The Mallards and Canadas Arrive

Eastern Nebraska produced in mid November some really nice weather.  It is nice if you want to golf or work in the yard.  None of those things are important.  It is the smell of freshly fired gunpowder early in the morning that fires the blood up.  A frontal movement finally came out of the north with driving winds, rain, and snow mixed.  It came down from the Dakotas.  That was all that was needed to bring in the big birds.  We have all had enough of Gadwall, Widgeon, Pintails, and Teal.  It is the big ducks with their fine looking green heads we are after now, along with the big Canada geese. 

When I was a boy and hunted with my Dad, it was unusual to see a Canada goose, let alone shoot one.  Your limit then was one Canada goose per season.  We always hoped we would have the opportunity to bag one, but it never happened.  Later in life, I hunted in N.W. Missouri southwest of Squaw Creek Refuge for Snows and Blues, and we would periodically have a Canada goose opportunity.  It was very rare that this would happen.  Now, the Canada goose hunting is on the same par in our area with the big ducks.  What is more interesting is we never are able to decoy any snows or blues.  We see them in huge flocks way up in the air migrating south.

Looking Northeast just before shooting got hot.

Up at 4:14 AM the weather was cold and the wind was beginning to pick up.  The front had not gotten here yet, but would be soon arriving.  Gathering at the Big Chicken in Tekamah, Nebraska by 6 AM for cholesterol and coffee, sixteen hunters were ready to hit the blinds and wait for the onslaught that was sure to take place.  It was cold, the perfect weather to hunt ducks and geese in Eastern Nebraska along the Missouri River.

Benelli Super Black Eagle II Realtree Max-4 ?Semi-Auto Shotgun - 10101

This is the gun I shoot. Click on the link or the pic to buy. 

Inside the blinds the weather still had not nailed us, but the clouds that were forming and blocking out the moonlight told us that we were going to be hit is a blast of weather.  This was what we wanted as the birds would either come before the blast or with it when it hit.  Our shooting sticks were loaded up with the big shells and everyone waited patiently for shooting time to start.  In the meantime, birds came and went from the swamp.  Some came and stayed while others landed and took off.  They were the smart ones as they may have been at the blinds before.  You can always tell which are the local birds.  They just circle the blinds staying out of range, and then leave.  It must make their butts ache to fly over the swamp.

HEVI-Shot HEVI-Metal Waterfowl Shotshells

I shoot this shell  Click on the link or the pic to buy.

As shooting time arrived, the birds that had never been at the swamp before or had never had their tail feathers disturbed, were promptly jumped and dispatched.  There is nothing like having a couple of good shots to open the morning at shooting time.  The weather slowly began to deteriorate and the wind started picking up.  With the pick up in the wind came the Mallards.  They were not in big flocks but small groups and there was very little circling.  They would hook once into the wind and then drop like an elevator, feet out and heading to the open water.  The good news was we had some shots.  The bad news was the wind became westerly and the decoys needed to be moved closer to the bank so that the birds would be heading for the calm water.  Our blinds lay on a peninsula that extends north and south right down the middle of our 40 acres of water.  Calm water would be in front of us and the water behind us was starting to form some heavy wave action.

Duke bringing in the bacon

We used three wing duck decoys plus three duck butts that have their heads down.  With two spreads of duck decoys close to the calmer water, this made all the difference in the world.  The next few small flocks came to us closer and gave better shots.  I should point out, we never lose a crippled bird.  Several of our members own really well trained dogs.  I don't know what I enjoy more.  It is either the decoying of the birds or having the dogs head to the water and retrieve them.  When their owners let them out of their pens behind the blinds, on command they are so excited and just jump into the water to gather up the birds.

The Mallards either turned off or we just ran out of birds in our area.  Several of the other hunting spots in the area were getting some shooting, but it shut off for us.  Then it changed.  I remember looking at my watch and seeing 10:15 AM.  The wind was really pounding away, but we were below ground level so it made no difference.  

Here came the Canada geese.  The first flock of 20 to 25 just locked up and started that long beautiful glide into the wind toward the decoys and the open water.  About 25 yards out when the birds were in range, the call went out to "take em."  Sixteen hunters rose and got off at least one shot.  With the wind blowing in excess of 30 MPH, we rose up.  Before we could get our guns to our shoulders, they were riding the wind skyward and away from the blinds.  We only had one opportunity for one really good shot.  That was just fine because we all knew this was the start of a lot of birds decoying to our blinds.

It was a good day.

By 3 PM well before shooting time was to end. we were done for the day.  It can't get much better than today.  

 
Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck.  Hank

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The Elk is in the Freezer

I passed on the mountain states for elk this year because of the great experience I have had at High Adventure Ranch.  I don't have to put up with the altitude in the mountain states or the expensive licenses each state has for an out of state hunter.  While there have been some great experiences in the mountains, I want results. It is only a six and a half hour drive versus spending all day and half the night just getting to the location where you will hunt.  Old age is creeping up on me, and I want to have first class luxuries and a good hunt all rolled into one.  

