Final Goose Hunt of the Season

My waterfowl season had plenty of ups and downs, and if you've been following my journals throughout the season you remember me questioning why I even continue to hunt at times... Well it's hunts like this that make me remember why I love this sport so much, and why I let it consume me during the months of October thru January.

Schedules finally cooperated with all of us, it took all season but it finally happened!

Mike and Tim met me at my house at 6:00, I had the trailer loaded down w/ the 4-wheeler and decoys. We tossed the blinds and guns into my truck and headed to meet Jeff. We pulled into Jeff's driveway at 6:30 and proceeded to follow him to the field. Since this was the last day of the season, and we were "running traffic" we decided to set out a BIG spread. Luckily the tractor lane was still froze enough we could drive right down to our setup point.

It was great to have the company of good friends while setting up. I had forgotten how fun it is setting blinds and decoys when everybody knows what they are doing. We all just kinda grabbed a different job and got to work. We had our spread of over 10 dozens decs set in no time at all.

The fog was so thick at times it made it hard to see the other side of our spread. We knew the birds wouldn't fly till late due to the foggy conditions so we all just sat in the blinds and had tons of laughs while we waited. I don't remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much while sitting in the blind, and I began to think about how just a couple weeks earlier I was ready to throw in the towel. Thankfully I got over that "late season hump" and stuck it out!

It was about 10:30 before the first group of birds showed themselves. Of course we were all standing up bs'ing when they did. And even though this was the last day of the season we all broke rule #1... never walk away from your blind w/o your gun. The small group of 3 geese cut through the fog about 40 yds in front of us. We all raced to our blinds but it was too late, they had busted us. I was able to get off a couple shots but they were prayers in the air, shots I normally wouldn't have taken if not for being the final day.

After that, we had birds all around us but the fog made it impossible for them to find our giant spread. All the calling in the world didn't seem to help, nor did just staying quiet. We decided to give it until 12:30 before we called it a day.

Although we didn't drop any birds, I still had a great hunt... maybe the best hunt of my season. I finally got to get out with my good friends, and the many laughs made up for the lack of shooting. And that is what it's all about!

A big thanks goes out to Jeff, Mike and Tim... not just for the field provided by Jeff, or the great company of Mike and Tim, but for helping me realize the true definition of a great hunt... something I seemed to have forgotten throughout this season.

Thanks fellas, it was a blast!