Scattershooting

Snow goose spectacle amazing

Tue, February 14, 2012

They finally broke my will today.

I’ve only been home in Elmwood about 48 hours in the past six days, but that’s all I could stand before grabbing the gun and running out to hunt this afternoon.

I need to be working on the March issue of the magazine or the Elmwood All Outdoors Show.

But today, enough was finally enough. A many can only watch huge flocks of geese flying overhead for so long before going crazy. My breaking point came at 1 p.m., not long after yet another call from a friend to inform me the geese were in a field I hunt.

Naturally, by the time I arrived the geese were gone. Such is my luck. But I did get to spend some time admiring the spectacle as they left.

The entire time I sat there, gun in my lap, geese filled the air. Nearest to me were flocks of Canada geese and specklebellies, with occasional groups of snow geese high overhead. That makes for some nerve-wracking moments trying to identify silhouettes in the dark sky. This is no time to be making mistakes with honkers or specks.

Farther to the south was an enormous flock of snow geese, whose roar sounded like something out of a North Dakota refuge. I’ve never seen so many birds up close. And I’m not alone.

The geese are attracting plenty of attention here in Elmwood, as nobody can recall having seen them in such numbers or for so long in the area.

Hunting wise, though, the birds are not cooperating much in this area. I’ve heard scattered reports of hunters shooting them, but so far the best kill totals have come from the Havana area. One group there shot a reported 300+ snows the other day.

No such luck for me. The only birds I had a shot at (and I had several) were Canadas, which are now out of season.

But somehow, even just sitting there watching the snow geese pass in the distance was more satisfying with a gun in my lap.

One other thing. Given that the geese show no sign of leaving, I apologize in advance that your March issue of Heartland Outdoors might be a few days late.

I have a sneaking suspicion today was not my last wild goose chase of the week.

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