First Tavener and Cackler today. Now Frustration!!!!!

[Adjhunt]

Went hunting for the first time in the valley today (not in the permit zone).
After scouting since the season opened, I finally got permission to 2 fields!
In the field I hunted today there were about 800 birds in it yesterday, and wouldn't you know, all those birds were using the other field I have permission to today. But I stayed where I was, so that the birds would stay in that field for later hunts. And I ended up getting my first Tav and Cack!

I've very new to goose hunting, and this was a great learning experience!

Here's a few pics.

[HuntNFishAddict]

Andrew,
Nice hunt.

[DukAddict]

Andrew, great work getting out and scouting to get on a property. Soon you'll have a handle on birds and you'll be doing to geese what you do to ducks

Brett Neffendorf

[jnicholson]

sweet, welcome to a new addiction!

What? No dog?

John and Bucky

[Erich_870]

Originally Posted by jnicholson

sweet, welcome to a new addiction!

What? No dog?

John and Bucky

Who do you think took the pic!?

Erich

Originally Posted by Adjhunt

[Uplanders]

Well done, it seams those cacklers are disliked by many goose hunters but I like the little buggers, I have a sweet one in the freezer I need to mount up for myself that was hit with a magic BB Zero Damage

[fishandcrawl]

Sweet! Isn't that so much fun.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Good work young fella

[beardbuster]

Very nice!! Can't wait to see what happens when you hunt the other field

[CRR]

Great work! I love hunting fields for geese. They are awesome birds

[QH's Paw]

Congrats Andrew!
Let the addiction proceed.

[steelheadslayer]

Wait until you hunt the big river and swat 4 westerns by 9AM. That will make you an addict like no other.

Congrats on the birds, them little ones are a hoot in their own right!!!

[lentz]

Man Andrew, maybe i should make a trip down your way and you can put me on some birds, not that i would hit many of them but it would be fun. Good job and keep wackin the birds.

[D3smartie]

nice work bud!!!!

[Born To Fish 2]

Nice job!! Any time you can wack birds is a good day.
All I've seen lately are Cacks, No Westerns my way yet, sucks with a daily limit of 1.

[Steeleman]

Awesome Andrew! Beats going to class at CCC, doesn't it?!!

Tim

[HonkerKnocker]

Right on man...it isnt a limit but still looks like a darn good day...Nice hide looks like you really spent some time grassing that finisher out

[Adjhunt]

Wow thanks for the nice response guys!!

And yes it definitely is a new addiction and way better then going to class!
Now I know why so many of you target the geese more then ducks now!!! I had a ball!
I have my last final in the morning, then I will be heading out to see what field the geese are using, and to talk to the farmer to see if I can hunt that other field on Thursday!

Dog didn't take that photo.... it was a decoy
And everyone who hunts with me on SI say I am the dog. haha


I do have a question....
The field I might hunt on Thursday is really green short grass, and the geese are landing right in the middle. Should I pick as much of the short grass as I can to grass the blind and set-up right in the middle of the field?
Here is a pic of the field....

[steelheadslayer]

It's going to be tough but that grass isn't really that short. Try and pick a good sized depression in teh field for your blind with some fairly tall grass compared to what is out there. You need to get your blind as low as possible so it doesn't stick out. Then grass the pee out of it so it blends in.

If that's not possible, try and hunt an edge as close as you can to where the birds are coming in from or where they make a wide swing of your spread to check it out. This may be better due to them checking out the dekes instead of trying to find something wrong in the middle of your spread. Remain as motionless as possible and enjoy the shooting.

I realize your new to this but try and not to shoot into a flock of over 10-20 birds. When that happens a bunch of birds just got a PhD in decoys and blinds. It's hard not to do it but the rewards on other hunt days are worth it.

GOOD HUNTING!!!!!!!

[Adjhunt]

Thanks for the suggestions!!

What if the birds are only flying in large flocks? yesterday I only saw one flock go into that field that was under 10 geese....
But I do agree not to shoot into the big flocks.

Thanks!

[Dave Smith]

Andrew, my advice would be to hook me up with permission to hunt deer around there- it looks really blacktailey. As far as how to hunt those geese in that middle: I have no idea- ha ha
Hey congrats on a successful hunt. You have the first ingredient: you're doing some scouting and hunting on your own- that seperates you into about a 30% group. NICE work, buddy!
Dave

[Adjhunt]

haha thanks Dave! Hey i'll find a place for you to blacktail hunt if you send about 4 dozen DSDs up here for me to hunt with!

Got permission today to hunt the field tomorrow, and there were about 300 geese in it when I was there.

[xstreme357]

wrong camo!!! lol nice hunt feels good doesnt it!!

