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WATERFOWL NEWS: OREGON GOOSE hunt a great family affair
BY BILL KARR/WON Staff WriterPublished: Mar 09, 2010
SOUTH CAL WATERFOWL REPORT
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.— There were four inches of snow on the ground, and it was still coming down when the alarm went off at 3 a.m. Feb. 24. I stumbled out of bed and heard the excited voices of young Spencer and his older sister, 13-year-old Grace, as they pulled on their waders and geared up.
Their father, Matt Bloom and his brother Josh, had the coffee going, and I groped my way towards the nearest cup. It was our first day of hunting the late Oregon goose season, and our job was to help cut down on the number of depredating speckled belleys and snow geese out there in southern Oregon. It had sounded like fun until the 3 a.m. wake up call!
Matt had called the week before and invited me along on this hunt with guide Sean Howe of Howe's Guide Service in Klamath Falls, and I had driven up the afternoon before and met up with them in a nice house he had rented for the occasion. I bought a 3-day hunting license and state tag for $48, and was set for geese, since I still had my federal waterfowl stamp.
It was just 3:30 when the two kids and the Bloom brothers piled into their diesel truck, and I joined my two dogs in my Tundra for the half hour drive to where we were meeting Howe and another friend, Danny Barnes along with his daughter Kayla and son Wesley. There were eight of us in the group, including four junior hunters!
We made our way in four wheel drive on slick roads heading east out of Klamath Falls, and finally came to a big ranch where we unloaded an 8-wheel rig with tracks and a huge trailer full of decoys. It took three trips, but finally we were all alongside a big lake with a marsh on one side and shallow, open water in front of us. Over 200 snow goose and speck decoys were in place, and we were spread out hiding in sagebrush just as the sky lightened. Across the lake from us there was absolute bedlam coming from what must have been thousands of geese.
We had paired up honkers all around us, apparently fully aware they were out of season, but it wasn't long before we saw specks heading our way from across the lake. Howe and his partner, Richard, got on the calls, and birds came over us at about 60 yards. We all let loose, and one of the two came tumbling down, quickly retrieved by Spencer.
• Top: A FRESH LAYER of snow was the backdrop for the decoy spread laid out by guide Shawn Howe and Richard during the first day of the Oregon special late season hunt. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR
• Medium: KIDS LOVED the Oregon late season goose hunt, and Grace and Spencer Bloom, along with Wesley Barnes radiate their enthusiasm and health during the hunt, despite having been up since 3 a.m. that morning! Hunting with Shawn Howe out of Klamath Falls, they scored on snows and specks. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR
• Bottom: GUIDE SHAWN Howe and his caller, Richard, with some of the geese shot during the special late goose season in southern Oregon out of Klamath Falls, where Howe's Guide Service is located. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR
Before long, a huge cloud of snow geese headed our way, coming over us in waves at 60 to 80 yards, and since that was apparently as good as we were going to get with the snows, everyone kept warm by letting off volleys as the flocks came by. It was a slow pick, but sure enough, with that many big pellets in the sky some of them found their target, and our tally began climbing. By midday we had a respectable pile of geese, and we took a 2-hour break for lunch.
That evening we had more specks interested in working, but they were spooky, and our main shooting came from big flocks of snows geese moving around the lake. Our final tally the first day was 15 snow geese and two specks.
Dinner that night was quick and simple—pizza—and everyone was in bed early, gearing up for a late start the next morning—3:30 a.m. instead of 3! That morning's shoot was a little different, as Howe had moved us down the lakeshore some to where the specks seems to want to work, and where more snow geese were working, and he left out the snow decoys, hoping the specks would work better.
His plan was right on, and a couple of single specks came right into the lakeside decoys, not making it back out. Some more snows were added to the pile of geese before a noon break was called.
I had to make it back to work, so I left after the morning hunt and drove back, but Matt, Josh, Danny, and the four youngsters hunted that afternoon and shot even more birds. I was so impressed by Spencer, Grace, Kayla and Wesley—getting up well before daylight each day and being excited about it, their careful handling of firearms, and good shooting, and their cheerful attitudes! Grace actually turned 14 during the hunt—so happy birthday!
The late season hunt extends through March 20 this year, with a limit of two specks per day, four in possession, and four snows per day, eight in possession. The hunts can only be conducted on private land—public lands are closed. Guide Shawn Howe can be contacted at (541) 261-2303.
