IFISH Goose Hunt...Day 1 & 2 + Pictures

MikeT · 01-10-2004, 07:07 PM

We met up in Salem at 4:30 this morning and Dave led us out to the fields.
Everything was looking good, lots of birds working the spread but for some reason they didn't finish for us today. 19 shooters and only 7 birds in the bag.
Tommorrow we've got a smaller group and a "hot" new field to hunt.
Anyone have pics they can post?

MikeT

[ 01-12-2004, 06:26 PM: Message edited by: Rauly ]

Gun Rod Bow · 01-11-2004, 05:49 PM

It was a tough day and I felt bad for Dave.

He put us in a field that had about 3,000 geese in it the day before and a place to hide 20 FA blinds. Not an easy task.

The problem was all the geese came at once. I have a snapshot in my head of 1,000 geese with wings set gliding over our heads from behind us to in front, while 1,000 geese were coming at us with wings set at the exact opposite direction, all backlit by the morning sun. It looked really cool but spelled trouble.

The day before Dave and Brad said they moved into that field in little bunches. Saturday they all came at once and filled the center of the field.

We had 4 "goes" and should have been able to hit a few more than we did, but the birds were really giving us the cold shoulder.

Well, I don't goose hunt because it's easy, I like it because it's difficult.

Dave and Brad are awesome, but somedays, the geese win.

I enjoyed seeing everyone again and will be there for sure next year!

skein · 01-11-2004, 06:32 PM

I couldn't have said it any better, GRB. The geese were not in a flock, they were in a swarm. And as you said, they came all at once, and were uncooperative in the extreme.

I want to say thanks to Dave and Brad, and a special thanks to the guys who fit into the "also starring" column. These were the guys who showed up to help set decoys and haul stuff out and assist in calling and all the myriad of things it takes to put a hunt like this together.

I'm going to forget some of their names or call them by the name I think is theirs, but:

Thanks, Hunter - you are a goose hunting dude!
Thanks, Sean, and Leonard, and Carl, and Cody, and Matt, and .... well, that's all the names I can remember right now. Nice team, you guys!

Good times. Not many birds, but you can't always measure good things on a meat scale.

Trust me, this fat boy had a good time!

Skein

Rauly · 01-11-2004, 06:58 PM

Man it was fun today. It is really nice hunting with friends. A good group all around.

I have about 20 pictures from today, but am having trouble uploading.(website not responding) I think it may have something to do with the last 30 hours I have been awake. I will try to get them on the board in the morning. If anyone has pics from the first day or second day please post them up. Someone has to have a pic of fishforever doing his best Navy Seal stalk on the geese.

Thanks to Brad and Dave for the A1 service they put out for us. The two best around.

Rauly

Rauly · 01-12-2004, 02:51 PM

This is a picture of Day 2.

Gooseman with a Cackler. He waited for eveyone else to shoot and then dummped this one. Nice shot!

MikeT with another nice Cackler and Bill Monroe in the background.

[ 01-13-2004, 06:00 AM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

Rauly · 01-12-2004, 05:21 PM

Brad and his crew Sunday

The Line Up

Get Bit and fishforever after checking in a couple of birds at the goose check station.

fishforever getting his goose checked

[ 01-13-2004, 06:07 AM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

Steeliehunter · 01-13-2004, 05:57 PM

It was a good day. I can't think of very many things I would rather do on a Saturday morning then to be hunting with some new friends and my son. To me there is nothing better then to see the excitement in either one of my boys eyes when I wake them in the morning and tell them to gear up. They are the first out of the truck and can't sit still because they want to do there share in setting up the spread and grassing up the blinds. For those who were there on Saturdays hunt you had the chance to meet my oldest son Hunter. He has been goose hunting with me for over four seasons and he is only six years old. In 2002 he took fourth place in the state for goose and duck calling in his age group. He can spot the birds from miles away when I have no clue as to where they are. He will chase down birds all day long with a big smile on his face. He calls as good and sometimes better then most adults and yes he brings birds in. He is my number one hunting partner, the future of our sport and most important of all my son.
I want to ap[ologize for those who felt my son infringed on there hunt. Hunter has been on several hunts with both Brad and Dave and they always ask me to bring Hunter along. Brad made a point to call me and asked me to bring my boys because he knows they are my hunting partners. I also want to apologize for not coming out Sunday because of the call I received Saturday night I did not want to put Brad in a uncomfrotable position.
The one thing I wanted to get the most out this hunt was to meet people who love the sport as my son's and I do and maybe get together and do some hunting because goose hunting is better shared with friends. So Skein, Get bit, fish forever, GBR and a few others I only know by blind placement drop me a email and we will go try our best to get some birds. Oh yes Bruce thanks for walking Hunter down so he could help Dave set up decoys.
Sean Johnson
The blind on the south end with green whoop grass.

