Another good Goose hunt
Jan 22, 2013 20:40:43 GMT -7
Post by 72camaro on Jan 22, 2013 20:40:43 GMT -7
Monday was the day to remember. Jim and I headed out to go hunt Snows or ducks if they happened to cross our path, Gordon was home having a sleepy sleepy. Before we even got set up Jim did a sweeping cross with his shotgun and dropped a nice Mallard drake.
We waited in the ditch for some passing Snow geese to go by and got bored so we got close enough to talk and Jim was up on the bank and a couple singles came by that I spotted and Jim hit them both as the one shot I may have had my sling got stuck on top and I couldn't put the bead on the bird since I could not see it. It happens more often than not, you don't pay attention, talking and stuff and they just happen to show up, but when trying to be extra quiet and still, nothing. Maybe they like the sound of my voice.
Gordon, after waking up from a long winter's nap, talked to one of the local farmers and we, only we, were allowed to go to the sacred Snow geese grounds where the Snow geese were congregating and making fun of all hunters thinking they were safe, but not for long. The fog was still thick but we could see them and they could see us as we were setting up on the backside of the property and Gordon and Jim were over by the fence on their knees and I was in some very green 8" tall grass on my knees and would slowly go from sitting on my heels to going straight up on my knees as my legs would get sore and start cramping.
After doing that for a half hour or so, I really do not know how long, I had to lay down as they were doing their slow Snow goose march coming toward us. Slowly, ever so slowly I moved and was laying down strategically making sure I was not laying in Swan used grass clippings that were huge for a bird. I contemplated falling asleep as it doesn't take much, but since I was on a hunt I stayed awake in this position for I'm guessing another thirty to forty minutes. This is a position I'm good at.
Then it came, "Take them." It was on like Donkey Kong. They were about twenty-five yards away and by the time my relaxed body sprung up like a tiger coming off of a tranquilizer and got the gun raised they were about thirty-five yards away and I was shooting. Gordon took a shot or two and dusted three birds and Jim shot once and two fell straight down, I on the other hand shot and again nothing for sure. When the dust settled though there were a few cripples so I willingly took credit where I could.
We gathered the close birds and the Game Warden was there to check us out for every dotted 'I' and every crossed 'T', including checking to make sure we could only stuff three shells in at a time and who said we could hunt there. He was pretty personable but if anything was out of miss it would not be good, you could tell. We all passed except he said he didn't think anyone from Pierce County was allowed up there. Thanks, I'm from Pierce County, funny guy.
He told us to go gather the 5 cripples, we would have been one over our dozen for the three of us for the day but he realized that some of the cripples probably came from other hunters and he wanted us to give the extra 13th bird to a hunter that was short. Cool.
But, two of the birds had enough energy to fly into the flock still on the ground we were asked by the Game Warden not to disturb but the others got picked up but one. One bird had a bad wing but man could he run. He was running toward the pond and if he got in I would not be able to retrieve him so off I went galloping in my waders trying to catch him. Please not this again (that is another story). The Game Warden in hot pursuit to see how this was going to play out. I got ready for a shot after coming up to the edge and the Snow's, "Oh Crap he sees me" moment and he moved deeper in the swamp grass at the edge of the pond. As I moved up he stuck his head up to see what I was doing, wrong move Sherlock, your Spidey Sense has failed you, dirt nap time. The Game Warden's dog grabbed the goose and drug him out of the swamp grass for me after the shot. Cool. Life is good.
It was a great day and special thanks to my cousin Gordon for getting us the hunt of a life time.
Me, Cousin Gordon and Jim, Gordon's brother-in-law.
We waited in the ditch for some passing Snow geese to go by and got bored so we got close enough to talk and Jim was up on the bank and a couple singles came by that I spotted and Jim hit them both as the one shot I may have had my sling got stuck on top and I couldn't put the bead on the bird since I could not see it. It happens more often than not, you don't pay attention, talking and stuff and they just happen to show up, but when trying to be extra quiet and still, nothing. Maybe they like the sound of my voice.
Gordon, after waking up from a long winter's nap, talked to one of the local farmers and we, only we, were allowed to go to the sacred Snow geese grounds where the Snow geese were congregating and making fun of all hunters thinking they were safe, but not for long. The fog was still thick but we could see them and they could see us as we were setting up on the backside of the property and Gordon and Jim were over by the fence on their knees and I was in some very green 8" tall grass on my knees and would slowly go from sitting on my heels to going straight up on my knees as my legs would get sore and start cramping.
After doing that for a half hour or so, I really do not know how long, I had to lay down as they were doing their slow Snow goose march coming toward us. Slowly, ever so slowly I moved and was laying down strategically making sure I was not laying in Swan used grass clippings that were huge for a bird. I contemplated falling asleep as it doesn't take much, but since I was on a hunt I stayed awake in this position for I'm guessing another thirty to forty minutes. This is a position I'm good at.
Then it came, "Take them." It was on like Donkey Kong. They were about twenty-five yards away and by the time my relaxed body sprung up like a tiger coming off of a tranquilizer and got the gun raised they were about thirty-five yards away and I was shooting. Gordon took a shot or two and dusted three birds and Jim shot once and two fell straight down, I on the other hand shot and again nothing for sure. When the dust settled though there were a few cripples so I willingly took credit where I could.
We gathered the close birds and the Game Warden was there to check us out for every dotted 'I' and every crossed 'T', including checking to make sure we could only stuff three shells in at a time and who said we could hunt there. He was pretty personable but if anything was out of miss it would not be good, you could tell. We all passed except he said he didn't think anyone from Pierce County was allowed up there. Thanks, I'm from Pierce County, funny guy.
He told us to go gather the 5 cripples, we would have been one over our dozen for the three of us for the day but he realized that some of the cripples probably came from other hunters and he wanted us to give the extra 13th bird to a hunter that was short. Cool.
But, two of the birds had enough energy to fly into the flock still on the ground we were asked by the Game Warden not to disturb but the others got picked up but one. One bird had a bad wing but man could he run. He was running toward the pond and if he got in I would not be able to retrieve him so off I went galloping in my waders trying to catch him. Please not this again (that is another story). The Game Warden in hot pursuit to see how this was going to play out. I got ready for a shot after coming up to the edge and the Snow's, "Oh Crap he sees me" moment and he moved deeper in the swamp grass at the edge of the pond. As I moved up he stuck his head up to see what I was doing, wrong move Sherlock, your Spidey Sense has failed you, dirt nap time. The Game Warden's dog grabbed the goose and drug him out of the swamp grass for me after the shot. Cool. Life is good.
It was a great day and special thanks to my cousin Gordon for getting us the hunt of a life time.
Me, Cousin Gordon and Jim, Gordon's brother-in-law.
Loved the story. 
