The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1948-12-30
The Wet ;.
and the
Hungry
By Don Knowles

BY Don knowles
Decoying has been a problem
so far this goose season with the
weather remaining clear and the
ceiling unlimited. Those willy
flock leaders from the north are
not just falling for any old thing
on the ground that resembles a
goose. Good advice to follow for
those in search of the big ganderS
is to be very sure the camaflouge
is perfect for during this clear
cold weather those big birds can
see for miles and well.
The weather has. seemingly not
worried most of the flocks for
there still seem to be thousands
of birds in the area with more
flying out of the frozen north
daily. I counted nine different
focks flying over Finley the 9TH
er morning into the Horse Heaven
country, and there were from u
dozen to three dozen in each
flock.
Big Ted Watkins, one Of the To-
cal areas leading goose hunters,
downed a big one Sunday which
dressed out about eleven pounds.
He reported the bird was well
fed. Several more were downed
by members of the same party
including Elmer Olsen's brother
in-law who made the biggest drop
of the day on fine old bird
which went well over IL pounds.
Considerable difficulty was. en-
countered by the party by the
usual "long shooters, who have
an idea that a shot gun is good
for a hit from anywhere up to
six miles. There isn't anything
more annoying to a goose or duck
hunter who has shivered in a
blind or pit for many hours await
ing flock of birds than to have
some wild game seeker open up
when the flock is a mile out of
range, but for some reason they'll
do it every time and ruin every
ones shooting. LET'S HOLD THE
FIRE AND GIVE EVERYONE A
CHANCE. Anyone who sits in
pit these mornings deserves shot
if he can get it.
Now that we have a little of
the local picture lets do a little
what the army calls
1t is beyond my comprehension as
to why the season on migratory
birds was dated as it was this
year. If its conservation the game
commission wants just why should
this last of the split season be run
so late in the year? In the first
place it increases the kill by a
very large percentage, and in the
second place the kill that is pro-
cured is NOT WORTH EATING.
The time when we should be
feeding ducks and geese we are
shooting them. For many years
now farmers and others who are
have found that any,
time after the middle of Decem-
Der it becomes necessary to feed
water fowl. OF course
those who weren't interested, and
this year I guess the state game
comes under that
category, Just didn't do anything !,
about it.
Right now all ponds, close riv-
er banks, sloughs, ETC., are frozen
over sufficiently for ice skating.
Now its very difficult for duck
to live on ice, thus they fly aim
lessly about into the fields and i
farm yards where one may nearly
knock them over with a stick be-
fore they move. IF you don't be-
ieve it drive to Walla 'Walla or
take run thru the Umapine coun-
try, where the hunters are bagging !
limits, well we'd say quite often).
So far the game birds are in
fair condition, but with nothing /
but ice to eat they do not remain
that way long. In other words
another week of this type of sea-
son and we have half-starved birds \
which are being slaughtered need
lessly -. if you don't believe it
try one.
A split season is all right, but
cts have it at the right time,
which in this district should al
ways be before December Is.
A total of 1913 World war II