et1
Member
Posts: 120
Location: Ontario Canada
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Post by et1 on Jul 5, 2014 4:44:40 GMT -5
Time is progressing quickly and seems to go faster as you get older. In less than a month Migratory Bird licenses will be available for the early goose season starting at the beginning of September. Here the Greater Canada Goose is commonly seen and doesn’t migrate distances like other species. If there is open water and a food source you’ll find them here. Also these birds can easily exceed 8lbs so there is a bit of meat there. At the end of each year I try to convince myself I’m getting too old for all the physical activity involved but like clockwork the adrenaline gland kicks into high gear before the season starts to aid me in abusing myself in a delightful fashion. The first hunt usually starts off on a small island a good friend of mine shares with me. Well before light we pack the canoe, floating decoys and other gear into a truck to head out to a launching point. Then everything is unloaded from the truck into the canoe at the water’s edge. Next is a good 20minute paddle out to the island where we first unload our gear and then set out again to place our decoys on the water while it’s still dark. Finally it’s time to head to shore and setup our gear for visitors once legal shooting light arrives. Now not too far from the island is a bay the geese like to roost in and we never go there to disturb them because their flight path is usually by our island position. During one of these hunts we had a wild time. Approaching the island one morning we could hear the geese in the bay expressing nervousness in the dark. I can see why they say geese make good watch dogs. Anyway we tried to setup as quietly as possible and make for the island. Once there I decided to try to make a few soft calls to see if I could get a response. Sure enough that flock in the bay called back. Shortly thereafter 3-geese landed in behind the island as well as the other flock in the hidden bay appeared to come out of nowhere swimming towards our decoys. Aw nuts because there was 5-minutes left before shooting light and our shotguns where legally encased. What a waiting game that was. Right at shooting light we quietly uncased our shotguns and loaded up. Then hand signaled so that both of us would focus on the main flock out front. We let her rip and 5-geese were down. Surprisingly the 3-geese behind us never spooked. Loaded up again and 3-more were down. Out of a possible 10-limit we had 8-geese before sunrise. What a shoot and hoot that was. Considering we had our work cut out to clean 8-geese we decided to call it a morning and save the reserve 2 should we decide to go out that evening. My friend and I never forget this hunt but neither one of us would admit who missed a goose when we should have tagged 6 with our first volley. This year I want to try something different with the meat as the current craze is goose jerky. I imagine the adrenaline gland will kick in again with an additional incentive of trying something new. Just have to make sure I have some additional muscle relaxants on hand to compensate that adrenaline drive coming.  Ed |
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457 
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Jul 5, 2014 11:32:15 GMT -5
et1: You think time goes by quickly now just wait 'till you hit your next decade, you go to bed New Years eve and wake up and it's July 4th. I'm getting ready for deer season here, it opens the second Saturday of August, which is comming on fast. I too wonder what I'm doing walking around the hills in 80-100 degree weather looking for something to drag out of a canyon or hopefully down to a ranch road. Next is duck season,walking in cold misserable weather before dawn hoping to carry 15-20 lbs of meat back through the mud to my ATV then 20 minute ride to the cabin. All FUN! Good Hunting!
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et1
Member
Posts: 120
Location: Ontario Canada
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Post by et1 on Jul 5, 2014 18:35:08 GMT -5
Hey Bob
If I’m blessed with another 10yrs of going through this ritual I will be surprised but welcome the opportunity to repeat what I’m doing now every yearly cycle. The one thing I try to do is hunt smarter and not harder. Most times there is no shortcuts so full dues often have to be paid.
Water Fowling for me starts on the water and when freeze up occurs moves inland to fields where the birds like to visit. Know about the mud and cold which is a pain in the @ss until some action arrives. Then it doesn’t seem so cold and dirty.
You’re right that at the end of the day it was good fun and hopefully a bonus or two to take home.
Hope you have a good upcoming season and wish you “Good Hunting” also.
Ed
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Jul 6, 2014 11:56:22 GMT -5
Honking time is over here in NW New Mexico. They've all headed north. A few months ago the Canadians were here by the 10's of thousands. One of their favorite spots to spend time is on the grass at the Connie Mack Baseball Stadium a block away from me. Like a grey and white carpet....and more on the youth baseball and soccer fields. Safe and sound from hunters and shotguns.  |
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Post by hacker54 on Jul 6, 2014 12:58:34 GMT -5
All hunted species know where it is safe and don't take'em long to figure it out either. Once the hunting pressure starts they know where to go where they aren't harassed and is off limits to you the hunter. The game could care less what the signs read since they can't anyway but you better have read those signs like No Hunting or Do Not Trespass and others that bar you access.
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7th
Member
Posts: 19
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Post by 7th on Jul 6, 2014 21:19:28 GMT -5
I am really looking forward to Sep 1st also, I have a young man that sat out 2 long mornings last year without getting a shot at the B-52s but we all still had a great time, this year I have 3 more new kids chopping at the bit to try for them, then a few more kids are going to join up with us latter in the day for some dove shooting.
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et1
Member
Posts: 120
Location: Ontario Canada
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Post by et1 on Jul 7, 2014 6:37:58 GMT -5
GWS Surprisingly there are 4/5 sub species of Canada Geese where as the smallest is about 2lbs and the largest easily exceeds 8lbs. These birds are more intelligent than we sometimes give them credit. Here they love parks even in the city and golf courses where there are ponds and streams. They can be surprisingly aggressive protecting their young if they feel threatened. Once their numbers grow in above mentioned locations their waste becomes annoying but also the threat of bacterial problems is another risk during a hot summer. 7th Nice to hear you are contributing time to the next generation of hunters and starting them out right. I never had anyone in the beginning and it was quite a while before someone took me under their wing to show me the ropes. One lesson I learned was that if you could clearly see the landing gear (feet) of these B52’s in flight they were in ideal range. Back in the day before non-toxic shot I had a great home load of nickel coated BB’s that rocked them out of the sky. If you made an error in distance estimation that load made up for it. The only benefit I get with non-toxic shot is I get to enjoy more giblets that were not as easily destroyed with the nickel BB’s but would prefer the hitting power I previously had. Ed |
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My daughter came from Missouri, my son and grand son, my wife and I had a nice dinner of grilled "porter house" pork chops, corn on the cobb, my son, G'son and I share 10/5. G'son is 4 minutes early though @ 10/4.
Pooh I hope you find to right house . 
