I Almost Completed the North Americ...

A flock of black-bellied whistling geese circled the decoys, twice. They flared simply as they had been about to drop their lengthy, lanky legs for a touchdown. My buddy Austin Crowson and I simply watched as they banked away and pale into the Florida swamp.

Minutes later a flock of blue-winged teal landed within the decoys. A hawk chased them out, almost plucking one from the sky. One other pair of teal landed, adopted by a flock of greater than 20 that turned onerous into the small decoy unfold. We didn’t hearth a shot.

4 pairs of mottled geese flew overhead, all inside vary. One pair locked up on the decoys. We might have shot our one fowl restrict with ease, however we didn’t. Crowson and I left the marsh later that morning, having not fired a shot. On this, the ultimate morning of our three day hunt, we had been on the lookout for only one fowl every, a fulvous whistling duck.

“These items are an actual unicorn,” confirmed KC Leitner, proprietor and operator of River Oak Outfitters, based mostly out of Okeechobee, Florida. “I do know it may be irritating, passing all these geese, however on public land and with all of the stress we noticed this weekend, you probably did the precise factor. Shoot one of many species you have already got and it might actually spook a fulvous if it was close to; I’ve seen that rather a lot. You guys approached this hunt for one duck like a deer hunt, and that’s what it takes to get these elusive birds.”

Leitner’s phrases had been reassuring. That’s searching. However nonetheless, I’m not usually one to move up decoying geese. 

The 41

Three seasons in the past I used to be searching sandhill cranes in Texas with the crew of Spec Ops Waterfowl. It was my first crane hunt.

“So, how shut are ya to the 41?” requested founder and proprietor, Luke Bledsoe.

“The 41?” I got here again. Everybody within the blind laughed. I used to be severe.

“, the 41 species of waterfowl.”

“Uh, oh, yeah, that 41,” I replied in a cracking voice. I used to be glad it was darkish and so they couldn’t see my blushing face. However I began naming the birds I’d taken over the many years.

“Holy smokes, you solely have six left,” Bledsoe mentioned with pleasure. “And also you’re going to test off a type of at this time.”

I shot a restrict of cranes fairly shortly, then sat again and loved watching these pterodactyls of the sky drop into the decoys. It was a sight I’d yearned to see since I used to be a boy. It was extra charming than I imagined. Now I solely wanted 5 species of the 41. However I wasn’t set on searching any of them, not at that time.

If you’re like I used to be and are completely unaware of “the 41,” right here’s the record of huntable North American Waterfowl species which might be counted:

Puddle Geese

• Mallard
• Pintail
• American Wigeon
• Gadwall
• Northern Shoveler
• Inexperienced-winged Teal
• Blue-winged Teal
• Cinnamon Teal
• Wooden Duck
• Black Duck
• Mottled Duck
• Black Bellied Whistling Duck
• Fulvous Whistling Tree Duck

Diver Geese and Mergansers 

• Canvasback
• Redhead
• Higher Scaup
• Lesser Scaup
• Widespread Goldeneye
• Barrows Goldeneye
• Ruddy Duck
• Bufflehead
• Ring-necked Duck
• Hooded Merganser
• Widespread Merganser
• Pink-breasted Merganser

Sea Geese

• King Eider
• Widespread Eider
• Outdated Squaw (Lengthy Tailed Duck)
• Harlequin Duck
• Widespread (Black) Scoter
• Surf Scoter
• White-winged Scoter

Geese, Swans and Cranes Division

• Tundra Swan
• Sandhill Crane
• Canada Goose
• Cackling Canada Goose
• Snow Goose
• Blue Goose
• Ross Goose
• White-fronted Goose (Specklebelly)
• Brant Goose

I’ve by no means been a slam man, birds, massive sport or in any other case. However I do like having objectives when searching. Normally, with regards to waterfowl searching, the objective is to set decoys in a strategic way that fools birds. Or to see how few photographs I can hearth to safe a restrict, or possibly only a brace. Typically the objective is to return away with two geese, one for every of my canine to retrieve. Different instances the objective is to get my 85-year-old dad some good capturing. We love searching collectively, and have our entire lives.

Chasing the Slam

Up up to now, the 38 species that I had taken had been merely by likelihood — and from searching rather a lot all around the continent.  

