Rambo Reports - November 18, 2007

Written by Derek Rambo

Friday, 30 November 2007

DATE: November 18, 2007 LOCATION: NW Texas SUNRISE/SUNSET: Shooting time was at 6:30 WEATHER: Clear and cool TEMPERATURE: Low 46/High 73 WIND: 5-15 HUNTERS: Avery Youth Field Staffer Eric Bragg & Avery Pro-Staffers Derek Rambo and Champ. JOURNAL NOTES: I picked Eric up at his house and we headed to the spot that his dad and I hunted last Saturday morning. We set the rig of full bodies and floaters and settled in to the willows for the morning. Spread looks good. We actually had wind today and even though the conditions were right there seemed to not be as many ducks as last week around these parts. Maybe they were in the area but they sure weren’t flying. Soon enough though a pair of Mallards started to work the decoys and with some soft calling committed hard to the spread. Hovering over the decoys looking for a spot to put down I told Eric to take the greenhead. Before I even finished saying it there was a “Bang!” and the drake was floating belly up in the decoys. Good Start. “Good start” I said. Another pair worked the fakes quickly after a Champ retrieve. More soft calling and three circles later another greenhead was being retrieved back to Champs Ruff Stand. A small flock of teal came buzzing in unannounced and after three or four shots from both of us we realized we had just punched holes in the sky. Nobody’s perfect. The next hour or so we saw very little waterfowl and started to do the “I think this hunts over look” at each other. We talked about the upcoming hunt in Kansas for the AYFS and how great it was going to be to hunt with all of those guys. We talked about football, calling, hunting field geese, and taking pictures. During one of our conversations I heard a faint honk from behind us. He sounded like he was out over the big water and a long way off. After hearing it again he sounded like a goose just flying around looking for company. I started to do some aggressive calling and after a small string I stopped to listen. Again I heard the honk but it was for sure closer this time. I started to do some soft water talk, trying to mimic a small flock of geese with clucks, moans, and erratic honks. Impersonating a resting flock of geese loafing in the sun must have sounded good to him as he flew over the spread at about 200 tall. As he got past us a ways I hit him hard with a few spit moans and double clucks. He locked them up, bowed them up, and made the sharpest right hand turn I have ever seen a lesser do. He looked like a Mallard trying to get into a timber hole as he passed over us again loosing altitude at an amazing rate. I could see him through the trees above us dancing side to side with wings almost touching trying to dump air. It was awesome!! He started to cluck rapidly as he dropped above us just above the 15-foot willows and appeared over the decoys back flapping. I gave the command to “Get Em!” and Eric got off a quick round hitting the goose a little too far back and my quick report put him on the water for good. What an awesome display of calling power and the ability for geese to get down when they want to… this is the exact stuff that we all hunt waterfowl for!! We decided to take some photos of Eric and the decoys soon after. Not a great day by any means but one I will remember for a long time because of one goose and his amazing display of flight!! Eric and Champs Hero Shot