Arkansas Sportsman

Specklebelly storm stirs hunters

Many duck hunters will remember 2017-18 as the year that wasn't, but it has been a phenomenal year for goose hunting.

Federal magistrate judge Joe Volpe of Little Rock has had a couple of excellent hunts for white-fronted geese in the last couple of weeks, including a particularly memorable outing Sunday.

Volpe hunted with an outfit called "Top of the Flyway," an Alberta, Canada-based outfitter that runs goose hunts in Arkansas after waterfowl seasons end in the north.

"We've never not limited out with these guys," Volpe said.

Volpe has taken several friends on these hunts, as well as friends of his son John. The younger Volpe talked his physical education teacher into trying duck hunting this year. The teacher, who had not hunted before, got his hunter education certification and bought a Remington 870 shotgun. He killed his first duck on his first hunt. He got a limit on his second hunt, and then he got a taste of specklebelly hunting.

The group went Saturday near Lonoke, but the birds were skittish and limited them to passing shots, Joe Volpe said.

On Sunday, they hunted from layout blinds, and that made all the difference.

"The main thing we had to focus on is making sure the layout blinds were super concealed," Volpe said. "As plentiful as geese are, they are so able to tell when something is not right. If something looks just a little bit out of whack, you can make one change, and all of a sudden you're successful when you haven't been."

The group spent a lot of time before dawn Sunday making sure the blinds were well concealed with brush and that all gaps were filled between the blinds. Birds flared, so the group inspected their setup and noticed that a few gaps we exposed.

"We made sure everybody's head was inside the blind or at least covered with a camo cap," Volpe said. "Once we got everything to where it was fully camoed up, the birds came right in."

Being under a flock of light geese is one of the most thrilling spectacles in hunting. They work in downward tapering layers, like a tornado, except that they circle in multiple directions. The geese at the top of the funnel work the widest circles, and the vortex tightens as it nears the ground. Birds crisscross and cut across the vortex. Wind rushing through so many wings creates a low rumble, and the din of all their squawking is deafening.

In a reclining position inside a layout blind, looking up into all that movement imparts a swaying sensation. If there are enough birds, it can actually make you woozy.

"There's so much motion," Volpe said. "They're weaving in and out. When the big groups come in, you almost feel like you're on shaky ground and you're losing your balance.

"Then you pop open. They're big birds, and it's like, 'Oh my gosh!' You're almost awestruck by them."

When the first group dropped in Sunday, Volpe looked out the slit screen in his layout blind, and all he saw was wings and feet.

"The group shot real well," Volpe said. "Everyone limited out quickly. We had one group of snow geese come over, and we killed three of them, as well. Each kid got to take home a 'snow,' which was pretty cool."

Of the 28 white-fronts, or specklebellies, 23 were juvenile birds, Volpe said.

Duck season ends Sunday, but there's still a lot of goose hunting opportunities remaining.

The Light Goose Conservation Order begins in Arkansas on Monday and continues until Feb. 2. It resumes on Feb. 4 and runs through April 25.

The Light Goose Conservation Order is an attempt to dramatically reduce the number of white, snow and Ross' geese before they return north to breed. All daily bag limits and possession limits are waived on snow, blue and Ross' geese. Shotguns do not have to be plugged, electronic calls are allowed, and hunters 16 and older do not need a Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, Arkansas Waterfowl Stamp or HIP registration. You must have a valid hunting license from any state, however.

White-fronted geese cannot be shot during this time.

Hunters age 15 and younger do not need a license.

Shooting hours during the Order are 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset.

Sports on 01/25/2018

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