Getting the Stars to Align
As a parent, friend, or role model to younger kids you may want to get them out hunting with you every chance you get. This definitely is the case for me and my two boys. I enjoy hunting with an incredible passion, but my young kids have not yet developed that. It is very important to make sure things are well planned out before you take that step. You can refer to some of my other articles about how to get kids into hunting and what to consider before you take them out into the woods. For this goose hunt, I wanted to check the boxes on 1) Pleasant weather, 2) Make it fun and exciting, 3) Give them responsibility, and 4) Make the trip short.
As always, hunting was on my mind and with great weather coming, a plan began to form. Oddly enough the forecast showed almost 50 degrees F on this coming Tuesday in January. It also was after deer season, so I could focus on geese. It also just so happened to be the only day in the entire week that we did not have prior plans – be it karate, basketball, or birthday parties. On top of that, I was not swamped at work and had enough vacation time to utilize. Garth (my oldest son – 6 years old) had been talking since last year how he wanted to go out goose hunting again and bring his little brother, Steven (my youngest son – 4 years old). Everything seemed to fall into place, almost as if the stars were aligning.
Preparation
It was decided that I would get off work early, grab the boys, and we’d head out for an evening goose hunt before the sun set. In order for it to all work out I tried to think of everything and plan ahead. The night before, I completely loaded up the truck with blinds, decoys, calls and my gun. I also packed them a lunch with various snacks and filled some bottles of water. I got each of their clothes and boots all in a pile so that no time would be wasted after work. Making the proper preparations sure can make the hunting trip go a lot smoother and easier.
Having Fun
As planned, it was quick and easy to get the boys dressed after work. We drove the truck out in the field right to our hunting spot and the first thing I did was unload the layout blinds. I had 2 layout blinds and 2 boys, so they each got their own – I figured I could tuck up under some grass well enough. This right here was what Garth had been talking about since last year. Having his OWN blind to hunt out of was something that mesmerized him. It made him feel special, important, and mature. This is exactly what he was so excited to show Steven. I also was excited to see them both so happy.
Between hiding/popping out of the blind, throwing dirt clods, and making traps, we were having a great time! I set up some decoys while my boys played around. Although I’d like to shoot some geese, my main goal was to make sure the experience was fun. I think this is EXTREMELY important. If my kids are having fun when we’re hunting, they will be sure to want to come do it again!
Shooting Time
Once we got everything set up and magic hour creeped in, the geese began to fly. This also proved to be a fun thing for the boys – when I yelled “geese” they would run and dive into their blinds as fast they could! We had a couple of flocks fly over us just low enough that I thought it was worth a shot, so I told Garth and Steve to cover their ears as I pumped some steel into the sky. Three shells fired but no geese dropped. Over the course of the next 30-45 minutes I took a some more shots at some high flying geese, but nothing fell.
Overall Success
As the sun crouched behind the horizon, we started to pack up. We ended the evening with no geese but I still accomplished exactly what I had hoped for. The whole time was great weather, we all had a blast, the kids had responsibility in camouflaging their blinds, and the trip was short enough to hold their attention and excitement. It was the only chance I had to get out for a goose hunt this season and I am privileged to have shared it with my two boys! These moments will become memories that I will always cherish, and hopefully they will too.
