Further Adventures with Moosie, ElkGunner and Bob!

[JoseCuervo]

Ahhhh yes..... another adventure with Moosie...

We had a fresh skiff of snow, and Moosie shows up out at the Trailer Park at 7:30am to go Goose Hunting. As normal, the Gunner was running just a bit behind, as I decided I wanted to clean the mud from 2 weeks ago of my shotgun. We made it to the field about 8:00 am....

Here is the picture, taken at 6:30pm, with the help of the headlights.

Not the best picture, but thanks to our new friend Bob, it was a memorable day....

 

[mtmiller]

Any picture of Moosie is "not the best picture".

 

[JoseCuervo]

MT,

You are right, but actually this is one of Moosie's better pictures, as you can barely see him...

PS. Send Axl, we need a dog that can retrieve....

 

[mtmiller]

What is wrong with your bitch. Looks like he holds birds alright.

I did notice he still was hard-mouthed last time I saw him though.

 

[Moosie]

HAHA.. NEED I write the Story ?

LAst night, I get back from Pocatello Around 6:30. (Notice I always Start our Adventures the Day before

Anyways, I dropped the Wife of fin Pocatello on Friday and Got stranded due to trucks and 18 Wheelers blocking the Way home cuz of snow. So I get home yesterday. HAving to make the Rounds I am on the Puter, Had to start a Few Fight's Put out a Few old ones, And then Called Canada to a Mod from rt.com for 1 hour at 1:00 AM

I's finally done on the Boards at 2:30 AM, wit ha Small break in between to pack for the Morning hunt. So I put in About 8 hours on he Puter, I know, I'm a LOOSER !!!!

I get up a few Hours Later with Snow on the Ground, Drive out to Gunners place and pick him up. today will be the Best day.....

We had Some Geese come in. I never Seen them but I heard the Wings, I didn't want to Move and Was looknig the Wrong way, So I watched Gunner's face.He said "take um" and Reached for his Gun, Then I sat up and Turned to See a Goose 20 yards LAnded on the Ground with a Second one wanting to make another Swoop over. We tried to RECALL the "TAKE um" but the Grounded goose Saw us Dinking around and Took flight.

I swung the Barrle over And CLICK FETCH !!!!! I jacked out the Shell thinking my Gun was Unloaded. Out jacks a Shell.... Pull the Triggger again and the same thing happens. Ugggggg !!! Jack it out and Do round 3 !! Same thing. After 3 shel;ls hit the Ground Gunner Takes a Shot and Knocks the Bird down.. He's a Showoff anyways

I had cleaned my gun the night before and Didn't reset the Barrle back in Right I guess ?!?! But I took it off, Reset it, And Pulled the Trigger and It finally went "BOOM"

Now I'm good to go !!! So some Geese flew over, Nothing that Exciting, Then across the way 2 geese flew into these guy's field and They landed. After 1 min the Geeese flew up and The guys Unloaded. One bird fell down, But closer to us then them Actually and we were a mile Away

The second bird Gained a Bit of Elevation and Flew Right Over us. It had missing feathers, but was Flying good. Gunner Unloaded 3 shots and I shot 2 times. I was going to shoot again but it Faultered. then Regained it's wings.. And had Feathers in ALL directions. I was Amaised it didn't fall but then Realised it wasn't really flapping but Gliding. So I started To sprint... Across the Field I go.. And it wasloosing altitude. I chased in to the Next field and it went down about 350-400 yards out. It took awhile to get it, And I'm not sure who's land I was on, But the geese was got !!

Rest of the morning a few around but nothing much. We did have 2 geese land that we could have Shot at (PICS TOMORROW) but we videoed them instead. So we head to the chicken place and Enjoy lunch. We decide to hit the road and drive to some other spots to look around.

We found this Road and Took it and it went by a river, A farmer was out in the stalls "BOB" is his name. Anyways, We said Hello, and the Games Begun. He origionally denied us permission to hunt. We listened to some stories for about 1 hour and then Asked if we could at least Cross his land to Access the River With a Canoe. He thought that was OK. After 1 more hour, Some Geese came over and We started talking about them. there wasn't many.. Maybe only 1-2 HUNDRED So he Said, Heck, Slip over and See if you can get one. We loaded up his Tractor full of Bails of hay and headed out.

We didn't know his Land and Busted all the geese out and Kicked out about as Many Ducks. We went back and by then He was our Friend. He gave us Permission to hunt the last hour of the day. We didn't have Waders or anything but threw Decoys out anyways. We were mostly Goofing around passing on Geese we could have Shot but I videoed them Instead. I'll upload Pics tomorrow.

After Leaving, Gunner had to Go in the Water and Get wet to get the Decoys, Remember we were field hunting and had NO waders !!!

we headed out And I went in to thank him. him and Me talked fo a Few mins...

