Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums  

Go Back   Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums Parker Forums General Parker Discussions

Notices

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Southern Illinois.....
Unread 01-11-2024, 05:42 PM   #1
Member
MarketHunter
PGCA Member
 
Destry L. Hoffard's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,254
Thanks: 628
Thanked 4,271 Times in 1,209 Posts

Default Southern Illinois.....

With this big freeze coming on, it looks like we might get a little trickle of them short necked Wisconsin style flight geese down home in Southern Illinois. We call them short neckers because about all we kill down there anymore is locals and they're all mixed giant strain so they've got a big long neck. You always know when you've got a real wild one, their necks are half as long.

They're like hunting ghosts these days, they stopped really traveling that far south years ago. But a hard hard freeze will sometimes bring a few down still, I've aways thought the old birds in the flock that still know where Southern Illinois is.

Flight geese have been sighted over St. Louis and I've had one report of a few possibly being seen at Crab Orchard yesterday evening.

My old friend Sal is calling saying I better come. And I'm certainly tempted, but I almost feel bad killing one anymore, they come that far south so seldom, it seems vaguely wrong.

I guess I'm getting old and sentimental. But maybe I'll go, just for a day or so. The Preacher (my infamous magnum 10 gauge) has mostly leaned in the corner since September. I'm sure the old boy wouldn't mind some excercise. It's a long drive in bad weather and I'm just not mad at 'em anymore. I might just set home and think about the good old says when we were young and we thought the wild geese would come forever.

We shall see.

A little part of me and Sal kinda died when they stopped coming. It's mentioned about every time we talk, Remember that time at *insert name of long gone goose club*......
__________________
I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once in a quarter--of an hour; paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in good compass: and now I live out of all order, out of all compass. Falstaff - Henry IV
Destry L. Hoffard is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01-11-2024, 05:46 PM   #2
Member
Reggie B
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Reggie Bishop's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,643
Thanks: 3,071
Thanked 3,769 Times in 1,448 Posts

Default

Keep the faith Destry! The Preacher and the Deacon will thank you!
__________________
"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way."
Reggie Bishop is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Reggie Bishop For Your Post:
Unread 01-11-2024, 06:12 PM   #3
Member
Phil Yearout
PGCA Member
 
Phil Yearout's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,357
Thanks: 5,381
Thanked 4,534 Times in 1,155 Posts

Default

***
__________________
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so. - Mark Twain.

Last edited by Phil Yearout; 01-11-2024 at 06:14 PM.. Reason: Wrong thread!
Phil Yearout is offline   Reply With Quote
Geese
Unread 01-11-2024, 06:13 PM   #4
Member
Gary Cripps
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 255
Thanks: 304
Thanked 398 Times in 90 Posts

Default Geese

Here in southern Wisconsin their food source was covered yesterday. We had about 1000 on our 200 acre lake here in town yesterday. The ice had closed in to about 10 acres of open water. That will freeze over tonight. They have all but two moved out today. These are probably sick or wounded. Our lake normally freezes over between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It seems like snow cover on their food is the main reason for them to head south. Let the big gun roar and reduce my lawn mess. Good hunting.
Gary Cripps is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Gary Cripps For Your Post:
Fond memories
Unread 01-12-2024, 07:21 AM   #5
Member
Dean Weber
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Dean Weber's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 473
Thanks: 356
Thanked 1,498 Times in 244 Posts

Default Fond memories

Destry,
Your post gave my wife and I some fond memories to reminisce about. I think I told you this, but we went to school at SIU and worked in the area in the 80-90s. I remember my wife asking me why I was so obsessed with those damn geese! Skipping class to call geese at Crab Orchard was a great past-time. No so great for the grades I earned.
__________________
Follow a good dog while carrying a fine shotgun and you will never be uninspired.
Dean Weber is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Dean Weber For Your Post:
Unread 01-12-2024, 01:40 PM   #6
Member
MarketHunter
PGCA Member
 
