Another goose hunt, another banded bird :)

[BilletHead]

           Mrs. BilletHead says I need to be buying lottery tickets,

 The pond we hunted this morning is the same little pond we hunted the last two days of duck season. I like this little place, small compact and easy to hunt. We have some pretty high numbers of geese still hanging around and just like the ducks they like this place. I did some drive byes last few days just watching. Was sure wishing duck was still open as there are wads of pintails there. Geese too out the wazoo and a bunch of specklebellies. I knew there was many birds actually roosting here too but until this morning I had no idea just many. So this morning turned off the main road and across the ditch towards the pond where my headlights hit the water and all the birds. As I did this the Mrs. opened her window and we seen the mass of birds lift off the water. A cloud of pintails first followed by the specks and canadas. Loud and noisy. In the edge of my beams we seen six swans which began to get noisy and did not want to leave until I opened the tailgate to get out blinds and decoys. We sat up pretty quick and I got the truck hidden. I had great aspirations of wads of specks coming back but knew it probably was not going to happen but did know the canadas would be, maybe not the group from this pond but there are so many here now there would be others. First thing we got to see was ducks, lots of ducks. Mallards and pintails but many more pintails and they landed right in front of us in the goose decoys. A pair just a few feet from our feet. Sprigs looked a foot long on the drakes. While we admired them a single goose set up from afar and sailed right in. i told Pat lets let it land and it did maybe ten feet in front of us. I whispered take him. She said no you shoot the first one. Neither one of us wanted to scare off the ducks and ruin the show. I had had enough and opened the blind doors and sat up. Ducks flushed and the goose flapped wings and then just sat there and gave me that Aflack look so I shot him in the face. We both laughed and I got up, stepped into the water took a few more steps and she rolled over feet  wiggling and then I seen it. ANOTHER BAND . I said hey Pat it is banded. All I cold hear was "Are you kidding me?" . Nope and I wanted you to take the first shot. She says that will not happen again. This makes four she has witnessed me take in the last part of this season. Back to the hunt it was ducks in and out with many geese moving in the distance. The next three birds were all singles. The fourth one was pretty funny actually. I had got up and walked to the other side of the pond as the South wind blew one to the bank. While I was waiting I decided to take a walk to a much larger irrigation lake where many birds we seen land. This wad was drawing birds from our spread. So I went over and got them up and out of there. As i was walking back this single came over heading for Pat. I could hear her calling it by mouth without a call. Bird made one pass and circled and set wings. Then two shots with no bird leaving. What a deal and by the time i got back there I got to retrieve both birds. Got back set down and a half hour or so more birds flying. Fifteen passed and i called , they turned and started loosing altitude. I said you shoot one and I will too which we did. Done and out of there by nine thirty,

         My prize and our prizes.  

  Reported band. Large canada goose, too young to fly when banded in 2017, female. Banded near Wallingford, Emmet County Iowa,

  BilletHead

[Deadstream]

You must really hate them. Or... the Gray retriever needs the work?  

[BilletHead]

23 minutes ago, Deadstream said:

You must really hate them. Or... the Gray retriever needs the work?  

        Got to keep her sharp it is along time until next season. Three days left and i think we are done.  The Gray retriever can fish too, net hers and mine too. Good things to come once warm weather hits!

  BilletHead

[Ham]

"So I shot him in the face"  Gee Whiz, I'm glad I'm not a goose. Or on the menu. 

[BilletHead]

34 minutes ago, Ham said:

"So I shot him in the face"  Gee Whiz, I'm glad I'm not a goose. Or on the menu. 

         You might change your mind Ham if I make to jig fest 2018 and make you goose flying fajitas.

BilletHead 

[Ham]

I'm sure the goose is tasty. I'm saying I'm glad I AM not on YOUR menu. 

[tho1mas]

BilletHead - Are you shooting someones tame farm geese?

I and my buddies hunted ducks and geese for 20 years and never killed a banded one. You should buy more lotto tickets!

Way to go.

 

[BilletHead]

35 minutes ago, Ham said:

I'm sure the goose is tasty. I'm saying I'm glad I AM not on YOUR menu. 

      Well I like Ham sammiches  but think you are safe. 

34 minutes ago, tho1mas said:

BilletHead - Are you shooting someones tame farm geese?

I and my buddies hunted ducks and geese for 20 years and never killed a banded one. You should buy more lotto tickets!

Way to go.

 

        Tho1mas,

   When you have the good luck charm gray headed retriever with you something good will happen. Just hope I did not overdo it and use too much of her luck. I am still getting flack about this today. She had her chance yesterday morning. :). We are both waiting for a duck band. Someday maybe that will happen,

BilletHead

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, BilletHead said:

      Well I like Ham sammiches  but think you are safe. 

        Tho1mas,

   When you have the good luck charm gray headed retriever with you something good will happen. Just hope I did not overdo it and use too much of her luck. I am still getting flack about this today. She had her chance yesterday morning. :). We are both waiting for a duck band. Someday maybe that will happen,

BilletHead

Marty with the number of ducks and goose that fall in BilletHead, the odds are definitely in your favor to get a banded duck eventually. Good Luck buddy! If I can find some access on the Eastern shore, there are lots of waterfowl!