Slow Opener:
Real slow day for Steve North, Steve Eheler, & myself.
All of the honkers that have been on the lake, seemed to have vanished.
I think a combination of a warm/ calm day, & all of the nearby fresh cut
corn field, kept them lazing in the fields today.
Very few geese on the lake this morning, & the 2 that we did lock up, made a
wide pass then saw something to flare them.
The guys practiced on a few groups of merganzers, & the population of them
suffered no ill effects.
Steve E bailed around 2:00, while North & I stuck it out(napped in the sun).
Around 4:00, we climbed back in the blind, & at around 4:45, saw a big
flight of birds coming to the lake......... big like in the 500+ birds
range. All of them coming from the corn fields.
None wanted to play in our area, but a short time later, about 50 headed off
of the lake.
I managed to break a single out of them, & he commited at about 400 yds!
Worked him hard, & called the shot when he was cupped & locked at about 25
yds.
Steve dumped him nicely(in the dekes).
I finally lived up to my promise to serve Steve a honker on the proverbial
"Silver Platter".
Working that one bird in to the perfect shot, made my day.... even though I
never shouldered a gun all day.
Tomorrow is another day, & hopefully a better one.
Dave
Day 2, More of the same:
Today wasn't much better than yesterday, despite the high fog & breeze.
Some early birds working, but not for us.
Around 9:00, broke a pair off, & got them to swing the pond, but they headed off like they were leaving the lake with their compadres.
Hammered them long distance with loud pleading calls, & got them to turn about 1/2 mile out.
Lost site of them, & figured that maybe they had set somewhere......... either that or they were sneaking back.
Told Steve(Walaski) that they might pop over the hill, & I kept calling.
Just as I was about to give up, they did pop over a rise, about 200 yds out.
Switched back to the close call, & worked them in to the landing strip.
One bird over the dekes, & the 2nd one decided to break off at about 45 yds. I told Steve to take the close one(25 yds), & I took the long shot.
My first shot rocked the big bird, & it started sailing, my 2nd, & it went down behind the rise.
I turned to see Steves bird sailing across the pond past the blind, so I dispatched it with my 3rd round. Then I turned back to see mine sailing a couple hundred yds out.......... damn thing never touched the ground! I watched it go a long ways, and lost sight. Looked for it later, but to no avail
;(
We pulled the dekes at about 11:30, & headed in.
About 1/3 of the way to the trucks, the roar of geese was almost deafening, as a large flock came back to the lake........ guess we left 30 minutes too early today.
Pics of Belle & Steve, with the bird we brought home.
Dave
Linear Mode