And I left with his # and Permission to Hunt whenever I wanted to !!! I'll jsut have to Schedule some Talk time in there too.

We went back to Gunners and I invited myself for Dinner being a BAtcholer for a Few days. He cooked something up and Now I'm home...

I'm sure I left something out, But I'll leave that part for Gunner. HA !

 

[JoseCuervo]

MT,

The problem with Moosie as a retriever is that he is hard on the dead critters. A dead goose in the field, he will tackle...

He whines after the long retrieves. And worst of all, he insists on riding in the front of the pick-up, no matter how muddy he is.

And for water retrieves, he threatens to take all his clothes off, and jump in naked.... The thought of that was enough to keep me from shooting anything over water....

 

[Moosie]

Gesh !!! A guy Jumps on ONE (Ok 2) dead geese in his hunting career and get's Reminded of it all the time.

I have Never Whined about a Long Retrieve. I usually Sprint from the Truck to the Blind and Back and forth at least 2 times on Each session. Sometimes Becasue I forgot my calls, Sometimes because Someone had a Bum gun

MtMiller, Notice this. We found this "BOBS PLACE" and we were unprepared. I was cold, And didn't want to get wet. I came up with this Stoy about if We shot antything I'd strip down and Brave the cold water nekid.

This made Gunner sick to the Stomach. When it was tiome to get the Decoys, I offered to get Nekid and He jsut jumped in the River to pull out the Decoys up to his Knees with his Cloths on. I stayeds DRY

Now, Some people accuse me of nowing nothing and Being a Little on the Slow side, But I'm OK with that, Keep on telling me that while I'm also on the Dry side !!! Buuahahaha !!!

 

[Ovis]

Sounds like a hoot! So you made Gunner pay for lunch and then cook you dinner. What a guy that Gunner is. Moosie...you're a loser and a bum

Psssst....Did you put in a good word in for Ovis to Bob? I'll take the loser and bum remark back if you did

 

[Moosie]

All LOsers spel Loser with 2 O's .. Jsut so ya know

It's jsut liek Spelling Jsut liek that and liek spelling liek liek that

OK, Time for the Red pill

I actually paid for Lunch today, But that would have been a Classic, Having Gunner take me to HIS spot, thewn Make him buy me lunch (Again) then HAve him Cook me dinner. I am good Company though, that has to be worth something

I'm not sure were I stand with BOB yet. I'll need to test the Waters and Get in good with him.. Although he kept talking about Dieing soon and He is 85. But he Lives by himself and Still feeds Cows and everything on his Own. He's a Tough Koot, I'm guessing he'll out live me

So to answer your Quyestion, I haven't yet, But maybe next time.

 

[JoseCuervo]

As usual, Moosie seems to miss some of the story and details.... It is almost like he wasn't paying attention, or was 1/2 asleep...

There was just a skiff of snow, but it made the corn field look 80% white, with just a bit of corn showing through. And yes, Moosie forgot to bring anything white to wear.

We drive the rig out into the field, set out about 3 decoys, and a single goose comes over about 40 yards high, and just a bit to the side. If we would have been set up, it would have been dead, as it crossed the road, and flew straight into another set of decoys, and died.

We quickly set the rest of the decoys, and Moosie moved the pick-up out of the field, while I proceeded to arrange the pits, and re-arrange the decoys that Moosie set incorrectly. We only set out a few decoys, in hopes that he wouldn't set them up wrong... But alas, it did not matter, I still had to "improve" them while he was not looking.

We even set up 5 duck decoys, as I had been over by the field on Christmas Eve, and 100's of ducks flew in all day long, until early afternoon.

Moosie comes back, and gets in his pit, and a flight of ducks comes over, and he advises me he did not bring his duck call. So I politely point out that it would be better for us to have his duck call with us, than leaving it in the pick-up. So, across the field he runs. Gets the calls, and runs back. (I think he just likes running across that field, as every day he hunts there, he runs back and forth, back and forth...).

The geese start flying, and it looks like "one of those days", as the flights of 8+ geese just keep on flying as they near us. None even look us over. Finally two start coming, make a circle, but then head off. But out of nowhere, two other geese fly through the first two, and have their wings set for the decoys. We have the decoys all around us, and we are in the center. The lower goose is coming in hard, and I keep watching him, and making a comforting cluck. Moosie can't see the goose, so he watches my eyes. The second goose is up much higher, but also locked up.

The first goose lands about 15 yards the other side of Moosie, and the second goose is too high to land, so was going to make a circle, and land. At first I say "Take 'em", but then quickly say "don't", as the second one was still circling. Well, Moosie was committed, and the Goose on the ground saw what was happening.

