fabsroman
12-08-2005, 03:30 PM
Well, I went goose hunting for the first time this year and had a blast. Ended up learning a couple of things too.
My dad and I just bought some Final Approach Eliminator layout blinds. I have had mine in the garage for about 2 weeks now, but ended up putting it together last night. I also got a Mutt Hutt from Final Approach for Nitro. Over the last week, I had been working with him to make sure that he would get into the thing (i.e., using the Kennel command and sending him into the blind). I brought the blind and the dog over my parents' place last night to do some prepping for the hunt today, and my dad didn't think that Nitro would get into the Mutt Hutt. A single kennel and he was in the hutt. My dad was surprised and went to get a handful of treats.
Onto today. We set up in a cut soybean field that was covered in a little less than an inch of snow. Didn't expect the snow, so we set the blinds up right next to some high standing stubble. Of course, my dad and I were out of our blinds talking and looking for the geese when a group came really low over the tree tops. I was able to get into the blind, the dog made it to his blind, but my dad tripped trying to get into his blind and ended up laying to the side of it with the blind completely open. I was fumbling for the call when all of a sudden I hear my dad yelling "Take Em". I grabbed the gun and came up to shoot the bird that was about 15 yards right in front of my blind and about 5 yards off the ground. Imagine my surprise when I ended up pointing the buttstock toward the bird. Seems as thought I forgot the turn the gun around in the blind after I finished moving the decoys to face into the wind. By the time I turned the gun around, the bird was a little ways out there and the dog had decided to chase after it. My dad and I both got a shot off, but I think we were a little too worried about hitting Nitro and we both missed. On the next group that came looking, I thought we were going to clobber a bunch. Seems as though Nitro isn't quite used to hunting out of the Mutt Hutt. As I am calling these birds, they ended up flaring at about 100 yards. Seems as though Nitro felt he needed a better look at them, so he sat up and moved his blind. Got another group to come on over and give us a look, but as I was calling, the Mutt Hutt rolled on top of my blind even though I had fastened it to the ground with the metal stakes it comes with. Nitro was having a really tough time with his blind. I think he knew I was getting irritated.
Finally, Nitro figured out that he has to lay down the entire time I am calling. I got a group to cup and commit, but they landed about 70 yards away from our blinds right over the small hill. I got out of the blind and cut the distance to about 50 yards before one of them saw me. Next thing I knew, heads were popping up all over. I could have killed 3 or 4 when they had all their heads up, but decided to take them on the wing. I ended up getting one and couldn't figure out how I missed the other bird twice. Oh well, sometimes you have to be happy with one. Nitro made a great retrieve and that was the end of the morning hunt for us. Not a bad way to start off.
My dad and I just bought some Final Approach Eliminator layout blinds. I have had mine in the garage for about 2 weeks now, but ended up putting it together last night. I also got a Mutt Hutt from Final Approach for Nitro. Over the last week, I had been working with him to make sure that he would get into the thing (i.e., using the Kennel command and sending him into the blind). I brought the blind and the dog over my parents' place last night to do some prepping for the hunt today, and my dad didn't think that Nitro would get into the Mutt Hutt. A single kennel and he was in the hutt. My dad was surprised and went to get a handful of treats.
Onto today. We set up in a cut soybean field that was covered in a little less than an inch of snow. Didn't expect the snow, so we set the blinds up right next to some high standing stubble. Of course, my dad and I were out of our blinds talking and looking for the geese when a group came really low over the tree tops. I was able to get into the blind, the dog made it to his blind, but my dad tripped trying to get into his blind and ended up laying to the side of it with the blind completely open. I was fumbling for the call when all of a sudden I hear my dad yelling "Take Em". I grabbed the gun and came up to shoot the bird that was about 15 yards right in front of my blind and about 5 yards off the ground. Imagine my surprise when I ended up pointing the buttstock toward the bird. Seems as thought I forgot the turn the gun around in the blind after I finished moving the decoys to face into the wind. By the time I turned the gun around, the bird was a little ways out there and the dog had decided to chase after it. My dad and I both got a shot off, but I think we were a little too worried about hitting Nitro and we both missed. On the next group that came looking, I thought we were going to clobber a bunch. Seems as though Nitro isn't quite used to hunting out of the Mutt Hutt. As I am calling these birds, they ended up flaring at about 100 yards. Seems as though Nitro felt he needed a better look at them, so he sat up and moved his blind. Got another group to come on over and give us a look, but as I was calling, the Mutt Hutt rolled on top of my blind even though I had fastened it to the ground with the metal stakes it comes with. Nitro was having a really tough time with his blind. I think he knew I was getting irritated.
Finally, Nitro figured out that he has to lay down the entire time I am calling. I got a group to cup and commit, but they landed about 70 yards away from our blinds right over the small hill. I got out of the blind and cut the distance to about 50 yards before one of them saw me. Next thing I knew, heads were popping up all over. I could have killed 3 or 4 when they had all their heads up, but decided to take them on the wing. I ended up getting one and couldn't figure out how I missed the other bird twice. Oh well, sometimes you have to be happy with one. Nitro made a great retrieve and that was the end of the morning hunt for us. Not a bad way to start off.