Checking Turkey in online in MA

[Ae1m]

I am brand new to turkey hunting, have no shooting buddies who hunt. Have all my gear and tags etc and have scouted my area. All ready to except have check-in questions. My plan is to just remove breasts and legs along with some wing feathers a bow hunter asked me to keep. Learned by You Tube.......

How does the online check-in process work?

Report your wild turkey harvest

Do I need to upload pics or any details? Don't want to try it in the fear it will actually register a kill beforehand. Can I process and remove the meat out in the woods and do the check-in at home later? Do I actually need to bring the bird somewhere also?

I searched a bit before posting, but came up empty.

Thanks,
B

 

[ILikeGlocks]

You are not supposed to process the turkey (other than field dressing) until it is tagged and the harvest is reported.

Read the 'What you need' & 'How to report' on the link you posted.

 

[whacko]

Just click the link to report harvest online using your cell phone. Its very easy to go through the online process the website walks you through it. Then wright the confirmation number that the website gives you on the tag. Once you do that you can field dress it. No need to upload pictures or anything like that.

If you can't do the online check-in with your phone you'll have to wait to field dress it until you get home and do it with your computer. As someone already said..... You can't find dress or butcher it until it is checked online or at a check station. If you have to wait to check it in cut the turkey tag off your license and use a rubber band to attach the tag to the leg when transporting .

 

[Paul455]

Come to my house, you don't even need a gun...just good reflexes.....

The turkeys around here have no fear of humans, and you can get within a few feet of them.

 

[whacko]

Come to my house, you don't even need a gun...just good reflexes.....

The turkeys around here have no fear of humans, and you can get within a few feet of them.

Finding them on huntable land is a totally different ball game.

 

[EMTDAD]

Just click the link to report harvest online using your cell phone. Its very easy to go through the online process the website walks you through it. Then wright the confirmation number that the website gives you on the tag. Once you do that you can field dress it. No need to upload pictures or anything like that.

If you can't do the online check-in with your phone you'll have to wait to field dress it until you get home and do it with your computer. As someone already said..... You can't find dress or butcher it until it is checked online or at a check station. If you have to wait to check it in cut the turkey tag off your license and use a rubber band to attach the tag to the leg when transporting .

I thought field dress is ok.. just can't process it (pluck, butcher, etc) until checked in. Also, I was told by EPO that carcass has to be visible during transport, but MAF&W says this is only for bear & deer. Finally, you can check in turkeys at various check-in stations in the state.

 

[EMTDAD]

Come to my house, you don't even need a gun...just good reflexes.....

The turkeys around here have no fear of humans, and you can get within a few feet of them.

if your neighbors are >500 ft away, and you give yourself permission in your backyard, I think you can have at it with a 12 ga with no legal repercussions. IANAL.

 

[whacko]

I thought field dress is ok.. just can't process it (pluck, butcher, etc) until checked in. Also, I was told by EPO that carcass has to be visible during transport, but MAF&W says this is only for bear & deer. Finally, you can check in turkeys at various check-in stations in the state.

Gutting it might be ok. Op said he wanted to breast it out and remove the legs. That would definitely be a no no before it's checked either on line or at a check station.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I am brand new to turkey hunting, have no shooting buddies who hunt. Have all my gear and tags etc and have scouted my area. All ready to except have check-in questions. My plan is to just remove breasts and legs along with some wing feathers a bow hunter asked me to keep. Learned by You Tube.......

How does the online check-in process work?

Report your wild turkey harvest

Do I need to upload pics or any details? Don't want to try it in the fear it will actually register a kill beforehand. Can I process and remove the meat out in the woods and do the check-in at home later? Do I actually need to bring the bird somewhere also?

I searched a bit before posting, but came up empty.

Thanks,
B

I used to just carry them out and bring them home. At home I field dressed them and process them. I saved the heart and gizzard. They are not hard to pluck if you you want to go that route. Pluck against the grain. The legs and thighs make excellent soup or stew if you are separating into pieces.

The state just records basic information. It is really easy. Nothing to worry about. It needs to be tagged until processed for consumption.

The primary wing feathers are used to fletch arrows. Right wing feathers for a right offset. Left wing for a left offset.

You might want to save the fan and make a fan mount from your first bird. It is easy to do and there are lots of videos on YouTube.

Sit with your back against a large tree to protect yourself from knuckleheads. A turkey hunter was shot this morning in South Hadley. I have had two close calls over 30 years of hunting. I would have been hit the second time if I didn't have my back to a large oak that was wider than my shoulders. I don't turkey hunt much anymore.

Bob