Took my Mom duck hunting last week..... Happy New Year.

Well, first we'll start with this week. 

I woke up yesterday with a little sore throat so I decided to just take it easy and try to stop the oncoming cold. 

So far so good I'll keep you informed.

 

 Last week was pretty awesome, I hunted Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I did take Thursday off only because I was whooped and I'm not 20 anymore.

 

I actually set up 2 days in the same spot and the last day on the adjacent property. The landowner was super cool letting me leave my trailer in front of his barn, so I didn't have to drag it back and forth. Needless to say that was a huge gas saver.

 

Monday- I took a chance on a spot that I hadn't seen ducks or geese at in a while, but I figured I would be able to bring 'em in. Boy was I right... let me back up a little bit. I have been hunting this particular property for a little over 20 years. I knew there was a chick that hunted the woods for deer but have never met her until Monday. She was running a little trap line and drove on the opposite side of the crick I was backed up to. When she drove back she stopped and we kicked of a conversation. While we were talking I was able to shoot my 4 mallards, she mentioned it was a long time since she had duck hunted so I invited her for the next days hunt. She accepted and I finished my hunt a little early, so I didn't burn the spot.

Yeah I was 3 geese short, but I wanted the ducks. They were only open (for me) 3 more days, so that's all I was really gunning for.

Tuesday- I told Amy not to worry about set up but to just show up when she wanted. So she showed up ran her trap-line, grabbed her gun and ammo and we started another BS session, while waiting on the ducks and geese. We had a flock of ducks working and finally committed I gave her honors mainly because she was shooting a Citori O/U 20 (I found out later it was her skeet gun and had skeet chokes in it) and her reach just wasn't as good as it could be. Well she managed to drop her first duck in over 2 handfuls of years. After we made the retrieve she turns to me and asks,"can I give you a hug?" I said hell ya of course you can. She was pretty stoked. Turns out she solo hunts almost exclusively including Maine bear, Maine moose and a couple Florida gators. She started hunting when she was 40 and has quite the resume for a short period of time. Well, we hunted to within a couple hours of shooting time when she had some stuff she had to take care of. So she asked if I wanted help picking up and of course I declined, putting out and picking up by myself don't bother me a bit, I was just happy she had a good hunt. Well, I kept my ducks and let her take the rest since she hasn't had duck or geese in a long time.

I shot the geese and 2 ducks while Amy got 3 ducks, her gun really held her back. At the ranges we were shooting, and the chokes she had in, she might as well been shooting salt. But since she has an open invitation to hunt with me I think she'll be looking for a new gun. I told her I want her to shoot my X2 first, she's small and really worried about her short length of pull (small reach = small stock).

Wednesday- I got out late, like not even set up by 9am, I wasn't mad though I had my shopping to get done, and I had to buy a water heater, and since I knew I was going to be late I even stopped for some Casey's pizza. I got to the field around 9:30 and started to get set up, by the time I was it was already past 11am. So I decided to do what anyone would've done, I started with a little hunting with my ears....

When I opened my eyes and lifted my head I noticed I had 2 more mallard decoys than I put out. So I popped up and shot the drake, after that I thought, "what else did I miss?" So I picked up my phone and saw Mom had called, so I hit the button and called back.

Well, Dad answered so I talked to him for a while before he had to get ready. He handed me off to Mom and while we were talking I had a flock of mallards start working. Talk to mom, feed chuckle, talk to mom, quack -feed chuckle, talk to mom.... mallards in the decoys, put the phone down and shoot 2 mallards. I picked up the phone and told mom I just shot 2 mallards and she says."Ok I'll let you go." To which I responded,"no way we shot 'em I'll take you with while I go pick 'em up." So there you go, I took my Mom on a duck hunt. 

 Now I was just waiting on geese, I figured they'd be a little late so I got the spread cleaned up and waited. When they decided to fly they came in force, from the looks of it they all flew at the same time. So I started calling, when they started to land in the decoys I shot and dropped 2. I got up and had to chase the first one almost to the woods and back to the spread. It was then that I had a different goose come flying over honking so I shot him. I finally shot the first one and started looking for the second.... which was nowhere to be found. So I counted him, picked up the 2 that I had on the ground, and decided I was happy with that and thought there wouldn't be anymore flying.... Until I saw a 5 pack coming straight for me. I got in my blind and started calling when they touched their feet down I shot 2 more which gave me 4 with 1 in the wind. With light to spare I started packing up my blind and gear, then walked to get the wheeler to ride to where the truck was parked... on the way I found the 2nd goose I shot in a field 400 yards away from where I was hunting..... LIMITS.

