Had, clear skies, sunshine, southerly winds, reports of birds still south, but seen a minimal amount of working birds. All of them in the morning. One flock we did not get the blaster on fast enough, so they just flew on by. Later there was a small flock of 4 that locked up when we got the call on them and never went out of the lock mode, all the way in, that way until we shot. Had so few shooters but they made quick work of them. Some time latter there was a flock of around 20 that come from the north and they were all decoying but, three come in so fast that the boss called the shot on them and we put them all in the sack too. That about covered the action. The reports of plenty of geese in the Hamburg Iowa and plenty action going along with the sighting. We have been getting those reports for a couple of days but have not seen any of those birds yet. We don’t feel we have seen our share of young birds. They are the easy ones to decoy, and usually give us the best show. Today’s weather , is the best weather for their movement , so was excited, early this morning about the prospects of the day. We keep wondering if it is over, but again we have not seen the big numbers of Juvenal birds.

Hoping the weather holds and we do not see the predicted rain that is in the forecast. Have seen enough mud to last me for a little while. Just got my blind dried out and most of the mud scooped out.

Say a little prayer for al the wonderful young men and women that are serving our great country. Also please check back and lets see if I can report a few more birds before we close for the season

See Ya Carl

Two in one today

I have two days to report to you. I could not get a report to sound good last evening so after many tries, I quit. Monday, I think we had just two go-a-rounds and put 8 in the sack. Was a pretty short crew for both yesterday and today. I think the bag had 6 in it, today.

We done a total, total on what we have done this season and it is short by a long way. However, with the weather the way it is, it is not that bad. We have gone over 150 birds, so in comparison of years past it is bad. Again we would be winding down on the hunt in ordinary years, when we had our first good days hunt, this season. Once the snow line went past our area it was open in the Dakotas, so we did not get much of a play on the breeders. As for just how much longer we are hunting, (I am getting mail with this question), I have no idea. The reports are not favorable from the south, but we are still seeing several flocks a day, and they are decoying so My guess as long as we are seeing birds, we will be there.

I need to mention that the birds we were seeing over the week end and yesterday seamed to be mainly Ross’s, but today there was more Snow and Blues. I have a feeling there is a message there, as to the migration, but not sure just what it is.

Can’t make sense of anything I am trying to write so best close this and get it posted

Besure to remember the hero’s that are serving our country overseas as well here in the home land, tonight in your prayers.

Check back again, please. See Ya Carl

The action was late in coming

Was a very slow morning. Did not see a Snow of a Blue, and it was about the time I was wishing I could go home and kick back in my recliner, and maybe catch a wink or two of sleep. When we started to see them on the move. We thought there was going to be plenty of movement today with the clear skies, snow to south, and plenty of movement yesterday. But the movement was late in coming. Most of what we seen was almost all Ross’s and they have the ability, to fake you out on a shot. Not only do they not fly, where you think they are going, but dive and dart around in the process. In plain English, “you shoot where they aint”. Some say I have the habit of doing that all the time. We got into birds three times today, winding up with 22. So that brings our total for Sat and Sunday up to 99. We were hoping to break the 100 mark yesterday, but it just did not happen, and we could not do in the whole weekend. There was no wind today, and that did not help with the decoying, either. A little breeze can really be an advantage.

Not much to report so will post this and get ready for tomorrow. Say a little prayer for all the young people that are serving us, around the world, tonight and every night.

See Ya Carl

The smoke poles got warm today

After the near blizzard of yesterday, nearly 4 inches of snow, and almost needing a snow plow to get to the shed, hopes were not to high this morning. However we did drive out to the pits under clear skies and with all the stars shinning. I had met with my crew before the walk in and had talked them out of taking another box or two of additional ammo for each. This would lighten their load quite a bit and it is a long walk, with so much moisture, of the past 3 months. However it was cool enough to put a heavy layer of ice on the pond, as well as a little frost in the ground, making the walk much easier. When we reached the decoys it was easy to see that each of them had a heavy coat of snow plastered to their north and northwest side. Once at the pits there was snow to clean off the broom corn, before you could open of remove the covers. Got that done, lit the burners, and then got the customers into their seats. Then the duty’s turned to getting the blaster operating and check the time when it would be legal to shoot. By this time the sky was lighting up a little in the east preparing for old Sol to brighten up the day. His absents has been the norm for so much of this spring season, so this was likely be about the only exciting thing to look forward to for this day. With all these duties done, I poured a cup of hot caffeine, reached for a brownie in my lunch kit and decided it was time to get acquainted with my crew. I had two young boys and their uncle. The youngest had never waterfowl hunted before and had never seen a blind that was dug into the ground, so everything was new to him. I laid out the ground rules, just in case there should be a flock come along. We had just got each name logged into my brain when the word come there are birds behinds us and they were locked up. Even us old hunter enjoy hearing this type of news even though I was sure they would just give a little look and go on. At least there was something to get the customers a little excited. The next thing I know we are picking up birds. Then the empty hulls were starting to cover the bottom of the trash can and then there were empty boxes being tossed into it. Then we were talking about the boxes of ammo I talked then out of carrying down and weather or not a return trip to the parking lot, was going to be necessary. Have to say with a slight adjustment in the shooting habits, stretched the ammo, to days end. You know it is a good day when I burn my dinner, because of the activity in the shy, but it happened today.

