Thread: It's an odd number.

Only two days ago I put the goose decoys away after an excellent summers hunting. I was sure that the next use of my shotgun will be on ducks, that was until I was heading to work and saw a good bunch of geese in the air. Seeing a large mob of geese creates an involuntry reflex of getting on the phone to find out where they are going.

A call or two latter and I have my boarding pass. Being a little reluctant to hunt on my own I make a call to Merritt, who just happens to be finishing work, perfect. There is a southerly due through which should work in our favour......

By the time Merritt arrives I have the blinds 2 thirds finished and the decoys set for the second time due to the fickle changable wind. We make that a third change by moving out the spread a little. As we settle in I confess to seeing my nemisis bird. It's a single that flies early of the mob honking away happily like an easy single- I feel I have written about this bird too often and wish some one would shoot the damn thing, it will be one welcome accident as it's one smart arse bird! I didn't call, and thought I had been hidden by the time it came around, but I don't think it likes seeing other birds on the paddock (decoys).

We had about an hour until the birds should be turing up going by the reported activity, even still I was wary. 10 minutes early a faint dark line is seen heading towards us. The excitment builds as the line darkens to reveal 20 or 30 individual geese bearing directly at us. I'm sure neither of us can get any lower into the blinds, both thinking "we are in here" I'm sure, when inexplicably the birds pass us by and head elsewhere. I wonder if these geese got the memo from my nemisis bird or if they are usually the first birds on the scene and suspected ill will amongst the imposter geese below? A second mob is spotted we ready ourselves. Used to seeing birds on the deck they set there wings and flop on in. The shot is called I sit up with my new Benelli and it feels impossibly heavy with the extension on and fully loaded. Boom- crumple, boom, crumple, boom, crumple- I got my four I hear from behind me- shhh I'm concentrating I think to myself. Merritt is using my Marocchi which is light and fast and obviously suited him well bugger it- boom, zip, boom, zip, boom, zip WTF WTF WTF!! I had to agree with Merritt about my last three shots!!! I look into the decoys and there is two standing amongst. I stand up and wander out. They split flying in different directions, I'm unnerved boom WTF boom ARRrrrWTF. Put that in your diary I suggest to Merritt. I wasn't the happiest camper. 3 from five I'll take begrudgingly, 3 from 8 Merritt could well have been in for quite a little tanty specticle- but I kept my outward composure. First time firing with an extension and all..... (for many years)

The shots ring loud and in the still conditions. I suspect we may have seen the last birds for a while.... then another mob shows itself briefly before heading where the first mob did. That proved to be the last flight before dark. It was now time to hunker down and wait for the moon to come up. It wasn't long before I started getting peckish, and with the moon still a good way off and with rain starting to fall I suggested we head into town for a feed. M'C D'z and Burger king are bypassed as the tower burger is back on the menu. It's Kentucky Ducky for us. We finish our graze in the ute before heading into the rain, which now turns to thunder and lightning which is lighting up the surroundings crisper than daylight, the thunder rolling for eternity. I suggest with the heavy cloud and rain the geese won't fly on the moon tonight. Merritt suggests we tuff it out until midnight. There's alot to like about Merritts attitude and commitment to hunting- one day I'll tell that story as it should be told.

With a honk of the horn Merritt signals his departure back to the Manawatu. I am left smarting feeling the world has again conspired against providing a good hunt. How dare the cloud cover be so thick!! I hit the hay about 1.30am after cleaning down the guns. The alarm goes 4 minutes later it seemed at 5 am. I wolf down a coffee and hit the road. I am walking toward the decoys just after 5.30am. It is just moonlit under a light cloud cover. It isn't raining. I hear geese in the air, and geese on the ground. Bloody mongrel geese I think. I walk around the paddocks and put off 100 or so. More geese arrive as I am floundering around the paddock miles from my blind and decoys. The hunting god is giving me a real working over here I think to myself. With the air clear and a heavy sweat rolling off the brow I make it back to the blind. The opportunities start to present and the pile grows. I know I should be shooting better, and I'm sure we would have doubled had Merritt not had to make his way back for work.....

Conversation has a way of wittling past the time. Many odd things arrise from a wittling goose hunt and one such thing I mention is the frequency I end a hunt on 26. It's just more than 25 and less than 30, strange I know, but there you have it. I call it a hunt and head for the vehicle after counting the stack. 7 from last night and 18 from this morning. I get to the truck and phone Merritt to let him know of events. I hit his answering service and leave a short message. As I drive down towards the decoys I see two hawks off in the distance. I get out my camera, change lens, fire off a pic and zoom in. Bugger me another goose. I wander out to pick it up some 300 meters away. On the way back my nemisis goose arrives. I flip it the bird and tell it I'm done anyway- paddocks yours. Merrit calls, I said I ended up with 19 this morning.... we got 7 last night- process, laughter. Hardcase isn't it I say.





Number 26- an odd number. Strange to see the two parries happily watching a feathered friend being grazed apon (left hawk)

Good work Tim

Cool story...

Cheers for the report.

Jeez that story is so good... it fells like I was almost there....

Thankyou thankyou and sweet as. Not long to go now my fellow feather followers.... (try it again 3 times and faster )

mate, awsome read and a great hunt.
as hard as it seemed at the time you did it again, nice

Nice work Tim

you 2 couldnt keep away

Its your mum that I like, but you can take the credit for getting me here if you want

Did a bit better than 26 a few days back..... despite the shooting At one point 4 came in aaaaaaand 4 left. Choke change and a reminder to keep my head on the stock and I came right. It was the chokes fault

Glad you made it Snuffit...