I am reminded of the one and only Merriams turkey I killed. National Forest in Colorado, 3 hour drive one way, slept on the ground for four nights, finally got a nice gobbler. I took great care in plucking it, cleaning it and freezing it whole for Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day my dad and brother had the turkey fryer set up and fried a domestic bird that turned out great. I then handed over my thawed perfectly plucked wild Merriams Turkey that I was very proud of. They weighed it, scratch out some ciphering on a scrap 1 x 4, dropped it in the hot oil and went back to drinking busch lattes. Some time passed and they announced the bird was done. What they pulled from the hot oil could be best described as a rather large chunk of wet charcoal. Worse Thanksgiving ever.