I'm not going to lie, waterfowl hunting inland, in Northeast Wisconsin is difficult. It takes a great deal of dedication, patience & most of all, INSTINCT. As a group, we've been chasing geese for many years, and I, myself, have been a part of that process every year. In the off season, I watch waterfowl hunting movies, and not the "HOLLYWOOD" films set to heavy metal music and kill shot after kill shot, I prefer the ones that focus on decoy patterning skills, calling, how to use terrain in your favor, and include hunts where they come home without any birds. Because that's the reality of a lot of hunts here in NEW. One of the things I emphasize within in our group is that, we should never walk away from the field mad or sad, because no matter if feathers fly or not, we always, ALWAYS, take with us, a new lesson. Every trip is a learning experience and we should feel so blessed to be able to do what we do. It's a time to become one with the outdoors and bond with friends and family. And that's just what we do.
Sometimes, a group, or situation arises that destroys that harmony we have struggled so hard to create and maintain. Today we were witness to a most despicable act, from a group who claims to be "sportsmen" like us. I can tell you with 100% confidence these people are nothing like us. We put in countless hours before season begins scouting out areas we've hunted in the past and would like to hunt in the future. We take note of the crops on all of those areas. We respectfully ask permission from all landowners in advance. Without their kindness and generosity, we wouldn't have the opportunity to take part in this spectacular sport! We take great care in respecting their property and their rules while also keeping all of our ethics and morals as sportsmen intact.
Today, on opening day, what is fondly dubbed as our "Christmas", a group from outside this area has
made a habit of following us around in the past, did
it again. They didn't hunt where we hunted, but only because we beat them there. They opted for a field
just down the road. Close enough that we could hear them honking on their goose calls. The night roost is very close to where we hunt. It's not always that way. As coincidence would have it this early season flock chose a nearby quarry to roost. We've been watching them for a long time....
So as they left the roost this morning and took off in a completely different direction than where we were, we were not discouraged, we hadn't known them to be in this area in the morning, (not available for morning scouts), so we were confident they would come back for their ritual night feed to our set. We were happy. So we decided to leave the area and get some breakfast and discuss strategy for the afternoon. When we came back, the geese were returning from their morning feed and the other group had moved into the quarry where the geese were roosting, and they shot them right off the quarry pond. Now, as an avid waterfowler, who can only field hunt, I know that you can hunt the same flock of geese for weeks, even if they feed in different fields, as long as you don't disturb them on the roost. Once you attack them in their "safe haven", they are gone. You will never see those birds again.
These immature, disrespectful individuals, did this out of spite. These people lack all the ethics and respect all sportsman should possess at all times. They were confronted about their actions, and they weren't the least bit remorseful. Which tells me they've probably done it before and will probably continue to do so in the future. They may as well throw these geese in a pen, or shoot them at a sanctuary, because their act of shooting them off the water while they are at rest is an equivalent and equally disgusting action.
I could never harvest an animal under those circumstances with a clear conscious. Poor soortsmanship is at the top of my list for reasons a person shouldn't be allowed to hunt. There's no need and NO PLACE for creating animosity in the field. I hope the rest of the season goes smoother than today, and I hope everyone out waterfowl hunting takes home lesson from all of this.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Sunday, August 7, 2011
NAME THAT DEEK!!
Although the Mafia blog has been "still" for a long time, that's all about to change. Season is right around the corner, which means new adventures are knocking at our doors. Not to mention several new opportunities.
Recently, the Mafia was asked to participate in a traveling decoy promotion. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's when someone ( a sole individual, or a group) sponsors a decoy, and then sends it around to several people to use while they hunt. Each host is responsible for recording how the decoy was used, taking photos of how the decoy was utilized in their decoy spread, and also for recording the results. The reports are sent back to the individual who sponsored the decoy who will compile all the information provided by the hosts.
The Mafia wasn't just asked to participate...we were also given the opportunity to "name the deek". This was not a task to be taken lightly. The name should invoke all the joy, emotion, intensity, blood, sweat and tears it takes to be a devoted waterfowl hunter. And so.....the clock was ticking and the Mafia had a job to do....name the red head deek.
Believe it or not...this was one of the hardest things we've had to do in awhile...we weren't playing with our own product...this was someone else's...and we wanted to make him proud...we wanted to make EVERY WATERFOWL HUNTER proud. So keeping that in mind as our criteria....we named him "CHAOS".
We chose this name because there's so much of "it" going on in the field...in the sky...on the ground...in our souls....
CHAOS in the sky: When these ducks see this hand-carved, custom red head deek, the chaos in the sky will ensue! No bird will second guess the life-like detail of this decoy and they will commit without reservation! We are confident of that!
CHAOS on the ground: Your deek spread is going to have a new boy in town to live up to! All other deeks will pale in comparison... the chaos will come from realizing that....you're gonna need more custom red heads!
CHAOS in our souls: Ya know that feeling you get in the split seconds between the moment you know the ducks have committed to your spread, you've got the duck you want locked in your sights, the safety comes off and someone yells "SHOOT 'EM!!!" and you pull the trigger???? THAT...is whatcha call chaos in the soul! And it doesn't end there! What follows is the chaotic feeling of "Did I miss?" "Did I get him?" And hoping that when your faithful retriever comes back, he's got a mouth full of feathers!
The creator of this traveling decoy promotion is Adam Young (@waterfowlhunter on Twitter; http://www.waterfowlhunter.tumblr.com/) and the decoy artist/creator is Jim Crowley of Hook and Hunt TV (@hookandhunttv on Twitter; http://www.hookandhunttv.com/). See below for further info:
Traveling Decoy Promotion Guidelines/info:
Adam Young with the help of Jim Crowley of Hook and Hunt TV will be sending a hand carved cork Redhead Decoy all over the country. Jim is carving this decoy as we speak.
