Today was not as we expected. Had a lake full (1000+) of Snows and Blues when we arrived this morning. As usual they out smarted us, and got out without any of them getting hurt. Was expecting to see a big push of dark geese today, but that was not the case. However we did see several huge bunches of the Snow and Blues, on the move South. Flocks were in the hundreds of birds, and some were so high, you just have to wonder if we missed more than we seen.

I don’t know if I said, that most of the ducks we seen yesterday were Pintails, well there was not near the ducks today either, and I think we got over the hump on pintails. There was quite a few mallards today and we had a few more hunters today so we had a fair shoot on ducks. The total was just over 20 in the bag

We did have a pair of little Cacklers drop in on us today, and we took both of them. There is a secondary story on those two. They were both banded, so it will be interesting as to when and where that happened. What, is the chances that both would be banded. So when we find out ‘the rest of the story’ I will pass it on. We kept the bands, and let the customers take the birds.

Another story, I need to relate to you. All the customers, decided they had hunted long enough, and decided we would close up at 4:00. I went and got the truck and while we cleaned and closed the pits, one of the members took a load of costumers up to the parking lot. We had all the work done, and was waiting for the truck to come back and pick us up, when we heard some dark geese. Looked up and there was 28 Hutch and Cacklers decoying in, and was wanting in very bad. I think that has happened 5 times so far this fall, that before we was off the property, when we had geese come in.

Have to get busy, so will let you go.

Ask our maker, to take care of our troops, tonight in your prayers, and please check back

See Ya Carl

We started the day with just Ralph and I, and it was obvious that we were needing some help. The ducks were decoying in like only most duck hunter dream about. With a little arm twisting we had some support on the way. Finely we got the hunter count up to 6 that includes RK, and he don’t have a gun.
We also started out with one great Sunrise too. It was great enough to make the trip to the pits worth it, all by it’s self.

I’m sorry but I just have to say this right quick like. “Why I wouldn’t miss tomorrow for nuttin.” I will give you some figures to support that thought. Pappa Goose quit writing down the flocks of ducks at 51 flocks. And there were enough flocks after that to have a great and succesfull days hunt. There was I think 9 flocks of Whitefronts, One flock of Cacklers, One flock of Big Canada’s. It take several pages in his log book to get all those flocks wrote down.

I need to inject that we started out with a fair South East wind, and it gradually moved to the North West and got up to about 35 MPH

A couple of our guns could only stay for an hour or so, and most of our ducks had passed by that time, so with just three guns to do the shooting we still end up with a pretty damn good bag of birds, when we called it a day..

I will give you the story a few birds at a time. We had Whitefronts almost get into us a couple of times, real early. But they, are always tough to get into harvesting range, so we missed on several bunches, that way. Also, they combined the Soybean field just East of the pond, and as luck would have it, they costs us a couple go-a-rounds, on Specks too. We did have a pair come in and do everything right for us and we harvested them. They were two very big Specks, We think they may be the Greater Whitefront goose, we have no way to check it out. Shortly there after, we had a flock of 12 Cacklers come in and give us just a marginal shot on them, but we did harvested 5 of them. Just before we called it a day we had a nice flock (20+ birds), of big Canada’s come in from a mile high and over the river. Of course, they got South East of the pits and got real low and come dragging up through the lake, some of the time we were wondering if they was going to give it up and land before they got to us. They finely got up to us and we put 3 of them down. In this wind if you didn’t hit on the first shot, you just forget it. So 3 guns 3 birds ,and we are proud, of that round.

So again I will say it “I wouldn’t miss tomorrow for Nuttin. If all possible you shouldn’t either.

So remember the troops with a little prayer this evening.

See Ya and Check Back

Cral

Today is the first day after the time change, back to standard time. For some reason this seem to be a tough day for people to get up and come hunting. Now, I think some of them miss set their clocks and don’t want any of us to know any different, and some have just give up, and write the day off, because this is always a ‘short hunter’, day. When we went to the pits this morning there was only Ralph and I, and Ralph is not carrying his gun. Later in the morning one more hunter walked in, for obvious reasons he will remain name less. Now this is just the setting you up, for the activates, that took place later on, in the morning.

