Mudfest Goose Hunt March 2007
On March 17, 2007 Robert Oglesby, Nate Oglesby, Scott Holmes, and I (Sam Munhollon) headed to Mound City Missouri to experience an unlimited bag no plug snow goose hunt with our host Mr. and Mrs James Warrington of Premier Wildfowl Outfitters.
We arrived in Mound City midday on the 18th and prepared for an eventful goose hunt that evening. Little did we know how eventful that hunt would be. It seems that before our arrival the Mound City/Craig area adjoining the Squaw River Wildlife Refuge-home to literally thousands and thousand of geese, had seen some of the most severe winter weather and snow of the season.
We were somewhat oblivious to this as the afternoon of our arrival the temperatures were in the mid 50's and winds were calm. We donned our cameo and white jackets and proceeded to the middle of the field with our guides Jimmy and Brian from St. Paul Minnesota to set up in the decoy spread already prepared for us. The walk to the field was somewhat difficult as the warm weather had begun to melt the snow and muddy conditions of the soil surface caused the gumbo to stick in large globs to our boots. We set up and began to call for geese upon arrival at the decoy spread. Only a few blues and snows were flying with most of the flocks passing and landing being Ross geese which were off limits.
As the afternoon passed we enjoyed the continually warming weather and continued to call in the geese getting a few select shots at the Blue's and Snow geese.
As dark approached, approximately 5:30 p.m. we prepared to leave the field. At that point we realized that not only had the warm weather melted the surface of the soil, but the recently disked field had experienced the melting of the sub-terrain as well. As we began to walk out our feet were being sucked further into the ground much like the affect of quick sand. Jimmy, Brian, Robert, and Nate finally made it back to road about 8:00 p.m. but Scott and I not being as lean and trim as the others found ourselves stuck in the mud unable to move and the longer we stayed stuck the deeper we sank into the mud. Jimmy and Brian ordered a four wheeler to come to rescue us but as you might guess the four wheeler got buried in the mud and was stuck with us.
Brian finally figured out that the only way to make it to the road was to remove our boots and walk out. Still an arduous endeavor but at least a viable option. Finally by 9:00 P.M. we had made it back to the road with everything we had caked in mud- guns, ammo boxes, clothing,four wheeler and all. Two of the bird boys permanently lost their tennis shoes in the mud and the shoes were never found again.
We then headed back to Craig where headquarters for the hunt is located in an old downtown building that has been a retail store, a funeral parlor, a drugstore and undocumented other businesses. At headquarters we used the power washer to clean off most of the mud and then proceeded to breakdown each gun and give it a thorough cleaning. We finally were ready to go back to our motel room at 11:45.pm After shower and clean up we were able to get to bed at 1:00 a.m.
The alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. Scott and I prepared to head back to Craig for the morning hunt but found Nate and Robert unable to join us. Robert had become quite ill and Nate was totally exhausted. Scott and I proceeded to the morning hunt without the others. The morning hunt was in a field that had not been disked and was much more easily traveled.
The weather changed during the morning , with all the geese flying very high and none giving our decoy spread even the faintest consideration. At 11:30 a.m. we elected to end the hunt and begin our journey back to Oklahoma.
Our outfitter, James Warrington is to be commended for doing everything possible to ensure a quality hunt and providing wonderful hospitality for us. We had the opportunity to meet SCI members from Alabama and Minnesota and shared great camaraderie with them. We give a heartfelt thumbs up to the outfitting but a thumbs down to the weather. Premier Wildfowl is a 100% donor to the Oklahoma Station Chapter fundraiser and is worthy of your consideration for your next waterfowl hunt.
Sam C Munhollon