2019 is the year I quit hunting

That's right I'm done... I'm just getting too old and sore to keep going out and killing myself for a couple geese, deer, turkey, whatever. Regardless of what my future holds my last hunt was a veritable barn burner. As I drove the hour into town I listened to the weather warnings come over the radio. Just trying to stay on the road with the wind blowing 15-20 and gusting to 40 with the snow coming in sideways was enough to make me want to turn around and go home. When we got to the field, the ferocity of the storm hit home... or more appropriately... our faces. As we started to drag our gear out, the snow helped the sled's slide easier. The wind however, was really cutty and the snow 'bout blinded us. Once we were set up it didn't take long at all to get some geese in and put some feathers on the ground. Well, it wasn't long for me to put feathers on the ground, Jake, on the other hand, was having a bit of a time. After a couple 3 misses on geese he deduced it was his new Sitka neck gaiter that wasn't allowing his head to get down on the gun. Once he figured that out he started putting his limit together. By the time the worst of the storm had passed we had our limits and were packing up, it wasn't quite 9am.

We were squinting because the snow had turned to hail and the wind was still going just as strong. I really wanted to get video of this hunt, but with the snow coming in hard along with the wind I didn't think I would get anything but white.
 
 2020 IS THE YEAR I START HUNTING....
 After thinking about this long and hard I have decided to start hunting again. With that Jake and I headed out to the same field, we shot the above limits. So, New Year's day we found us setting up to try and tack down another limit of geese. It started off with a coyote sighting crossing the end of our field. Try as we will we couldn't get him to come closer, he was downwind and I'm sure he scented us as soon as he crossed our scent cone. The next was 7 doe's running from the same way the coyote went. When they realized we were in the field they went back the same way they came from. A couple hours later had those doe's coming back across the field trying to get into the woods on the left in the picture above, 3 of them made it and the rest headed back the way they came from. Jake took off around 11ish and I decided to stick it out. So, after we packed out his gear I grabbed a watch and headed back to get some sleep, watch for geese. After I woke up from my nap I still had a couple hours before sunset, so I got up and moved decoys and got ready for the horde to arrive. Well, the horde got off their roost 45 minutes 'til sunset and headed to the NW (not my way) and never even gave me the hope of a flyby. I did have a single fly from right to left a couple hundred yards away, he was looking for company. I started calling to him but that didn't deter him in the least. A couple minutes later he flew by again from left to right, so I started calling again, and still he didn't change course. Now it's 3 minutes to sunset and that same single is finally headed my way. He cuts the distance to about 60 yards just outside of the spread and just kinda slides off, not sure why so I continue to call at him until sunset. Mystified, I get up and start policing up my gear when I look behind me I see 2 small bucks come up over the hill and head to the woods, now I know why that goose was spooky. 

So with that my first hunt and first hunt of the year came to an end without a shot fired.
 I think I'm going to like this hunting thing... maybe next week I'll get lucky.

All I wanted for Christmas was....

Cold, cloudy weather is all I really needed from this past week. What I got was 50-degrees and sunny for Monday and Wednesday, Tuesday was soooo foggy you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
So, Monday I did try an evening hunt, I got set up by 2:38 pm and slept until 4 which was ok because the ducks didn't come out until 5 mins after shooting time ended. So I picked up and headed home without firing even a shot, on my Christmas duck season opening day. Tuesday was spent driving around to see if any of the lakes in the area were open so I could get in a water hunt on Wednesday. With nothing open, I called my buddy in town to see if the river was frozen up or open above the dam. Jerry said the river was not frozen so on Wed. morning I packed the truck, hooked up the boat and headed to town. When I got to the river much to my disappointment it was frozen, all I could do was turn around and head home.
So, I'm sad to announce that my Christmas duck season has come and gone without even firing a shot. I guess if I had good news it would have to be this- remember last week when I said I didn't get my second hunt on video? Well, when I hooked up my camera Shazam there it was, so without further delay here it is.

It really doesn't make up for not hunting all week but, I am glad I got this video.
Anyway, I hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Safe New Year. Speaking of New Year it looks like the hunting will be able to continue with the onset of some cooler cloudy weather.
And before I sign off today I have a question to pose.
My Mom sent me this.... this elf that she made. Let me ask you does this elf look evil or is just me?

gotta admit I didn't sleep too good last nite.

Geese this week, duck opens next week

Monday and Tuesday I made the pilgrimage to town, 4 hours of driving to shoot 6 geese. And I'll do it all again next week, as our duck season opens for the 1 week Christmas special.
Monday I had my second hunt at a newly acquired field, and let me tell you even though the geese weren't in there the prior couple days they definitely showed up for Monday.
I will now refer you to the video:

After the last flock left I was just about to get up and start picking up, when I had another flock come in. So I snuggled in for a well-deserved nap, while that flock fed and left. After they were gone I cleaned up and headed North.
Tuesday I hunted the same area just a couple fields over on property my buddy Thom used to own. Since the corn was planted really close to Thom's woods I just threw out my decoys and sat in a chair and hunted from the edge of the woods. As I was setting up I was pretty excited because of the geese in the area. Once it was all set up and I got my "blind" set I looked up and realized that I was going to lose my cloud cover. Which in and of itself wasn't a bad thing, but with how cold it was it just meant the geese would sit all day before flying out to feed just before sunset. And so the day went something like this, nap, wake up, stretch, nap, wake up look for geese, nap and then finally the horde decided to make it's way to me. I hit the record button on the remote but apparently, it didn't take. That sucked because the show that took place until dark was amazing.
I shot my limit and picked up my gear just like I put it out... in the dark.