The decoy is starting on September 11th in Wisconsin. Each person will host the decoy for one week. During that week we want the decoy to see as much action as possible. When the week is over the host will be responsible for sending the decoy to the next person on the list. We ask that everyone involved take pictures and tell the story about the time spent with the decoy.
When the season is over we will compile all the pictures and stories in a book form and include it with the decoy for auction. The money raised will be passed on to a really cool foundation to be announced at a later date.
Please direct message @waterfowlhunter via Twitter if you're interested in hosting the traveling decoy.
Recently, the Mafia was asked to participate in a traveling decoy promotion. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's when someone ( a sole individual, or a group) sponsors a decoy, and then sends it around to several people to use while they hunt. Each host is responsible for recording how the decoy was used, taking photos of how the decoy was utilized in their decoy spread, and also for recording the results. The reports are sent back to the individual who sponsored the decoy who will compile all the information provided by the hosts.
The Mafia wasn't just asked to participate...we were also given the opportunity to "name the deek". This was not a task to be taken lightly. The name should invoke all the joy, emotion, intensity, blood, sweat and tears it takes to be a devoted waterfowl hunter. And so.....the clock was ticking and the Mafia had a job to do....name the red head deek.
Believe it or not...this was one of the hardest things we've had to do in awhile...we weren't playing with our own product...this was someone else's...and we wanted to make him proud...we wanted to make EVERY WATERFOWL HUNTER proud. So keeping that in mind as our criteria....we named him "CHAOS".
We chose this name because there's so much of "it" going on in the field...in the sky...on the ground...in our souls....
CHAOS in the sky: When these ducks see this hand-carved, custom red head deek, the chaos in the sky will ensue! No bird will second guess the life-like detail of this decoy and they will commit without reservation! We are confident of that!
CHAOS on the ground: Your deek spread is going to have a new boy in town to live up to! All other deeks will pale in comparison... the chaos will come from realizing that....you're gonna need more custom red heads!
CHAOS in our souls: Ya know that feeling you get in the split seconds between the moment you know the ducks have committed to your spread, you've got the duck you want locked in your sights, the safety comes off and someone yells "SHOOT 'EM!!!" and you pull the trigger???? THAT...is whatcha call chaos in the soul! And it doesn't end there! What follows is the chaotic feeling of "Did I miss?" "Did I get him?" And hoping that when your faithful retriever comes back, he's got a mouth full of feathers!
The creator of this traveling decoy promotion is Adam Young (@waterfowlhunter on Twitter; http://www.waterfowlhunter.tumblr.com/) and the decoy artist/creator is Jim Crowley of Hook and Hunt TV (@hookandhunttv on Twitter; http://www.hookandhunttv.com/). See below for further info:
Traveling Decoy Promotion Guidelines/info:
Adam Young with the help of Jim Crowley of Hook and Hunt TV will be sending a hand carved cork Redhead Decoy all over the country. Jim is carving this decoy as we speak.
The decoy is starting on September 11th in Wisconsin. Each person will host the decoy for one week. During that week we want the decoy to see as much action as possible. When the week is over the host will be responsible for sending the decoy to the next person on the list. We ask that everyone involved take pictures and tell the story about the time spent with the decoy.
When the season is over we will compile all the pictures and stories in a book form and include it with the decoy for auction. The money raised will be passed on to a really cool foundation to be announced at a later date.
Please direct message @waterfowlhunter via Twitter if you're interested in hosting the traveling decoy.
Friday, March 4, 2011
WHY DO YOU ENJOY IT?
The Goose Mafia's latest guest blogger is a friend of mine, Brian King. A litte bit about Brian:
"I was born in Michigan and grew up in West Virginia. I began hunting and fishing at a very young age. My grandfather introduced me to shooting and reloading. For that matter, my hunting and fishing influences came from him, too. As a kid, I spent a lot of time target shooting and hunting on my grandparent's farm. I come from a large family that enjoys the outdoors.
After getting my degree, I joined the U.S. Air Force. I served stateside, in South Korea, and a tour in Desert Storm.
I enjoy many outdoor activities including hunting, shooting, fishing, archery, ATV's, camping, and photography. My military and civilian careers have provided me extensive training in a variety of weapons. I've also spent the last dozen or so years being involved with horses."
After getting my degree, I joined the U.S. Air Force. I served stateside, in South Korea, and a tour in Desert Storm.
I enjoy many outdoor activities including hunting, shooting, fishing, archery, ATV's, camping, and photography. My military and civilian careers have provided me extensive training in a variety of weapons. I've also spent the last dozen or so years being involved with horses."
You can follow Brian and all his antics at www.heybjk.com, where his blog is appropriately titled: Thoughts from the woods, water, and wherever." Because folks, there isn't a corner of "wherever" this boy hasn't written about! From hunting to fishing, product reviews and insights, to just loving life and being a great dad...this blog covers it all!
WHY DO YOU ENJOY IT?
Have you ever really thought about why you enjoy the outdoors? People will often say, well, I like to hunt or I like to fish. That's okay, but why do you like to hunt or fish? Are those the only reasons you enjoy spending time in the outdoors?
I hunt and fish and have been doing so since I was a little kid. They are avenues that allow me to spend time outdoors, but not the sole reasons I enjoy it. Let me give you a couple of examples from my personal experience.
My grandparents used to own a cabin in northern Michigan and it was a place we visited many times over the years. One year in particular my best friend made the trip with us. We - my friend, my brother, and I - decided one morning to float a smallish river that was a short drive from the cabin. My grandfather drove us to the river where we launched our inner-tubes and he was going to pick us up a few hours later down river.
