2008 - 2009 

Oklahoma Waterfowl

Page 11

November 14, 2008 - Western Oklahoma Duck Hunt

I put out an open invitation on the Texas Hunting Forum for a Public Goose Hunt I was drawn for on one of the National Wildlife Reservations in western Oklahoma. Roadgoeson20, Mark Miller accepted my offer. Learning he had a layout boat, we came up with a plan to go a day early to do some duck hunting at a nearby lake. 

We had a spike Deer walk behind us. Blaze had her spot well behind us in the trees. She was a good girl fully ignoring the deer and holding her spot where she was stayed. 

Since we were hunting in Zone 2, Canvasbacks and Pintails were not in season. That of course is what we saw the most of. This hen actually fell asleep in our decoys. Mark waded out within 10 feet of it. Notice the water beginning to get choppy.

We stayed late waiting on a group of resident Geese we blew out while paddling into the cove. They came back and landed by our decoys, but unfortunately it was at a time we had left to jump ducks on nearby beaver ponds. We also worked several groups of migrators with the calls and got their interest, but could not bring them down within range.
 

As the morning went on, winds increased in excess of 30mpg. We knew from an aviation forcast that it was coming but it was not going to stop us. There was no way we would be able to get back to our launch site, but despite the swells, breaking waves, and wind, we did manage to get across our cove to cut the distance some. We beached our boats and made a long walk the rest of the way to my truck. Jumping ducks along the way and working more Geese. Mark picked up a nice Merganser. 

ASo after abandoning our boats and finally reaching the truck, jumped in and and made the drive to the wheat fields to carry decoys in for the morning hunt. No time left to stop by camp to change so we hiked in our decoys while still wearing waders. Ran into ShurShot from the Refuge Forum who was hunting nearby. We told him we put the waders on before we left Texas. He must have thought us Texans hard core.

Mark and Blaze with another one of our Deer friends.

   Did we have Geese? Yea, we had Geese! I was worried at first the night before. Past years you could hear Geese all night. The sound so bad it would get stuck in your head. We started hearing them fly over our tents at 2 am. Numbers increased every day during our stay.

After dropping off decoys and visting with Shurshot and his Clan, Mark and I jumped back in the truck again and hauled azz back to the lake. Hiked to the general area of our boats with plans on an evening hunt. We needed a break in the wind to be able to get our boats back, but nothing was improving at that point. No big deal, we had come back to hunt anyway.

We found the cove full of Ducks, but I had my eye on a couple Drake Buffleheads in the middle. Mark made a stalk around to the Mallards and other ducks. I chose to crawl to the edge of a bluff over the water and waiting to see if Marks actions would push my Buffies within range. Very close calls followed, but no more birds bagged.



Some ever present Canvasbacks

We retrieved Mark's full body Goose decoys from the boats for an evening hunt. Our resident Geese did not return to roost or at least not during daylight. But we had fun trying.

The amazing thing is that after the hunt, God let off with the wind just long enough for Mark to wade his boat and myself to paddle my kayak to the Truck. Other than river whitewater and Texas Water Safary experiences, it was the most treacherous paddling I have done in a long time. But I was having fun. Whooping and hollaring as I navigated around a point. By the time the boats were loaded, the water appeared to have returned to its previous more treacherous state.

Page 12 will start with the Morning Goose Hunt

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2008 - 2009 Hunting Season

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