However as soon as I had discovered the slam existed, I’ve to confess that it grew to become attention-grabbing to me. Not till final season once I traveled to North Carolina to hunt black geese had I got down to particularly shoot a fowl with the intent of ticking a species off the record of 41. I shot two black geese in North Carolina, then a freak ice storm pushed birds out. That very same storm resulted in canceled flights and in addition moved the whistling geese out of Florida, so I cancelled the second leg of that journey the place I’d hoped to shoot each whistlers. This season I returned to Florida with excessive hopes.

On the latest hunt in Florida, I had two objectives. The primary was to shoot a black-bellied whistling duck and a fulvous whistling duck. 

As I sat for 2 and a half days within the Florida wetlands, I used to be struck by its magnificence and unmatched birdlife. Elements of the marsh appeared an identical to the place I’d hunted water buffalo in Australia’s Northern Territory. Different elements appeared like the place I’d photographed jaguar in Brazil’s Pantanal. Florida’s birdlife is not like something I’d ever seen on the earth, and I’ve been to greater than 40 international locations. It was mesmerizing to sit down again, watch, and take heed to so many birds, a few of which I’d by no means earlier than encountered.

Two days earlier than Florida, I used to be searching in 33 diploma temperatures at residence. Florida’s climate was clear and sunny and within the low 80ºs. I had no canine to handle. I might simply chill out and scan the sky for geese, and watch the water for gators, which there was no scarcity of. We had been up at 3 every morning. We wrapped up the searching at 5:30 p.m. These lengthy lazy days gave me time to replicate on most of the memorable duck hunts I’ve been blessed to take pleasure in over the many years.

Waterfowling Recollections

As we get towards the top of our searching careers, it’s pure to look again in the beginning. A few of my most memorable duck hunts occurred once I was a child, strolling to the river behind our home after soccer follow. Right here, I hunted wooden geese and mallards. Scoring on a prized bufflehead or ring-necked duck was a bonus again within the Nineteen Seventies as a result of they had been one thing totally different. One time I got here residence with two redheads and felt just like the luckiest child on the earth.

One in every of my favourite hunts passed off in early September, 1991. I was a high school teacher in Point Lay, Alaska, far above the Arctic Circle. I used to be additionally the cross nation coach of the Ok-12 faculty. We had a meet in Barrow, Alaska and I took my shotgun. An area man I had befriended a yr prior loaned me his truck, instructed me to drive all the best way out on Level Barrow — the farthest northern level in america.

“The wind will probably be good this afternoon, so go to the place the spit narrows and sit there, the kings will fly proper over you,” he mentioned. It was my first king eider hunt. A single got here proper at me. I shot it and it splashed at my ft. It was a juvenile drake, ugly brown. I didn’t care. I’d dreamed of searching these geese my entire life. I had no concept when or how it might occur, but it surely actually wasn’t how I’d envisioned. Little did I do know I’d go on to shoot dozens of king and customary eiders throughout my years of dwelling within the excessive Arctic. We ate them, a lot of them. I solely had two birds mounted, a drake of every eider species.

Blue-Winged Teal

Three seasons in the past I used to be searching with some trade associates in Saskatchewan. I go on only a few author hunts as I desire doing my very own factor. However this was a great group and that was accentuated once I shot my first blue-winged teal, completely by likelihood.

“Nope, they’re all gone,” replied a information once I requested if there have been any blue wings nonetheless round, the minute we arrived in camp. Then, on the final day of the hunt we drove by a pond.

“What’s that!?” I hollered. (It wasn’t actually a query, as I knew completely effectively they had been blue-winged teal.) We had been driving to set out an enormous unfold of snow goose decoys for a day hunt, however I requested to sit down and hunt the pond for blue-winged teal whereas everybody else chased snows. I didn’t wish to shoot a teal then as a result of it was a part of some slam. It was merely a cool duck that I’d by no means had the possibility to hunt earlier than, and any type of new searching expertise is thrilling to me.

I’d by no means hunted blue-wings, by no means seen one throughout searching season. It’s onerous killing a species that’s nowhere close to the place you hunt (I stay and do a lot of my searching in Oregon). Earlier than I knew it we had been establishing a giant A-frame blind for everybody to hunt the pond for geese.

The primary duck that got here into the decoys was a lone blue-winged teal. Everybody known as my title. Rafe Nielsen from Browning was sitting subsequent to me and mumbled one thing about not lacking. I shot. The little duck fell three ft from the blind. I beat the canine to it. Holding it, admiring its blue wings within the afternoon solar, I used to be past thrilled. 

