Cat and Mouse Geese

Date: 12-14-2009
Location: Western Pa
Sunrise: 7:34 a.m.
Weather: Overcast with a Light Fog
Temperature: 17° rising to 35°
Wind: SSE 5-10 m.p.h

By Erik Nilsson

Recent "fowl" weather brought some new birds into the areas of Western Pa. Finishing up deer season I was more than glad to get back into my favorite activity, Canada Goose hunting. I did some scouting a couple of days before finding these birds working a fresh cut cornfield. We tried to get after these birds 2 days before but Clear skies and no wind kept the birds tall and they had no interest in us but chose to go to a non huntable place. It was frustrating being on the "X" and watching them go but some days that's the game that they like to play.

Looking ahead for the next day to hunt, the weather was more in our favor so we headed back out to try once again. I met Leroy and Bob early and we drove off to get our spread set up. Cold temps and with the ground starting to freeze we were able to get the stakes in the ground right along the cornstalks and our spread started to take shape of what I saw before. With the wind we had, We positioned the blinds as to shoot the birds on a quartering angle, keeping clear of any safety zones.

Set up and ready to go, we shared some good hunting talk for this was the first time I had hunted with them. Bob, a long time friend and Leroy who I met this year when I picked up my new hunting partner from him, a yellow lab pup I named "Ozzy" or "Z" for short. He is a bit young yet but next year he will be with me. "Gauge" who passed away this spring is there in spirit in our hunts.

Hearing geese, I looking off to the east and a small flock of 5 appeared in the skyline. Leroy waved the flag as Bob and I began the ground work on the calls. The birds worked their way to us when a large flock came into the field from behind us. Joining up the birds took a wide swing and slid far to our right and landed way up wind of us. Thinking that either they saw something that they didn't like or just resident birds that have been seasoned since September, we walked them out knowing that we had more birds to make an appearance.

Doing quick check on the spread and blinds, we all agreed that everything looked good and got back to hunting. We saw another small flock of birds coming from the same direction as the first and we went to our business of working them right into the hole, without hesitation they comitted. All three guns sounded off and multiple birds fell. Sending Drake to gather up our take we had more geese on the way. Bob quickly gathered up the birds from Drake and sent him back to his hide.

Following the same pattern as the first this flock did it right too, and we again took multiple birds. One goose started to sail way down the field and Bob and Drake went to look for it because it was a runner. Leroy and I gathered up the remaining birds, cleaning up around the blinds. Drake did a good job of recovering the bird bringing it back from a swampy area inside a woods line. I just love hunting with a good retriever. Needing only a couple more birds we had a group of 5 come in and we quickly finished up our limit with one goose was wearing a band.

We cleaned everything up, packed it up and making plans to do it again as we left the field for another day.