We had been lazily floating along with the river to ourselves for a while. As we rounded one particular bend in the river, we came upon a cabin. Standing at the water's edge was an old man. He was literally inches from the river just peering into the water as if transfixed by something. Ordinarily, a scene like this would be nothing special to remember. In this case, however, the old man was wearing nothing but his flip-flops. At first sight of this old fella standing at the river's edge in all his glory, we started laughing despite our best attempts to remain quiet. Our laughter startled him and that's when he realized for the first time that he had company. He turned around and began shuffling as fast as he could back toward the cabin. Much to our chagrin, we were treated to displays of both sides. As slow as he was going doing the flip-flop shuffle, we were past the cabin and out of view before he made it back to the door. I'm quite certain that was not the first time he had stood naked at the river. Normally, he probably didn't have visitors to worry about. We nicknamed him the "Running Man" and laughed about that the rest of the trip!
Another event took place during a bear hunt in West Virginia. Again, it was my best friend and I. We were hunting in some mountains and had parked our vehicle along a river. To get to where we wanted to hunt we had to cross the river. It was flowing quite fast, but we finally managed to wade across. After hunting for several hours, we made our way back to the river. It had rained most of the afternoon and, when we got back, we discovered the river had risen considerably. It was so high, in fact, that we were unable to cross it again. There were large chunks of ice in the current as well.
To make a long story short, we were essentially stranded with very little food and were ill-prepared to deal with the cold and rain. We decided to make our way down river and hope to find a way to cross, but ultimately we were "rescued" by some locals who noticed our foolish dilemma.
The first story had nothing to do with hunting or fishing. It's about creating memories. That little float trip with my brother and best friend is something I always have and always will remember. It was enjoyable because of the company and the fun that resulted from Running Man. That was a unique event. It will never be repeated.
The second story involved hunting, but we didn't kill anything. We ended up in a serious and fairly dangerous situation. Again, it was an event that created a memory I'll never forget. I didn't necessarily enjoy it at the time, but I'm glad it happened.
I enjoy lots of outdoor activities. It's not always about the activities themselves, though. What I enjoy about the outdoors is the memories created that cannot be made anywhere else. If I was a guy who spent all my time sitting inside playing video games I would have missed out on so many wonderful events that are now memories I carry with me. It's a connection with the outside and spending time in the woods or on the water making those special memories.
Maybe you enjoy lying in a goose blind listening to the geese honk as they get closer and closer anticipating that moment when you'll bring the shotgun up and fire. For some of you, it may be getting into a tree stand before light and listening in the silence for that tell-tale rustle of leaves that whisper "deer". Or maybe you enjoy throwing that top water lure out onto the glass-like surface of a still lake and waiting for the explosive strike from below. For others, it may be walking the fields waiting for your faithful dogs to flush the pheasants.
It really doesn't matter what particular activity or activities you enjoy. What is important are the memories made during those times spent outdoors. I'll be creating new memories now as I teach my young daughter how to hunt and fish. We'll share time in the coming years that will create memories no one else will have. And that's why I enjoy the outdoors - to be able to look back with a sense of fulfillment that comes from nowhere else.
~Brian King
I'd like to thank Brian for being my guest blogger, and especially for choosing this topic. It got me reminiscing about all my favorite outdoor moments, and surprisingly, he's right. Most of them don't actually involve the "reason" for the outing. It's all the fun, unexpected moments in between you and your destination that stay with you.
This past gun deer season, I sat with my sister all of opening day. I can honestly say, that if I were a serious hunter, I'd have thrown her out of my deer stand by 7:00 am! We had SO much fun, laughing, joking, feeding the birds and dodging their air attacks... We sat from 5:00 am to almost 5:00 pm and never left. The day seemed short in retrospect...it's rare that she and I get to spend so much time together without an interuption of some kind. Whether it be other people, the phone, chores, work, pets...this was nothing more than she and I, a big wooded box in the sky, some granola and a gun. I am actually snickering to myself while writing this, because I'm pretty sure there very well could have been deer around us, but we were too caught up in our own little world to notice anything until we heard a nearby "wha-wham" and even then, we'd just peek around, listen for a few moments and if there were no rustling of hooves...it was back to the party! Opening day is my favorite day...I might even rename it "Sister's Day", because there's NO hunting going on in my neck of the woods!
Thanks Brian...you rocked the Mafia's blog!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
COYOTE UGLY
I'm really distraught....
The Goose Mafia crew doesn't just waterfowl hunt...no sir, we deer hunt, turkey hunt, fox hunt, and today, coyote hunt. I, myself, "the Mafia Princess", do not take part in the coyote deal, but the boys love it. They've had a lot of fun, but they've also had to put up with a lot, A LOT, of crap. Landowners just don't get how it works.
To kill said coyote, one must release dogs, which catch the scent, which then proceed to run the coyote, all the while, the hunters are in their vehicles, staked out on various roads and corners, waiting for the coyote and dogs to cross. And along with that, comes the hopes of intercepting and harvesting a coyote. But then you've got these JACKASSES who think it's fun to go harass the hunters. These (random) guys (honest!!) will pull up to the hunters, and proceed to yell and cuss at them for no reason other than that they were driving by, saw what they were doing, and they didn't like it. And in a extraordinary effort to keep dog and traveler safe, whenever possible, someone is waiting for the dogs and coyotes when they are about to cross a road. The crew will put their hazard lights on and even make an attempt to slow drivers and alert them that animals will be crossing the road. Today, some idiot, took this as a sign to PIN the gas pedal to the floor and narrowly avoided taking the life of a canine. And it's not just for the dogs...NO....random drivers will actually speed up, swerve at, and yell at the hunters while driving past them on the road. WHAT THE HELL?! The last time we checked, the roads were public domain and anyone could use them, and if not specified, one could park on the side of the road if they wanted to. I'd say most of this behavior qualifies as "harassment toward a hunter"...and yes, that's a real offense. One punishable by the law. Be advised.