“Are you shaking?” Nielsen requested, smiling. “All the large sport you’ve shot and also you’re shaking over a teal. That’s superior.” 

Everybody cheered and congratulated me. It was a second I’ll always remember, all because of a small, brown, hen teal.

Mottled Geese

On day three of the crane hunt in Texas, we had been carried out. The crew and hunters headed out. I stayed behind to assist information Drew Garcia spherical up decoys and the blind.

“Is {that a} flock of mallards going into that pond?” I pointed.

“Nope, mottled geese,” Garcia responded. “Wait … you don’t have one do you?”

He smiled. Hurriedly, we tossed the crane decoys and panel blind right into a trailer and took off strolling throughout the sector. Alongside the best way, Garcia detailed the lay of the pond and the place the geese would seemingly be based mostly on the wind route.

“When you attain the highest edge, the birds will bunch up earlier than they fly,” he whispered as we snuck nearer. “Search for the most important duck, that’ll be a drake, and ensure they’re separated earlier than you shoot since you’re solely allowed one mottled duck a day.”

The final 20-yards introduced again so many boyhood reminiscences of leaping geese. My palms had been sweaty. My coronary heart raced. My finger was on the security, able to flick it off the second I noticed geese. The birds had been proper the place Garcia mentioned they’d be. They flushed however took what appeared like perpetually to separate. Once they did, I fired — and missed. The second shot folded a giant fowl.

“That’s a stud!” Garcia smiled as he pulled the placing duck from tall grass. “When was the final time you jump-shot a duck,” he requested. It had been 30 years or extra, again in highschool, since I felt the push of a duck stalk. It felt good.

Geese

My first Ross’s and blue goose had been birds to recollect. Largely as a result of my dad was with me, as had been my two canine, Echo and Kona. We had been in Saskatchewan on a spring snow goose hunt. Dad and I had shot a lot of snows collectively over time, however by no means a blue or a Ross’s goose. We every acquired each. Dad was in his late 70s on the time. It goes down as one in every of our most memorable father-son journeys. We nonetheless speak about that one.

I’ve shot 5 cinnamon teal in my life, all within the valley close to my residence in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the place I hunt essentially the most. All have come late within the season and all abruptly. The primary two drakes had been taken over 35 years in the past. I didn’t shoot one other one till two seasons in the past. Final yr I shot a drake and hen in a single shot as they crossed into the decoys. These surprising moments are what hold us going to the marsh.

After the Texas hunt the place a crane and mottled duck fell, my record went from six to 4 birds wanted to finish the 41. The following yr I drew a swan tag in Utah, the place I hunted with good associates and tagged a dandy tundra fowl. We additionally shot a variety of geese on that journey, and I had the very best green-winged teal hunt ever within the mud flats, laying in coffins. With the swan and black duck secured, the rely dropped to 2 birds — the whistling geese.

Bother within the Swamp

On the suggestion of a good friend, I gave KC Leitner a name. Leitner is a widely known clothes shop and information who was born and raised close to Okeechobee. He’s hunted geese his entire life. This was my second journey that focused birds for the slam. I invited Crowson, my searching accomplice from residence. I hunt geese with Crowson greater than anybody. He’s pursuing the 41 too, however he’s not in a rush. He’s younger. He hoped to get 4 species with Leitner.

On opening morning, Leitner launched his airboat at 3:30 a.m. The fog was unusually thick and the going was gradual.  Leitner had deliberate on searching a personal pond on the late November season  opener, however the birds had left the realm. For the previous few years they’d been utilizing it like clockwork, however not this season. We went into the marsh with a great deal of different keen hunters. It was a typical public land opening morning that I’ve seen in different elements of the nation.

By the top of the primary hour, Crowson and I every had our first black-bellied duck. Crowson additionally shot his first mottled duck. We let the blue-wings move, as our focus was on fulvous geese. 

That afternoon we relocated. “Fulvous come right here to feed at night time,” Leitner famous, as one other information, Colton, tossed out a pair dozen decoys and Crowson and I constructed a makeshift blind. “Since we’re early, you guys can shoot a blue wing or two, however after about 3, don’t hearth a shot. You need it calm so the fulvous are available in. We every shot a blue-winged teal. Not till quarter-hour after capturing mild did the whistlers begin pouring in. Black-bellies dominated, and there have been greater than sufficient fulvous to spice up our spirits.

