THE MENTORING (Warning - graphic images)

Irishwhistler · Oct 17, 2019

SHR LAKE CHAFEE’S AUTUMN LEGACY O’ TRAD FINIAN MAC JH ~ MAC made his first career retrieve of a Canada Goose during a field hunt we conducted this morning on 10/14/19. It was great seeing all of MAC’S diligent training and hunt test experience gel into great field performance under actual hunting conditions. Not quite 20 months old, MAC is distinguishing himself as an up and coming gun dog .

BLIND AMBITION ~ SHR LAKE CHAFFEE’S AUTUMN LEGACY O’ TRAD FINIAN MAC JH and his sire HRCH UH TTF CRAIGHORN KIFFIN TRAD SH are seen tucked into a corn blind that we hunted out of this morning. Both MAC and TRAD remained laying down with their heads peering out and eye’s to the skies to visually mark any approaching geese working in toward our decoys. We were all impressed with MAC’S blind manners as he proned out side by side with TRAD whilst remaining quiet and still in hopes of the chance to work any geese we dropped.

A FOWL GATHERING ~ Connecticut Waterfowl Association President Greg Chasko (center) is flanked by Dave (left), and (Casey) on the right, a father and son duo that were on today’s hunt as part of a CWA mentoring program. Greg is also flanked by gun dog retrievers MAC (yellow), and TRAD (black), both dogs are owned and trained by Mike Enright. Also missing from the photograph of those present for today’s hunt is Connecticut waterfowl biologist Min Huang, who was diligently occupied with picking up the decoy rig. A great morning’s hunt was had by all and a morning these two new waterfowl hunters will likely remember for life. Training in the principals of wildlife management and conservation, as well as hunter ethics are integral facets of the mentoring program. The geese harvested during today's hunt were taken with strict adherence to the regulations set forth by the State of Connecticut and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service of the Department Of The Interior. The birds taken will be made into a number of delectable meals to be shared amongst family and friends.

TAKE A KID HUNTING !

Cheers,
Mike

smoke665 · Oct 17, 2019

Though I've never been a big fan of goose, maybe if more would hunt them here they wouldn't bee such a problem around our waterways. Always enjoy your field photos, keep them coming.

It's been many years since I had children young enough to participate, but every year the state conversation department sponsors youth (under 15) hunts for Dove, Duck and Deer. Great program! They combine a hunter education class, provide top notch hunting locations, and generally serve breakfast and lunch, to the participants.

Irishwhistler · Oct 17, 2019

smoke665 said:
Though I've never been a big fan of goose, maybe if more would hunt them here they wouldn't bee such a problem around our waterways. Always enjoy your field photos, keep them coming.

It's been many years since I had children young enough to participate, but every year the state conversation department sponsors youth (under 15) hunts for Dove, Duck and Deer. Great program! They combine a hunter education class, provide top notch hunting locations, and generally serve breakfast and lunch, to the participants.

Thanks for ye reply Smoke, most of the 50 states have similar programs. Glad to hear that you like the field photographs, I rarely ever venture afield without one of my three cameras in tow.

Cheers Mate,
Mike

pixmedic · Oct 17, 2019

very nice work. #3 is a particularly good group portrait.

Irishwhistler · Oct 17, 2019

pixmedic said:
very nice work. #3 is a particularly good group portrait.

Thank ye Mate.

Mike

Flying Panda · Oct 17, 2019

Good set Mike. I can still see the youth in Mac's composure, although he appears to be handling the weight of the goose quite well. I have to ask - does wild goose meat taste different depending on where a goose may feed? The reason I ask is because, when my dad was still alive and we hunted a lot of turkeys on his farm, their meat would taste different depending on what they ate. I shot a turkey one year that feed mostly on birch nuts and the meat was real sweet. Just curious!

Irishwhistler · Oct 17, 2019

Flying Panda said:
Good set Mike. I can still see the youth in Mac's composure, although he appears to be handling the weight of the goose quite well. I have to ask - does wild goose meat taste different depending on where a goose may feed? The reason I ask is because, when my dad was still alive and we hunted a lot of turkeys on his farm, their meat would taste different depending on what they ate. I shot a turkey one year that feed mostly on birch nuts and the meat was real sweet. Just curious!

Your question as posed is an interesting one. Likely what geese are primarily feeding on has some effect on the overall taste of the meat. Be it that geese are migratory and their food sources can change radically dependent on. availability during migration, that might be hard to nail down. Geese feed largely on terrestrial grasses and grains such as corn when available.

Mike