Gary March
Well-known member
A Special Hunt
It was early September and the colors were starting to change. My Water Spaniel was four now, and she knew hunting season was upon us. There was a feeling in the air, that autumn was upon us.
During the week she saw me loading decoys,sleeping bag, and cooking utensils into the barnegat just as the past two years. The early goose season would be opening on Saturday, and was one of
our favorite hunts of the year. It was Friday afternoon and we had the truck pointed to the PendOreille River anticipating another great hunt. We launched the boat and headed upstream to a small island
that has become very special to us over the past years. As I anchored the barnegat, River was running around on the island, like a puppy on her first hunt. I had just finished setting up the goose
decoys, when the first flock of geese were coming out of the fields to roost for the night. I watch the geese trying to land into the decoys, but River was chasing them and barking as saying this is our island.
I had to laugh as she literally hates geese. During her first season as a pup, River retrieved a wounded goose on this island that nearly beat her to death with its wings as she was bringing it to me. She has
never forgot that moment. If I start to call on my goose call, the hair stands up on her back.
As I started cooking dinner on the back of the boat, I just watched and laughed at her as she continually chased the geese off the island. After a huge meal of Bear sausage ,hash browns and eggs. I sat
and watched the sun give way to darkness. I poured a scotch as to help the joints a bit and crawled into my sleeping bag. The David Clark Estuary made for a peaceful nights sleep. It was dark as we awoke to
a muskrat chewing on cattails and sedge. We had a quick breakfast, and I crawled into my waders. I was as excited as a 16 yr. old getting up to check his trapline. A short while went by, then I heard the faint
honk of a goose. As the noise got closer, I watched River as she knew I now had my gun loaded and it was time for her to do her job. This special day we only took two geese, one shy of our limit. But truly we
didn't come here to whack the geese. We came here as we do every year to spend the night in the marsh, knowing the long 105 day season is upon us. This hunt will always be special to me, not because we
kill lots of birds, but to rekindle our souls and watch River with never ending laughter. I have found over the years that the marsh is the only place that does that for me.
Gary
It was early September and the colors were starting to change. My Water Spaniel was four now, and she knew hunting season was upon us. There was a feeling in the air, that autumn was upon us.
During the week she saw me loading decoys,sleeping bag, and cooking utensils into the barnegat just as the past two years. The early goose season would be opening on Saturday, and was one of
our favorite hunts of the year. It was Friday afternoon and we had the truck pointed to the PendOreille River anticipating another great hunt. We launched the boat and headed upstream to a small island
that has become very special to us over the past years. As I anchored the barnegat, River was running around on the island, like a puppy on her first hunt. I had just finished setting up the goose
decoys, when the first flock of geese were coming out of the fields to roost for the night. I watch the geese trying to land into the decoys, but River was chasing them and barking as saying this is our island.
I had to laugh as she literally hates geese. During her first season as a pup, River retrieved a wounded goose on this island that nearly beat her to death with its wings as she was bringing it to me. She has
never forgot that moment. If I start to call on my goose call, the hair stands up on her back.
As I started cooking dinner on the back of the boat, I just watched and laughed at her as she continually chased the geese off the island. After a huge meal of Bear sausage ,hash browns and eggs. I sat
and watched the sun give way to darkness. I poured a scotch as to help the joints a bit and crawled into my sleeping bag. The David Clark Estuary made for a peaceful nights sleep. It was dark as we awoke to
a muskrat chewing on cattails and sedge. We had a quick breakfast, and I crawled into my waders. I was as excited as a 16 yr. old getting up to check his trapline. A short while went by, then I heard the faint
honk of a goose. As the noise got closer, I watched River as she knew I now had my gun loaded and it was time for her to do her job. This special day we only took two geese, one shy of our limit. But truly we
didn't come here to whack the geese. We came here as we do every year to spend the night in the marsh, knowing the long 105 day season is upon us. This hunt will always be special to me, not because we
kill lots of birds, but to rekindle our souls and watch River with never ending laughter. I have found over the years that the marsh is the only place that does that for me.
Gary
