that's goose hunting

[Coyotes-R-Us]

14* light south/east wind, and very dark, but clear.
Three hours before shooting time.
We load up our backpacks 5 dozen flocked Silhouettes.
5 dozen "bag" fold up decoys. Two Ion drills and long bits to auger into the frozen stubble field.
2, 12 gauge pump shotguns, shell vests, full of shells, plus 2 extra boxes each.
Calls, guillys, heavy out clothing, gloves, shooting muffs, drinks snacks, and a fox pro.
It was a mile and a half hike across several cut wheat strips and summer fallow. It took most of two hours to set the decoys in the frozen ground and 40-minute hike with the 50-pound packs.

All set up and well hidden, we wait. And wait, And wait.
Sun comes up and nothing. About an hour went by and the temp dropped we shivered laying on the frozen dirt.
Some coyotes lit up about a mile away, distracting us from the no show geese and cold. Quickly we shifted in there direction and dug out the FoxPro and answered them back. Worked with them for an hour just could not interest them in an early morning fight. 

Back to the goose hunting. We waited and waited and shivered. By noon we figured the geese had plans elsewhere. Pulling the decoys did not take as long, but packing them back up with numb fingers and tows made for tenuous work. The first half mile felt good, getting blood back into all our digits. But the other mile was all work and about all, I could do. Loaded it all back into the truck, a nice cup of ice-cold coffee and we set off back home. We roll into town only to see the rive had complacently frozen over last night, all the geese where gone.
Dang
That was a LOT of work just for a hike in a wheat field...

[pitw]

Sorry for laughing but been there myself.  Ya coulda saved some weight by just shooting the faux pro
Great write up.

[nastygunz]

Dang!