And this last set comes with a story. It was a very memorable and fun hunt for me.
Up at 4:00 am to drive from camp, then unload the kayak. Took about three dozen mixed decoys and 5 goose shells. Not knowing what to expect I shot a teal early because it was easy to identify. Then I stayed in my layout blind and watched group after group of Ducks come and go for maybe two hours. I did not fire a shot during this time. Just had fun watching. I had ducks walking around my feet much of the time. Started picking out mostly Greenheads when I did start. Then the big Greater Canada Geese came. Dropped one and then a second went sailing into the hillside behind me.
Took-off after it with Blaze, but found head high weeds and bushes so started zig zagging up the hill fighting the brush. Blaze caught a scent and went crashing up the hill. I could hear all kinds of honking going on. I found the Goose in a clearing under a tree with the dog working back and forth trying to make a charge. The goose looking bigger than Blaze was doing the famous Karate Kid move with it's head up, standing tall, and wings all the way out. I saw Blaze charge and the goose got hold of Blaze on her flank just at the back edge of her vest. After a tussle they did mutually let go of each other. I called Blaze back and when she finally, reluctantly, did so, I finished the goose. Blaze ran back to the goose for a bite and a growl to get the last punch in. For a few days, Blaze did have a welt on her flank from the Goose.
Calling it a day, I went back to pick up decoys. I had pulled the kayak out of the woods, put the gun up, and was just picking up decoys. Then more geese came. They landed in my decoys with me. I sat/stayed Blaze, dropped to my knees, pulled my elbows in to look like a stump, then got my camera out. Actually glad I did not have my gun or I might not have got the pictures. While this was going on, a hawk that had been harassing ducks on the point earlier, flew down the bank and picked up one of my dead ducks behind me. What a neat day it was.
