It’s Over (whew!)

Goose, duck and rabbit seasons wrapped up yesterday. I will probably squirrel hunt a morning or two in February and turkey hunt for a couple of days in April, but other than that it’s no hunting until September.  And I am exhausted.

This season set a record for me with days logged in the field. I think I hit somewhere between 40-50 days over the season. That includes hunting doves, squirrels, rabbits, deer, ducks, geese, and turkeys.  I should probably alsocount the two late shifts we pulled gigging frogs over the summer.

Not an epic year as far as harvest numbers go (last year was my career high-point) but it was important in a lot of other ways. I get this sense that myself and my hunting partners have turned some kind of corner that I can’t quite put my finger on. We’re all starting to settle into our niches. I’ve become so addicted to goose hunting that it occupies much of my free thoughts. One of the guys has become a rabbit-killing machine. Another hears turkeys gobbling in his dreams. It’s almost like we have begun deferring to each other in the field, letting each person run the hunt when we’re chasing their game animal of choice.

I’ve also discovered that hunting when you are an adult can be less adventurous but the dependability of good gear equals more time hunting and less time repairing things or sitting at home. We all have solid automobiles, money for warm jackets and good guns. We’re enjoy the comfort of adulthood.

I probably have more to say about this season but I need a week or two to decompress. I’ll try to be back later this week with a smoked-goose recipe you’ll want to try.