September 9 (5 goose limit and a band, couldn't hardly get better)After my success yesterday, I was excited about the prospects for today and definitely was not disappointed.
Waterfowl Activity: Very similar to yesterday with significantly more geese on the move during the flurry of activity. Saw a few wood ducks and one duck that buzzed me that I think might have been a teal, but still not what I expect.
Around 6:30, the birds started moving. They were quite cooperative as well. Another group of guys was hunting a few hundred yards from me. We both banged hard on the geese for about an hour.
I was first to get a flock in. Dropped two that hit the water near me. One looked a little lively and the other seemed dead. I kept an eye on that one as I tried to call the flock back. Often time with Canada geese, if you drop a bird, you can call his mate back and he'll bring the rest with him. They ended up going over the other blind and getting shot up again. Then I looked back and I was missing a goose
The one that seemed dead was just gone. I guess it dove and got tangled in the millfoil because I should have been able to find it. When I went to look for it and retrieve the other one, I broke and oar
However, the one that I didn't lose was banded
Something is just not right. I think the grass is too tall, but I can't actually get the geese to land. They drop down like they are going to land but they pull up short. It happened yesterday and again today with every flock. They don't flare and some get quite low, but I don't think one goose was actually going to land. At least until I shot them
After some missed opportunities yesterday and today, I didn't screw around with the birds.
I hear some geese off to my right. Three geese coming in. Looking real good and then they start to hesitate. Previously, I would have let them work, but they were close enough and didn't want to loose them. I dropped two of them. The third one circled right back on his own and landed in the water near where the ones did yesterday. So I decided to crawl for it again. This time I got across without getting busted or so I thought. I stood up and the goose didn't fly. I walked towards it and it still didn't fly. It was calling to it's mate that wasn't completely dead that started calling back. After a few seconds, I decided, I gave you the opportunity and water swatted it. Then it got up and flew. How I didn't kill it, I have no idea. So then I dropped it with the second shot.
The guys in the other blind had shot quite a bit over this same time.
I had a single come in and peal off a little earlier than I anticipated and ended up missing it. When I get a chance, I have the video. Bang, bang, bang, $hit!
I have another video clip from yesterday of me saying $hit after that flock landed long. So maybe we'll see how many times I can curse on video
Shortly there after, almost a repeat. This single I hit pretty hard, but it didn't go down. Then for whatever reason it circled back by me at about 35 yards or so and I dropped it that time. My shooting left a little to be desired, but I got my 5 geese. My first 5 bird limit during early goose and the first time I've got two bands in a year. However, we get a lot of local goose bands where we hunt. I think they band them in the park at the end of our club.
This was a young of the year banded near Plainfield, IL. Probably a park on the other side of town. So a little further away than the last.
Sept9GooseBand.jpg
YOU MUST REGISTER TO VIEW THIS IMAGE.