I found the last goose after I took my pic.

 

I'm hoping to start the year right by going goose hunting next week.... if I can kick this cold. 

just a quick one

 I spent most of the day waiting on the water-heater guy so I haven't gotten done what I need to get done. That being said.... I did get out yesterday, it was an all day sit but I ended up with limit.

Next week is going to be heck tick so I don't know if I'll get a post out. 

If I don't get one out next week.... MERRY CHRISTMAS  be safe and I put out a huge post the week after Christmas.
 

Busy week

 After work on Sunday I scouted for Monday, and once again I found them on the same property I shot last week. I knew Monday was going to be an all day sit, the weather was calling for partly cloudy.... That actually means mostly sunny, and geese will sit until last light. I got to the field kinda early and started to set up, it was then I realized I forgot my main blind so I had to set up a backup blind. I finally get settled in and to my disbelief I see my locals lifting up and flying to the North.... that is not the direction I was. At this point all I could do is hope they come over to see me on the way back to roost. So I did what any dedicated hunter would do... I made it more challenging by hunting with only my ears.... The first migrator flock woke me up with their calling. So I started calling back and wow they just got in the elevator and dropped right down on me. I wasn't sure if I was able to make them come around for another pass, so as soon as I had a good shot, I did. I dropped one out of the first flock and whiffed on my other 2 shots. Same went for the second flock, the third I dropped 3 but one had 2 lives apparently and made a quick getaway before I could get another shell loaded. 

 If you look at the geese on either end they are smaller, and they both came from the last flock. The two in the middle are regular sized whereas the others are definitely subspecies of Canada's.

 

 VIDEO 

I don't know why you can't see the video, but if you go to the blog site or YouTube you can see it. 

Anyway it was a pretty good day and I got some sleep between the goose interruptions. 

Oh yeah, this guy showed up when I was picking up.

He stayed just long enough to realize it's not duck season.
 

Tuesday I ended up getting my weekly stuff done and I went and shot my .222 to get it ready for coyote season. 

I think it's good to go.

Well that's all the good stuff that happened this week....

Wait, Wait don't go yet... 

what would a week be without some bad luck? It just wouldn't be real.

I don't remember what I had to check in my furnace room but I did see that my hot water heater is leaking. I was just in there no more than 2 weeks ago. 😢

 

All major spending is on hold until I find out how much this is going to cost.😢😬😭 

How was your Thanksgiving?

 I went to my buddies house for Thanksgiving again this year. His wife puts on a very good spread, and I appreciate the invite. After the meal my buddy, myself and Phil headed out to the barn to start the annual after Thanksgiving BS session. At around 2:30 Jake asked if I want to go across the road to see if I could get a doe. I said yes and got out of my good clothes and into some hunting clothes (that I just happened to have with me.) He Ubered me over to his blind in the Canam, dropped me off and went back to the Barn. At 4:20 I called Jake up and asked for a knife since I left mine at home, he said you need one? I said yep I'm done.

Long story short I took this doe at 275 yards with Jakes Christensen 300 prc, what a piece of equipment. Since we had been talking about goose hunting the next morning (friday) that started the wheels turning to take the day off. When we called off that hunt, I was still in day off mode and called in anyway. That really didn't turn out good for me becuse instead of MAKING 350 I SPENT 800.... decisions were made...

Anyway with the passing of Thanksgiving came the start of the pheasant clean up. Monday I went out in perfect conditions... fresh snow. I had a harder time than I thought I would've but I did shoot at 1 bird, that kept flying 😩. I worked half the day just to see a pheasant. Tuesday went a little better....

After the hunt I drove to Fort Wayne to check on the goose situation and low and behold I had geese, so I got on the phone and devised a plan. 

Well none of the usual suspects could make it so I rolled out by myself the next morning. I got set up by 7:40ish and had limit by 9:42, the actual time from the first shot to the last was less than 20 mins. Super good time and an awesome hunt.

VIDEO!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 This guy was thankful I already got my 🦌.

Not alot happened I'll lay it all out next week. Stay safe.