From Kansas to Hawaii: A Father, Son, and Grandfather Turkey Hunt They’ll Never Forget

It Started Like Every Other Spring in Kansas

For guys like Matt Wonser and Zak Al-Bureni, turkey season isn’t just a date on the calendar.

It’s tradition.

Early mornings in the Kansas spring.
Coffee before daylight.
Boots hitting the ground while most people are still asleep.

And more often than not… there’s another generation right there with them. Watching. Teaching. Smiling.

That’s where it all starts.


Three Generations, One Passion

There’s something different about hunting when it spans generations.

It’s not just about calling in a bird.

It’s about:

  • Passing down knowledge you can’t learn anywhere else
  • Sharing stories that only make sense in the woods
  • Watching a kid learn the same lessons his dad once did

And having a grandfather there?

That adds something you can’t replace.


Wait… There Are Turkeys in Hawaii?

Most people don’t realize it, but Hawaii has populations of wild turkeys—descendants of birds introduced years ago.

It’s a completely different experience:

  • Steep terrain
  • Volcanic rock
  • Tropical landscapes
  • Birds that act just a little differently

But at the core?

It’s still turkey hunting.


From Flint Hills to Volcano Slopes

Instead of:

  • Rolling Kansas pasture
  • Hardwood draws
  • Familiar setups

They found themselves:

  • Climbing ridges
  • Hunting birds in open volcanic country
  • Listening for gobbles in places that didn’t look anything like home

And yet, something about it still felt familiar.

Because it wasn’t really about the location.


Different Place—Same Feeling

The location changed.

But everything else stayed the same.

Matt and Zak side by side.
A grandfather there to watch it all unfold.

Same quiet conversations.
Same anticipation.
Same feeling when it all comes together.

Because it was never really about Kansas.

And it wasn’t really about Hawaii either.


It Was About This

By the time the trip was over, it wasn’t the terrain or even the birds that stuck with them most.

It was this:

Time together.

Shared experiences.

Moments that stick with you long after the hunt is over.

That’s what carried from Kansas… all the way to an island in the Pacific.

Those Kansas mornings had built something.

Something strong enough to travel.

Something that didn’t depend on:

  • A specific property
  • A certain setup
  • Or even a familiar landscape

It was a tradition that could go anywhere.


Why It All Still Starts With Land

But here’s the part that matters…

That trip to Hawaii?

It doesn’t happen without all those years spent on their own ground back home.

That’s where:

  • Kids learned how to sit still
  • Patience was built
  • Confidence grew
  • Memories were made

Kansas land was the foundation.

Hawaii was just the extension of it.


What This Means for Landowners

If you own land in Kansas, especially ground that your family hunts, you’re building something bigger than you might realize.

You’re creating:

  • Traditions
  • Skills
  • Time together
  • A lifestyle that carries forward

And sometimes…

That lifestyle leads to places you never expected.


At L2 Realty, We See the Bigger Picture

We talk a lot about:

  • Habitat
  • Acreage
  • Hunting potential

But at the end of the day, it’s really about this:

What kind of life does that land create?

Because whether it’s:

  • A kid’s first turkey in Kansas
  • Or a family hunt halfway across the world

It all starts somewhere.

And that’s why we believe in what we do:

“Change a life, fulfill a dream.”


Thinking About What Your Land Could Be?

Whether your land is where your story started—or where someone else’s could begin—it’s worth understanding what it truly offers.

If you ever want to talk about it, we’re here.

Reach out to L2 Realty—just a conversation.

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