We set up about halfway down the finger where it looked like there was some significant activity. With my 17 honker dekes, and 15 duck decoys, I was ready for anything. There were birds absolutely everywhere and this hunt proved the most difficult for Lou since we started. Birds would land, or swim into our setup, and they were birds I had no intentions of shooting. This of course sent Lou into screaming, thrashing, pissing vinegar fits. Again, I waited for a bit for the first opportunity to ID a duck and them took the shot.
There, you happy now?
About the time Lou brought the small teal to the shoreline, my shot scared a lone goose off of the finger of water behind me and my dekes brought him right over the top of us. I didn't even have time to switch shells but he was so close it didn't matter. I dropped him right into the goose decoys, consequently breaking the neck of one of the decoys...oops.
I did manage to pull down a nice fat bull pintail from this setup, but as seems to be the case this year, it just didn't seem to be working out as planned. The mallards were in the far corner by the trees, and the rest of the ducks were working the opening to the finger of water. I eventually made the decision again to move and be done with it. I pulled my set and headed to the far end. When I got out there I could not believe how many ducks there actually were. I literally tossed my duck decoys in the water and buried myself into some sweet clover. I picked off enough ducks here and there after the initial flurry to keep any dog happy; except Lou. She is insatiable.
I was starting to get discouraged that there were no geese working the water as I had originally set up for them, but about 10:30am, the birds started coming off of a field. I didn't set goose decoys the second time, so these would be down-the-pipe passing shots. I heard the first flock coming in from behind me, and they were close. I swapped shells just in time to see the birds 20 yards above the water out in front of me. My first shot stoned one and pulled another down, my second dropped another, and my third shot, yeah you guessed it, missed. Well, I now have three very large geese on the water, water mind you I am completely oblivious of its depth, and I have a dog that refuses to retrieve them.
In I went.
Fantastically as I had not expected, the water was not only shallow, the wading was really easy. I left the first bird upwind as it was stone dead and just worked to the farthest one. Two swat shots, and 5-8 dive attempts later, I was able to catch up with the feathered beast. I floated this bird back to the second, picked it up, and headed back to shore for the first bird. When I got to the first bird I realize the long bomb bird was still alive. When I pick up the dead one this goose proceeds to beat the ever-living daylights out of my wrist. Now, I am a strong, young, HUMAN F-ing being and this bird 11 pound bird was wrecking me. I lost count of beats I took the wrist before I realized this was actually doing damage. I finally let go out of instinct.
DUMB.
Not only was this bird still alive, but so was one of the other ones.
I now have two live birds swimming in opposite directions. When I finally catch up with the first one I waste no time wringing the bastard's neck and being done with it. I make my way to number 2, which Lou has chased to shore, and I do the same. I now have four very large geese in a heap by my bag.
That was so much fun it hurts...hehe. Literally I guess.
At this point I bury myself into the sweet clover again, only to be bombed by a flock of gadwalls. A gun empting round and only one flops on the water. Oh well.
Now, as always, I wait for that last bird. Teal have filled my bag, but I need two more to fill my limit. It is about 11:15am when the pair of mallards that I kept pushing around finally commit to my set.
My first and second shot connect on the drake, and the third whiffs on the hen. Lou makes a classic retrieve and we sit in awe of the sensational plumage on this drake.
It is getting later in the morning and I start to think about the pack out. 7 ducks, 4 geese, all of my decoys, and gear, and a 2/3 mile uphill battle back to the car. I better cut my losses and get out of here.
Or...
Another flock of geese coming from the same direction as before. I need more weight to haul out like a hole in the head, but I switch out shells. They take the same flight path as the first flock. My first shot whiffs, my second connects, and miraculously (or not depending on your point of view) my third smokes one.
It's deja-vu.
Back out to the lake I go. Now this one is swimming, low, and two swat shots do nothing to slow it down. I am moving as fast as I can and just start to gain ground when I realize two wonderful things:
1. there is a hole in my wader boot and I am taking on water
2. this bird is moving to deeper water and if gets 20 yards farther, I will be swimming for it.
When I finally catch up to it, I waste zero time finishing him off, my wrist hurts enough as it is. I slowly double back to the dead one as each step is an inch from lapping water over my waders. When we get to the dead one, Lou was SO FREAKING CLOSE to grabbing the wing and dragging it back for me, but chickened out at the last second. Hey, progress is progress. I get back to shore, sit down in a heap, and take a second to catch my breath.
As I take my jacket off to start packing out my euphoria of the day comes crashing down. I get a text from Rachel:
CALL ME!!!
I haul ass to the top of the hill and call her. She is headed into the emergency room with lower abdominal pain.
FUCK.
I talk to her a bit to see what is going on, but she is bordering on hysterical, and I am nowhere near able to get home in any manner of time. I explain to her that I will do my best to get home as soon as possible so I can get to Watertown, but I was in the boonies and it is going to take me awhile. I haul ass through picking up my gear, and set up a quick photo with the pup.
At this point I try and figure out how the hell I am going to get everything back to the car in a timely manner. I tied everything up, started packing everything on and stood up to start the trudge.
It took two steps for stuff to start breaking. I knew there was no way I was going to get this all out in one hit. I dropped the decoy bag, strapped up all of the gear and birds, and started my way back.
I should have had a heart attack.
I was putting one foot in front of the other as fast as I could; for Rachel.
I knew she was terrified and by herself and at this point we still didn't know what was going on. I needed to be with her and I was out hunting in the middle of nowhere. About halfway back, I get a text saying it is likely kidney stones and they seemed less than concerned about the health of the baby. This didn't mean shit to me as I had not had conformation about anything. At one point my father-in-law called me to see what was going on and through sucking air I had to tell him I had no idea and was out hunting in the middle of nowhere.
When I got to the car, I was hurting; BAD. I drained most of my water bottle, dumped off everything, and turned around to get the decoys.
It took me less than half the time to get back out there again, and when I did I hoisted the bag, turned tail, and hauled ass back again. It was still easier than gear and birds the first round.
When back I loaded decoys and gunned it home.When I got home I cleaned birds as fast as I could (they would have spoiled and by this point it was determined it was not dire, but I needed to get to Watertown as soon as possible), showered, and left the place in shambles. By the time I got to the hospital, my legs were numb, my shoulders were bruised and sore, and my wrist hurt so bad I couldn't turn the stearing wheel.
I was in the waiting room for 10 minutes before Rachel was released. Because they gave her morphine, she was not allowed to drive so I needed to be there no matter what.
We found out it was a kidney stone. This was new to Rachel and while pregnant, this was concerning as she didn't know what was going on.
By the time we walked out of the door, she was no worse for wear, but a little shaky to say the least, and I can't blame her. I felt so bad I was not there with her, but she told me there was no way of knowing this was going to happen.
It was so wonderful to leave the hospital knowing everything was ok, and Rachel was just fine. I was so close to leaving everything out in the field but Rachel and I discussed before I packed up, what ever happens was going to happen regardless if I was there or not.
Sooooooooooooooooooooo, glad everything worked out alright.
What a roller-coaster day...
I need a nap.
Stay Tuned
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