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SOUTH CAL WATERFOWL REPORT KLAMATH FALLS, Ore.— There were four inches of snow on the ground, and it was still coming down when the alarm went off at 3 a.m. Feb. 24. I stumbled out of bed and heard the excited voices of young Spencer and his older sister, 13-year-old Grace, as they pulled on their waders and geared up. Their father, Matt Bloom and his brother Josh, had the coffee going, and I groped my way towards the nearest cup. It was our first day of hunting the late Oregon goose season, and our job was to help cut down on the number of depredating speckled belleys and snow geese out there in southern Oregon. It had sounded like fun until the 3 a.m. wake up call! Matt had called the week before and invited me along on this hunt with guide Sean Howe of Howe's Guide Service in Klamath Falls, and I had driven up the afternoon before and met up with them in a nice house he had rented for the occasion. I bought a 3-day hunting license and state tag for $48, and was set for geese, since I still had my federal waterfowl stamp. It was just 3:30 when the two kids and the Bloom brothers piled into their diesel truck, and I joined my two dogs in my Tundra for the half hour drive to where we were meeting Howe and another friend, Danny Barnes along with his daughter Kayla and son Wesley. There were eight of us in the group, including four junior hunters! We made our way in four wheel drive on slick roads heading east out of Klamath Falls, and finally came to a big ranch where we unloaded an 8-wheel rig with tracks and a huge trailer full of decoys. It took three trips, but finally we were all alongside a big lake with a marsh on one side and shallow, open water in front of us. Over 200 snow goose and speck decoys were in place, and we were spread out hiding in sagebrush just as the sky lightened. Across the lake from us there was absolute bedlam coming from what must have been thousands of geese. We had paired up honkers all around us, apparently fully aware they were out of season, but it wasn't long before we saw specks heading our way from across the lake. Howe and his partner, Richard, got on the calls, and birds came over us at about 60 yards. We all let loose, and one of the two came tumbling down, quickly retrieved by Spencer. • Top: A FRESH LAYER of snow was the backdrop for the decoy spread laid out by guide Shawn Howe and Richard during the first day of the Oregon special late season hunt. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR • Medium: KIDS LOVED the Oregon late season goose hunt, and Grace and Spencer Bloom, along with Wesley Barnes radiate their enthusiasm and health during the hunt, despite having been up since 3 a.m. that morning! Hunting with Shawn Howe out of Klamath Falls, they scored on snows and specks. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR • Bottom: GUIDE SHAWN Howe and his caller, Richard, with some of the geese shot during the special late goose season in southern Oregon out of Klamath Falls, where Howe's Guide Service is located. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR Before long, a huge cloud of snow geese headed our way, coming over us in waves at 60 to 80 yards, and since that was apparently as good as we were going to get with the snows, everyone kept warm by letting off volleys as the flocks came by. It was a slow pick, but sure enough, with that many big pellets in the sky some of them found their target, and our tally began climbing. By midday we had a respectable pile of geese, and we took a 2-hour break for lunch. That evening we had more specks interested in working, but they were spooky, and our main shooting came from big flocks of snows geese moving around the lake. Our final tally the first day was 15 snow geese and two specks.Dinner that night was quick and simple—pizza—and everyone was in bed early, gearing up for a late start the next morning—3:30 a.m. instead of 3! That morning's shoot was a little different, as Howe had moved us down the lakeshore some to where the specks seems to want to work, and where more snow geese were working, and he left out the snow decoys, hoping the specks would work better. His plan was right on, and a couple of single specks came right into the lakeside decoys, not making it back out. Some more snows were added to the pile of geese before a noon break was called. I had to make it back to work, so I left after the morning hunt and drove back, but Matt, Josh, Danny, and the four youngsters hunted that afternoon and shot even more birds. I was so impressed by Spencer, Grace, Kayla and Wesley—getting up well before daylight each day and being excited about it, their careful handling of firearms, and good shooting, and their cheerful attitudes! Grace actually turned 14 during the hunt—so happy birthday! The late season hunt extends through March 20 this year, with a limit of two specks per day, four in possession, and four snows per day, eight in possession. The hunts can only be conducted on private land—public lands are closed. Guide Shawn Howe can be contacted at (541) 261-2303. |
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