[Adjhunt]

Originally Posted by xstreme357

wrong camo!!! lol nice hunt feels good doesnt it!!

haha... It sure does!!
I've found out that when hunting a layout blind, camo is not needed

[xstreme357]

lol, nah it's not crucial. some sunny days every bit helps. you can close open your mesh like you have and that pretty good. just watch hoods and other things of that nature hangin out of the back. those geese will get low and circle right around, one slip on the call while they are behind you and they'll pick you up. if that hoods out, busted!! blind looks good, comfy huh? its amazing how warm they can be with the doors shut and you hunkered in!

[Adjhunt]

Oh yea those are comfy to lay in!! Almost fell asleep
And for the record I was wearing full camo and a face mask. LOL

It was a good day to practice calling, and to just listen to geese and what they do. My calling definitely need a lot of work though!

[Eric Strand]

Congratulations Andrew, nice job!!!!!!

[Adjhunt]

Thanks Eric!


But now I am really really frustrated.
I went out this morning to hunt that other field because I got the permission on Monday, then checked it on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday and talked with the farmer all 3 days and he was cool with me hunting there.
So I show up this morning at 6:15 and start unloading my gear, he comes walking out of the house and gets about 50 yards from me (its dark) and goes "oh ok, I just wanted to see who it was." we said hi to each other and he starts walking back to the house, then turns around and say's "I don't want to do this".... "its to much of a hassel"..."just Go home!".......
WHAT?
I loaded all my stuff back up and he headed out for work about 5 minutes later.
I was back home and in bed by 7:00.
I drove out there 3 times this week just to get shutdown at 6:15 in the morning. I drove the 40 minutes back home, going "what?".... What?"... "WHAT"?. I just can't understand?
But I guess this is part of the learning procces too???



SI is so much easier

[Wingman Or.]

You didn't do anything (at least that's what it sounds like to me).... One thing my dad always told me was "Their land, their rules." We tend to forget how we might feel if we had people we really didn't know using weapons in our back yard. Give it a week and try and contact him again. extend the olive branch and see what happens. Again I'm sure this had very little if anything to do with something you did.

[sprigkiller09]

Congrats on those birds Andrew!! Keep your head up. Dont give up and it will pay.

[Erich_870]

Originally Posted by Adjhunt

Thanks Eric!


But now I am really really frustrated.
I went out this morning to hunt that other field because I got the permission on Monday, then checked it on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday and talked with the farmer all 3 days and he was cool with me hunting there.
So I show up this morning at 6:15 and start unloading my gear, he comes walking out of the house and gets about 50 yards from me (its dark) and goes "oh ok, I just wanted to see who it was." we said hi to each other and he starts walking back to the house, then turns around and say's "I don't want to do this".... "its to much of a hassel"..."just Go home!".......
WHAT?
I loaded all my stuff back up and he headed out for work about 5 minutes later.
I was back home and in bed by 7:00.
I drove out there 3 times this week just to get shutdown at 6:15 in the morning. I drove the 40 minutes back home, going "what?".... What?"... "WHAT"?. I just can't understand?
But I guess this is part of the learning procces too???



SI is so much easier

That's a real "kick in the gut" bummer , but don't let it stop you! He may not want to deal with neighbors complaining about the shots or something, but there are TONS of farmers with winter wheat fields for example that can't afford to let the geese mow their profits to zero. Look for some land where the owner really needs someone to keep the geese off. Pastures are less valuable.

Everyone here has stories of owners getting cold feet or even other hunters messing up a sure thing. You're just getting it sooner than some.

Erich

[jnicholson]

I'm guessing Mrs. Farmer sent him out there.

To bad, move one brother and try to get it out of your head. You may never know why.

John and Bucky

[SImudBogger]

i would call and thank him for at least giving you one good hunt. Then ask him if he knows anyone else in the area that would allow you to hunt.

[Adjhunt]

Thanks for the positive replys. It sure helps.
I went over anything and everything I might have done, but can't think of a single thing. He must have just changed his mind.
SImudbogger- This was a new field that I hadn't hunted yet. I still have the other field across the street and down the road about 400 yards. But the geese aren't using it right now.

And as far as complaining about shooting, he didn't hear any of my shots when I hunted across the road. But I can understand and respect that.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Originally Posted by jnicholson

You may never know why.

True Dat.

Be sure of yourself, then move on. I'd hit him next year. I have a few fields back that used to be, then weren't, and now are back in the index.

[JBG]

Im a professional objection handler, take me out there next time

[stlhdr1]

Originally Posted by JBG

Im a professional objection handler, take me out there next time

Ditto.... Did you fail to ask the question "Why"??

Yes, respect his land but shooing you without reason?

Keith