Yukon Mike
Well-known member
This was really a trip of a lifetime. Mac got to see the best that this place can offer. Today was our last day and we set him up this morning in a field blind with some Canada decoys and he had lots to shoot at from dawn until about 9 or so. Not much hitting, but lots of shooting. Me and the older guys sat in the edge to watch and coach him and finish off ones we thought he and his friend hit. They learned a lot. I think the two kids got 6 geese.
In the afternoon some friends took him on horses to go look at cattle in the Little Saskatewan River valley. Its really gorgeous right now and a super experience for a kid from the North. He's learned lots about farming and cows on this trip, and wants to buy a horse.
After supper we met Andy at the Hill to pass shoot divers. It can be hot or cold action depending on the night, and at first it looked like it would be a slow. But from about 1/2 hr before sundown until can't see birds flew steady. We shot a mixed bag of redheads, scaup, cans, and a mallard, then the geese started coming over. Holy cow for geese. I don't know exactly if 10,000 came over or not but seriously, when they got up in the north the horizon looked like smoke and they passed over us for at least an hour. They were still flying after dark as we were walking out. Lots were too high but we got a bunch, mostly snows as we were trying for white ones. We would shoot and a hole would open up in the flock only to be closed again in a few seconds. Then we'd shoot again. There were that many snowgeese piling into the lake behind us. It was the craziest shooting I have ever seen at that spot - ever.
This trip was all about experiences for Mac and not quantity of birds but tonight we let loose. We were allowed 12 Cans/redheads combined and we shot 11. The three of us could take 24 ducks total and shot 21. For geese we could take 60 snows but only shot one at a time each and took 12 I think. Most of that happened in an hour - barrels were hot.
I've been keeping track in a journal because you know how it is when you aren't getting enough sleep and its hard to remember what happened when. The migratory season has been open for 17 days and we've gotten out 16 times just for birds. We shot
Green and Blue winged teal
Mallard
Redhead
Buffy
Wood duck
Spoonie
Gadwall
Widgeon
Ringer
Pintail
Canvasback
Lesser Canada
Cackler
Snow
Blue
Ross
Ruffed grouse
Sandhill Crane
And two Whitetails
Unbelievable.
Mac and I only shot about 80 birds total but because we had time in the afternoons we processed other people's birds too and did about 165. None were wasted except for 2 woodies a barn cat ate before we knew we had a barn cat. We ate as much as we could and gave the rest to people who wanted it. What deer meat we couldn't eat went to a family who really wanted it.
If any of you guys down East ever get a chance to go shoot out west on the plains do it. It is pretty cool. Those of you who live there know what I mean. I am really going to cherish the memories of this trip.
Mike
In the afternoon some friends took him on horses to go look at cattle in the Little Saskatewan River valley. Its really gorgeous right now and a super experience for a kid from the North. He's learned lots about farming and cows on this trip, and wants to buy a horse.
After supper we met Andy at the Hill to pass shoot divers. It can be hot or cold action depending on the night, and at first it looked like it would be a slow. But from about 1/2 hr before sundown until can't see birds flew steady. We shot a mixed bag of redheads, scaup, cans, and a mallard, then the geese started coming over. Holy cow for geese. I don't know exactly if 10,000 came over or not but seriously, when they got up in the north the horizon looked like smoke and they passed over us for at least an hour. They were still flying after dark as we were walking out. Lots were too high but we got a bunch, mostly snows as we were trying for white ones. We would shoot and a hole would open up in the flock only to be closed again in a few seconds. Then we'd shoot again. There were that many snowgeese piling into the lake behind us. It was the craziest shooting I have ever seen at that spot - ever.
This trip was all about experiences for Mac and not quantity of birds but tonight we let loose. We were allowed 12 Cans/redheads combined and we shot 11. The three of us could take 24 ducks total and shot 21. For geese we could take 60 snows but only shot one at a time each and took 12 I think. Most of that happened in an hour - barrels were hot.
I've been keeping track in a journal because you know how it is when you aren't getting enough sleep and its hard to remember what happened when. The migratory season has been open for 17 days and we've gotten out 16 times just for birds. We shot
Green and Blue winged teal
Mallard
Redhead
Buffy
Wood duck
Spoonie
Gadwall
Widgeon
Ringer
Pintail
Canvasback
Lesser Canada
Cackler
Snow
Blue
Ross
Ruffed grouse
Sandhill Crane
And two Whitetails
Unbelievable.
Mac and I only shot about 80 birds total but because we had time in the afternoons we processed other people's birds too and did about 165. None were wasted except for 2 woodies a barn cat ate before we knew we had a barn cat. We ate as much as we could and gave the rest to people who wanted it. What deer meat we couldn't eat went to a family who really wanted it.
If any of you guys down East ever get a chance to go shoot out west on the plains do it. It is pretty cool. Those of you who live there know what I mean. I am really going to cherish the memories of this trip.
Mike