Now for the real hunting story. There were several chances for ducks but before NLA arrived that means Name Less Arrived. But I passed on them, and then there was a lone Speck at about 80 yards that Ralph would not let me go on him, because he didn’t want me to inform all, from today on, that I placed him DIP That means Dead In Pond, so he escaped unharmed. Then just a little later we spotted a nice flock of Whitefront’s, flying real low, looked like that they had just got kicked out of a field just north of us. They didn’t give us a good look, as the continued on there Merry Ol’ Way South.

The boss had some places to go and Name Less and I said we could go and let him have a little time off. At about this time, we spotted three Big Boys trying to slip in on us, and drink the lake dry. So we fired up the horns and pulled them over to our side of the pond. The boss gave the command “Take Em” From now on, this would be easer if I wasn’t so damn modest. Most of you know I refer to my self as a OSFF that means Old Slow Fat Fart. Before, OSFF could get my smoke pole (War Eagle) into action, he says “hurry up”, making yours truly just a little more nervous. Well,----- when the smoke cleared there was one DIP, one mortally wounded, sailing to the south trying to get out of my sight, before the inevitable, took place. The third was shocked beyond , good reasoning and come back by and Ol” War Eagle gave him another load, as he sailed off to the West lake, I know he will never see Kansas . (I got that line from another hunter) Now believe me when I say that these were big birds. I don’t think a one will go as light as 12 lbs. 24 ounces.

The boss has the rest of the day off, and I have some great memories, that I will never-ever-ever bring up again, before tomorrow.

Say a little prayer for the troops tonight and check back.

I promise, I won’t put this much BS in one report again, unless there is an opportunity to do so.

See Ya

Killer Karl

Hardly any wind this morning, so made the decoying and shooting very difficult. Got into ducks only one time. There was a few ducks around early, And some were Mallards, so the good shooting is getting close.

The spotting of geese was not as successful as should be this late in the year. I think we seen only 3 or 4 flocks and they were all small flock and had none, in the area of the lake.
The geese we did see were some Specks and some Cacklers. Had one big Canada, give us a circle, before moving on South, he looked like he had had a blind fight , before getting to us.

Most of the hunters wanted to get back home in time for the game so not much hunting after the noon hour.

One of these days we will have another good day this fall. Sure did start out good, but that all shut down and we have the feeling that we may have to go to bird identification class, so we can be sure we haven’t been letting the wrong birds pass by.

Not much news to report so will close this up.

So remember the troops tonight in your bed time prayers

See Ya Carl

Had a great wind today, and the clouds disappeared, by mid morning, but the bird refused to give us an opportunity for any harvesting. Boy that was great to have a sunshiny day again. Seems like we have not had any sunshine for over a week. It sure was refreshing, to see today.

We seen several (4-6) big flocks of Specks on the move. Had only one flock that decoyed for a short time early in the day. Once, we seen them we thought we would have several flock before the day ended, but that was not the case. We do, have the feeling that tomorrow will be a good push of Specks. So I guess I should say "why I wouldn’t miss tomorrow for nuttin. The forecast for the wind is for another day of fairly strong winds form the North West. We also need to be seeing some Canada’s. The sky has been void of them for several days too.

Did spot some Mallards, that was on the move, but we were not successful in harvesting any of them either. It is getting to be the time, in the season if we are going to see some Mallards, we should be seeing them real soon. All of the reports from the North, that there is plenty of them up there. Will be fun to say, we seen some again. We have been having plenty of rain and they are not getting the ground turned over on the bottom, like they have in past years, so I am guessing if we ever get some Mallards they should stick around for a while.

Remember the troops in your evening prayers, and please check back

See Ya Carl

Thurs hunt was short again. We got some rain over the night and it was very muddy out at the pond.

Ralph, Lyle, and I all walked in, just to see if there was anything on the pond and see if anything was flying, that we should be excited about. The boss always tells us that they don’t like to fly when there is allot of moisture in the air, and he was totally right this morning. The biggest movement we seen, is when we got out of the pits after daylight and all the duck that was on the pond got up and moved to the south end.

Never seen, heard, or smelled a goose. Was hoping for a small flock of Specks, to come visit, but no such luck.

