Your favorite find at the Waterfowl Festival?

[Gun Rod Bow]

It was my first time to attend. The wife and kids came with me...kind of like getting caught watching cartoons. :blush: It's hard to explain waterfowling to other grown ups. There is no common ground, you either love it for unexplained reasons (like Roadrunner cartoons)or you can't figure why anyone would do this stuff.

My wife found a booth selling home made waterproof fleece cloths. She was happy.

I really enjoyed it. Found a new high pitched goose call that I think will spell death to Willamette valley geese. The "Basin Abonination".

I also enjoyed talking with Dave Smith and Brad Cochran. I just watched their tape. Had some good shots of the 1st Anual I-fish Goose Hunt. We gotta do that again.

Think I'll go out and pet my decoys. [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

[Labsforme]

I went dog training in the morning.I got to the show around 4 Sat afternoon.Picked up a Saunders Reload and Bill tuned it high for Tavs and Lessers.I liked the other call but it was a little too high pitched and I already have a Grounds long mag pitched for cacklers and a half-breed tuned for honkers.I also got a new Echo double reed timber call that's real raspy and can call quiet too.I was a little disappointed that there was about 1/3 the call makers there as last year(unfortunately didn't have $ then to get the calls I could have gotten this year).It was nice seeing a lot of dog people I have known over the years.

[Flatfish]

The calls were sparse compared to last years selection. Still a good time. One echo single reed fell into my pocket. It is ducky and lower pitched than my other quacker killers.

KT, I dunno much about goose callers. But duck calls are 90% operator and 10% equipment. I hunt with a guy who has called at Stuttgart. No matter what, he sounds better than me. I would guess goose calls are the same.

Keep buying the calls though. It is good for the economy. And, if you are lucky, you will find something that sounds better.

Mark and the I hate those stupid short reeds dog.

[Killertraylor]

I live less than a mile away and unfortunately I missed it again! Almost got to go yesterday but some friends called us and offerred free tickets to the GI Joes 200 and because my wife's friends were there too we decided to do that instead. I'm not an Indy car or race fan so you can guess where I'd rather have been.

I'm curious - do the goose calls that you guys are talking about require you to make the low guteral sound yourself? I hunt at a good club and we rarely have to call, but some days they help. I've always got by just fine with the old 1/2 wood 1/2 clear faulks call for $8 but a few years ago I bought one of the half breed calls at the Sportsman's show after I thought there was a live goose at the Expo center (it was just some guy blowing the 1/2 breed) I got the tape and practiced it for hours an hours and still can't make it sound right. I'm just curious - do most of the good (expensive) calls you guys are talking about require you to blow into them the same way as the 1/2 breed? It would be awesome to find a great sounding call that was easier to blow.

Thanks.

[skein]

It was my wife's birthday and she wanted to go halibut fishing (can't fault that), so we didn't go. She got a 50lb'r Friday and a 40in chinook off Depoe Bay on Saturday (thanks, Gregotis) so we had a good weekend. But, oh man, I wanted to go to the show.

I saw six ducks fly by yesterday and mentally got a double. I, too, think I will go out and pet my decoys. [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img]

Skein

[Rauly]

I made it out on Sunday. Had a great time and got to watch friends compete in all the goose contests. The new Avery decoys were cool but I could'nt part with the money. I want (don't need) a Super X2. (note to self...save lots of pennies)I did part with a few bucks to see all the famous goose hunters from IFISH in the new movie "Stripping Down". You open and close the show. Sure brought back good memories. Talked with Dave and Brad about booking the next hunt and they are all for it. Maybe when the seasons are set we can start a thread to see what works best for everyone.

Rauly

[Steeliehunter]

Killertraylor that low sound is just one of many but they make the call more goosey. With little practice you can get down the basic and it will improve your hunting. Pick up Dave Smith CD and a reload you won't be dissapointed.

[danger]

By no means am I a great duck caller, but I can sound better than 90% of the guys out there with a $10 kumduck and homemade reeds. It just takes practice and listening to real ducks talk to oneanother.

Dan(ger)

[ 06-24-2003, 10:41 PM: Message edited by: danger ]

[Gun Rod Bow]

KT The high pitched call I'm talking about does not blow remotely like any other call I've ever blown.

I used to use a Knight and Hale Tube Call, piece of latex stretched over a little hollow horn. Toughest call I ever learned, took me years, worked great. I could tune it high for little geese, they seemed to like it.

I bought a Foiles "straight meat" honker call a couple years ago and it is an awesome cal for really mixin it up and getting a bunch of different sounds out of the same call. It takes a lot of voice, deep guteral growl to sound like a good honker call, but we don't hunt many honkers around here.

When I heard Brad call at the i-fish hunt, I snapped my head and thought wow, that doesn't sound like any call I've heard before, because it wasn't like any other call. They (Dave Smith) makes their I-5 Killer that is a high pitched call of that type.

This one is similar, very loud, blows totally different. I got better with some help, but will practice much more leading up to season.

I think they all take slightly different techniques. But sometimes, the geese like something different.

Skein, WTG in the big pond. Did you happen to see Ugly Shad down there? I was in your town on Tuesday, got 1 in the Town Hole. Generally kinda slow.

Rauly, I bought it too. Very cool.

Definitely got to do the "Big Shoot" again. Too much fun.

[ 06-25-2003, 07:41 PM: Message edited by: Gun Rod Bow ]

[Jellyhead]

My favorite part has to be the boats.

Mallard marine had a scull boat this year, the Bankes Predator. Nice boat for the $$

Worth Mathewson had his sculler on display also, nice two man boat.

The Predator sold, so looks like I'll have some competition this year.

Also met some local scullers, that was tops.

Calls???? What's a call?

Aaron