"White Russian" a very special goose for me

Gun Rod Bow · 01-07-2007, 04:07 PM

I have been chasing these valley geese for a number of years and have seen an awful lot of birds hit the ground.

I don't score a lot of "Bling". I typically target Tav's which are pretty much unmarked.

I have always been fascinated by waterfowl. This bird which can fly virtually anywhere on the planet under it's own power. Who travels thousands of miles every year, I am going to try to attract into my limited range and take home. Many of these birds nest above the Arctic Circle and spend many years making the trek to the Willamette Valley to get chased around by me and others like me.

Snow Geese in the valley are an oddity but not unusual for a hunter to see a few every season. We have taken 2 about a month ago, 1 nice adult last year and there was a nice adult bird mixed in with a group that I set up on Saturday.

At 8:05 after kicking a few hundred out of the decoys so we could get to work I see the single white goose all alone just over the decoys. I allerted my buddies and gave him a few quick clucks and he banked sharply into the area we had prepared for him. He didn't leave.

As soon as my dog brought him back I was flat amazed to see a band. A worn band, very worn band.

He was a niced mature bird in full plumage. I had tried to take a pic of him the day before through my spotting scope but my camera phone wasn't liking the eye relief. Too bad, I would have had a pic of the live bird.

I knew that the snows we get are predominantly from Wrangel Island. I didn't realize Wrangel is above Russia in the Arctic Ocean. Wrangel is across the International Dateline above the Russian Mainland. Snows from there migrate this way and usually stop in the Fraser and Skagit Deltas or go on down to California. Our valley Snows are just lazy or lost.

Here's a pic of the bird.

So when I got hime home I checked the numbers on the very worn band. He was banded in Russia (most likely Wrangel but I'll have to wait to find out) on 8-02-1989. So he is older than my 17 year old daughter! :blush:

So this bird has covered those thousands of miles every year, for at least 17 years. Carrying his little aluminum bracelet. Maybe one fall he followed some of his buddies from Wrangel and went south across Russia, and China and wintered in Japan...who knows, only him.

Anyway, it really reminded me of my early days of waterfowling and why at middle (?) age I am still excited by the sound of waterfowl in the pre dawn darkness and the sight of cupped wings.

Thanks for listening.

Wingmaster · 01-07-2007, 04:29 PM

What a trophy Bruce, way to go!

Get Bit · 01-07-2007, 04:32 PM

Sweet!!!!

Get Bit

adobe wall · 01-07-2007, 04:52 PM

outstanding!

You are the second person on this board to get a banded snow this year, both Russkies.

Chesapeake and I had a flock of snows yesterday that didn't quite get close enough. I'd love to get one- a band would be icing on the cake.

regards, aw

billc_sbio · 01-07-2007, 04:59 PM

Nice work Bruce!

Wow, 17 yr.s old (or older?).

Hope that one finds a special place...looking very life like.

Tvfowlhunter · 01-07-2007, 05:09 PM

Very Nice Bruce!!!!

congrats,

Trent

stlhdr1 · 01-07-2007, 05:37 PM

Very nice Bruce....

Keith

duckboy · 01-07-2007, 05:45 PM

How about that!

Pretty neat story, and also interesting to know where that goose has been.

Was a lucky goose to fall to a hunter that appreciated it.

steelheadslayer · 01-07-2007, 06:30 PM

Congrats on the bird. That's a really sweet addition to the day.

Broknt · 01-07-2007, 06:56 PM

nice job bruce that is a real trophu.

thad

MarshBum · 01-07-2007, 07:12 PM

heh, and I thought the cold war was over... stop the ****** killing!

Just kidding.

What a sweet sweet feeling that must have been. Will this brid find a second life on a wall...?

Geoff

Super Fluke · 01-07-2007, 07:50 PM

Nice job

Gun Rod Bow · 01-07-2007, 08:05 PM

Thanks guys.

Last year "Skein" took a nice full plumage adult snow while out with me and I encouraged him to get the bird mounted.

Years ago I had a desire to have many species mounted for me to look at around my home, but that desire faded.

2 seasons ago I took an exceptional "Speck" (White Fronted Goose) on the permit hunt. The bird has a blacker belly than any Speck I have ever seen. (sign of age) I had it mounted by Stephan Sevides and it is a beautiful mount.

I do plan to have this bird make an addition to my trophy room. Partially becuase it was an rare bird to take in the valley, but mostly becuase of the band and age.

It rekindled my awe of waterfowl.

nitrobass · 01-07-2007, 08:16 PM

Awesome bird.