Got word this morning that Garry Mason, this is the founder of the Legends of the Outdoors, was sick and had to be flown back to his home in Tennessee. He has just found out he has diabetes and his sugar level had got very high. Garry had just hunted with us a few days ago, and was in South Dakota hunting when he was stricken. So this evening when you touch base with our maker, please include him and the troops in your evening Prayers.

Check back and I’ll see ya

Carl

Tuesday the 24 we didn't any hunters so didn't hunt, so I didn't update, with a report. However, on a trip back to the pits late in the afternoon, kicked a rather large flock (75+) of Cacklers off the lake. There was reports of the Whitefronts were on the move, so there is a possibility that there were a few of then in that bunch too.

Today he had a couple of interesting hunters, hunting with us today. We had some reminiscing, coming over the speakers in the pits. Montie West, who used to hunt with Ralph and was Ralph's partner in the Decoy bushiness. Along with him was Reed Kennedy, who was the publisher of Ralph book. So the conversation over the Intercom was rather interesting all day long, as stories of river hunting, stories of old timers, and I am sure you get the picture.

As for the excitement for the day, this all unfolded around 10:30. Stated out with spotting of three big Canada's over the West lake, moving to the North lake. While watching them we spotted a large flock of about 50 geese moving right towards us. Soon I D-ed then as a flock of Whitefront's. After giving all three lakes in the area a good look they settled down and sailed into our lake, looking like they were going to land in middle of the pond, but gained a little altitude, and hooked right up over the pits, about 55 yards high. That is a marginal shot so the boss, was going to give them one more circle. But the got all grouped up again and flew our, and we never seen them again. This is one time where hind sight is 20-20 and foresight was a bad decision.

Please remember all the troops that are in harms way, tonight in your bedtime prayers.

See Ya and please check back

Carl

10-23-06

Early this morning just after arriving we heard Specks, and they were very close, but it was so dark we never seen them. We never heard them again so we had to believe they were setting in the lake and we woke them, and they left the area before it got dangerous.

Had a couple of go-a-rounds on duck, but not to many of them around today. Nothing like it was yesterday for ducks. That was a good push of Mallards. One of the ducks we bagged today was a big drake and if they all as fat as this one, you can rest assured, they are finding enough food.

The thrill of the day: Pappa Goose was looking across the lake and spotted 4 birds coming right at us, we almost mistook them for another bird, for just a minute or two. After gathering our wit's, and a few toots on the old goose horn, and we had them in the bag. This is the first time in several years we have seen, a family group of Snows on the move. Any more they seem to always be in huge flocks numbering into the hundreds, instead of being just a few to maybe 30 in a flock. Spotting, S&B in the fall, send me back down old memory lane, as I reflect on time when we would come out in October, and we would almost be assured, that before the days end, you would have 2 to maybe 10 go-a-rounds on them before days end. Back in those days a flock of 30 birds was viewed a large flock. They would turn into the wind and stand there as they studied out every minute detail, of the spread before they would get down into range of our smoke poles. Your old pulse rate was sky high before the, go command, was given.

Enough of that stuff of days gone by, I had better get this up so you all can check it out.

Remember all the boys and girls that are protection our nation tonight, in your prayers

See Ya ,and check back

Carl

There were duck a plenty, this morning and spotted a few geese on the move early this morning. Also there were big flocks of loons on the move also.

The ducks seem to decoy pretty good, but we didn't seam to fill the bag up to fast. We have to call it a major mallard migration, but again we just didn't got the shots we thought we should have.

Just after noon we had a lone Canada drop in and surprise everyone landing in the decoys. We placed him in the bag a few minutes latter. Then we had 3 Specks give us several swings and one of them got polished off also.

For the second day in a row, as we were cleaning up and closing up the pits for the night we had Canada's pop in on us, and try to get into the pond. Tonight the flock contained just 5, but if we would have been ready for them we could have them in the bag also.

All in all it was a fun day and one with several times we got up and shot.

As you can see we are under an all new format for this report, and I hope you all enjoy. Have a way figured out to contact all my AOL readers and give them the new address, so hope everything is back on track.

As always please say a little prayer for all the troops tonight in your evening prayers

See Ya
Carl