# News!



## SDNDhtr (Apr 29, 2005)

I was stuck in accounting at 8:00am this morning, how did everyone do?


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

the question should be stated "how should you have done this morning" Because in that sense I should of had my limit. This did not happen on accounts of 
a) I couldn't hit the broad side of a flying serving tray :******: 
b) AFter the initial misses, no goose came within 100 yards of my spread :******: :******: 
c) Obviously my field was not "the field" to be in as the other side of the tree line sure went through a bunch of shells :******: :******: :******:

IN any case...the wind sure made 'em come in low...of course if you can't hit a giant goose going rougly a half mile an hour coming straight in at about 15 yards, than nothing is going to help you...this is speaking from experience mind you.

Hope everyone else had better luck...deffinately saw a ton of birds...better get ready for class now.
-Tyler


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## Chris Schulz (Sep 7, 2004)

I too was sadly in class. The only thing i'm looking foreward is my unhunted property back at home. my dad says theres been 100 in there evry night. :beer: hope some other people got out though


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## SDNDhtr (Apr 29, 2005)

yeah sorry slayer, i was hopeing for good news, but hey...you got to go. I was learning about credits and debits.


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## gooseslayer85 (Apr 4, 2005)

Yeah i was stuck in an ecology lab this morning so i was too not able to make it out, but this weekend im hopeing to do some slaughtering. Good luck to all of you.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

See its all about priorities my friends. I knew I had class at 11, but since it was opener I figured I'd get in a few hours before hand in the field. Thusly, I slept through my first two lectures and now I'm home rested and ready to go and "try" (I use that word in utmost of honesty because that's what I'll be doing my hardest) to shoot somthing...anything. Good luck all and mark my words, next time I'm that tired I'm bringing a pillow to class. See what the profs say about that! :lol:


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## Drew Willemsen (Sep 29, 2003)

We had good luck this morning with 5 guys, a dog, and 25 geese before 7:40am...family groups worked our spread and came out of no where fast with the 25-30 MPH wind it was a great hunt! There are pictures on our site under Early Season 2005. :beer:


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## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

SWEET ..... :beer:


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## wtrfwlr (Sep 29, 2004)

I wish it was teal season we had about 150 teal come straight down on our head, we didn't get any geese but we didn't get to hunt our field becuase it was being cut. We had to choose a second spot that didnt' work out for us, we saw a bunch but they didn't see us till they got passed us. Oh well we had fun and I'll be whackin doves come sunday, and i skipped all my classes.


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## texan68 (Nov 29, 2004)

dove started down here today.....too bad my guns gettin reblued


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## QuackWhacker (Sep 1, 2005)

One more day until I can share some stories. Don't get off work until 6:30am saturday though. I've been scouting for geese, looks good so far. Even for duck season, for being down 37 percent over here (MN),according to the dnr. Seems like I've been seing alot more ducks than last year. Good Luck Boys!


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Well...went out again this morning by myself with a dozen silouhettes, a couple cheap calls, and my ol' 870. It was blue bird skies with a slight breeze coming out of the west, just enough to keep the remaining skeeters of the season off of me. After my poor performance yesterday with some "dead to rights" geese, i was bound and determined to correct my errors. The first few flocks of geese started pumping right around 6:30 and I'd say there was at least one flock in the sky until 8:30. Around 7ish I heard some honking behind me to the west and I turned to see a low flock of about a dozen geese looking for a fields. Now, in the last few years of hunting I have come to the conclusion that my technique on a goose call is about equivalent to that of a blind person throwing darts...I never quite hit the mark, and never with consistency. So today I decided to rely on my flagging technique; somthing remeniscent of a plummeting goose having a seizure (hell, when I see geese I start flapping it so hard sometimes I think I'm having a seizure). In any case, they kept coming closer and I did all I could not to move from my layer of straw I had acquired in the morning as my camoflauge. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the leader craning his neck from side to side, so I timidly gave the flag a flap. Like a well trained soldier he did an immediate about face and came in cupped right towards me. And you know what I was thinking about the whole time? "No freakin way is this happening right now" I was in a field that I'd never seen anyone even slow down to look at, lying in the middle of a dozen chincy goose decoys with nothing to cover me but straw, and waving a flag like I actually knew what I was doing and here these poor guys were coming in on a string. It seemed too good to be true. The leader was ahead of the main flock, so I waited as he soared over my head. The rest of the bunch decided to turn at the last minute, but it was too late, they were well within range. So...thinking very carefully about my mistakes yesterday, I raised my shotgun, started at the butt of the goose, worked my way to the beak and than a little ahead and....BANG!.....BANG!!....BAAAANG!!!!!!!! and off they soared to the South...honking in quite a mocking way as the one I shot at dumped a giant poop in my direction before heading out. And that was that...another day skunked and more questions than ever...is it too early to start drinking? I'm depressed... 

But on the up side, that's the most geese I've ever got to decoy in my whole life and being out in the field, seeing the sunrise, and doing what I love is better than being anywhere else in the world. HOpefully before the season is over I'll find my shooting skills again, but that wont stop me from trying.

Hope everyone else had better luck!!!

-Tyler


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Tyler

Don't get to down on yourself, like you said, it will happen.

Tell ya one thing, man you can write, your short story had me glued and I felt like I was there. So, if it's any consolation, I missed also !!!


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Thanks, i really appreciate that. :beer:


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

We were *covered *yesterday morning - in sea gulls that is. :wink: One angel of mercy juvie kept us off the schnied.

Didn't have time for much scouting this year, and what scouting I did was remarkably unproductive. Having few options for the morning, we opted for a third hand scouting report from a non-hunter in the general area where bird numbers have been decent in previous years.  Probably saw something on the order of 60 geese fly all morning, which ended up in 3-4 different spots in the general area - few and scattered was the order of the area.

In the evening, off to a field in a completely different area I haven't hunted much but had seem some birds in about a week ago on a flying trip with a friend. A couple of SU students that (just) beat us to the field were kind enough to invite us with them. As both rigs were driving into the field at about 4:30 pm, three flocks poured in and landed and weren't in any hurry to get chased out. Things were looking up, as one of the students said he'd seen about 300 in that field on one of his several scouting trips. The other 265 were surely just as eager for that field and weren't too far behind. As it turned out, the 35 or so geese we bumped out and relocated about 3/4 mile away, sucked every other goose in the area for the remainder of the afternoon. :evil:

First day of the '05 season - one shot fired, one goose taken.

On the bright side, brass policing was an easy task and the shot/kill ratio was extraordinary. On the downside, the total fuel expenditure/shooting opps ratio was extra-extraordinary.

Seriously, it was a great day. Near ideal weather for a September 1 hunt. The dogs were gentlemen. The duck viewing was really neat. Met and BS'd with some nice guys. I wasn't working. Great small town lunch. Great start to '05 - just missing the icing...

Won't make it out now until the grouse opener. Good luck to everyone. :beer:


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## Labsroc01 (Mar 23, 2004)

Had a great hunt this morning shooting 20 birds between five guys. The birds cooperated well as they should right now and the dog had a blast retrieving 19 out of the 20 birds shot. We only saw one other hunter today, what the heck? With as many birds that were in this particular area I thought the birds were in store for a busy day. Anyways I will be shooting some of them MN birds in about 7 hours from now, it should be another good hunt. The scouting report my MN buddies called me with sounds better than what I have seen or heard about all year. I had better eat it up since I will be leaving the GREAT state of ND and heading for ALASKA before the new year! GOOD LUCK TO ALL HUNTERS!


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## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

Tyler,

You do tell a good story, sorry about your misfortune. Next time just pull up on them and look for that white cheek patch, concentrate on it and slap the trigger. Dont try to measure leads or anything... Hang in there you'll pop em sooner or later..


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## gundogguru (Oct 7, 2003)

We hunted in NC saturday morning. We had 3 limits ( 5 each)of honkers in less than a hour. I got my first Band.We where right on the X as soon as they saw the decoys they where in or face. We had a blast. :lol:


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

71 honkers in the last three days. Every field we have hunted hasnt been shot yet and the birds are eating it up.


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## quackattack (Sep 27, 2003)

Didn't make it out til Thursday night. Friday morning ended up getting 17 geese. Saturday morning we got to the field and were set up by about 6:15, shot our first goose by 6:25 and we had our 5 man limit by 7:20. Then this morning pulled up to our first choice field at about 4:30, only to find someone else already setting up. Went to our backup field and just as we got set up a group of guys pulled in and we talked a little and they decided they would go to another field. So we got everything set up, and as the sun came up, there was a good breeze out of the SE and a nice fog. Didn't hear or see a bird until 7:15. And from then until about 8 am it was solid flocks coming in. And almost every flock came in locked up. 
We even had a flock of about 50 come in locked which was pretty sweet. We had 18 birds by about 830 but we stuck it out for another hour pulling in singles and pairs trying to get our limit. We ended up with 20 birds for 5 guys. And 2 were banded. This weekend was definitely some of the best hunting i've been a part of. Between all the guys I think we ended up with 120 in 4 days.
:beer:


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

Shot 12 this morning for 5 guys. good way to end the long weekend. 84 birds in 5 days adn picked myself up a band this morning on a perfect little loner that snuck up on us from behind without making a sound.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Try, try again. The mantra of the hunter. And since I kept thinking, "if at first, second and third I don't succeed..." So, like any hunter down with shameful defeat, I roped in some help. Erik, a fellow Buffalonian (that sounds about right :splat: ) popped on the internet one night and asked me how the hunting had been lately. I explained my problems and he was quick to tell of his great successes on the first two days of the opener (25 geese on opener before 7:30, including a bander and 17 the next day, right?) So, with much enthusiasm, I asked if he would want to head out sometimes and show me the ropes of this goose hunting. He graceously accepted, and after a scouting trip on Sunday evening, we were confident in our field for the Labor Day morning hunt.

And oh what a morning it was. The birds got up uncommonly late, as my guide explained, as they usually are up right before sunrise. Bur for some reason today they didn't start moving until after 7...and than the sky was alive. Right away we had groups viewing our spread and I spazmatically flagged as Erik whaled away on the goose call. A single came in right away, cupped and commited, blazing in like a laser beam.

" TAKE" BOOOOM "'EM". The "boom" was the sound of his gun as he fired midway into letting me know when to shoot. I was halfway to shouldering my shotgun as and explosion of feathers consumed the goose and it plummeted to the field.

"Keep flaggin, they're turning, they're turning" I was halfway conscious of the fact that we had actually gotten a goose as my arm started flagging uncontrollably without my mind knowing what was going on.

"Easy, that's good enough, you're gonna fly away if you flap that damn thing any harder"

I stopped and watched as Erik kept blowing and the geese kept flying. It was hard keeping track of them all and suddenly a loud honk started both of us. We turn just in time to see a flock of 8 or so coming cupped in right behind us.

"TAKE 'EM" But this time I was ready. We let loose a folley of steel that could have dropped an airforce bomber. But one goose fell, from my guide's shot.

"There's a single, coming right in." and again he started calling. From my left a lone goose soared in over the powerlines and straight for my barrel.

"Dead goose" I thought to myself "and he doesn't even know it" But apparently he wasn't listening to me, because after a whoop from Erik I flung up and slammed three shells in its direction...well general direction anyway...I have absolutely no idea where they went, but unless that goose was transparent, I'm guessing it wasn't anywhere near its body.

So, as the last few flocks came in and went away, we had two birds down and thumping heartbeats capable of setting of car alarms like the annoying bass of a souped up rice-burner.

Patience, that's all we needed. And for the rest of the day we had several more chances. But alas, I was still skunked. I figure since the beginning of opener I've gone through at least a box and a half of shells and my grand total of zero geese is more the disheartening. But just being able to see Erik work those geese and learning so much about this exciting form of hunting, made everything worthwhile. In the process of all the work and excitement, I also made a new friend. And in the end that's probably more important than a dozen limits of Geese. Thanks again Erik, and I deffinately hope we get to do that again soon.

TO all the fellow hunters in the same boat (er blind) that I'm in. No matter how many times you miss, its the memories you make in the field, slough, or blind with the friends and family that you love that last forever. And knowing that I have many more years to learn and experience, gives me the sleepless night anticipation I've had since I first started when I was 12.

GOOD HUNTING!!!!!!!!

-Tyler


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## Quackkills9 (Oct 25, 2004)

> TO all the fellow hunters in the same boat (er blind) that I'm in. No matter how many times you miss, its the memories you make in the field, slough, or blind with the friends and family that you love that last forever. And knowing that I have many more years to learn and experience, gives me the sleepless night anticipation I've had since I first started when I was 12.


right on tyler! my group missed on some of the best chances that cupped their wings in and only dropped 2 geese or so.. it is frustrating and funny at the same time when we should have dropped more but Heck.. it was alot of fun and a great time.. hope you drop a few next time.. good luck! :beer:


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## SDNDhtr (Apr 29, 2005)

great writing Tyler. check your PMs.


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

Opening morning did quite well on my own with 10 full bodies and 4 socks. I'm convinced that the socks had an effect on the birds with the movement in the light wind. It was different having the geese roll in on the dekes before the sun was up. I'm so used to the later season and waiting till at least 9 or so for them to get their lazy arses off the water! Did notice the lack of calling by the geese as they came to the spread, which is good for me cause I can't call worth a heaping pile of crap! The biggest thrill was getting geese on my own. Doing all the work of lugging the dekes in, setting the spread and getting rewarded by getting my 5 birds was quite nice.

Didn't do as well on friday, but still enjoyed hunting with my dad and letting him know I'm still the king of long shots!!

Didn't go out saturday, something about lots of lightning and holding a long metal object above my head...Hmmmmmm??

Sunday was pretty fun, one hunt that will be in my memory for my lifetime!! We had quite a big spread and we were laying right up against a row of round bails. We had the dekes out and were just standing around trying to decide if we needed blood transfusions from all the darn 'skeeters, when the ducks came pouring in!! We sat for at least 45 minutes watching hundreds of ducks land in the spread, fly just over our heads within FEET and swing back around! 
The funniest thing all day and also the wierdest thing happened when the guy my dad and I were hunting with decided to, um, well, download behind the row of bails. So with him on the other side and my dad and I yelling at him the whole time, a damn lone honker is headed in from the south. Also, our hunting partner was on the southside of the bails. So in all the confusion, I started flagging and watched my dad so he could give me the signal to stand up and whack da goose. Well he didn't tell me and just as I was putting a bead on the goose, three shots rang out from the other side of the bails!! Da goose went down and our friend came scrambling from out behind the bails with pants at ankles and shotgun in hand, and all three of us busting a gut laughing!!!

So in all it was a memorable early goose opening weekend, and one I'll think back on while in Air Force basic training in 2 weeks time.

H2OfowlND


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

HAHAHA!!! Now that's a story!!! Wow, you'll be tellin that for the rest of your life! :lol:


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## samfitz83 (Aug 2, 2005)

man you fellas up north are smokin the geese why dont ya save some for us down here..... I wish here in illinois we had limits like you guys...we get two geese a person... how crappy is that..


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## thubley (Jan 18, 2005)

As a transplant from TX I have been in duck hunting heaven only I haven't been able to successfully take on the geese. I would like to find someone in the Grand Forks area to hunt geese with. I'ld be willing to carry and set up the decoys and with enough arm twisting I'm sure lunch could be arranged. If anyone is interested in helping a fellow waterfowler out email me at [email protected] or reply here. Thanks


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## mallardmuncher (Aug 26, 2005)

H20fowler What kind of socks were you using. Fill us in.


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

They were Coloumbia brand liners socks, work very good as a base layer when it gets colder!! :lol:

Actually they were regular canada northwinds. Placed them with the full bodies to give that extra movement and boy did it help!! I've never used socks before, so I decided to monkey around with different decoy spreads to see what works the best. At the top of the U, I had 5 full bodies and 2 socks. Then working their way to the 5, I had on one side 3 fulls and a sock, the other side was 2 fulls and a sock. I placed my layout blind farther away from the 5 fulls than I normally do, so the geese would concentrate on the dekes rather than me. I don't have the coffin blinds just a simple Final Approach "Ground Hog" blind. If you don't know what that is, its a wedge and pretty much a sheet of the material to cover up with, but damn does it work well and only $100.

H2OfowlND


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

This morning, on this day of our Lord, September 10, two thousand and five, I...Tyler Bret Shoberg, a.k.a. Duckslayer, aka Boy who misses flying serving trays, a.k.a. Mr. Try, Try, Try, and Try again....shot...a...GOOSE!!! And folks, if you can believe it after my past mishaps...I not only shot one goose...no sir-reee-bob, I...shot....(pause for dramatic effect, cue drum-roll)..... TWO!!! That's right, not one in a day, but freakin "if I'm lyin', I'm dyin' " TWO! And, I can thank my guide, and personal friend, Erik. Buddy, if you're reading this, you're calling rocks!

If the day had started any differently we wouldn't have been in "God Know Where" North Dakota. My guide, Erik, had spent the previous morning (and most of the day) scouting for the elusive geese that seemed to have mysteriously disappeared from our fields of the following week, including all the fields around them in a five mile radius. With determination, adrenaline, and an ungodly amount of coffee in his system, he finally managed to find them, well south of our previous location, and happily munching on fresh, green, shoots. Now, if he would have been thinking about me well being, he would have called and said, "Tyler, I didn't find Jack $hit, but we're gonna try it anyway, call me and wake my @$$ up in the morning" so I would have gotten a decent night's rest. But Nooooo, what does he say?, "Man, it took me all freakin day, but I found a field, and there was a good couple hundred in the one that was posted next to us, but I figure the sixty in ours should come back tomorrow morning. Wake me up" So cue the restless night. Dreams of squaking geese, flying away from futile shots, and giant white turds streaking down at me like a hellish meteor shower, caused me to sweat like a Norwegian in a Sauna and I woke up sputtering and practically drowning in a pool of drool. Thankfully, it was time to head out, so I woke up my guide and we met up with another fellow hunter, happy to lend us some decoys, an extra gun, and his four wheel drive Jeep!

And what do we find when we get to the field...a pickup truck driver's dream. A deffinitive mud hole, sloppy as wet concrete and twice as thick. So, driving was out of the question, but in a moment of pure genius, my guide and new found hunting buddy both stuffed their blinds full of shells and we hiked our way out into the sludge. (Anyone out there, remind me to shoot a fawn this deer season...I dragged enough heavy stuff for one year!)

With dawn fast approaching, and geese chattering frantically like hysterical women at a tupper ware party (ooo, I'm gonna get it for that one), we finished setting up our six dozen shells and waited patiently.

"There's one, comin in!" Erik tried to yell and whisper at the same time "Tyler, get ready, its yours." And my heart started pumping. I bet if someone were to hook up my arteries to a back ho I would have been able, not only to power the rig, but dig a big pit blind and level out the field in one shot.

A deeeeep breath...and another...waiting patiently for the goose to crawl its way to the blind. Oh who am I kidding...I was about as patient as Al Gore waiting for the last election results. And right as the goose passed the point of no return, locked in tight to our spread, I sprung upright like a well oiled trap and let three fly...and he fell. It was amazing. Not only was a goose down, but I HIT HIM!!! Sure, it wasn't the best shot, but I got him with the last shot, so that's all that matters. I didn't know wether to laugh, or cry...or get my fat @$$ out beneath my burlap cover to chase down the goose that was slowly walking away from where he had landed. In a quick dash I ran out, grabbed him, humanly ended his moving, and sat back down for the remainder of the hunt

"Good shooting" both of my hunting buddies said

"Thanks" I replied, still rewinding what had just unfolded moments before.

In the end, we shot eight, and had a wonderful time getting young birds to circle a good dozen times. It was a hunt I wont soon forget, with some amazing guys I hope to stay friends with for a long, long time.

To both of you guys, thanks for "popping my cherry" on field goose hunting. Can't wait for tomorrow morning...which means I better hit the hay!

To everyone else, good luck!!! And I hope all your hunts are as memorable as mine!

-Tyler


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## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

Tyler,

Great story ! Have you ever given any thought to journalism school, you really have a nack for descriptive writing........ glad you finally got some geese.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Hey, thanks a ton, I kinda hope to get into journalism and maybe work for a magazine eventually. Thanks for the good review! :wink:


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