The goose jumped up, Moosie proceeded to block my view and unload the un-fired shells from his gun on to the ground. Now keep in mind, this is a goose about 10 yards away, and Moosie is not shooting as it jumps up. So, I fire a shot over Moosie's head, just to get him to duck

, and then I have a clear shot at the goose, and I drop it with another well placed shot.

To me, the ultimate test in decoying geese is to get them to land in the decoys. It means they completely bought what you are selling them. This guy was completely sold. It always seems like Geese land on "snow days" much better.

The second goose we killed should never have been near a magnet, as the guys across the street unloaded on it and its' mate. We shot 5 times at it, and it sailed away about 400 yards. From the back, as it sailed, you could see feathers on each wing sticking up, acting like spoilers or air brakes. And most amazing, it was dead when it landed, 400 yards away.

When we cleaned it, it had pellets in every part of the body.

Then, Moosie starts getting a hankering for the Pan Fried Chicken dinner at the local greasy spoon, so we leave the decoys in the field, and run to eat, and plan on coming back for the afternoon. Well, as you can see by the picture, we didn't get back until after dark... A long story, and Moosie tells me people can't read long stories, so I'll post it in a bit...

 

[Ovis]

Moosie

Forget about asking 'ol Bob to let you hunt his land...I mean, do that, but also see about him putting you and gunner, and...ah screw it, talk him into putting Hunttalk into the will. We'll all have a place to goose hunt then.

Congrats on the birds...Jim

 

[Ovis]

Not good I tell yah...we had Moosie running into trees with an unloaded gun...he gotta butt chewing for that. Now we have Gunner firing over the heads of people to take a shot at a bird. Sounds like we need to schedule Hunttalk for a Hunter's Education seminar. When will you two be able to attend?

 

[Delw]

Geeze I love it when gunner and moosie get together for a hunt. I laugh so hard I am in tears.... Cant wait for you guys to go snipe hunting.
Delw

 

[JoseCuervo]

Ovis,

Ol' Bob was an interesting character....

After lunch, I suggested we head out toward another area, for a quick drive, before going back to the field. This other area is out on the other side of the Snake River, and it gets good for Goose hunting, late in the year, after the Lake freezes up.

So we drive (Moosie has less than a 1/4 of a tank of gas

), and we see geese in the air. We turn and drive along the river, and see ducks flying up and down. We see ducks on the water, Moosie calls them Goldeneyes. And we keep driving. We see more geese on the river, and more geese in the air.

I kind of give bad directions, as I haven't been out there in 2 years, so we miss the road I am looking for. We then turn around, and see ducks landing in this pond. We drive past it, and there is two ponds. Pond 1 is about 25 feet across, and the second pond is about 15 feet across. Well, each of the ponds has about 75 ducks in them. And more landing while we sit in the pick-up, 20 yards away. We thought about shooting the one "non-mallard", as we couldn't agree what kind of duck it was. But, as the ponds were within 30 yards of the owners front door, we pass the opportunity to add to Moosie's taxidermey bill.

We head back looking for the road I want, and turn toward the river. Well, as we drive down the gravel road, I kind of notice an old man sitting in the Manger (they were not stalls, as Moosie claims...). We drive past, and get right next to the river. As we get to the end of the road next to the river, and turn around, there is a "Private Property" sign. I am not sure if it is or not, as the strip of land between the gravel road and the river is 15 wide.

I tell Moosie to stop at the old man in the manger, and we will ask. That is when we meet our new friend, Bob. Now today was probably 35 degrees at best, and the wind was easily 30 miles an hour. Moosie and I sit in the pick-up, and start talking to him, and Bob is standing out in the wind.

To understand Bob, you have to be able to picture an 85 year old man, who at one time in his life was a tough ol' bugger. He told stories of riding horses to towns 60 miles away, over the hills. He was in WW-II, and was at Guadacanal, Caledonias, and a couple of other of the not so pleasant places to spend time in the South Pacific.

But now Bob is standing in a December wind, talking. On his hands he has mis-matched gloves, one Jersey on his right hand, one wool glove on his left, both with holes. His hat is a wide brimmed leather hat, with at least 4 tears in the brim. To keep the hat on, or maybe keep his ears warm, he wears a red bandana tied over the top of his head and under his chin. His glasses have a band-aid on the bridge, to keep them in place.

It becomes obvious that Bob does not get many visitors, as he seems to enjoy talking with us, despite the bitter cold. Eventually he gets around to talking about his dearly departed wife, and he begins to get a bit emotional. I think Moosie and I both could feel his emotion as he battled back the tears and talked about his life's mate for 59 years.

It sounds like the "System" or the government has not always played fairly with him, for any number of reasons. Some may have been self-inflicted, but some also had enough basis of fact, that I believe he should have been treated better. But, at 85, he still lives alone and feeds a small herd of Angus x Brahma crosses.