Another pain in a coyote hunter's ass, is a land owner with a bad attitude. One who will come out and start yelling because dogs are running across their property. NOT across their front yard, but ya know, they look out their back window and in the middle of an 80 acre field a quarter mile away, they see a dog running....well they just find it eminent to jump in their vehicle and find out where that dog came from. In the meantime, they find the hunters parked on the road along the way. And so of course, a verbal battle ensues. Here's my rebuttal...'the dog' isn't doing any harm to your property. They are being closely monitored via GPS and tracking collar. If they DID any harm to you, or your property, we would take full responsibility for it. But hey, I don't see you running around chasing the deer running across the field or the birds flying across the field either. So, what's the difference if a couple of dogs cruise through there? By the way, these dogs are chasing down the one creature all you farmers are bitching about killing your precious pheasants and chickens all the frick'n time. So show some appreciation!
Today all of this was taken to a new level. A guy from another crew was running his dogs. And a landowner saw them, came out and yelled at them, and then proceeded to jump on his snowmobile and chase them until he ran them over. That, is simply uncalled for! (Originally, there were a few expletives loaded in that sentence, but I'm TRYING to control my rant A LITTLE bit...)
All I'm saying is........chill out. They are "dogs" people! No one is harming you, threatening you, harming your property or anything on it. They are just "moving through" and that's all. It's REALLY unrealistic to think a hunter could send them out with a map and compass and expect them to stay on property where permission was granted for the harvest...so....a little understanding please? And for goodness sake....DON'T run over people's dogs....seriously.
The Goose Mafia crew doesn't just waterfowl hunt...no sir, we deer hunt, turkey hunt, fox hunt, and today, coyote hunt. I, myself, "the Mafia Princess", do not take part in the coyote deal, but the boys love it. They've had a lot of fun, but they've also had to put up with a lot, A LOT, of crap. Landowners just don't get how it works.
To kill said coyote, one must release dogs, which catch the scent, which then proceed to run the coyote, all the while, the hunters are in their vehicles, staked out on various roads and corners, waiting for the coyote and dogs to cross. And along with that, comes the hopes of intercepting and harvesting a coyote. But then you've got these JACKASSES who think it's fun to go harass the hunters. These (random) guys (honest!!) will pull up to the hunters, and proceed to yell and cuss at them for no reason other than that they were driving by, saw what they were doing, and they didn't like it. And in a extraordinary effort to keep dog and traveler safe, whenever possible, someone is waiting for the dogs and coyotes when they are about to cross a road. The crew will put their hazard lights on and even make an attempt to slow drivers and alert them that animals will be crossing the road. Today, some idiot, took this as a sign to PIN the gas pedal to the floor and narrowly avoided taking the life of a canine. And it's not just for the dogs...NO....random drivers will actually speed up, swerve at, and yell at the hunters while driving past them on the road. WHAT THE HELL?! The last time we checked, the roads were public domain and anyone could use them, and if not specified, one could park on the side of the road if they wanted to. I'd say most of this behavior qualifies as "harassment toward a hunter"...and yes, that's a real offense. One punishable by the law. Be advised.
Another pain in a coyote hunter's ass, is a land owner with a bad attitude. One who will come out and start yelling because dogs are running across their property. NOT across their front yard, but ya know, they look out their back window and in the middle of an 80 acre field a quarter mile away, they see a dog running....well they just find it eminent to jump in their vehicle and find out where that dog came from. In the meantime, they find the hunters parked on the road along the way. And so of course, a verbal battle ensues. Here's my rebuttal...'the dog' isn't doing any harm to your property. They are being closely monitored via GPS and tracking collar. If they DID any harm to you, or your property, we would take full responsibility for it. But hey, I don't see you running around chasing the deer running across the field or the birds flying across the field either. So, what's the difference if a couple of dogs cruise through there? By the way, these dogs are chasing down the one creature all you farmers are bitching about killing your precious pheasants and chickens all the frick'n time. So show some appreciation!
Today all of this was taken to a new level. A guy from another crew was running his dogs. And a landowner saw them, came out and yelled at them, and then proceeded to jump on his snowmobile and chase them until he ran them over. That, is simply uncalled for! (Originally, there were a few expletives loaded in that sentence, but I'm TRYING to control my rant A LITTLE bit...)
All I'm saying is........chill out. They are "dogs" people! No one is harming you, threatening you, harming your property or anything on it. They are just "moving through" and that's all. It's REALLY unrealistic to think a hunter could send them out with a map and compass and expect them to stay on property where permission was granted for the harvest...so....a little understanding please? And for goodness sake....DON'T run over people's dogs....seriously.
Monday, November 29, 2010
MY NATURE APPS
Being the Twitter pro that I am, I've had the opportunity to meet A LOT of great people. One of those people is Jeff Greco. You can follow Jeff on Twitter @MyNatureApps. Jeff lives in the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York. He attended college in the early 80's receiving a degree in Environmental Science. Always posessing and interest in the outdoors, he started North Woods Field Guides Inc. in 1999 and most recently, My Nature Inc., which designs nature applications for the growing smart phone market. Jeff is self employed in the construction field. He spends his free time outdoors pursuing the many interests that Nature has to offer.
I've asked Jeff to guest blog and he has graciously accepted. You can find out more about Jeff and his smart phone apps at: http://www.mynaturesite.com/. And if you click on "News & Info" at the top of the screen, you'll find a mini blog filled with tips and tricks to be used in the great outdoors! It is with great pleasure, I introduce you to Jeff Greco...
NOVEMBER 30, 2010
GETTING THERE.....
