The last hurrah

As Andy and I went to cut grass for our layout blinds last night, we passed a streetlight under which a hen and drake Mallard were feeding contentedly on worms and bugs on the grass verge of the street we were on. They were still at it 40 minutes later when we came back the other way. Last night and tonight are the darkest of the dark moon phases, so the night is pitch black which is why the smart ducks were using artificial light to forage.

Because street lights are in short supply where Matt, Tony, Andy, Tim and I were heading for a goose hunt (last of 2012) we knew the geese would be pretty hungry and would hopefully choose the paddock where we were setting up in, to get a feed of juicy young grass.

I had trouble getting to sleep... I had a nagging thought that I'd forgotten something. So in my mind I went over the gear list a few times. Everything checked off... paranoia... or maybe it was the Steinlager consumed with Andy when we got back from our grass cutting mission!!!

I was awake again before the alarm went, so went and woke Andy, scoffed a bowl of muesli and Tim had arrived just as we got out the door at 03.45. The weather today was predicted to be wild, 30 - 50kt northerlies combined with periods of heavy saturating rain. The rain was forecast to arrive mid morning so hopefully we wouldn't be sitting in submerged blinds. Small splatterings of rain smacked the windscreen as we travelled to the meeting point, and we arrived on time. We started unpacking the gear as Matt arrived sans Tony, explaining that Tony had stayed over at his place but had gone home at 3am to get his gear - hard man! He arrived soon after. The trek out was shorter than on the last hunt (by a good 20 metres!), as we'd decided on a slightly different location. With a strong wind, setting the decoys was an easy proposition. The boys grassed their blinds and then we stood around in the dark waiting for sunrise. In the gloom we could hear the occasional goose waking up on the waterholes nearby. Then one flew by quite close but with the wind behind him... with unloaded guns he went by unmolested, but that was the signal to load and get ready.

After that the birds began to trade, and the first birds down were singles that were trading between water and pasture. When the flocks finally woke up we had a period of intense action. Flocks, singles doubles and trebles came our way, and many stayed. With the wind they were able to jink and move sideways fast with a flick of wing, so the shooting was sporting and spectacular.

There were many highlights of the hunt, including Tim getting his first ever goose, having geese walking around in the decoys while we tried to bring more birds into range (eventually Tony and I sat up and collected a double each, our shots putting up some sitting birds several hundred metres away, several of which buzzed us and got permanently grounded) and my personal favourite moment when 3 birds set from way up and came in "moaning" as Tony and I did our best moan impressions back to them. (Tony's a much better caller than me, his moan sounds like a goose, mine sounds like Gonzo playing his trumpet at the beginning of the muppet show).

Tim enjoying his first goose hunt

By 9.30 it was getting quiet so we had a photo session (it was now raining...) and began to pack up. Naturally as we did so, small flocks began to move but we studiously ignored them. The rain wasn't quite as heavy as predicted, never the less it was a wet and heavy load of 37 geese, all the decoys, guns, layouts and other gear that we trudged back to the truck with. A quick celebratory bevvy, then we were off to Matt's place to clean the bag.

A good haul

On the way home, Andy and I took a couple of detours to check out potential hunting spots for the future, and uncovered a potentially interesting boat launching spot. At home we unpacked the gear and got it away, then Andy headed off.... with a party to attend I wasn't sure he wouldn't fall asleep in the corner somewhere. As for me, well the weather induced a blackout in my neighbourhood, so hitting the hay early was perfectly acceptable. My excuse anyway.

That's last goose hunt for 2012 as far as I can see; and a fine last hurrah to a good year.

Mr Snuffit, Tim & Andy - Hero Shot!