A Royal Slam of turkeys and a lady in Pink Camo

by

by Dan Simmons
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(Photo Above: A successful hunt)

     The spring turkey season has just ended and this exceptional story is well worth telling.

     My good friends Larry and Debra Strickland just returned from Mexico on an adventure to increase Larry’s “Grand Slam” of wild turkeys to a “Royal Slam” with the addition of a Gould’s Turkey.

     This all started at the Safari Club International (SCI) convention where they purchased a turkey hunt in Mexico with Bobby Boido’s, Coues Outfitters. Bobby also happens to be on the board of SCI and the Wild Turkey Foundation.

     For this hunt they met Bobby in Tucson, Arizona and drove south to Mexico where they picked-up one of their guides Carlos, a former minor league baseball pitcher also from Tucson, and headed for their first overnight at a luxury hotel in Hermosillo, Mexico. The next morning they continued south for another six hours over often rough terrain to an old land grant ranch on a historic Mexican trail. The campfire hunting camp was basic, but comfortable. 

     On the first morning of the hunt Debra, in her pink camo, and their guide called in a group of Gould Turkeys with their box call and one quick, direct hit from the “National Cowboy Action Shooter” champ ended her hunt. It was followed by an exceptional campfire meal of the days catch.

     On the second day it was Larry’s turn and proved to be a bit more challenging for this “World Champion Cowboy Action Shooter.” Disturbed by cattle and a curious and aggressive bull messing with their blind he shot low and the bird was able to “wing walk” down a nearby ravine. Larry followed sliding down the hill in pursuit. He finished it off at distance in a complete burst of feathers. On his return he remarked to Debra,”Guess I need another bird.” It’s hard to mount a pile of burger and feathers.

     On the third morning the bull was still there, but Larry was able to call in a huge Gould’s gobbler. His skill and training paid off with a clean shot and his Royal Slam of Wild Turkeys.

     Following the hunt it was a second comfortable night in Hermosillo and a seventeen hour trip through customs and home. Following this adventure they both agreed, “We’re going back” and booked a Coues deer hunt for next year.

     And then there are first Turkey hunt stories. I attended a class given by Fish and Wildlife and was encouraged enough to buy a full camo outfit, with mask, which made me look the way I thought I should. Then I listened to hours of instructional tapes and practiced, which gave me confidence and with a new shotgun I was ready.

I’m not sure what happened, there were turkeys in the area, but my practiced hen calls must have been saying, “go away,” or worse. I never saw a turkey. Perhaps next year.

     My friend Ben Arata recently returned from his first turkey hunt in Arizona and found it more successful.  He had his gear properly stowed in his new Tenzing pack with its expandable main pocket large enough to hold his decoy and an assortment of well place pouches which made it easy to store several necessary calls, special turkey shot shells, the many “essential” items every hunter needs and lots of water. Everything he would need for a multi-day hunt. My point here is, as with optics, get the best pack you can afford. Your back and shoulders will thank you, keep you organized and it will last a lifetime.

    He then found an appropriate looking tree, put his back to it and started calling. He received immediate responses from a distance, but couldn’t get them to come to his decoy in the open western terrain. Being the experienced bow hunter that he is and in full camo he stalked forward and began calling again with greater success. One shot and the hunt was over, but Ben had caught Turkey Fever. It won’t be his last hunt. I had imagined my hunt would go like that, I guess I caught Turkey Fever second hand. Yep I’ve caught the bug too.

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Recipe of the Week

Although the hunt may have been quick, take your time and brine your turkey for great flavor and a really moist bird.  The brandy will help tenderize your turkey. If you don’t have apple brandy you can use whiskey (maybe a little “Wild Turkey”).  Be sure to save enough to toast to your good fortune and everything you are thankful for. The American Wild Turkey, unlike its plump table-fair cousin, is intelligent and full of fight. Benjamin Franklin called it a noble bird, and even suggested it as our national symbol. Fortunately his idea wasn’t adopted; Bald Eagle at our Thanksgiving table wouldn’t be as appetizing.

Apple Cider Brined Turkey

Ingredients:

  • One 15 – 20 pound bird;
  • 3 cups hot water;
  • ¾ cup kosher salt;
  • ½ cup sugar;
  • 3 bay leaves;
  • 1 Tbsp black peppercorns, slightly crushed;
  • 6 cloves garlic, slightly crushed;
  • 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes;
  • 6 cups apple cider;
  • 2 cups apple brandy;
  • 2 lbs of ice cubes

Directions:

  • Rinse bird inside and out with cold water and place in cooler large enough for bird and all ingredients;
  • in a pan heat water add salt and sugar and stir until dissolved; add bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic and crushed red pepper, let sit for one hour;
  • pour apple cider, brandy and ice cubes over bird;
  • pour salt mixture into cooler making sure bird is completely covered;
  • add more cider or water if necessary;
  • let brine overnight, remove bird from brine, dry completely and roast or deep fry until cooked thoroughly. 
  • Serve with all the trimmings and enjoy.

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“A Royal Slam of turkeys and a lady in Pink Camo” first appeared in the Las Vegas Review Journal’s Pahrump Valley Times