NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1512382
Let the Good Times Roll There is a section of readers right now, after finishing that last statement, that are scoffing. At this precise moment, they are right in the middle of birds. But they are in the minority and should appreciate every second of good fortune. I wish we had when this was happening to us. About four years ago, our group was hunting private ground near the Missouri River, and we were frequently killing birds. We had just enough standing water on the crop fields, and birds, more often than not, would work the area throughout the day. We were shooting birds nearly every time we hunted. It became so commonplace that even our picture-taking slowly diminished. Why photograph these birds after a long day when there'd be more to take pictures of tomorrow? We thought these days would last forever. They did not. The 2019 flood devastated the land where we hunted, making it unfarmable for a year and altering the entire region — from the pre- and post-hunt gas station stop to the land itself. For a few years, we looked elsewhere. Trips east toward the river turned into trips west toward the Rainwater Basin. And while this has led our group to an entirely different part of the state with its own set of good fortune, we still desired being near the Missouri where, even for an occasional instance, we had felt like goose hunters. Luckily, last year we were able to return to this spot, and once again we're shooting some birds nearly every time we go. But we no longer take these days for granted. Last December during the holidays, our crew watched thousands of geese all afternoon, not one wanting to decoy. "It's tough when you're not on the X," said Mills, who was hunting with us that day. "You think it's our hide?" I asked, a question you will also repeat more than any other in your newfound pursuit. "It always is," Dad mumbled from his pulpit, both an eye- rolling indictment and a proclamation. You Might Think You might think a natural hide is the absolute best. Usually, but not always. Last year, our group hid inside a huge, grassy ditch in the middle of a cut crop field and every single bird avoided our spread. A year before, while hunting the same place, we couldn't keep birds out of our decoys. Another popular option is a laydown blind. I have one of the most comfortable ones on the market and hate it immensely. They are called coffin blinds for a reason. You can't turn, can't sit up, can't fit your supplies in with you, and they stick out like any number of inappropriate clichés in church. But at first, you're convinced this is the answer — the best thing you've ever sat in until the birds circle, circle, then land behind you. You go home with a sorer neck than after the Even when they seem relaxed, there are always a few sentry Canadas, with raised heads, guarding the flock. 30 Nebraskaland • December 2023