Kids Outdoor Outpost – May 2022

Collecting Opening Day Turkey Poppers

As you get older, the time available for hunt prep can get a little more challenging. You’ll learn that work and family seem to take quite a bit of time. In fact, an upcoming wedding of one and my sons meant I clearly did not have my gear together this year before season slipped in. 

I borrowed one of my son’s guns the day before. I checked my turkey vest, and the calls were in place but no stakes for a decoy. Oh well, no decoys for the next day. I also, borrowed some of his high-dollar camo. Hey, he’s been borrowing my stuff for years, so this should just begin to even things out. 

I have a good friend who lets me hunt a piece of his property very near where I live. So, I woke up on opening day, laced up my boots, grabbed my geared and left for this spot just 15 minutes away. I was greeted with a beautiful sunrise and thought that no matter what, it was so good to be back in the woods.

A gobble from the roost broke at sunrise. I grabbed my slate call to work in some purrs, but it was slick as ice, and I did not have any sandpaper to rough it up. I took another one out that had some surface and scratched it a little. 

Another gobble and then I saw a black body waddling toward me. A little closer and I could make out a beard. He strutted with a brilliant red head. He got behind a tree in front of me, and I slowly moved my gun around. At 25 yards, I eased off the safety and let that magnum load rip the morning air. Rolled him up quite nicely. 

I strolled over to check him out and saw he had a really nice beard and decent spurs. Wow, an opening-day bird on the ground. 

I got back to the house before 8 a.m. As I came through the door, my wife assumed that I must be injured. No ma’am. I’ve got a turkey and will make some poppers for tonight! 

If you get a bird, try the same. A chunk of breast meat, a bit of cream cheese, a bit of jalapeño, rolled with thick sliced bacon and tossed on the grill. It’s really good!