# Opening Day Field Hunt



## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

Hit the field this morning with Stevie D and his boy Luke (13 yrs old). Just before shooting time, Steve noticed his turkey choke still in his gun. He didn't have his other chokes with him, so we figured we would share a gun. We were hoping this opener would be like those in years past, with dozens of mallards and woodies circling and cupping into the dekes, but it never happened. We only saw four ducks all day, and they had other things on their minds other than coming into our setup.

About eight o'clock, though, the sky turned black with flocks of geese, one after the other. I didn't really want to shoot any geese, so I handed my Benelli over to Stevie D. The first flock circled over the blind, then came in for a closer look. Steve and Luke stood up and took a bird each out of that one. As that flock decided that there were safer places to be, another flock came down the chute and headed right for us. That batch also ended up two birds short of a full flock.

A few minutes later, another flock showed up on the horizon. Something in that batch caught my eye. There, in the middle of the flock, was a snow goose. It's only the second one I have ever seen while field hunting in Ohio. Steve handed my gun back in hopes that it would offer a shot. The flock circled a few times, but never gave a good, confident shot. Another flock came in close, so I decided that since it was the opener, I should blow some of the cobwebs off of my trigger finger. I dropped my first goose of the season, and another batch of birds soon followed, and I finished my limit. Shortly afterwards, the flock with the snow goose in it returned.

During one of the quiet times, we had an eight point buck watching us from the edge of the field, about a hundred yards away.

It was a great day to be out in the field.

Here is a pic of Stevie and Luke D.


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

The field where it all went down. Blind is on the right, in the middle.


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## dakotaman (Oct 19, 2005)

Great recount of the hunt!! Always wanted to field hunt geese just never have. Congrats on the nice harvest!


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

great story het!!! our opener wasn't as busy but got 2 goose at walborn(billybob, pete , and I)...no ducks to bee seen!!! had a good few flocks of honkers come through but only a few would commit!!!!(SP?) pete was ON the calls!!! single handedly called most of them in!!!great day !!!!!!!!!!!!!


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