Destry L. Hoffard's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,254
Thanks: 628
Thanked 4,271 Times in 1,209 Posts

Default

Weather predictions are starting to back off, there was rain where there should have been heavy snow. Maybe next year.....
__________________
I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once in a quarter--of an hour; paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in good compass: and now I live out of all order, out of all compass. Falstaff - Henry IV
Destry L. Hoffard is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01-12-2024, 03:18 PM   #7
Member
mobirdhunter
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Garry L Gordon's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,054
Thanks: 14,178
Thanked 10,562 Times in 3,340 Posts

Default

Watch out putting things off until next year. Next years are getting more and more scarce.

So go, and carry your big gun...and sit and watch. Who knows, you may be carried back to your youth for a few minutes -- worth the trip.
__________________
"Doubtless the good Lord could have made a better game bird than bobwhite, and better country to hunt him in...but equally doubtless, he never did." -- Guy de la Valdene (from A Handful of Feathers )

"'I promise you,' he said, 'on my word of honor, I won't die on the opening of the bird season.'" -- Robert Ruark (from The Old Man and the Boy)
Garry L Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Garry L Gordon For Your Post:
Unread 01-12-2024, 03:29 PM   #8
Member
MarketHunter
PGCA Member
 
Destry L. Hoffard's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,254
Thanks: 628
Thanked 4,271 Times in 1,209 Posts

Default

It's 10 hours on the road each way in bad weather just to likely stare north into an empty sky. I think I'll save my money for Mexico in February, heading to Obregon towards the end of the month.
__________________
I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once in a quarter--of an hour; paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in good compass: and now I live out of all order, out of all compass. Falstaff - Henry IV
Destry L. Hoffard is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Destry L. Hoffard For Your Post:
Unread 01-12-2024, 05:16 PM   #9
Member
William Woods
PGCA Lifetime
Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 219
Thanks: 2,341
Thanked 245 Times in 105 Posts

Default

Destry,

Seems as though you have made up your mind to not go but thought I would tell you what I have seen today. We have rain for a 24 hour period. The forecasters stated we would have wind gusts of up to 60mph. I can tell you that the large bare-limbed trees are swaying in the wind now. The wind is singing in its' baritone voice to the trees. The temperature is to plummet into the single digits tomorrow and continuing through the middle of next week. Wind chills are predicted to be below 0 through this period. And as the saying goes here in the Ohio Valley; If you don't like the weather now just wait, it will change in a few hours.
William Woods is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to William Woods For Your Post:
Unread 01-12-2024, 08:07 PM   #10
Member
Bruce Hering
PGCA Member
 
Bruce Hering's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 546
Thanks: 963
Thanked 625 Times in 298 Posts

Default

Just came in from gathering horses. Temps have fallen from 40's down to high 30's and dropping. Wind is gusting like a bandit. Snow fall right now is on the I 64 corridor. However, there is a significant system out by Springfield, MO moving this way and supposedly more behind it.

Back in the day, 24or so hours after Horicon froze out the entire Mississippi Valley goose population landed at Crab Orchard, Union County, Horseshoe Lake and even down to the West KY Mgt. area. We were covered in geese.

Not any more as several of you here are aware.

If I were you Destry I would stay at home by the fire, unless of course you were already here locally somewhere with a good, heated pit, decoys, in a food and resting place and some really good callers. Then something might work.... Just sayin. I am less then 15 miles slightly south east of Crab Orchard
__________________
Bruce A. Hering
Program Coordinator/Lead Instructor (retired)
Shotgun Team Coach, NSCA Level III Instructor
Southeastern Illinois College
AMM 761
Bruce Hering is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bruce Hering For Your Post:
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:18 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2024, Parkerguns.org
Copyright © 2004 Design par Megatekno
- 2008 style update 3.7 avec l'autorisation de son auteur par Stradfred.