Yard Hopper Season is close
Contributors to this thread:Small Game
From: Paul@thefort
25-Nov-19
will not be long for the action to start
will not be long for the action to start
when the geese are setting wings over the decoys
when the geese are setting wings over the decoys
blind and decoys will be set in the next couple of weeks.
blind and decoys will be set in the next couple of weeks.
From: Paul@thefort
25-Nov-19
and maybe we will get lucky again this season
and maybe we will get lucky again this season
bow and arrows are ready
bow and arrows are ready
Chase is ready
Chase is ready
as long as I have enough treats :)
as long as I have enough treats :)
From: JTreeman
25-Nov-19
I’m ready!
—jim
From: BULELK1
25-Nov-19
Looking good Paul
Good luck, Robb
From: Russell
25-Nov-19
Can't wait Paul! You and Chase are the A Team for sure.
From: Inshart
25-Nov-19
Yup, been waiting for this thread to show up. Blood in the air, the "Chase" is on.
From: Beav
25-Nov-19
Looking forward to it Paul!
From: Brotsky
25-Nov-19
One of my favorites Paul. Best of luck to you and Chase my friend!
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
25-Nov-19
Definitely a thread I look forward to following every year! You two make a great team!
From: Ambush
25-Nov-19
Dead Goose Waddling!!
From: SaltyB
25-Nov-19
One of my favorite threads!
From: Elite 1
25-Nov-19
Be carful with dogs and broad heads. Almost killed mine last week stuck in her neck to deep to stitch has to heal from inside out. We were very lucky. Good luck
From: Paul@thefort
25-Nov-19
Elite, 9 years of doing this with no issues, as I am careful. thanks, Paul
From: Paul@thefort
25-Nov-19
YARD HOPPER HISTORY --9 years ago, my friend asked me if I would like to goose hunt on his property with the bow as the local yard hoppers were all over the place.
YARD HOPPER HISTORY --9 years ago, my friend asked me if I would like to goose hunt on his property with the bow as the local yard hoppers were all over the place.
so I set up the blind and decoys near the house that allowed me to shoot out into the pasture.
so I set up the blind and decoys near the house that allowed me to shoot out into the pasture.
the issue with this setup was I was looking into the morning sun
the issue with this setup was I was looking into the morning sun
but even with that issue I was able to kill a few geese, this one the first of 4 that year. 2011
but even with that issue I was able to kill a few geese, this one the first of 4 that year. 2011
From: atfrith
25-Nov-19
yes! Been waiting for this thread. Hopefully getting out tomorrow morning in your neck of the woods in the storm myself, though admittedly it'll be with a shotgun
From: Paul@thefort
25-Nov-19
a year or two later I moved the blind to the opposite end of the pasture and set up next to the hedge row. this way I could see geese coming from the W, N and East their usual pattern.
a year or two later I moved the blind to the opposite end of the pasture and set up next to the hedge row. this way I could see geese coming from the W, N and East their usual pattern.
and then the numbers of geese killed started to rise (74 to date) for this new location and my better understanding of decoy placement, calling, and goose patterns/timing
and then the numbers of geese killed started to rise (74 to date) for this new location and my better understanding of decoy placement, calling, and goose patterns/timing
I place 19 decoys into two groups to allow the geese to land within bow range
I place 19 decoys into two groups to allow the geese to land within bow range
looking for a challenge? try one with a recurve bow.
looking for a challenge? try one with a recurve bow.
From: Paul@thefort
25-Nov-19
so here we are 9 years later, still after them. I have not made a dent in the goose population. Almost limited out with 5 geese three times. Maybe this year, Stay tuned!
Still two weeks away.
so here we are 9 years later, still after them. I have not made a dent in the goose population. Almost limited out with 5 geese three times. Maybe this year, Stay tuned!
Still two weeks away.
From: GhostBird
25-Nov-19
Best of luck... go get 'em Paul & Chase.
From: BigOk
25-Nov-19
Always look forward to read this thread. Good luck to Paul and Chase.
From: elkmtngear
25-Nov-19
Sweet...looking forward to this again!
From: bentshaft
25-Nov-19
Looking forward to following along.
From: cnelk
25-Nov-19
Paul - What happened to PART 3 of the deer hunt?
From: Iowa_Archer
25-Nov-19
Let's GO!!! Great thread every year, best of luck to you again this year Paul!!
From: spike78
25-Nov-19
CnelkX2!
From: Junior
25-Nov-19
Goose poppers and fried rabbit!
From: jingalls
25-Nov-19
Love the yard hopper hunts...can’t wait!!!
From: KsRancher
25-Nov-19
This thread is always a great one. I learned something off the "yard hoppers". I grew up thinking waterfowl had to be in flight to shoot them. Cant wait to get this one going? Good Luck Paul!!
From: drycreek
25-Nov-19
When I first read the title I thought it said CLOSED. Dang it, how did I miss that ? I felt better after reading it again :-)
Looking forward to this Paul, as usual !
From: Southern draw
26-Nov-19
Tuned in!
From: Heat
26-Nov-19
Hope that you and Chase have the best season ever! I hope this little guy turns out to be half as good as your dog on the hunt!
From: Paul@thefort
26-Nov-19
Heat, looks like you have a winner for sure. Here is a picture of Chase's very first mallard duck retrieve at the age of 9 month. He will be 11 years next Feb. Time flies by. Keep up the training. There are many good books and videos on training. I have trained all 6 of my Labs with good results. Paul
From: t-roy
26-Nov-19
Chase is a lot like his owner. Just gets better each year, and shows no signs of slowing down! Good luck again this year, Paul!
From: Paul@thefort
27-Nov-19
T, Yea, and here it is 1 am- O'dark, and i am heading 130 miles east to duck hunt for two days. "slow down" and yea, then one just gets stuck! Paul
From: midwest
27-Nov-19
Good luck, Paul!
From: Paul@thefort
28-Nov-19
Chase can hunt and retrieve more that just geese. Yesterday's outing.
From: JRABQ
29-Nov-19
Nice mixed bag!
From: Paul@thefort
12-Dec-19
Ok, just an update for this season's Yard Hopper hunt. Two weeks ago Ft. Collins, ie, NE Colorado got hit with 14 inch of snow and very cold weather, froze the lakes, and the hundreds/thousands of geese that were in the area headed south to find better feed and some open water. But now that it has warmed up and a lot of the snow has melted, some geese have returned and when I went out to where I hunt, there were quite a few in the surrounding area and actually in the pasture where I will be hunting.
While the owners of the property gave me permission the next door neighbors will not be leaving until after Christmas so I will wait until they leave and then set up the blind and decoys. While the neighbors have no issues with hunting, they rather me wait until they are gone; so be it.
Another item that has changed that may effect the hunt is that the pond, 1/4 mile up the road, that concentrated some geese because a few spots were kept open with the use of electric pumps and air lines, the pumps are not be deployed so the geese are not using the pond as it is frozen over. So it seems the Yard Hopper hunt will not began until after Christmas but I have had good success in January and into mid Feb. so keep tuned to more updates and action.
From: drycreek
12-Dec-19
I’ve been checking in, and ready for action Paul ! Good luck and shoot straight !
From: drycreek
12-Dec-19
I’ve been checking in, and ready for action Paul ! Good luck and shoot straight !
From: BOWNBIRDHNTR
12-Dec-19
Will be looking forward to following along after Christmas. Great job on the ducks and pheasants!
From: Inshart
12-Dec-19
Yard Hoppers >>------------> Stick em Paul.
Look forward to this thread every year.
From: JB
13-Dec-19
Hope you and Chase have a Merry Christmas Paul while we wait! Always love this thread!!