I'm not sure when it happened, I wasn't really paying attention. I can't tell you what year it was, how old I was or even where I was when my life changed, but it did change and it changed for the better. I remember years ago I was such a focused person, I picked a place to hike to and that's where I went. No stopping in between, no veering off the trail--I wanted to make the summit, that's why I was there. If I was hunting deer I was concentrating on deer and nothing else. I wouldn't stop to admire a wildflower or take in the view. I was always scanning the woods line, never letting my guard down, a deer could appear at any moment and I wanted to be ready. When I think back on all those years I hunted, on all those summits I climbed, there's nothing that stands out in my mind about what happened between getting from point A to point B. I remember the finality of each outing, the game taken or the view from a peak but nothing in between. I had never taken the time to just stop and enjoy nature.
I see so much of this behavior today in others; disappointment in not getting a deer, not catching a fish, flying down a trail to get to the end and they just don"t realize how much they're missing in between. Nowadays when I hunt or hike it's more of a secondary activity to what I'm really doing and that's just.......... nothing!!
I've found my time spent outdoors now is more rewarding than it's ever been in my life and the only reason that is, is because I don't care if I get anywhere. I don't care if I catch a fish, I don't care if I shoot a deer. All the things in between are what I now seek. Twice this year I have set out to reach Round Pond, I had never been there in my life and still haven't. The first attempt was last February on snowshoes--a 2.5 mile jaunt, I think I made it a little more than a mile when I came across a spot where a hawk had unsuccessfully tried to take down a Snowshoe Hare. It was a hell of a fight and the hare had managed to escape but was leaving a blood trail that begged me to follow. One thing led to another and then to far off pond, to an Otter slide to coyote sign to this and that but never led me to Round Pond. It was one of the best snowshoe trips I had ever been on.
I tried a second time in September to get all the way in but was soon overtaken by a set of Moose tracks. The third time may be a charm but you know what? I've had more fun trying to get there than I probably would have had I got there.
I've asked Jeff to guest blog and he has graciously accepted. You can find out more about Jeff and his smart phone apps at: http://www.mynaturesite.com/. And if you click on "News & Info" at the top of the screen, you'll find a mini blog filled with tips and tricks to be used in the great outdoors! It is with great pleasure, I introduce you to Jeff Greco...
NOVEMBER 30, 2010
GETTING THERE.....
I'm not sure when it happened, I wasn't really paying attention. I can't tell you what year it was, how old I was or even where I was when my life changed, but it did change and it changed for the better. I remember years ago I was such a focused person, I picked a place to hike to and that's where I went. No stopping in between, no veering off the trail--I wanted to make the summit, that's why I was there. If I was hunting deer I was concentrating on deer and nothing else. I wouldn't stop to admire a wildflower or take in the view. I was always scanning the woods line, never letting my guard down, a deer could appear at any moment and I wanted to be ready. When I think back on all those years I hunted, on all those summits I climbed, there's nothing that stands out in my mind about what happened between getting from point A to point B. I remember the finality of each outing, the game taken or the view from a peak but nothing in between. I had never taken the time to just stop and enjoy nature.
I see so much of this behavior today in others; disappointment in not getting a deer, not catching a fish, flying down a trail to get to the end and they just don"t realize how much they're missing in between. Nowadays when I hunt or hike it's more of a secondary activity to what I'm really doing and that's just.......... nothing!!
I've found my time spent outdoors now is more rewarding than it's ever been in my life and the only reason that is, is because I don't care if I get anywhere. I don't care if I catch a fish, I don't care if I shoot a deer. All the things in between are what I now seek. Twice this year I have set out to reach Round Pond, I had never been there in my life and still haven't. The first attempt was last February on snowshoes--a 2.5 mile jaunt, I think I made it a little more than a mile when I came across a spot where a hawk had unsuccessfully tried to take down a Snowshoe Hare. It was a hell of a fight and the hare had managed to escape but was leaving a blood trail that begged me to follow. One thing led to another and then to far off pond, to an Otter slide to coyote sign to this and that but never led me to Round Pond. It was one of the best snowshoe trips I had ever been on.
I tried a second time in September to get all the way in but was soon overtaken by a set of Moose tracks. The third time may be a charm but you know what? I've had more fun trying to get there than I probably would have had I got there.
We should all slow down just a tad, don't let one task consume you, stop and "smell the roses", as they say. It's not so much "did you get your deer?" that's important, it's all that stuff on the way. All those things you step over, duck under, go around. What are they? what do they do? Take the time to ask and take the time to find out the answers, get off the beaten path and explore the woods beyond the trail. You might just find what you weren't looking for and have the most memorable day of your life!!
Friday, November 5, 2010
NEW FRIENDS
WOW. November 5, 2010. I can't really say I have a legitimate excuse about how or why this blog got away from me. But I will say this, it has not been abandoned. I'll be doing some retro-posts, taking you back to some of our greatest hunts this season! I'm also going to be featuring some fabulous guest bloggers, and personal friends.
So without further ado, I introduce you to Tommy Ellis, born and raised in middle Tennessee. A working wildlife and landscape artist specializing in watercolors. When he's not in the studio he's probably in the woods or at the lake doing "research". His interests include: Paleontology, Astronomy, Hunting, Fishing, Martial Arts, and Art. You can find his blog regularly at: http://followingghost.blogspot.com/ He's definitely worth keeping track of! Please welcome, FollowingGhost:
So without further ado, I introduce you to Tommy Ellis, born and raised in middle Tennessee. A working wildlife and landscape artist specializing in watercolors. When he's not in the studio he's probably in the woods or at the lake doing "research". His interests include: Paleontology, Astronomy, Hunting, Fishing, Martial Arts, and Art. You can find his blog regularly at: http://followingghost.blogspot.com/ He's definitely worth keeping track of! Please welcome, FollowingGhost:
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Revenge of the Christmas Duck
Way back when I was a duck hunter. The Canadian geese were protected at the time and we rarely saw snows or blues. So I was a duck hunter. Along with my hunting partners, Brian and Keith, who happened to be identical twins we were the scourge of the ducks in our area. From the time we had to be hauled to the lake to hunt off the bank by our ever patient parents to when we could drive and owned our own boats we spent all winter duck hunting.
