BilletHead

We will make it a hunt Thursday at the windmill then. Yes the levee is bare but that is where I have been hiding the two time I hunted there and it worked. I will have my two layouts if we want to use them. I used it the times there and just surrounded it with big foot's Might be I am just removing the not so smart geese from the gene pool. Mike has put a lock on the gate there. He said it is not to keep us out and to use the North gate. We have had four arson fires Sunday night and two of them close to his house. One burned a bunch of hay bales less than a mile from his house, not his hay but a bummer for someone for sure. Marty

Yes Slider join the club. Kind of gets under your skin. The stories are great. I tend to get long winded with mine giving a blow by blow account while others get to the point. Diversity makes us all unique. Bird Watcher, Got out around nine for a look see. Nothing at Mikes house and nothing in the field behind. About thirty on the trailer house (red dog) pond. Then at the windmill at least fifty in the field between the pond and windmill. Over on the highway where they have been going, none which is hard to beleve. This afternoon the run found twenty at the trailer pond and close to a hundred at the windmill. Spread out all over. On the North side in the water and the bulk West of the pond eating grass I suppose. Not sure if they are now roosting there or just started using it for a change? What day you want to try? 40% chance rain tomorrow East wind 6-9 mph. Thursday North wind 6-11 mph.

I will do a little recon today and see what I can find out. Marty

Sounds good but remember I have 4wheeler too if needed and the little trailer. How do you think I haul all my crap around? If I have to use my back it isn't going to happen. Not lazy just unable. Marty

Wednesday will work fine, Might rain Wednesday and if it looks like it may be bad Thursday or Friday if you want. MArty

Anyday, anytime. Pat says she is to the point she will go if I don't want to go alone. You make the call. I am a lucky hunter. I need a skilled hunter to learn from. Just say when, Marty

No webbed feet either! Those are nice Chris. Well done, Marty

Chris, I was thinking about quitting until Mike V. called and left me a message on my cell. Did not get it until this morning. He was watching them in bunches drop back to his home pond about 4:45 last Evening. He was wanting me to come over and get more? Was wanting to check with you first:) They have been mostly going to the borrow ponds along the highway where the ramps were built and then back. Marty

I plan on doing that as I find out how much it might cost. I need to know the place to take it. So all of you please give me your all's input please. He is now layed neatly in a double plastic bagm in the deep freeze. Considering the places I hunt I may never see another one ever. I am still stoked about it. Thanks friends for the congrads, Marty

Neat deal Feathers. I see some green wings in there too. I like those teal, Marty