Moosie and I went down and looked at his access to the River, and it will be awesome. And I think we will have the exlusive access to the area, as he claims he lets nobody hunt it. But, I think before we go out, I will swing buy and get some lined leather gloves to leave him, as when I shook his old arthritic hands, they were as cold as ice. And maybe a bag of oranges, as it is 'cold and flu' season.

 

[1_pointer]

Sounds like a great time! Meeting with a guy like Bob is just a treat. I love hearing the stories of days gone past from my grandparents.

 

[JoseCuervo]

1-Ptr,

My stories from yesterday are good, too...

 

[Moosie]

Here are the geese coming in at about 60 yards maybe ?

Here they Are flaring off for a 2nd go even Closer, It was Hard to judge but we could have shot um *SMILE*

Here is 2 geese that landed in the field that We let walk around for awhile. You know Ground Sluiceing a goose is Un ethical (WINK WINK.. SNICKER SNICKER)), So we left them alone. tey stuck around about 15 mins or so then left and We decided to go eat lunch then :

 

[Ovis]

I remember that place...only you guys could never get the geese in close enough for me to get a shot. How is that? Musta been the snow. Speaking of snow, I'm looking out my window now and I gotta say this is the most snow I have seen in Idaho.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Errr.... I meant to say "after the bird safely cleared Moosie's direction, I then dispatched the bird with two shots", but that makes it sound like I am a lousy shot, and it takes me 2 shots to kill a giant bird that is 15 yards away. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It took me about 20 shots to kill absolutely nothing

 

[Ovis]

Very thoughtful way of sucking up to ol' Bob, Gunner...i mighta been able to come up with the idea of a new set of gloves, but only you could have came up with a bag of oranges. So you mean the entire time you spoke with Bob, you guys didn't offer him a seat in the truck? Sounds like one of the good guys though.

 

[Moosie]

The only part that Gunner left out is We were Laying "UNDER" boards layed over our Pit blinds. I could have been wearing blue/gree Homemade Fleece Pajama's like He was and it wouldn't have mattered. Unless Geese can See through plywood covered in Netting

Now, You guys may not get this picture, the Field is fr Away, I usually jet out to the Blinds to Set up, MAking the Illusion I'm doing something. As Gunner comes out, I then Jet back to the Truck to take a Short nap Saying I need to get something out of the Back seat. It give's him time to Set up the Decoys

I'm sure glad Gunner sets these things up, Because with all the geese Action we got ..

... I'm guessing it goes to his Credit

Something about hunting on Sundays and Eating Chicken, We go to the Sme Resturant Every week, We order the Same thing (The Special ALL you can eat) And this Dumb .. Errr.. And this waitress takes our order each time. The special comes with potatoes or something. I like Fries, so does Gunner, We ask to Swap them EVERY TIME !!! Anyways, She always goes back and Asked the boss if it's OK... And Every week she says it is.. Go Figure !!!

Gunner also Makes MAny Jokes but the tears are a Seroious one... I sat in "AWE" as "BOB" told stories about the Wild West. He flew missions days after Perl HArbor and Knew Every Senator or Commisioner that this town has ever saw. With his Battered cloths he tells of the Tail of Finding his Wife in Broadway type setting and Sweeping her of fher feet and Bringing her to a Place that has no water or Electricity.

He then Tells us We should tell the Ones we love that We love them because they are all we have, and it's all thats Important.. (Getting choked up here) Anyways, She's buerried close by (Like 200 Yards away there) and he sheds a Tear as he talks.

Now, this is Truely a Touching MOMENT.. that Being said, Gunner Let's one Rip and My window is the Only one Open. MAN, That boy shouldn't eat Chicken !! I tell ya what, WOOOhhhhh !!!!!

Anyways, I have about 6 Bucks in My wallet and Feel sorry fopr this man, Hearing about the Tough times and Noticing the Holes and PAnytts Held together with a String tied to the Button and the Other side for they have Grown a bit small for his Waist over the Last 26 years he's Owned them. I thikn they might be the Origional 501 Blues

Anyways, He talks about 22 Acres he's sitting on and some Other Small pots he has. Doesn't have a Rig. Well he did but it was a 1954 old one that I'm sure didn't run...

Now,.... Picture a Fence falling down, a House with No Siding and a Heater from an Old Outfitters teny. The inside has Cats and a dog or two and stuff Every were . I told him (As gunner sat in the Car looking in) that I'd love to Buy a Ranch but wondered how much LAnd costs on the River. He let me know thathe doesn't think It's worth it but it's going for 50k an Acre... Quick Math Tells me He is a Millionair !!!! It is onl;y After tehis that I realize he is Truely living how he wants, Doing what He wants, And he should be a Roll modle to all of us.

I think I have a New Life long Friend