The Great White Turkey Felled by Missouri Youth

When you are a wild turkey with all white feathers you will stand out. Which is why there are next to zero of them in the wild. But every now and then one shows up.

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Domestic turkeys raised on poultry farms to be harvested are often white (New Holland, Broad Breasted White or Beltsville Small Whites). Not so much though in the wild. Only 1 in 100,000 turkeys in the wild are white. So, it’s rare when one gets found and taken down.

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In Gentry County Missouri, west of Maryville, Dautry Hamilton had a huge start to spring turkey season by hunting with his dad and harvesting a leucistic turkey. The Missouri Department of Conservation confirmed the white turkey was wild and not an escaped domestic turkey.

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White turkeys are preferred for domestic farming as they are thought to have a more subtle flavor. A couple other white turkeys have been culled already this spring in Texas and Mississippi in addition to the Hamilton’s take. Spring turkey season continues to May 11^th in Missouri.