Way to go out Duane. Nice to know you must be feeling better. Marty

Ever seen a grown man cry? My friend had one more morning to hunt and then head home. After a couple good hunts he needed one goose to take home and I lacked one duck for my possesion limit for the season. We had seen bookoos ducks bombing this pond where geese were roosted yesterday. This was the destination for the morning. We did not take any goose decoys for this hunt. Got set up and layed back for the morning. Right off three mallards set down. Two drakes and a hen. We said shall we shoot? Then two canadas pitched in and I said Brad there is your goose and he whacked one, ducks flew off. Then, no ducks but geese buzzing us looking for friends. Don't need more geese but ducks. Three more ducks circled and left. Later it got. Nine and Brad says let's give it to ten? Ok then more ducks circling. He calls, they leave. I am ready to call it and we pick up. Yesterday 18 and North wind. Today 35 when we start with a stout south wind. In the 50's when we quit with a stronger wind. weather change mess up the duck flight? Hummmmm? We drive back to the house and I say let's check a pond or two so I can maybe jump my last duck. Not the way I want to finish but to finish out might as well. We see a few ducks and many, many geese but no ducks to sneak on. Got home and cleaned the goose, ate some lunch and loaded up Brad and said our good by's. We had a great time, good food and visit. Got pretty quiet here and Pat asked what's a matter. I said you want to go for a ride? Why she says? Let's run the ponds again. Sure I'm game and we load back up my gun. Checked four ponds, more geese but no ducks. I said one more, allright, Ok. Last place, Bird Watcher has seen me there decoying before. Long pond, very windy, white capping. I peek over and see one duck in the middle, dead center way off. I go back to the truck and get the binoculars, look again. I cannot beleve what I am seeing. A canvasback? I go back to the truck. Get back and tell Pat you got to see this. She looks, says Wow. Now I have only seen three flying before in My 37 years in Missouri where I live and now to see one here. Big water only I thought. What is the plan she says? Uh why don't you walk way around and see if it will fly off or head this way. I load up and sit in the grass and Pat makes a long walk. When she appears the can perks up and swims to the far side and starts getting antsy. I wave her back and as she gets far away the bird starts diving and feeding. I start a long walk to the nearst cover each time he dives I move. This went on for ten minites. Pat says pretty funny as I don't sneak or walk too well sometimes. I get what I think is pretty close and then go to my hands and knees in the weeds. Go further and cannot see him, then to my belly. You think I walk funny you should see me crawl! I peer to where I think he is. No see but i can see Pat still looking in the water. I get up a bit, CRAP! You know that Aflac commerical. I think we both had that look. By the time i got the gun up he was on the run and I shot. He went down. I cannot beleve it. Give out a war hoop as he went belly up. Got back to Pat a little shook up. Going to be a long wait until he gets to the dam. then she says he's gone. I grab the looking glass as she says I see him, I don't, I see him, I don't. Messing with me she was as it had went up and down with the waves in and out of sight. Finally got him in my hands and did my thanks. Beautiful bird. I can get a bit emotional at times and did get teary eyed from this. Witnessed by my loving wife. What a fine way to end this season. Marty For got to say #2s and I only hit it once in the neck.

Yes Duane it was fun.. I enjoy hearing what others are doing. I have alot to learn and about all I can share is my luck. I am glad this is a place to do so. I have learned that scouting is a key element. Bird Watcher is a prime example of that. I know he burns up the road keeping an eye on his birds. His success shows. Having several places to hunt so as to be flexable. It is neat to see the variety of birds you big water hunters get. Puddlers are there and divers too. Learning not to call too much and if birds are going somewhere in particular that is where they are going weither you like it or not, for me anyway. Cannot seem to change there minds. Weather is important to us all. I know some sufferd but I have had the best goose season this year but I have only did this seriously three years.Open ponds most of the time. Did a couple of field hunts in the October goose and then today. All others ponds. My first white-fronts because of warm and some stayed here instead of going South. Being thankful for every parcel of private ground you have to hunt, thankful too to Bird Watcher for letting me infringe a bit on his. I know I am welcome on that farm but don't want to mess up some other persons hard work. Thankful I am to have friends on this forum, Marty

Darn it duane! You have to be sick to keep you from going. Marty

Another good day. Field hunt real nice and COLD! Eighteen with a brisk North wind. Early had some snows come out of nowhere flying pretty low just passing by. One did not get to make the trip with his friends. Coud hear birds on roost ponds. Soon a pair decoyed and we got them both. Lots and lots of ducks flying. Dropping into ponds East and West of us. I think I seen more ducks today that I have all season. We did get buzzed by a few but they wanted water. When we shot at geese ducks would fly up and go right back to ponds they were at. Go figure we were not at water today. Soon geese got up off roosts but did not want to decoy. they had plans and we were not part of that but some flew too close and they like the snow did not get to continue ther plans for the day. Picked up at eleven with wind burned faces. As I set here it feels like my face is on fire. 30 here right now and supposed to warm up to 35 at first light with a big south wind. If my friend twists my arm a bit we may have to finish out with a duck or two before he heads home. Not going to take any goose decoys tomorrow just a handfull of duck deeks. Here is picture of the canadas. Froze the pretty white snow to gift to a neighbors Grandson for a taxidermy course in his school. Marty

Thanks guys, One more day for duck. Go get um boys. They say 18 now for a low and wind chill of 10. I don't know if I have enough clothes? It will be goose fields tomorrow. Marty

