GuideFitter.com Feature

I’ve been a bird guide and outfitter for the past 16 years. I’ve hunted light geese a lot but haven’t taken advantage of the spring season, so it was odd donning waterfowl camo, grabbing my shotgun, and heading out to a parched pea field in the middle of March.

My wife, Heather, and I had booked a three-day hunt with Mike McLane, owner/operator of Prairie’s Edge Outfitting in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Mike has a world-class reputation for putting hunters under thousands of birds, and we knew we were in for a treat. I savored every moment like a kid at Christmas as we approached the ‘X’ and began unloading and positioning scores of white decoys.

As darkness gave way to light and the southeastern breeze wafted over our blinds, the cackles grew in a crescendo and the first cloud of snows approached low off the deck. Only a waterfowl hunter can truly appreciate that special moment; it’s unique to the springtime migration. With the electronic call emitting a constant hum of feeding cackles, the group approached and – at just the right moment – our guide hollered, “take ‘em!” Layouts instantly burst open and barrels blazed. Several unsuspecting birds fell from the sky, and everyone cheered with enthusiasm.