Hundreds upon hundreds of decoys have been piled in my truck and transported to my secret corn field. Vortex machines, batteries, flyers, speakers, mp3 players, the list just goes on and on... all to chase the little white geese.
I have really wanted to get my Dad in on a good hunt but the weather and the geese just haven't cooperated. We finally had to settle on a day and just see what happened.
I informed Dad that it would be an all day hunt. "You just never know when a flock of birds might decide to drop in," I told him over the phone.
We settled into the blind with a full thermos of coffee, relaxing in the camp chairs and waited. There were plenty of snow geese flying over the field, but none seemed remotely interested in dropping thousands of feet to investigate my little spread of decoys. Just a tad bit frustrating, to say the least.
Dad and I finally had a flock close into marginal shooting range and it was now or never.
"Let's take them on this pass," I whispered to dad. He was ready, and my dog, Jaz, was quivering with excitement as well.
"Ok now. Get 'em, get 'em, get 'em!" I urged as I came up shooting at my side of the flock.
Bang. Bang. Bang. I could hear Dad's gun going off beside me, and I was doing my best to stay on my side of the flock.
One snow goose dropped to the ground near the blind.
"All right, we got one!" I shouted, as Jaz proudly carried the bird to the blind.
I did my best to blame the bird on Dad's shooting but he insisted the bird fell out of my side of the flock.
"I'm sure it was one stray pellet from your gun that came to my side of the flock and got the bird," I tried to reason. Hmmm...
That was it for the day. Not much in the way of harvest, but a good day in the blind none the less.
Fast forward a couple of days.
"Rain is in the forecast, but let's give it a go in the morning," I said to Ivak.
My truck rumbled into his driveway much too early in the morning, but Ivak and his son Colton were standing ready.
Once again all the decoys were out, the vortex's spinning, the sounds system blaring snow goose sounds, and we were waiting.
The morning broke with geese in the air. Speckle bellys and Canadians flew over the blind so low it seemed we could reach up and catch them. It is amazing how they know when the season is closed for them. It is like they taunt you each day.
We huddled in the blind as the heavy rain clouds approached. Would the geese get to us before the rain?
"Low flock coming from behind," I hissed, "Let's get them the first opportunity we have. They won't circle the decoys very many times."
It was a fairly large flock of snow geese and they were coming right on the deck low. As they cleared the blind we fired into them.
Two geese sailed out of the flock and into the ponds near us.
I volunteered to go after them. I found one very easily, but searched and searched for the other one.
"I sure wish I had my little yellow dog, Jaz for this," I mumbled to myself. I had to leave Jaz at home as she is getting way up in dog years and was very stiff and sore from a hunt the day before. I just won't let her suffer even though she was begging to come.
I climbed up on a ridge above the pond system and spotted the white goose. Dead on an island in the middle of the largest pond.
Rain greeted me as I got back to the blind. It was looking like it set in for the day.
"Ok, let's pick everything up. I don't need all my things getting soaked," I told Ivak and Colton.
We loaded the truck and then rummaged up a little paddle boat from the ponds edge.
"Ok Colton, you are the retriever. I'll give you hand signals and guide you to the bird," I told him.
Man I should have brought the shock collar for his training....
Colton paddled out and brought the goose back to the boat. I was shouting, "Bring it here boy! Here, boy! Good boy, I'll give you a doggie treat when you get back!"
We had a good laugh as he paddled his way back.
The results of the hunt were not counted in numbers of birds, but rather, the quality of sharing some mornings with great friends and family.
You can not put a price tag on watching the day break as thousands of birds roar into flight around you. Roosting turkeys gobbling the darkness into daylight.
I value each day I am lucky enough to spend in this manner. Were it not for hunting I would never experience these special occasions.
I feel very blessed to be living now. To have the freedom to do these incredible excursions with my family and good friends.
Dad and Jaz
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