Wednesday my minion and I shot over to Mongo and did a couple one-man drives to try and get him a deer. We each saw deer but neither of us was able to get a shot at them. So with that, I ended my deer season for the year. Sean might still continue at the magic 5 until he gets worn out or the season ends, in Jan.
Either way, I'll stay on call for him if he manages to drop a deer. He has actually passed on many small deer this year already, pretty proud of him to not just drop a deer to drop a deer. Anyway got my geese, guns, and gear cleaned up today and looking forward to next week already.
Yay ducks.

Free at last, Free at last....

Oh thank God almighty I am free at last....
Monday was a rainout day and I ended up in town all day.
I started the day on the hunt for geese and found them out West of town. After I got permission I was off to Ft Wayne Nissan to put the truck in the shop for its 20000-mile check-up. While I waited I had the shuttle driver run me over to Gander, which is closing in Fort Wayne.... again. Then I went over to Menards to pick up a blind for a couple buddies. A quick stop at the dentist to get my crown stuck in my mouth. After I was done there I went to Discount Tire for a lifetime rotate/balance and road hazard. By the time they got done, I was on my way home just like when I left the house, in the dark.
When I got home I gave Jake a call to see what was going on in the morning and if he had birds. He said he did and that he would call back after his house settled down. Well, apparently his house never settled down, I hadn't received a call by Tuesday morning either. So I waited like a puppy in the truck and when it was an hour out from sunrise I made the decision to go deer hunting. When I picked up my phone I saw Jake had left me a message at 10 pm Mon. He said he wouldn't be able to hunt this week or next.... oh, well better late than never I guess. Anyway, I headed over to the magic 5 to try my luck during muzzleloading season. The morning was a bust so I left out around 10 am to get my running done for the week. After finding out my minion wouldn't be going for the evening hunt I shot over in his stead. I had to wait until 5pm before I had 3 does come down the deer trail from my left. She saw me as soon as I saw her, I didn't move but she knew I was there. Since she was the biggest and apparently the smartest I decided she was going to be the one to ride in the truck. As soon as the other does cleared and I had a clear shot I cocked the muzzleloader and squeezed the trigger. She took off like a bolt my first thought was, "did I miss"? I wasn't until I got down and started looking for blood that I knew I had doe down. So I went back to the truck, shed some clothes and grabbed my work bag and headed out to field dress and drag her to the truck. Since it was dark by the time I started I didn't waste time with the hero pic but got this one when I got home.

My processor was closed by the time I got there, so with a low of 15 and a high Wednesday of 25 I figured she would be ok. The next morning I packed my goose gear in the truck and off goose hunting I went. I had one flock hand me my ass in the morning, unfortunately that was the only flock to fly (my way). I really wanted to stay but I had to go drop my deer off by 5pm. I left the field by 3, made another quick stop at Gander, then got back on the road to drop off my doe.
The landowner texted me not long after I got home and let me know the geese showed up shortly after I left.... 😡
I knew that would happen.
That's ok, it won't be the last time we'll tangle.

Well nothing broke...

I hunted Monday am, Tuesday am/pm, Wednesday am, and Thursday am. With only one goose to show for it. I know I always say," you need some bad days hunting to really appreciate the good ones", but I didn't think I would be getting them all out of the way in the same week.
This was Monday

The geese just didn't want to commit, we could get'em over and call 'em back but they just wouldn't do it right. The goose I got I think Jake was just ticked and took it out on that goose. Like I stated in the video Jake and I think there is someone hunting the area with a big spread and alot of blinds just shooting into every flock. Geese aren't smart but when the boogie man shows himself enough they get a little more cautious.
Anyway, Tuesday I deer hunted am and pm. I saw a buck and 2 does in the morning and nothing in the evening. They all were moving pretty good and were way out of range of my crossbow.
Wednesday Sean and I practiced goose hunting, spread setup and takedown. We went back to the field we hunted on Monday with a smaller spread and fewer blinds to see if that would work. We weren't able to really judge if it did or not... there were just no geese wanting to get within a mile of us, minus one, who didn't even give us half a chance. So just one more strikeout for the week.
 Thursday I went to the magic 5 to try and shoot another deer. I had some does come in but nothing good happened. Next week muzzleloader comes in and I really hope they come back to say hi.
Speaking of next week

If this were next week there would be a doe attached to this hair. Apparently, I misjudged the shot, it was a little further than I thought. So instead of the double lung that should've happened, all I did was give her a hair cut. No blood only hair and another broadhead needing new blades.
Hope she tries that next week....