Canada Geese, the Wrecking Crew and bird bands

Father and Son enjoy a goose hunt together 

Another goose band for Drake Field Expert, Daryl Hodge

Blake Hodge and Jeff Dennis after the first volley

When booking a hunt with The Wrecking Crew Guide Service there is often a degree of flexibility that is required, since migratory waterfowl like ducks and geese tend to travel on their own schedule. When the conditions are right, such as last week when a flock of Canada geese pushed into Lancaster County with the freezing temperatures, I decised to travel outside of the Lowcountry for a hunt. Hunt guide Daryl Hodge and lead caller Blake Hodge set out 30 goose decoys alongside an ag field pond that had ben hosting up to 100 geese just days before. Using six layout blinds for the guides and their happy customers, we did not have to wait long for the first flight of 'early birds' to show up right at shooting time. They circled the pond only once and then Blake hit then with his trademark realistic calling and they dropped over the heads of the phalanx of guns. Two geese were peeled out of the flock and the group of hunters held high hopes that more flocks were on the way. For one father and son hunting team, the excitement level was about to go nuclear, as a flock of 40 Canada geese flew overhead, circled three times and dropped into the pond. Our guns opened fire and three more geese were harvested, including a goose with a federal bird band!! Elation and electricity ran throughout the entire hunt party as the guide Daryl Hodge called in the band number and found out that the goose had migrated to S.C. from Ontario, Canada after having been banded there in 2011. The trophy bird and band were awarded to the youth hunter who was on his first ever goose hunt!!

To view past blog entries about federal leg bands on migratory birds click here.
To view past blog entries about the Wrecking Crew Guide Service click here.