We planned and studied. Collected masses of decoys and became pretty good callers. We made all of the blind drawings at the areas we wanted to hunt. Standing around in hundred degree heat hoping our number was called. Then spent days working on blinds in the same hundred degree heat with the added bonus of wasps, snakes and skeeters. Oh and chiggers and ticks. We had jobs at night so we could hunt during the day and all weekend. We had it bad.
This is a little story about an “excursion” Brian and I decided to undertake on a holiday. Yep Christmas day we jumped in the truck and drove over two hours to be in our blind by daylight. I can’t remember why Keith wasn’t along but it was just the two of us.
We got to the lake, unloaded the boat and headed to the blind. Cold and clear, man was it cold which isn’t all that normal for middle Tennessee even in December but today it was cold. Remember the cold part you will need it later. Set up the decoys and watch the sun come up over the treeline of Bear Creek. The ducks started flying and a few hit the water including a couple of blacks from a group of about fifty that snuck in while we were talking.
During a brisk chase through the woods after a cripple involving a very bothered duck and an empty shotgun which led to much cussing and laughing, it finally sank in that we were the only ones in the bottoms. There were no shots coming from any blind. Our spot wasn’t bad but #11 was THE BLIND in the entire area and no one was using it. This required no real thought, we packed up, loaded the boat and drove 8 miles to get to a spot that was only about 600 yards from where we were hunting. I said we had it bad.
This spot is a pump hole. Normally a corn or milo field it was flooded to create a couple of nice ponds. #11 sat in the middle of a wood duck roost and was a favorite place for anything flying down Bear Creek. No boat needed just chest waders. Sure enough it was empty so after parking we hauled bags of decoys down and got set up once again. By now it was midday and the birds were resting up. We take advantage to eat lunch and plan all the shooting coming this afternoon.
Despite our best efforts we had a total of two ducks come in. A right to left suzie that I shot and a left to right greenhead that Brian knocked down. As the day wound down and the temps continued to drop we decided to pack it in and head for home. We gathered up the decoys and got them bagged with frozen hands trying to wind up frozen cords. Ice was forming on everything in minutes but the ducks coming in to roost in the ponds helped to take our minds off of the pain.
The last thing to do was to go get the ducks. Brian’s had drifted into the bank so he walked over to grab it. Mine had hung up in a buttonball bush about 70 yards out in the pond. I started wading out knowing that the bottom was fairly flat and hard. This was a good assumption except for the wet ground the farmer had driven his tractor on during the planting season leaving a trench almost two feet deep in the bottom of the pond. Did I find it? Why yes I did. Did I fall in? Technically, no. But I did a fine bit of clogging while pirouetting, flailing about and doing an amazing imitation of a windmill, shotgun still in hand. I did not go under, I did manage to ship almost an entire load of water in my waders.
At this point please refer back to the part where I said cold.
By now it was extremely cold and ice started to form on my clothes within a minute. I couldn’t catch my breathe it was so bad but I continued on to get that stupid suzie. As I got back to the bank Brian saw how bad I was shaking and told me to get to the Jeep and the heater. By the time I walked the short distance ice was forming in my waders. Got the waders off and engine started but my clothes are freezing to me.
If you have ever been in a mid 70s Jeep you know the heater is a heater in name only. It would be thirty minutes to get anything out of it. So instead of shivering in the truck I stood in frozen clothes and wet socks, no boots and watched the ducks pouring out of a darkening sky and land yards from me. First a few, then dozens, finally the sky was filled with ducks pitching in to go to roost.
It was one of those hunts that stays with you. I’ve been on hunts where we took more ducks or had worse things happen. This one though we always called the Christmas Excursion or Suzie’s Revenge and always with a laugh. We had a good day, Suzie got me back and I will never forget standing at the water’s edge watching and listening to hundreds of ducks going to bed while slowly freezing into a duck hunter popsicle.
We planned and studied. Collected masses of decoys and became pretty good callers. We made all of the blind drawings at the areas we wanted to hunt. Standing around in hundred degree heat hoping our number was called. Then spent days working on blinds in the same hundred degree heat with the added bonus of wasps, snakes and skeeters. Oh and chiggers and ticks. We had jobs at night so we could hunt during the day and all weekend. We had it bad.
This is a little story about an “excursion” Brian and I decided to undertake on a holiday. Yep Christmas day we jumped in the truck and drove over two hours to be in our blind by daylight. I can’t remember why Keith wasn’t along but it was just the two of us.
We got to the lake, unloaded the boat and headed to the blind. Cold and clear, man was it cold which isn’t all that normal for middle Tennessee even in December but today it was cold. Remember the cold part you will need it later. Set up the decoys and watch the sun come up over the treeline of Bear Creek. The ducks started flying and a few hit the water including a couple of blacks from a group of about fifty that snuck in while we were talking.
During a brisk chase through the woods after a cripple involving a very bothered duck and an empty shotgun which led to much cussing and laughing, it finally sank in that we were the only ones in the bottoms. There were no shots coming from any blind. Our spot wasn’t bad but #11 was THE BLIND in the entire area and no one was using it. This required no real thought, we packed up, loaded the boat and drove 8 miles to get to a spot that was only about 600 yards from where we were hunting. I said we had it bad.