$10 off $100+ purchase at Gander Mountain with code GMTN10!

Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of southeast Missouri lies High Adventure Ranch.  Snuggled back in the timbered hills with a pasture here and there, the ranch offers elk hunting and other exotic animals.  You stay in either a lodge setting or a private cabin, whichever is available.  Meals are taken in the dining room and lounge located on the ranch.  The food is absolutely outstanding and you have the opportunity to feast on some of the local game harvested on the ranch. 

You arrive the night before the hunt and stay in one of the motels at St. James, Missouri.  Restaurants are a little limited, but you can drive a few miles more and stay in Rolla, Missouri and have a bigger selection.  

The next morning it was only a 20 minute drive to the ranch, and there I got re-acquainted with the ranch manager, Monty Pitts.  I have had nothing but a great experience working with Monty.  He wants you to have a great experience and harvest the type of animal you are after.  Shortly after came my guide, Oliver, who has taken excellent care of me on two other trips.  I like to go one on one with a guide when hunting big game.  

The cabin where I stayed.

We talked about the kind of experience I was looking to have.  This trip was not about horns, but about meat.  I have plenty of horns and all they do is collect dust.  My wife and I really like the wild game, and that was what this trip was all about.  I wanted a good shooting experience and to harvest a young inexperienced bull elk.  

The dining room at the ranch

Monty and Oliver said the ranch had what I was looking for.  While there were plenty of cows to harvest, the age was unknown and you may be shooting an old lady.  They both agreed on an approximate 2 year old bull with one antler.  The other had been broken off in a fight.  There was a problem with this boy.  He was very skittish and the minute he would see or wind you, he would split.  There would be no hesitation and you would have very little time to get off a shot. 

The plan was to drive over to a general area where he was last seen and start hoofing it over the hills and valleys of the ranch.  I needed the workout and this would be a good one.  The weather could not have been more beautiful.  The leaves were about 80% off the trees and so walking would be a little crunchy.  This was going to take some time. 

We took off in a four wheeled truck and drove up a valley between two hills.  We would stop and walk to the top of the hill on each side of the vehicle.  The temperature was in the low 50s so it was very pleasant.  I was lightly clothed not wanting to work up a big sweat, but just to stay comfortable.  After checking out a couple of spots and a small pasture, we headed to a different location.

We saw these big boys while looking for the one horned youngster

All at once Oliver said, " Good grief!  There goes a coyote.  Can you hit it after we stop the truck?"  "Of course I can," was the response.  Now, if that coyote took off, there were two chances of me hitting it and they were slim and none, and slim has left town.  The coyote spotted us and I never even got the door open on the truck because he was really moving.  All I saw was his backside.  We were still moving along the valley floor and I looked up the hill to my right.  There stood an elk with one horn.  He was staring straight at us.  Oliver said we must keep going and should go around the hill and then walk up the back side.  Sounded like a good plan to me.  

We saw this big boy with his ladies just off to the left of the picture.  Look at the symmetry of the antlers.

On the other side of the hill we started the climb.  Oliver grabbed my shooting sticks, and I put two shells into the magazine.  Trying to walk as quietly as possible was a chore, but we climbed the mountain.  After reaching the top, we slowly moved in the direction of the elk.  There was a slight breeze out of the northwest and we were walking straight into it.  How lucky could we be.  I was wearing Sitka Open Country clothing and Oliver had the jungle camo on, so we felt we were somewhat covered.  

Where the one horned elk had been standing was a really nice 6 x 6.  As I stared at him it was very tempting.  Just off to the big boy's left was the one horned elk.  His backside was facing directly up hill to us.  He was barely visible as I had to look between the trees to spot him.  Oliver used his binoculars and I used the scope on the rifle.  This would be a tough shot, but I needed him to turn around. 

Just down the hill was the one horned youngster. 

Slowly he moved up the hill and then turned and was facing both of us.  I was shooting between the trees, and as I looked through the scope only his left front was visible.  A neck shot was a possibility, but that thought was not a good one. A miss or a crippled animal might be the result.  Also I was shooting downhill about 50 yards and at about the 40 yard point the ground rose up. 

He moved toward us, but still did not know we were there.  Then he turned to his right and looked down hill.  He was broadside to me, but his left front shoulder was not visible due to the ground.  The cross hairs were put as low as possible, and the round was sent.  Boom!  That was all it took.  He made three steps and fell over dead.  For me, that was a tough shot between the standing trees.  Shooting a 300 Win Mag, the bullet entered above the left shoulder and went right through the lungs and exited the other side.  

Success

Nice young meat, and he will eat well. 

My guide

The animal was picked up by the ranch staff, skinned, gutted outside, and then hung in a cooler overnight.  In the morning the elk was deboned and the meat packed into bags and coolers in the back of my truck.  Iced down, the meat would be kept cold till we got to the processor the next day in Iowa. 

 

Good hunting, good fishing, and good luck.  Hank

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