I like it when a plan comes together. Went to the timber pond Pat and I checked out yesterday. Had a friend who gets to hunt a couple of times a year for a couple of days at a time. Knowing this was our last two duck days we went for ducks. Got set up and early suprise over the trees and down came a flock of geese. We each got one. Soon ducks started to fly. Over the trees from who knows where cupped and falling. Two's and three's. No calling needed. As the morning went on the flocks got a bit bigger and smarter seeing something wrong. After ten nothing flying. We had another drake we did not get. It went down on the other side of the pond I thought dead so I as always made the mistake of not taking the gun and wouldn't you know it it wasn't dead and took off out of the brush flying funny like it had no rudder control. Followed a hedge row and dissappeared. Anyway two geese and seven mallards isn't bad. Misting and icing now here and 20 tonight. Might be a field hunt for geese tomorrow. Where I had them located last two days on a pond they were not there today. Might be hard water in the Morning? Marty

Way to go Duane, I knew you had to be up to something good. Nice report, Marty

I will show some photos if the event happens. Kind of excited to get after it again. Hope they come back. I got permission to hit a timber pond in the morning. This is a pond that has been there many moons. Last time I was there was bass fishing before I was married. More that 34 years ago. Once a pond in a field which now is surrounded by timber. I have seen geese on it from the road and finally seen ducks going down yesterday. Got the owners name and did the door knock. He said I keep that place for my Son's to hunt. My heart went heavy as I said I understand. Then he replyed they only turkey and deer hunt so go ahead. So on the way home Pat and I took a walk to get a lay of the place. This is a very small place with the pond being about two acres more or less. Geese came off first with a few mallards following, then more mallards and then more yet. No blind will be needed just sit under a oak tree. Bad thing is it will be like the other goose place. I know for darned sure I will bust off birds. Oh well a man has to do what a man has to do. Ok now I have two mornings figured out. Report will follow my friends. Just getting to go with a friend makes the hunt. Taking a bird or two will be a bonus. Fins and feathers this has been a strange year for everyone. The only geese I have taken over a field was during October resident season. With the warm weather all others from water, Last year almost every goose from fields. No wood ducks this year but last year before the freeze I did real well. go figure? Marty

I will be there real early for sure Chris, Thanks Marty

Hey Chris, I made the circuit this morning and the geese were still there.. Found Mike too. He wanted to know if season was still on. I replyed yes and he said he was getting ready to call someone to get into them. I told him I had talked to you and would like to try. He said to get after them.. Only problem is they have been roosting there at night and staying all day. Question I have is Saturday will be the day most likely. Going to be 20 that morning. Most ponds will be iced over. If I bust them off do you think they will trickle back in being it will be mostly open? Also there was some mature pintails too. Never have taken a fully mature drake

I remember the first two of them I shot. Pretty close to the house. There were a bunch of snows flying that day so I called Pat to pick up the little squawkers thinking I might get some snows, NOT. I carried them out of the field to her. She giggled and said what the heck are these? Couldn't you have killed some bigger ones? She had them cleaned and we ate them for lunch. I hope to have you a report for the next couple of days. I really want more ducks, I lack a good duck day, Marty

Cannot go in the morning. The guy that I hunted with two days the week after Christmas will be here Friday and Saturday morning. Looking for a place to get him a bird or two. I would go anytime you would like to try. There at Mike's was a few of those little Richardson's canadas. Man they looked so funny with the big ones. Marty

Thanks Chris, Pat and I will try that for sure. Yes the hostage goose is being treated well and having a good time. He is even in a heated shop when not in use. He might even resist going back to his flock. Why I asked about you coming back up is there was about 200 geese on the pond next to Mike's house this morning. He told me to get after them if you were not hunting but my reply was I would not get into your hard scouting. I even felt bad about the windmill hunt. Mike told me he did not think you were hunting there so that is why I went. i am going to go Friday and Saturday somewhere to finish out duck and then may quit for the season, that is a maybe? Marty

Chris that all sounds good. Where did you get the corned goose recipie? I bet sliced thin that would make some good sandwhich meat. Are you going to make it up to hunt Mike's again? Remember I have a hostage plastic goose It has been treated real well. Marty