I had a banner year for snows but no shackles. I saw more banded snows this year than in any year in the last decade. Guess they've been busy over there.

Again, congrats on a true rarity

5 Salt · 01-07-2007, 08:27 PM

Wow.

Well done GRB.

jokester · 01-08-2007, 05:35 AM

Sweet!

That's an old bird, good choice on getting it mounted. That will be one you definitely will remember :grin:

-jokester

waterfowlin101 · 01-08-2007, 06:19 AM

you know how I feel about this Bruce......dirty, my friend.....just plain dirty!!

Bait Bucket · 01-08-2007, 06:40 AM

Neat! About fifteen years ago we killed a blue goose on Maryland's Eastern Shore that was banded in Russia. They are truly amazing creatures.

blackdog · 01-08-2007, 07:19 AM

Congrats, Bruce. All your hard work seems well rewarded.

Hunt'nFish · 01-08-2007, 10:04 AM

That is just plain COOL! Congrats on the band of a lifetime.

Hunt'nFish

Northwest Pest · 01-08-2007, 01:18 PM

You have to feel a little bad Bruce but congrats on this bird and all your other bling this season.

Gun Rod Bow · 01-08-2007, 05:08 PM

[quote=Northwest Pest;1379786]You have to feel a little bad Bruce.../quote]

Oh...do I?

NOT:blush:

Kevin, I hope you had a nice visit with the ex-girlfriend, it wasn't THAT much fun...OK...it was. We never even got rained on.

BrotherWolf · 01-08-2007, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gun Rod Bow

Thanks guys.
It rekindled my awe of waterfowl.

thats great to hear

Now ya just to to get ride of all those fishing pictures on your walls at the office...LOL

Gun Rod Bow · 01-08-2007, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrotherWolf

thats great to hear

Now ya just to to get ride of all those fishing pictures on your walls at the office...LOL

Hey man, if there were salmon in the river right now, alot of geese would make it through the winter.

For everything, there is a season...(read that in a book somewhere)

BrotherWolf · 01-08-2007, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gun Rod Bow

Hey man, if there were salmon in the river right now, alot of geese would make it through the winter.

For everything, there is a season...(read that in a book somewhere)

LOL thats so true once again congrats on that bird!!

SlyHawk · 01-08-2007, 07:02 PM

Great story and history of the bird! Appreciate it!

hawg boss · 01-08-2007, 08:50 PM

Nice job Bruce. Thanks for sharing the band info. I am always interested in where our birds have been. That was an old bird for sure.

wife&3kids · 01-09-2007, 06:35 AM

Nice one Bruce.. What a great trophy..

SteveMarandas · 01-09-2007, 12:51 PM

Gary and I think that is one of the best hunts one could muster. It is splendid that you were able to harvest one of the finest of fowl. It will be from this day forward you shall be known as Sir Bruce of Sherwood.

Uglygreen · 01-09-2007, 12:57 PM

Nice bird Bruce! That band is neat.

- Brad

Gary Miller · 01-09-2007, 01:07 PM

Dear Sir Bruce of Sherwood,

Congratulations on your most significant harvest!! I have noticed a freshness and newness to your prose. Let us hoist a glass to the pre-dawn darkness and the sight of cupped wings and let us never forget our early days of waterfowling and the many legends of the greats who have come before us.

Kevin Newell · 01-09-2007, 02:03 PM

Wow! Congratulations! That is a true trophy!

Gun Rod Bow · 01-09-2007, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Miller

Dear Sir Bruce of Sherwood,

Congratulations on your most significant harvest!! I have noticed a freshness and newness to your prose. Let us hoist a glass to the pre-dawn darkness and the sight of cupped wings and let us never forget our early days of waterfowling and the many legends of the greats who have come before us.

I'd like you two to know that I was given a copy of Sand County Almanac for Christmas and I have looked at almost every picture and even read many of the subtitles that didn't have really big words.

Oh and Gary, I'm gonna pee in your FA blind tomorrow.

nunyet · 01-09-2007, 06:08 PM

Bruce hope you punched your Russian card on that one , and look out the gravy may be a little tuff.

Good on ya!

nunyet

Sauvie's Slayer · 01-09-2007, 07:55 PM

Nice going!!! That is so awsome. A snow in the valley is cool in its own right, but banded as well! SWEET. That is one of the oldest, if not the oldest bands I've ever heard of. In 2005 I shot a cackler that was banded as an adult in 1988, which I thought was pretty cool but an 18-19 year old snow. congrats man, congrats.