One the second morning, Colton took us to a distant marsh to hopefully intercept fulvous as they left a nighttime feeding space, for a roost website. We might have hunted one other blind close to the place we had been the day prior, however the quantity of public stress on opening weekend was excessive and intense. Leitner put a special group the place we had been going to hunt. They shot two fulvous. Crowson and I had been shortly studying what fulvous searching on public land was like, and it concerned a variety of luck.

At 10:30 we joined Leitner. He dropped Crowson and I in a primary place the place fulvous had been energetic through the day. Leitner by no means stops scouting. “In the event you guys are keen to sit down, you’ve got nearly as good an opportunity right here as any for a fulvous,” he instructed us.

The Sunday site visitors was gone. You might hear each fowl within the marsh. It was teeming with extra styles of birds than I’d ever seen. I liked it. Setting decoys, crafting a blind and on the point of hunt collectively, Crowson and I had been in our ingredient. We agreed to not hearth a shot until a fulvous flew by. Two hours later, our plans unraveled.

Within the distance we might hear an airboat operating and capturing whereas clearly underneath energy. They ended up coming our route. We acquired video and photographs of them, driving recklessly and capturing any birds they jumped. There have been three of them: two girls and one man. Not one of the birds they shot at had been geese. We contacted authorities. About that point, one other airboat got here roaring by our decoys, intent on catching the dangerous guys. They did. Phrases had been exchanged. The airboat left after about 10 minutes. The dangerous guys’ airboat wouldn’t begin. Three minutes later one other group of hunters on a airboat caught as much as them. Extra phrases had been exchanged. I believed issues would possibly get ugly, however they didn’t.

The dangerous guys lastly acquired their airboat began and as quickly as they gained full energy, they started capturing once more. Greater than three packing containers of shells had been spent and extra boats chased them, till lastly then the authorities got here. 4 hours after the irritating fiasco started, the marsh was as soon as once more calm. We figured we’d be fortunate to see a duck, not to mention a fulvous. An hour later, Crowson shot a shocking mottled duck. I fired one shot and dropped a drake blue-winged teal and a hen green-winged teal as they scissored into the decoys. No extra geese flew. 

The Finish

On the third and remaining morning of the hunt, the marsh was silent after we arrived. Thirty minutes earlier than capturing mild, a great deal of fulvous geese may very well be heard whistling overhead. Ten minutes earlier than capturing mild, they had been gone. They had been like ghosts, their black-whisped silhouettes smearing throughout the low-lit sky earlier than vanishing.

Although we might have had a great morning shoot on teal and mottled geese, Crowson and I restrained ourselves. We didn’t hearth a shot for concern of botching a possibility at a fulvous. That’s all we wished, a possibility. Nevertheless it didn’t come.

For me, the Florida hunt was value it only for the enjoyment of driving in Leitner’s airboat and taking within the mind-boggling abundance of birdlife in strikingly stunning wetlands. The expertise felt extra like a giant sport hunt. However at instances, it wasn’t as gratifying as I’d hoped, largely as a result of stress I placed on myself. I usually discovered myself getting caught up in checking the final field, slightly than appreciating the sweetness that was proper in entrance of me.

Learn Subsequent: Tales of Spring Subsistence Hunting in the Arctic: Bot Fly Larva, Caribou Fetus, and Boiled Eiders

If something, I discovered that checking a remaining fowl off a considerably arbitrary record isn’t the driving motive behind why I duck hunt. However, I do just like the journey and journey that comes with chasing all number of waterfowl species. Toss in a possibility for fulvous geese that sees my spouse coming alongside for a post-hunt mini-vacation, or a hunt that provides the potential for different birds or fish to be pursued, then sure, I might be in. For now, my pleasure lies in searching with Dad, my two growing old pudelpointers, Crowson and some different associates. I covet every hunt and significantly admire the quantity and number of geese and geese we’re blessed to hunt close to residence, 30 species total. After I die, I doubt the phrases, “He was one brief!” will probably be etched into my tombstone. Not finishing the record was a reminder to me that duck searching isn’t about numbers. It’s in regards to the pleasure of the hunt and spending time with associates, household, and good canine.

Notice: For signed copies of Scott Haugen’s many books, go to his web site and observe his adventures on Instagram and Fb.