OntarioHunter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2020
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- 5,980
I finally made it out today to "scout" for waterfowl. This year my favourite farmer went almost entirely with canola, silage corn, and alfalfa (big dairy operation). Only one field of barley and it was harvested and plowed under early. He has a chain of small sloughs on the place and gave me permission to look for ducks. As soon as the dogs were out of the Jimmy geese started leaving the sloughs and landing in the neighbour's cut barley field. A very brushy creek separates the two properties. After checking the sloughs decided to go wait in the brush for geese to head back to water. These are the first northern flights full of dumb birds. No wind so they should go straight back to the same water and probably in no hurry to gain elevation as they haven't been shot up much. Indeed, with no west wind (for a change) it should take them a while to get elevated out of range. It was a good plan and almost worked flawlessly. Foolishly I crawled through the jungle so I could get a clear view of the field. A family group left first and at about fifty yards I could have maybe taken one on my end. But there's a couple hundred still out there no need to spook them off over a single "maybe." Didn't have to wait long. Fifty followed the pioneers and I was right in the middle of the line as they passed over. Closest was 50+ yards but I took the shot and folded it dead. Second flared shot was easy enough and I could hear the steel shot "splat". Third shot broke its wing and it sailed over the trees and fell somewhere in Fred's harvested canola field. The first one clearly fell in the fence line jungle. Well crap! The dogs didn't see either bird fall. By the time I could get through the tangle to the canola field there was no birds anywhere ... and a bald eagle was looking for them too. Eventually my Lab Ellie found the first bird in a raspberry thicket just off the edge of the field. But she wouldn't pick it up. We spent a couple of hours looking for the second bird in the jungle. Wore them plum out and injured myself before finally giving up. Went back and picked up the stashed dead one and just started to cross the field when the racket started up in the barley field. More than a hundred birds had stayed behind even through my shooting (I did say they were still uneducated). Quickly ran back to cover and waited for geese to clear the trees. At that height it would be quick and long shooting. Longer than the other shooting. Broke a wing on the first shot and that goose veered left and fell three hundred yards to east. Second shot took a second or two to take effect and that one gradually drifted down to the ground almost to the other side of the canola field. So far away I couldn't see it on the ground. Ellie was on the first cripple and tackled it. But no retreive. She still won't pick them up off the fields. Great with water retrieves though. She makes up for it pointing and retreiving pheasants so I can't complain. Formerly Ellie's predecessor was the main go to goose dog and Opal who died last year filled that role when Pearl left us. By the time I had Ellie's bird in hand there was no sign of my French Brittany. Ellie and I searched the field for fourth goose for forty minutes and still no "Puppy". She obviously found bird number two back in the jungle and was staying with it. Dropped the two dead honkers where farmer wouldn't run over them (he was out with spring tooth) and headed back. Puppy came out when we were half way across the field and met us. All too beat and out of shape to look further. We still had one last brushy creek bottom to cross and I did a number pulling a calf muscle in that crap. Hernia not doing so hot either. We'll go back in the morning and see if we can pick them up. The dogs are out like a light and I have TV dinner to cook and two birds to bone out. Then up at 5:30 to head out again. I should be able to catch a few shots as the geese leave the slough. I could easily get a limit if I went in there after them but the jungle is MUCH worse and much more of it. Don't want to clean geese bad enough to hurt myself further.
