Waterfowl season takes a turn for the better...
With so much water froze, or too high, or to this, or too that, we finally got out for a few hunts.
On Saturday, Dale, Hunter and I headed out to a spot on a river to try and get Hunter a crack at a goose or duck. We had several birds work in and just didn't get thing situated right to get Hunter a shot. Finally, a group worked in and Hunter got a shot, but as happens to all of us, didn't connect. Dale and I jumped up to try and get a couple before they got away and managed to knock down a single goose. He got in the current and about got away from us but we manged to track him down the river and get him. When I pulled him over the side of the boat Dale's jaw dropped and he started freaking out just a little. There, on the goose leg was a band...
That was the end of the action for that day.
We were planning on heading back to the river on Monday but the water levels were getting crazy so we decided to just try a new spot and see what we could scratch out. We got at the boat landing about daylight since we weren't exactly sure where we were going and started seeing a few ducks and hearing some geese. Right after the first daylight flight we got setup and had a single greenhead drop in and he paid the price. Later in the morning, while Dale was out adjusted the decoys, we had a single goose call and he came right in and locked up in the spread. I shot and he hit the water. Dale headed out to retrieve and said "You ain't gonna believe this!". Yep, another band!
Goose #1 was banded in WV in July of 2009 and goose #2 was banded in OH in June of 2008.
Numbers are still down from what we normally do but the extra jewelry has made up for it the last couple hunts...
Thanks to Dale and Hunter (our lucky charm!)