them (as soon as they were killed), they had an awful smell to them. I heard someone say it could be from all the slugs they eat or some of the forever chemicals that they use there. I haven't fried the breast from them yet but I'm a little worried that the meat will not be good.
I hunt Maine and the only bird that was nasty was the hybrid I shot in 2024. It tasted like an air freshener. It's crop was full of spruce needles and crickets. Worst bird I ever ate.I figured it would be awesome due to the part domestic bird, but NOPE. The rest over the last 25 years have been fine. Z
I heard they tasted like lobster.....
Dunno.
Quote from: Yoder409 on September 18, 2025, 10:16:16 AMI heard they tasted like lobster.....
Dunno.
Lol...Loudly.
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I did read an article a while back about Forever Chemicals being found in wild turkey and deer in Maine.
I'd prefer to eat a lobster!!! 🦞
Quote from: DROCK on September 18, 2025, 01:15:48 PMI did read an article a while back about Forever Chemicals being found in wild turkey and deer in Maine.
What are "Forever Chemicals"?
Quote from: RutnNStrutn on September 18, 2025, 04:53:01 PMQuote from: DROCK on September 18, 2025, 01:15:48 PMI did read an article a while back about Forever Chemicals being found in wild turkey and deer in Maine.
What are "Forever Chemicals"?
My understanding is they are man-made chemicals that are found in the environment and human body. They are very hard to break down so they last a very, very long time and are harmful to your health.
Per Google, Examples are: Non-stick cookware (like Teflon), water-repellent rain jackets, stain-resistant carpets and furniture, cosmetics, and some food packaging
LOBSTER??? Surf and Turf with each fork full!!!
I've eaten Maine turkeys for several years and they tasted fine. There are areas in Maine that you shouldn't eat deer or turkey.
https://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting-trapping/hunting/laws-rules/pfas-related-consumption-advisory.html
I kill birds that eat crawfish and fiddler crabs, walk in the mud the majority of the time and live with mosquitoes, sang gnats, dog gnats, horse flies, yellow flies, deer flies, and black flies.... and their meat tastes like almonds and divine flavor. Much more believable for it to be a man made cause
Maine is the only state to push the forever chemicals, every state has them!
Your turkey may have smelled bad, no doubt. Some people smell worse than others, a wet turkey has an odor.
As far as the meat tasting funny, try it and find out. Or, have a friend try it, you my have already formed a biased opinion.
I hunt in many places contaminated with PFAS, stuff tastes fine.
Remember, none of us will get out of here alive. "Van Wilder"
I wouldn't go back up there if I were you....
I've taken a few gobblers in Maine. The meat seemed fine to my family. We always deep fry ours.
The worst tasting turkey i ever killed was here in Oklahoma. It was an old tom from the mountains in SE Oklahoma. It was ranke. Infact to this day my wife turns her nose at the mention of eating a wild turkey and makes reference to "That old tom you killed".
If you were in a rural/ag. Area, the turkeys there are constantly tearing up the manure piles.
If you cleaned it but missed taking out the crawl or punctuated the crawl or guts that might be where the smell came from.
Never had a bad one from there