Lots of work for the dog

[smalls]

I apologize for the chitty cell phone pic. The day started crappy as I remembered that the camera was in the kitchen as we were a few miles down the road and one of the guys was 20 minutes late. We were supposed to have hefty winds (there were winds clocked at 110 mph at Heart Butte yesterday) but when we got to the field it was only a light breeze. The field was a tiny bit sketchy as it was barley hay that was grazed all the way to the ground with no snow, making it near impossible to hide the blinds. Since we were 20 minutes late we had ducks landing and circling before we got the truck out of the field. And as always, Murphy's laws of waterfowling were in effect as the wind kept switching and eventually dying completely. This put the geese coming into us at poor angles and not finishing well.

We did (as the photo suggests) however scratch out a limit of geese in the morning. Most shots were a little longer than I prefer but we kept crips to a minimum. With no wind, an approaching storm and no ducks flying we decided to pick up the spread and have a bite to eat. Having driven a good distance to hunt this field, we decided to set up for the afternoon duck traffic.

The difference between the morning and the afternoon was that the wind picked up was gusting forcefully across our barren field. Although it was nice to know which direction the birds would be traveling when landing, we found the wind so strong that we could only muster one shot at the approaching birds because they could turn and catch the wind so quickly. Again, through some pretty efficient shooting we finished out the afternoon. Finishing was not without a little anguish. I had the honor of being the only shooter on the last flock with only two birds left to bag. A group of 35 or so ducks worked in tight and I drew a bead on a near drake and dropped it, I moved on to the next drake when I heard one of the guys start yelling, not breaking my swing I shot twice dumping the second drake only to realize my buddy was yelling "BAND! BAND!". Just in front of me to the right was a banded hen that escaped with only an evil stare shot at it.

We did take one banded greenie earlier in the afternoon that is the oldest band I have ever seen, with only a couple of the numbers and a few letters readable. I did not have the luck to draw the high card when we drew for the band.

Final tally was a 4-man limit of 16 geese and a 4-man limit of 28 ducks that included 3 hens.

 

[Moosie]

You guys should really start shooting more ducks in your neck of the woods.

Kudos man !!!

 

[smalls]

Well Moose, get your arse over here and buy a licensce so we can shoot oyour limit too! We won't even make you get out of the truck hump

 

[choc dogs]

whole bunch of do it yourself goosedown quilts....congrats on the great hunt.

 

[Cameron Hunt]

Way to go !!!!!!!!

Wishin I was killing fowl this year...... Have to wait till next year... Turkeys coming soon, but not soon enough !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nemont]

Keith,

Keep pounding them. I am going out this weekend for a final hurrah goose hunt. Just got another dozen flocked head full bodies for Xmas. Going to have to buy a trailer to haul all my goose hunting crap.

Nemont

 

[carbonarcher]

Nice lookin batch of birds, congrats!

 

[smalls]

Nemo, be sure you go big enough! Our 6x12 flat front is about maxed out already (buddy purchased it only months ago) and that is without including any water setup dekes. I've not gotten a real accurate account of our spread, but we are running somewhere between 10 and 12 doz fullbodies (mix of Hardcore, foots and averys). Once we get goose dekes, 5 or 6 blinds, 4 doz. fullbody duck decoys, and other misc. items we don't have any room left.

It may not happen this year, but I will likely get a 7x14 wedge front in the next couple of years. It's amazing how when you go from the pickup box to a trailer how you feel inclined to fill it.