This spot is a pump hole. Normally a corn or milo field it was flooded to create a couple of nice ponds. #11 sat in the middle of a wood duck roost and was a favorite place for anything flying down Bear Creek. No boat needed just chest waders. Sure enough it was empty so after parking we hauled bags of decoys down and got set up once again. By now it was midday and the birds were resting up. We take advantage to eat lunch and plan all the shooting coming this afternoon.
Despite our best efforts we had a total of two ducks come in. A right to left suzie that I shot and a left to right greenhead that Brian knocked down. As the day wound down and the temps continued to drop we decided to pack it in and head for home. We gathered up the decoys and got them bagged with frozen hands trying to wind up frozen cords. Ice was forming on everything in minutes but the ducks coming in to roost in the ponds helped to take our minds off of the pain.
The last thing to do was to go get the ducks. Brian’s had drifted into the bank so he walked over to grab it. Mine had hung up in a buttonball bush about 70 yards out in the pond. I started wading out knowing that the bottom was fairly flat and hard. This was a good assumption except for the wet ground the farmer had driven his tractor on during the planting season leaving a trench almost two feet deep in the bottom of the pond. Did I find it? Why yes I did. Did I fall in? Technically, no. But I did a fine bit of clogging while pirouetting, flailing about and doing an amazing imitation of a windmill, shotgun still in hand. I did not go under, I did manage to ship almost an entire load of water in my waders.
At this point please refer back to the part where I said cold.
By now it was extremely cold and ice started to form on my clothes within a minute. I couldn’t catch my breathe it was so bad but I continued on to get that stupid suzie. As I got back to the bank Brian saw how bad I was shaking and told me to get to the Jeep and the heater. By the time I walked the short distance ice was forming in my waders. Got the waders off and engine started but my clothes are freezing to me.
If you have ever been in a mid 70s Jeep you know the heater is a heater in name only. It would be thirty minutes to get anything out of it. So instead of shivering in the truck I stood in frozen clothes and wet socks, no boots and watched the ducks pouring out of a darkening sky and land yards from me. First a few, then dozens, finally the sky was filled with ducks pitching in to go to roost.
It was one of those hunts that stays with you. I’ve been on hunts where we took more ducks or had worse things happen. This one though we always called the Christmas Excursion or Suzie’s Revenge and always with a laugh. We had a good day, Suzie got me back and I will never forget standing at the water’s edge watching and listening to hundreds of ducks going to bed while slowly freezing into a duck hunter popsicle.
Monday, September 6, 2010
DESTINATION "X"
Welcome to the first entry for the GOOSE MAFIA!
I just wanna start out by talking about our group a little bit.
We came together as family and friends one faithful afternoon in the 90's. None of us could have imagined this happening at that point in time. It would have been completely unfathomable. On our first night out hunting, we realized there was something special about this sport. It was like deer hunting, where you just sat in a stand or a tree all day and night, wishing, hoping, PRAYING, the perfect buck would grace you with its presence. This sport involves so many levels of expertise...
When we first started, we had no "technique". We went out in the field blindly every single day, never knowing that we actually possessed the power to greatly influence our odds of success. I believe we had 12 Canada goose shell decoys, and we would just set them up in a corn field in a random pattern, while we took cover in a nearby wood line. And somehow, we managed to get lucky once in a while. We did have goose calls, and even if we did, it wouldn't have mattered, because there wasn't one of us in the group that would have know how to "blow".
Over the years, we've read articles both online and in magazines, and watched several waterfowl hunting movies, stuffing as much info as we could into our brains to take out in the field with us the next time. A couple of us even bought a couple goose calls a year or two later, and although we had to work day and night at getting it correct, it all paid off in the end.
We've even incorporated a youth generation to our group. Our nephews have been coming out with us since before they could even take a gun. They would just come along and watch and wait and listen and take mental notes so when they COULD hunt, they would be ahead of the game! It was also nice to have someone to hole Luke back on a leash so he didn't run after the birds too early. *smiles*
As the years went on, we got more and more involved, learned to scout for the geese long before they migrated based on what fields were planted with. So gaining permission from the land owner was definitely STEP #1. Without the generosity of these land owners, we wouldn't get to do the thing we love to do most. We have nothing but the utmost respect for these people and their property. We never leave ANYTHING behind. Not empty shell casings, not wads, not even broken corn stalks. Everything is either "as good as" or "better than" when we got there. R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Now, here we are, present day, with crazy progress. Truck loads of decoys, everybody with their own lanyard and calls, a fully trained Labrador Retriever (CHANCE) and a kick-ass logo and club apparel to boot!
We continue to watch videos other waterfowl hunters have made...there's always new tips and tricks that they share with everyone...that's another part of the sport that is so great..."THE CAMARADERIE". Even though we are separate groups, in different parts of the state, or nation, or bordering countries, somehow in the end we take a piece of every group with us out in the field every time.
Some of the biggest things to think about are decoy patterns, and how the geese interact with each other. Calling them at the right time and stopping when it's not the right time. Calling aggressively vs not aggressively. Playing the sun and the wind. How the barometric pressure and cold and warm fronts effect the flight patterns, as does the phase of the moon. Camouflaging your self and your blind, if you use one, to the best of your capabilities. Geese can see EVERYTHING. When they are flying right above you, you can see them turning their heads side to side, looking for any sign of danger. SAFETY. We are CONSTANTLY reminding one another to check the safeties on our guns...you can never remind each other of this too often. And when youth hunters are involved, good sportsmanship is always a topic.
