We launched just after shooting time. About four hundred yards later we were closing on 8 geese standing on the shore of Honker Island and another 15 just off shore. A wind started blowing up some small waves from the port side causing the boat to slap a bit. We were out about 80 yards so there wasn't much to do about it but power though and hope for the best. At 45 yds. the birds took off. Raymond shot to no avail.
We went to the other side of the island and spotted a group on the far shore of the lake. The wind had calmed and we slipped right in. At thirty yards I called the shot. Raymond sat and shouldered his 12 ga.. The poor fellow forgot to take off his safety. He adjusted quickly and fired three round tagging one in the tail but not enough to bring it down.
Next we went around a point into nearby Canvasback cove. I told him that sometimes the geese will sit in the back. It panned out to be true. A pair were on shore about 180 yards back. We laid down and started in slow. I belived they had seen us before we got down and I felt the need to reduce the threat level as much as I could. So slow it was ( ROG and Stan would be proud). Raymond was well disiplined in the gunner's position, not moving or making any sound during the slow approach. I had his head up enough to see the birds. Slowly-"40yds" I whispered-"35-34-33---30-28-25"-now gliding- "do you see them?". He gave me a silent thumbs up. "wait" I turned the boat slighty port. The pair were just right of the bow at 20 yards. They would have to fly to the left across the bow. "Okay, tale them when you are ready". After a pause of only three seconds, Raymond sat up quickly. The geese did nothing but look dumbfounded. "shoot raymond!" I called and he waxed the gander where he stood. His following shots missed the goose. ( Raymond was having trouble hitting flying targets that morning so I wanted him to boat at least on bird.).
After a celebration and congrats,we sculled down the long "wall" of the NW shore. An open water attempt on ten birds yeilded an 80 yard flush.
We the headed SE towards Milkhouse Island. I glassed the small rocky island often durning a laydown approach. I didn't see any game birds but we stayed down anyways, as it was to be our last scull of the day. At 80 yards I had given up on finding geese on our side of the island. I brought up my glasses and hunched up a little to look at some distant rafts when sounded a loud alert call from a goose. There was a pair on the point watching us! They must have been sleeping behind some rocks. Now the two geese did nothing but nervously talk about flying as they eye-balled us. A cross wind had come up again and the hull took the waves on the starboard side this time rocking us noticably. Thinking of nothing else that may work, I let the wind pull us away from the birds. The angle brought us closer to the island but further from the birds. They settled. We eased up the shore heading almost directly into the small waves and got to 30 yards. Again Raymond shot and missed. The birds flew out about 80 yards and landed, down wind! I rolled up and power sculled, leaving a huge wake and showing my right shouler the whole way. They held to 40 yards and took off. Raymond shot but did not connect.