WildHawg · 01-13-2004, 06:38 PM

Guided hunts can be touchy--I should know.
When one is paying for a once in however long (maybe a lifetime) hunt, they want everything to be perfect.
Unfortunately, that rarely happens in the real world. Sounds like the geese weren't finishing well (a problem I've had a whole lot more than Smith and Cochran the last 2 years!), and in those situations, people, being the inquisitive creatures we are, tend to look for reasons why success may have been limited.
Sounds like your boys have been on some awesome hunts that were quite succesful, and are obviously well beyond their calendar years in hunting savy.
I would love to hunt with your boys anytime--even on a guided trip, they sound like real jewels Dad!
I doubt they were the reason the geese weren't finishing, but I wasn't there. You showed great moxy, and exemplified respect by not bringing your boys the second day.
A good friend and mentor taught me 2 things about guiding that I'll never forget:
1) "It's not YOUR trip" folks look forward to opportunities like this for many years, sometimes a lifetime. It's important to weigh what the others in the group want to do.
2) 3 things make a great hunting trip--good weather, good numbers of critters, and good facilities and grub. You can only control one of those factors as a guide. Sometimes it's all too easy--other days, you can't win, despite working twice as hard.
Whatever the reason, I applaud [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] you for sharing our passion with them. I think we'll need 'em in a couple of decades--we may be outnumbered!

Rauly · 01-13-2004, 06:44 PM

fishforever putting on a sneak

The sneak continues

Saturday's Group

[ 01-13-2004, 08:57 PM: Message edited by: Rauly ]

fish forever · 01-14-2004, 08:44 AM

It was great to meet everyone as well. The comraderie was definitely one the highlights of the hunt.

I'd also like to thank Rauly and Get Bit for helping to organize the event. It was a lot of work for them to put this together for us. I for one appreciate the effort. Thanks guys.

Wingmaster · 01-14-2004, 07:10 PM

Regardless of the lack of geese I know me and my dad had a great time just being out in the field on Saturday. Thanks rauly, get bit, Dave, and the whole crew for making the day a fun one. Hopefully we can slay some birds next year! :smile:

Jennie@ifish · 01-15-2004, 08:06 AM

Contrary to popular belief, :smile: I don't watch this board often.

However, I would like to post pics from both day one, and day two. Anyone have any day one pics?

I would like to put them on the ifish trophy page. Please, if you have some, get them to me, or notify me if they are posted here.

Thanks!
Jen

Tilla · 01-15-2004, 04:01 PM

This is the only Sat picture I got, and of all things it's some guy in green who tried the ruin the hunt for everyone from the start. As you can see Gooseman is trying to hide (sleep?) but this Frenchman, (I think his name was Grenoble)

is sitting around looking for someone to play pattycakes with him.

When I got home my wife said "So you didn't have a good time. I said "Au contraire" (darn Grenoble), I just spent a day with some of the best hunting and fishing people in the state, how could I not enjoy being in such fine company. I'm ready to go again!

[ 01-15-2004, 05:07 PM: Message edited by: Tilla ]

Gun Rod Bow · 01-16-2004, 03:58 PM

Hey Tilla,

Someone yelled "shut up" and I thought they said "stand up"!! That's how I got my glass eye! (another story)

Steeliehunter, you and Hunter are welcome to hunt with me anytime. Everytime we walked through a puddle or he slipped on mud and I tried to help him he'd say "I awright". He's a tough little dude. I don't think you'll hear any of us say he was anything but a very welcome guest on the hunt.

I worry that we don't have enough young folks coming into the outdoor sports.

I really enjoyed getting out with everyone, even Jeff and Tilla (well sorta) At least the blabbing brook drowned out Jeff's talking some of the time

Lookin forward to doin it again. Can't wait 'til the next chance to push my quad around the field. :grin: