Trick and Treat Canada Geese

Date: 10-31-2009
Location: Western Pa
Sunrise: 7:49 a.m.
Weather: Cloudy, light to moderate rain
Temperature: 61° falling to 48°
Wind: 10 mph SE gusting to 30 mph SW

By Erik Nilsson

Today was the last day of the second season RP Zone for Canada Geese for us here in Western Pa. My son Mat and I headed out to a cut cornfield that was holding some birds. I looked forward to the day because I was able to spend some time one on one with Mat and do my best to teach him more about goose hunting. We arrived to the field in plenty of time for me to enjoy a good cup of coffee, while he finished off his interrupted sleep from the night before.

Rain was in the forecast and they called for high winds to arrive about mid morning, so I knew that if were going to get some goose action I hoped it would be quick off the start. We checked the area looking for fresh signs of geese and it wasn't long we found plenty of goose tracks and decided that would be where we would set up. Getting everything out of the truck, I gave Mat a couple of bags of decoys, while I grabbed the blinds and more decoys. We began to get everything ready. I instructed him on where to place them and how they should look and we began setting up our "Trick" for the geese.

Settling in the blinds, we were greeted by a nice sunrise, but that would not last very long as the front appeared to be pushing through quickly. The birds didn't fly right away, which made it nice for we got to share some quality time together. I gave him the Power Flag and that was his job, while I would work the birds on the calling. In the horizon, we spotted our first flock of the day, waving the Power Flag, Mat attempted to get their attention. This flock was heading to another place, but one goose pulled off the flock and came right in, finishing in the decoys. Giving Mat the ok to shoot it, down it went. I congratulated him on a good shot and while we picked up the goose, we could hear more on the way.

Climbing into the blinds, we could see that it was a small flock of birds heading our way. Greeting them with a few waves of the Power Flag, the birds locked on our position and traded back and forth determining their order of landing. The geese took a wide swing, seemingly making adjustments for the now changing wind. As the flock approached they became very excited and I maintained a good cadence of notes to keep them interested. Committing to the spread, I called the shot and we both sat up on one "tricked" flock.

As I watched bird after bird come down, I knew we had done well on the shooting. We got out of our blinds to gather up the birds we shot, finding out that we had taken five from the flock. As Mat gathered his birds, he yelled up "Hey Dad! I got a band on this one!" Congratulating him on a good shot and the band, we checked it out and I gave him a big high five. What a "treat" for the day.

Needing only four more birds for the hunt, we worked another small flock with me taking two and Mat taking one. By now, the wind and rain had picked up and the once dry field that we started in became a mud pit. We decided that we would wait 10 more minutes and pick up. We heard a goose from behind us and as I looked to the rear a flock appeared above the tree line. Catching a tailwind they were on us fast, not giving us much time to do anything, but get ready. Three birds pulled off the flock, banking hard to the left swinging into the decoys. One bird centered on the spread and calling the shot for Mat, he sat up and made a good shot on it to finish up a limit for the day.

Out of the blinds we went to gather his bird. After a few high fives, we quickly gathered up our gear and headed off to get some pizza for the ride home.

Driving home we reminisced about the hunt, the time together and how much fun it was today. Mom, well she was happy for us. Looking at Mat and how muddy he was, said "What did you get your son into today?" I just smiled.