We also cut loose a lot of fun when we are set up early, and have some time to sit around before the birds fly. We'll just sit and talk and LAUGH. Sometimes the guys get bored and wrestle (And poor Kyle got a bloody nose today). Keith even plays music on his flute. I never thought Lady GaGa could be played on a goose call and actually sound "good". We talk about past hunts and how we want the group to grow and improve. We set goals, we accomplish them. Some people probably say, "all those people do is play (hunt). Those are the same people who have never gone out hunting, because although we DO have a great time, there is also A LOT of work that goes into each and every hunt before and after the birds fly. Just this past Saturday, I had a 17 hour day. On the go, steady. That's a long day for anyone. Spend it outside carrying decoys and guns and blinds and it feels like a 30 hour day at times.
Bringing you directly up to speed, we've pummeled 40 geese in 4 days of hunting. Last year our goal was 100 for the entire season. And we hit it, but it wasn't until we pushed right up to the end of the season. We ended season with 109. Right now, 4 days in, we're almost half way there! We've learned to take our time and aim and not just "poke and hope". We've got the skill, we just need to remember to use it. And the results are SO DRAMATIC.
Other elements play a huge factor as well, not just for the birds, but for the hunter. Heat, cold, rain, mosquitoes (very bad this year), snow, pollen (allergies), farmers working their fields, you name it. If it happens outdoors, it's going to impact us in one form or another.
I'll keep this blog as close to current as I can, posting many photos along the way. So keep track of us, we've got a lot of great things coming!
GOOSE MAFIA...OUT.
I just wanna start out by talking about our group a little bit.
We came together as family and friends one faithful afternoon in the 90's. None of us could have imagined this happening at that point in time. It would have been completely unfathomable. On our first night out hunting, we realized there was something special about this sport. It was like deer hunting, where you just sat in a stand or a tree all day and night, wishing, hoping, PRAYING, the perfect buck would grace you with its presence. This sport involves so many levels of expertise...
When we first started, we had no "technique". We went out in the field blindly every single day, never knowing that we actually possessed the power to greatly influence our odds of success. I believe we had 12 Canada goose shell decoys, and we would just set them up in a corn field in a random pattern, while we took cover in a nearby wood line. And somehow, we managed to get lucky once in a while. We did have goose calls, and even if we did, it wouldn't have mattered, because there wasn't one of us in the group that would have know how to "blow".
Over the years, we've read articles both online and in magazines, and watched several waterfowl hunting movies, stuffing as much info as we could into our brains to take out in the field with us the next time. A couple of us even bought a couple goose calls a year or two later, and although we had to work day and night at getting it correct, it all paid off in the end.
We've even incorporated a youth generation to our group. Our nephews have been coming out with us since before they could even take a gun. They would just come along and watch and wait and listen and take mental notes so when they COULD hunt, they would be ahead of the game! It was also nice to have someone to hole Luke back on a leash so he didn't run after the birds too early. *smiles*
As the years went on, we got more and more involved, learned to scout for the geese long before they migrated based on what fields were planted with. So gaining permission from the land owner was definitely STEP #1. Without the generosity of these land owners, we wouldn't get to do the thing we love to do most. We have nothing but the utmost respect for these people and their property. We never leave ANYTHING behind. Not empty shell casings, not wads, not even broken corn stalks. Everything is either "as good as" or "better than" when we got there. R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Now, here we are, present day, with crazy progress. Truck loads of decoys, everybody with their own lanyard and calls, a fully trained Labrador Retriever (CHANCE) and a kick-ass logo and club apparel to boot!
We continue to watch videos other waterfowl hunters have made...there's always new tips and tricks that they share with everyone...that's another part of the sport that is so great..."THE CAMARADERIE". Even though we are separate groups, in different parts of the state, or nation, or bordering countries, somehow in the end we take a piece of every group with us out in the field every time.
Some of the biggest things to think about are decoy patterns, and how the geese interact with each other. Calling them at the right time and stopping when it's not the right time. Calling aggressively vs not aggressively. Playing the sun and the wind. How the barometric pressure and cold and warm fronts effect the flight patterns, as does the phase of the moon. Camouflaging your self and your blind, if you use one, to the best of your capabilities. Geese can see EVERYTHING. When they are flying right above you, you can see them turning their heads side to side, looking for any sign of danger. SAFETY. We are CONSTANTLY reminding one another to check the safeties on our guns...you can never remind each other of this too often. And when youth hunters are involved, good sportsmanship is always a topic.
We also cut loose a lot of fun when we are set up early, and have some time to sit around before the birds fly. We'll just sit and talk and LAUGH. Sometimes the guys get bored and wrestle (And poor Kyle got a bloody nose today). Keith even plays music on his flute. I never thought Lady GaGa could be played on a goose call and actually sound "good". We talk about past hunts and how we want the group to grow and improve. We set goals, we accomplish them. Some people probably say, "all those people do is play (hunt). Those are the same people who have never gone out hunting, because although we DO have a great time, there is also A LOT of work that goes into each and every hunt before and after the birds fly. Just this past Saturday, I had a 17 hour day. On the go, steady. That's a long day for anyone. Spend it outside carrying decoys and guns and blinds and it feels like a 30 hour day at times.
Bringing you directly up to speed, we've pummeled 40 geese in 4 days of hunting. Last year our goal was 100 for the entire season. And we hit it, but it wasn't until we pushed right up to the end of the season. We ended season with 109. Right now, 4 days in, we're almost half way there! We've learned to take our time and aim and not just "poke and hope". We've got the skill, we just need to remember to use it. And the results are SO DRAMATIC.
Other elements play a huge factor as well, not just for the birds, but for the hunter. Heat, cold, rain, mosquitoes (very bad this year), snow, pollen (allergies), farmers working their fields, you name it. If it happens outdoors, it's going to impact us in one form or another.
I'll keep this blog as close to current as I can, posting many photos along the way. So keep track of us, we've got a lot of great things coming!
GOOSE MAFIA...OUT.
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