Bludgeoning by a goose

[Nemont]

For those of you who know Andrew, here is an interesting story of what happened to him.

Out there: Bludgeoning by a goose leaves mark

Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyl...a50-56b2-83ad-469d3283dc9a.html#ixzz2HtxbuX2J

ANDREW McKEAN For The Gazette
Today is the final day of goose season here in the Central Flyway. But if I’m out there swinging a shotgun, it’s not because I want to be. It’s entirely out of revenge.

Rewind a week and a half. It was the final day of duck season in the flyway, and I was feeling punk. I had told colleagues and family I’d be home in bed, nursing a fever. But the pull of abundance was too strong, which is why I found myself hunkered under a cutbank of the Missouri River, waiting for another flight of Canada geese to pass overhead.

I had already limited on mallards, and I had killed three honkers in four shots. I was relishing the thought of a five-goose limit when the gaggle of thousands left the water. I was ready. I waited until they were nearly overhead, then coolly raised my shotgun. I picked out one goose, fighting the wind 25 yards overhead, and crumpled it with the shot. Then I swung left and folded a second bird.

I’m not sure what told me something was amiss — besides my uncharacteristic excellent shooting — but I swung back to my right, my hand still on the slide of my raised shotgun.

The next thing I knew, I was on my side in the snow, phosphorus sparks bursting behind my eyes, my hand tingling like it had grabbed Hell’s own electric fence, a bloody goose in my lap, staring at me with black, beady eyes.

It was the first of the last pair of geese, which had dropped from the sky to score a direct hit on my hand and the side of my head. If you’ve never been bludgeoned by a goose, then imagine an impact like a cinder block pitched from the third story of a building, only with a beak and feathers instead of angular edges.

I’m having a hard time escaping the pathos of my experience. There’s the cast on my hand, for starters, and the continuous questions about how I got it. There’s the bent rail on my shotgun’s slide. There’s my nervous tic every time a cloud scuds across the sun.

But I’m getting even. Tonight we’re having goose stir-fry. I intend to relish every bite. Too bad I can’t hold a fork with my broken hand.



Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/lifestyl...a50-56b2-83ad-469d3283dc9a.html#ixzz2HtxQyWYS

Nemont

 

[mtmiller]

Met Andrew a few times. Good guy, but apparently honkers don't feel the same way.

 

[dustinf]

Is that a work comp claim for the Gazzette?

 

[jlmatthew]

Man I bet that hurt!

 

[Hem]

I,ve stepped out of the way of falling geese a few times. Years of watching them bounce off the frozen field,or splatting in the river is enough to pay attention a bit more to trajectory.

 

[kansasdad]

Catching a bird on the fall is one of my son's bucket list items. I have suggested he try teal instead of a big Canada!

 

[jerrym]

On freezeout this year I put a swan down about 12 feet from me on the dike and I tell you what, that thing would have left a mark. Also had a mallard hit my driftwood blind on the river this year and it busted a good size branch (bigger then my arm bones for sure). Never been hit but close.

 

[Nemont]

I read a story out of North Dakota a few years ago about a guy catching a falling duck and it had a broken wing bone that went through is hand. I wouldn't catch one. I had some close calls with geese that nearly hit me.

Nemont

 

[RobertR]

Geese can be dangerous. I have had them almost land on me as some have said. I think the biggest danger is to a young or inexperienced dog. I have seen a winged goose almost drown a dog by putting the wing over the head.

 

[smarandr]

Best I've done is land a couple of mallards in the jon boat

 

[spook12]

I saw an aluminum flat bottom boat tore all to crap by a goose,only time I ever heard my Grandpa cuss.

 

[ridge-runner]

One of my earliest hunting memories is having Dad send me out of the pit after a goose...only to have it chase me around the field. They come back with a vengeance!

 

[1_pointer]

That's funny! Considering it wasn't me...

I remember as a youngster when I was performing GuNR duties by retrieving doves for my dad, watching him catch one. Not sure I'd try that with a honker.