I lay the bird on it's back, slit open the skin above the breast-bone, then down the center of the breast. Make a big T so to speak. Pull the skin back, revealing the breasts, and gently cut the breasts out, taking care not to puncture any of the organs around it. Now I cut off the drum-sticks, skin them, and put it all in zip-locks. That's all I keep on a turkey, and just recently started keeping the drums, to crock-pot all day, then debone and you've got some tasty turkey pot-pie meat. Most of the people I've hunted with all my life just breast their birds out, a few keep the whole bird. Me, I keep the breast and drummies, and let the critters have the rest.
"There is no 'bad' tasting turkey, only "bad" cooks", you don't know what you're missing if you're giving all your meat away.

Golfer,

Wild turkey is not dark meat! The breast meat is white and the thigh meat is dark just like a chicken.

Gutting an animal is part of the equation. Turkey innerds or any other innereds are not meant to smell like roses. Can't say I've ever tossed my cookies while gutting any animal even a rabbit which to me is a very disagreeable odor.

I skin my birds and remove the breast halves from the keel bone. I then bone out the thigh meat. That is about all there is to it.

If you need to field dress the bird for some reason then make an incision just below the tip of the breast to the vent. Reach into the cavity and pull out the viscera.

Scratch---You should give it another try and let someone cook it who knows what they're doing. Wild turkey doesn't require any particularly esoteric preparation---slice the breast into finger size chunks and fry it, put it on the grill, just don't overcook it. It strikes me as a waste to kill something you won't eat.

BTW, the only gut I ever even touch on a turkey, is the liver. Nothing beats a 'feather and gill' slam than bagging a nice tom in the morning, then taking his liver and catching a nice catfish in the afternoon. Channel cat LOVE fresh turkey liver.

Remove beard, neck, and cut off the fan, leaving enough back feathers to make a nice mount. Scald the fool out him and the feathers will remove easily. Unzip the back and breast slightly so you can get your hand in to get the insides out. Once that is accomplished, cut the legs off at the first joint so you can keep the spurs with the fan on your mount. Then take him into the sink for final clean up of the inside, be thorough with this. I don't keep the wings and remove them at the joint next to the breast, prior to scalding. This takes longer than just breasting out the bird, but leaving the skin on will improve the baking and flavor of the bird.

The quick and easy way is to let your wife or kids clean it!

idk if i would delve into the guts of a turkey, if there is one thing ive learned about turkeys, the guts SMELL AWFUL!!! my dad told me about when he gutted a turkey he shot in montana, and he said him and his buddy were gutting them and they would have to step away every few minutes and throw up because of the smell. these were merriams turkeys, dont know if easterns smell eqaully as bad. ive always cut off the beard and tail and given the bird to my neighbor who absolutley loves turkey. ive never been a fan of the dark meat game animals such as dove, duck, goose, and turkey.