Evening Shoot Results in 26 Birds and Two Bands!

[mmillward]

Got Again last night for a field shoot with my son, Mark and Chris and had an awesome hunt. My son had a blast as this was the first goose hunt he was on that the birds truly worked in this tight. For the number of shells he shot I think he had a hard time just picking out one bird instead of flock shooting.

However the upside is he now truly hooked on waterfowl hunting and I have a new hunting partner which is awesome.

We ended up with 26 birds and I got two bands!

Mark and Maverick worked as a great team and picked up the bulk of the birds quickly allowing us to prepared to welcome the next flock into the spread.

A few more days to go then it is off to the butcher to make pepperettes.

The Hidgon Shell decoys I bought from St. Lawernce Outfitters are working awesome. Dave and Dan provided me with some great advice in the spring to help me build a good set up within my budget and it has resulted in some great hunts and memories.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c94/mmillward/2009GooseSept15003.jpg
Sunset after a great hunt.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c94/mmillward/2009GooseSept15005.jpg
The haul, 26 birds. Can you find the bands?

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c94/mmillward/2009GooseSept15006.jpg
From right to left, my son Nick (kneeling) Chris and Mark.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c94/mmillward/2009GooseSept15017.jpg
For the record I have not started drinking yet!!!!!!!!

[Debbie C]

What an awsome hunt and great pictures!!! :nice work: Do the bands tell you where they are from and are they dated?

[mmillward]

Debbie,

The bands do not tell you directly, you need to go online and register the serial numbers from the bands and then they tell you when and where they were banded.

They were both banded in Ohio, one June 28 2008 and the other one June 30 2006.

[Debbie C]

Wow...them suckers were a long way from home! Good job.

[Huntyeraws]

Awesome job! The fact that those are summertime banded Ohio birds and they are up in the Georgian Bay area strongly suggests that they were resident birds that did a molt migration up north.

More info about molt migration http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/moltmigresgeese.html

One of the local waterfowl groups I belong to donated some funds to offset the collar costs.

I hope to get out Saturday AM.

[franklauzon]

Congrats on the big hunt, still nothing for birds in my fields..

Regarding the Higdon shells, I couldn't agree more.. I think the Higdon Stackable Feeder is the most perfect decoy there is... I run 4 dozen stackables, 2 dozen dakotas, 1 dozen Bigfoots, and then another 2 dozen odds and ends depending on what is going on, but I Absolutely love the motion, look, and durability of the stackables.

This year I'm putting a dozen in a 6 slot bag to help reduce setup time.

[jo mcrow]

Mike
Nice Jewelry!!!
Looks like a young hunter is going to follow in Dad's footsteps.
Nice to see.
Jo Mcrow/Ian

[quackaddict2]

nice hunt and congrats on the jewelery:nice work:

[yellowlab04]

Sweet !!! good for u gettting the young lad out!!!! better in a goose field than in front of the tv or the streets !!!!

[just chessies]

Great pictures Mike, nice to see your son hunting with you.