Alright guys, the day has almost arrived. The beginning of another fall starts September 1st with Resident Canada Goose season, 10 birds per day. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been busy!! There have been enough mornings this past week that I’ve gotten up at 4:30 to go riding and watch birds before work that I feel like hunting season is already here. I haven’t found anything I’m too excited about yet, but there are still a few more days to look, and there have been a couple spots with enough birds for a decent shoot. According to the VDGIF the resident population has been cut in half in the past 10 years, and my scouting seems to be backing that up. I’m certainly not seeing the number of birds in my areas that we had a few years ago. It’s beyond me why the limit is being raised higher and higher, but it seems like they are gonna try to wipe the resident geese out in order to satisfy the landowners that complain about them(and don’t allow hunting). I don’t even want to talk about the summer kill permits they’re handing out like candy now. But gripes about resident goose management are thoughts for the off-season. Now it’s time to try to smack 10 a day, as the current law permits.
I spent 7 hours yesterday wading in tennis shoes and shorts through nasty swamps and ponds repairing and brushing blinds. And a few more hours after that putting up blind licenses elsewhere. I have more cuts, scratches, and stains from sap and mud on my hands than I’ve had since this time last year. My hands still feel like they’re gripping a paddle. Not to mention the seed ticks and chiggers I picked up while cutting brush. What a great time of year!!! On the plus side, there were 40 or 50 woodies swimming around one blind when we showed up. October duck season will be here soon enough. Don’t fail to scout your ducks while doing all this work for goose season. And keep your eyes open for the teal as they blow through our state this month. If you’re lucky there will still be some around later this month when teal season opens up. I had a friend report seeing a nice group of 30 blue-wingers a couple weeks ago. That flocks probably in Florida by now.
Sunday I’ll be cutting fresh grass and grassing up all my layout blinds. Then doing more work on building walk-ways through the swamp to where I want to put some new permanent blinds. A slow process when it’s a new piece of property and you’re starting from scratch. And when you haven’t seen where the winter birds like to go, you’ve got to guess. Put it in the wrong spot and it’s a costly mistake. Lumber’s not cheap these days.
I hope you’re getting out there and getting ready. If you’ve got spots you’ve always hunted that you go to without scouting, then I hope the birds are there for you, and not in reduced numbers. If you’re the type who is always on the go, hunting a lot of mediocre spots like me, and trying to figure out which spot will be best, then I hope you find something good by the opener. Good Luck and Good Hunting!
- Brad Stephenson



Subscribe via RSS!