Winged Weekend.

What a weekend! I went hunting with my dad and uncle and some of their friends Saturday and Sunday. While dove hunting Saturday, we all limited out (15 birds a piece) within 3 hours! I think I shot 3 and a half boxes of shells. My jaw was a little sore by the end of the afternoon from all the recoil, but it was a blast. Literally. I got a lot on video with the helmet cam.

Sunday we went goose hunting. My dad’s best friend’s wife owns a golf course up by Utica, IL. Across the road are a couple of ponds and a cabin that they also own. The geese like to fly between the cabin and the lakes on the golf course. Geese on a golf course don’t make anyone happy. Hunting geese makes us happy. Therefore, it is logical that shooting geese on or near the golf course should make everyone happy, right?

Our morning began bright and early, with the guys calling over an impressive spread of decoys. However, nothing came in. At about 9:30, we decided to take a drive over to the course to see if there were any birds hanging out in the water hazards. We had no more than loaded up in the truck and pulled out from under the trees by the cabin when a flock of 7 honkers came in right over top of us and locked up their wings to land right in the decoys! My uncle threw the truck in reverse and hunters rolled out of the bed and doors. Like ants, everybody crept up to the cabin (where the guns were locked up) in single-file trying not to be spotted by the geese that were now wandering around looking at the decoys. Once inside, it was a mad dash for guns and ammo. 2 guys slipped back out the door and around one side of the building, while the other 3 went out the other way. Then everyone ran for the decoys. The geese all took off at once. None escaped. It was beautifully executed.

About an hour later we got a call from the golf course. There were birds on the 4th hole. With bow and arrows in hand, we boarded two golf carts and headed across the fairways, dodging golf balls. When we got to the water’s edge, the geese took off from the bank and started swimming for the middle. Now you would think that most people would be impressed by a 30-40 yard shot on a target as small as a goose with a bow. However, there were 2 golfers nearby that were less than thrilled. And we heard about it. But there are now 3 less geese to plant “landmines” on the greens. Sorry fellas.

Then we had to get a boat, haul it across the course in the back of a truck and paddle out to retrieve the birds and slew of arrows. It was an impressive sight to say the least. And it’s all on video.