ptarmigan, geese, ducks ...

[Otokiak]

So who likes to hunt birds? Let's hear some stories, see some pictures and discuss ptarmigan, geese, ducks, etc when it comes to waterfowl. I went outland yesterday with my buddy to hunt ptarmigan and geese as we've seen several flocks lately even though most lakes are still frozen. Unfortunately for us we didn't get any wildlife as we dealt with a fire ... my buddy's XRS etec 600 skidoo started on fire ... D'Oh! He had a long ride home in the qamutiq(woodsled)box with all the gear. We did get the fire out though ... headed out tonite to pick up his skidoo ... and hopefully see, shoot and eat some ptarmigan or geese! Pics to follow of his skidoo and hopefully some birds!

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA

 

[Vugee_AOD]

I have two more shifts to work then I'm off geese hunting. Been excited for a few days now.

One story that comes to mind is I drop a goose and proceed to wring its neck and the body drops, with head and neck in hand. Drop the head reload and aim. Come to the realization that the body is dead and it just doesn't know it yet. Empty chamber and run it down then watch the legs running while its on its back for a few minutes.

I was a teen at the time so it was quite an experience for me.

All I'm thinking about these couple days is sitting in a talu (blind).

 

[fishslinger]

You guys are lucky up there no goose hunting here till fall.

 

[Longwalker]

I hunt a lot of birds, and would love to be able to hunt ptarmigan. I did manage to get my first Ptarmigan last september on top of a mountain in BC, but we either have to travel North or West for them. But we do have a very wide variety of upland and waterfowl to hunt and I spend about three days in the field hunting birds for each day hunting big game. A well trained versatile hunting dog helps me enjoy bird hunts too!
We have Sharptail grouse, grey(Hungarian) partridge, and pheasant in the farmland and prairies of S. Sask., and ruffed and spruce grouse in the central Sask forests, as well as hunting about twenty species of duck, 5 species of geese, sandhill cranes, snipe, and even some coots on occasion. We are truly blessed with opportunities!
Some pictures of local bird hunts:

 

[Big Game]

Although I still get out a few times each fall for birds, I don't have the passion for it like I did when my retriever was alive. Something about watching the dog work always made the hunt for me whether I shot 1 bird or a limit. It would be fun to walk the tundra for ptarmigan though!

 

[M12shooter]

Avid bird hunter. Have not enjoyed waterfowl much since lead was banned as I like to shoot the classics. Hunt plenty of upland, sharptail, huns, pheasant and ruffed grouse. I'm a passionate crow hunter as well as they provide great off season practice. The only bird legal for most of us to hunt in the spring and summer less snows if one enjoys that.

 

[sealhunter]

[youtube]lpUBxwsD4UE[/youtube]

 

[the spank]

Birds are pretty much all I hunt. Waterfowl mostly and grouse. The area I live in is not located on a major flyway and though local production for mallards, blacks and woodies was good at one time the expansion of Canada Geese has pretty much taken over. The duck numbers are way down as the geese have taken over the area waterways and beaver ponds displacing our ducks considerably. The past 10 years has really seen an increase in goose migration with the ever increasing numbers of Moult Migrants passing through. As a result we hit the geese hard for the few weeks that are afforded us before freeze up. We still shoot ducks though not as many as previously and diver hunting on Nippissing is a thing of the past pretty much with the birds hitting the Zebra Mussel fiesta on St.Clair and the lower Great Lakes. They just migrate right on past without stopping over like in years past. So by end of October when diver hunting would be good, the waterways are barren, most of the geese have left and then it becomes grouse time as most of the moose hunters have vacated their haunts.

 

[Otokiak]

AWESOME ... I didn't think this thread would take off(no pun intended) but it did ... LOVE the pics and stories folks. I went outland this long weekend looking for some geese but we only caught one as it was windy and grey out ... hell we still have a ton of snow and the lakes are still frozen. I'm off to VEGAS this coming weekend but can't for my return as the lakes will be somewhat thawed and more geese will be flying. Lots of ptarmigan here lately. Keep the stories/pics coming. Thank you

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA