Border Jumping...

**David Rearick** · #1 10-26-2006, 07:22 PM

2006/2007 Hunting Journal Entries

DATE: 10-21-2006

LOCATION: SE Ohio

SUNRISE/SUNSET: 7:43

WEATHER: Overcast

TEMPERATURE: 50’s

WIND: Moderate

EQUIPMENT USED: Avery® Natgear Skull Cap, Avery® Natgear Neck Gaiter, Avery® Finisher Blind, Avery® Finisher Blind Bag, Avery® Game Hog Game Strap, Avery® 12 Slot Full Body Duck Decoy Bag, Avery® 6 slot Lesser Bag, Avery® 6 slot Decoy Bags, Avery® 6 slot Motion Bags, Greenhead Gear® Full Body Active, Rester, and Feeder Mallards, Greenhead Gear® Active and Feeder Full Body Black Ducks, Greenhead Gear® Full Body Pintail, Greenhead Gear® FFD Lesser Decoys, Greenhead Gear® Pro-Grade Lesser Decoys, and Greenhead Gear® FFD Honker Decoys.

HUNTERS: Erik Nilsson, Don Gawne and his dog Drake, and Avery® Pro-Staffer David Rearick

JOURNAL NOTES:

With high hopes for a good day on both ends (ducks and geese) the decoys and blinds were set in a freshly cut corn field. Lots of geese were in the area and a good number of ducks as well, so the anticipation was building as we lay in the darkness waiting for legal hours to arrive.

3 minutes till legal hours whistling wings were overhead, we searched the skies, but it was on the brink of daylight and darkness, so it was hard to pick out the shapes from the sky above. Shortly after legal hours were upon us and we laid waiting, doors closed and eyes opened. The first visible target swooped in and out so fast we never got a shot. A lone renegade drake wood duck had acrobatically flown through the spread much like a kamikaze plane. About then it all broke loose, ducks were everywhere, overhead, behind us, and out front. We tried to call shots all while keeping track of what was on the ground. They all wanted in and it was spectacular. Flocks from 2-15 barreled into the decoys carefree. At one point when the shot was called, Don sat straight up in his blind motionless, as Erik proclaimed “not that flock, this flock.” Ducks were in the air constantly for 30 minutes and when it was all said and done 8 Mallards and 4 Woodies lay in the field. It was truly a great first morning shoot!

Now that the small stuff was out of the way, we changed the spread around and got ready for the heavies. After a delay, that felt like days, the first geese came into view. A pair worked perfectly and lit the spread on my side. I called the shot sat up and swiftly missed three times. I scratched my head a little while Erik made short work of laughing at me and downing one bird just before it got out of range. Without much to say about it, I slid down in my blind, red faced, waiting for what I knew would follow. Surprisingly the boys took it easy on me, with only a little bit of ribbing and a little bit of laughing. The action was slow, as the birds congregating behind us were a pretty big draw. Another pair worked the spread, and my shooting proved to be a little better, as we took both cleanly. That proved to be our last geese for the day but none the less a great shoot. As we picked up to leave, all the flocks we were chasing flew overhead going back to loaf from the feed, begging for us to come out tomorrow. I think we may take them up on that….

The boys and the birds