We have some guys that are going to sleep good tonight, since they run all over the country picking up the sailers, that was scattered around the lake. The dogs, are going to sleep too. That is hard work when on every retrieve you are breaking ice for each step. The ice was not heavy enough to hold the dogs, so their job was a rough one too. I can not tell you the number of go-a-rounds we had today or total number of birds for sure.

The carry out count was over 75, but blind score was above that. We are just a couple birds short of spring record, and that is 79. So the tally is around 75-77. I know with a good sweep of the property we could pick up birds to set a new record. I do know there are some young hunters that are going to have a lot of memories of this day for a long time. Of course there is a lot of us old hunters that will talk about today for many years too.

Need to get this posted, so best stop. Remember the troops tonight and every night in your prayers.

Please check back and will see ya Carl

Back to the moisture, and clouds

One clear day and then back to the Muck. Was cloudy when we went to the blinds this morning, but no moisture was falling. The activity we had today was all during the very early minutes, of the day. Was not even good light when the first flock tried to get into the spreads. We took them taking 4. Just minutes later we had one more, make the same mistake. Then the weather started dropping it’s first drops of moisture, and the flights stopped.

We had about 2 to 3 inches of very wet snow fall, making the blinds a wet muddy mess. The lake is not in shape to hold the rain and snow fall or the runoff from the fields that surround the lake. Again when we look out over the landscape we have solid white fields to look at. I know the rain and snow, got me wet this morning and I am not warm yet, as I write this.

Will let you go, but remember the troops in your bedtime prayers tonight.

Check back

See Ya Carl

WE BURNT SOME POWDER TODAY

There were a few empty boxes in the garbage tonight. I bailed a little early, because the wife is under the weather. I carried out the trash from my blind, and I could count three empties in my sack. So I know other blinds had a few empties too. Of course when most unplugged guns, hold at least 5 shells, empting a box is not that hard to accomplish. We got onto a nice flock of Blues, just before I left the pits and I think that was round 7 for us today. How nice, a south wind and some sunshine was today. The birds were not so plentiful, as they have been in the past few days, but today they would decoy. Had the feeling today was going to get exciting, from the get go.

With the winds in the southwest thus putting, most of the decoying out front, and this alone makes the day more fun. These birds and their antics, while decoying, is always a treat, to watch and today was no exceptions. They do entertain you; the shot is only the ice cream, on the cake, when you are hunting the Sky Carp.

I had to call the first shot of the day, not my favorite job, but it worked and we wiped out a pair, or the whole flock. So on each go-a-round I let RK know, on the shot “I called” we took the whole flock. The last shot we had before I left there was a flock of 7. Well they took all seven of them. Had some shooters today, one flock of 18 little Ross’s, they took 10 out of it. Another story of today. Had a flock of about 10 Blues and one Snow come in from a mile high. When we give them the music, the locked up and never beat a wing as the dropped from only specks in the sky, down into gun range. May be just what I dream about tonight.

Sure would be nice, if the clear weather holds for a while but reports are we are back in the muck tomorrow. We got the pump a going today so we are lowering the lake water a little. But rain will just fill it back up. NO RAIN PLEASE

Remember the troops tonight in your prayers. Also remember to check back

See Ya Carl

Water, Water, Everywhere

Well I am back on the road to recovery. Told the Dr. I had to get better to die. So he prescribed me $100.00 worth of meds, and I got better.

I will try to get you back up to speed on the hunting. The first issue has changed from snow to the water. The bottom is so full that only the highest ground and the roads are all that is sticking out. The ditches are all full of snow and water cannot run away so all the drainage ditches and road ditches are full of water. The Tekamah bottom is what I have always vision the Mississippi river delta looking like. It is a serious problem. If we had any birds settle down into the lake it just may cause the water to run into the blinds. What a spring it has been so far this year. A day of sunshine would really help.

There is no shortage of birds in the area. Reports are that there is a million birds, in Burt county alone. Not going to guarantee that is the truth but it is not to far from right. Sounds like there is several flocks, and each flock numbering into the 2-300,000. With the water everyplace it is difficult to attract them because, what we used as a calling card (water) is already every place, so why would they want to set in with 2-300 decoys when there are several thousand live ones in sight.

Ok just how we have been doing in the kill department. We had two days, back to back, when we harvested birds. I think the count was 6 each of these days. But with plenty of birds in the area and if we get some sunshine they will be moving around, so we could catch up very fast, in that department.

Be sure to say a little prayer for the troops tonight, and check back and lets see if I can’t bring better news in the hunting department.

See Ya Carl

A sportsman sky, was todays view.

The spring aerial show is underway. The report were flowing in, That birds were filling the sky way south, starting at about St Joe, and as they passed each check point we would receive a call, and it continued until we were seeing them. I will admit we did not see the number that were report south of us, but you just have to believe some stopped on the way. Of course some could have drifted west or east of us too. Got one bunch in on us and decoyed several others. If we could get some good ol’ sunshine, we just may leave the pits with a big smile on our face. Today was the first day we had, Snow and Blues over us, but again this was the first day that there were not showers every few minutes.

We have open water, but there is still ice on the lake. Not sure just how thick it is, and quite sure it is so rotten a dog would break through, but it is still there. Have a nice hole out in front of the pits and that is all that counts. A couple of times today we would look out on the water and there would be a huge chunk of ice come floating by, so there is spots opening up, for the chunks to float.

Northwest of us there was several thousand Canada’s feeding. I remember days when you would have thought a flock of that size is never seen in Nebraska. There is an abundance of them. In the fall you rarely see a big flock of white front (Specks) but a flock of a 100 or more is not uncommon in the spring, and they didn't disappoint us to day either. Still not convinced there is any duck to brag about. We never seen many in the fall and our opinion was not changed, with the low numbers, we spotted today.

Had a nice group of hunters this morning and they were rewarded. I think there was hunters in 5 blinds today. None were what I would say full, but there was hunters in blinds 2 through 6. The shot we got today was really a pretty good shot, but with the early season jitters we did not harvest as well as we should have. We took six and should have taken nearer to 20. I and not going to point any fingers, because my shooting was far from perfect too.

We will be leaving the Café starting on Sunday at 6:30, remember that is the first day of Daylight saving time, and the 6:30 is the new time.

There is plenty of deep mud in our area so dress with Mud in mind.

As always, remember all the troops with a prayer tonight, and every night.

See Ya Carl

Your Nebraska Hunting License

Hunters, Please pay attention to this. You need to purchase your hunting license, ON LINE before you come this way. There is a place you can purchase it in Blair, but have no idea of where that is, or their hours, at this time. I am going to do my best to give you step by step instructions, but I did not get it right myself, on the first try. Rockie asked me to get his on Sunday, and messed up, so today I had to call them and get it straighten out. They accept VISA & MASTERCARD, credit cards and or Bank Cards. If you are 29 or younger you will have your FIREARM HUNTER EDUCATION I D NUMBERS too.

Number one caution. If you have ever, had a license before from Nebr. They have your profile already, and have that under last name, date of birth and last 4 numbers of your SSN. It didn’t look like there was enough info so I backed out and I that is where I messed up. Then when I got into where they were getting all the good stuff on you again, Read everything very good. The last question almost threw me. The one about if you have had your license taken away or are behind on child payments. READ IT GOOD. Because you have to answer it yes. No. one thing, do not back out once you started, because they are not going to issue two License without them knowing it is a duplicate, because you have lost the other one.

So the best plan of attack is to have your License before you get to the café in the morning, of the day you plan to hunt. Just take your time and you will be OK, but do not assume anything, and read the line good. The guy in Lincoln made me aware of the last question, and told me that is the No. one Mistake.

I got on the right site by Goggling “Nebraska Hunting License”, going to their home page and then clicking on License and Fees.

Yes we are hunting, and I will be out there soon.

Remember the troops in your Prayers, and Please check back

See Ya Carl

Is spring here, or what??? It has been quite the winter. Have been getting inquiries as to whether or not we are opening for the spring season. YES WE ARE. R K had to get a big bulldozer out to open the road so we could get to the pits or lake, to get thing ready. Well we got out there and have tidied up the pits a little, and have got the decoys set, but I have not got the Blaster in as of yet. Will get that done in the morning, if the rain holds off.

I am just guessing but I would say we will be making daily appearances about Monday the 8^th. Have not seen many birds yet if any. Monday we were working out there and spotted 5 white birds over the west lake. At the time we passed them off as snows, but since then we seen another flock of 6 and with glasses they were ID as Swans. So this makes me think they were swans too. Here is my reasoning: Number 1: is why were there 5??? I understand that these birds are pared up this time of year so we should have had 6 birds. So say if one lost it’s mate, I don’t think that bird pushes on north, with the breeders. I have the feeling it falls back and migrates with the non breeders. Other than that the only other geese we have seen have been dark geese.

Have been getting many reports starting on Wednesday of ton and tons of S&B’s moving into the Hasting - Grand Island area. Got a couple report today, they are moving into the Lincoln area. Have not had a report from a source that I trust yet, so am not taking those report to serious.

I know I will have my E-Mail full if I don’t tell you that the approximate time we are leaving town will be about 5:30. It is going to be a muddy mess so ware tall boots. There is going to be mud until, the snow melts, frost is gone and couple of warm sunshiny days with some wind.

Have more prep work to get done so must close this. As always, please remember the troops in your Prayers every night. Also please check back

See Ya Carl