its belly a scratch. Needless to say, the goose was a little surprised. Thief RiveR falls, MN While Goose Fest celebrates the tradition of hunting Canada geese, the annual migration of sandhill cranes passes through the area as well. While attending Goose Fest in 2012, Plan to attend the MN waterfowl we attempted to hunt cranes without oPeNer event success. In 2013, we made a con-Thief River Falls, offers wORld scious effort to get as close as possible MN clAss huNTiNg OPPORTuNiTies! to these prehistoric birds. The sandhill crane season only goes -cOMFORTABle lOdgiNg options back a couple of years. Beginning in sept. 26-28 are available for 2010, it has taken place in a northany size group. In nearby Middle river, MN! west Minnesota zone only. For a $3 -experience it for 218-686-9785 permit bought through the Minnesota yourself and enjoy true hunting, like it Department of Natural Resources, was meant to be. you can take part. These “large” birds Media Familiarization Tour also available. can have a 7-foot wingspan, but only Please contact the Convention & Visitors Bureau for more info. weigh around 5-8 lbs. While they’re 102 Main Ave. N. • P.O. Box 176 •Thief River Falls, MN 56701 • email: trfcvb@mncable.net all “neck and legs”, the meat on the breastbone has given them the nickname “Ribeye of the sky”. I wanted to find Goose Fest has to offer. The Wheel, A Middle River bar, out for myself. The earliest Sandhill Crane fossil, estimated was packed from end to end as two different bands took the stage and had people bouncing around all night. Since it to be 2.5 million years old, was unearthed was my birthday, we may have stayed out just a little longer in the Macasphalt Shell Pit in Florida, acthan we planned. I didn’t have a choice in the matter, but I cording to www.allaboutbirds.org. The population has expanded to the point where wasn’t complaining. A scouting trip the day before found a cut wheat managing them through a hunting seafield adjacent to standing beans. The field had literally been son is possible. 10 other states across the trampled by geese and cranes, so we arrived before dark to mid-continent flyway also offer a season on set up. An assortment of sentries, feeders and active decoys cranes. Rumors of an expanded zone have were placed in front of and behind a row of grass that rose been quietly passed around. from the middle of our field like a mohawk. We’d need to Your limit in Minnesota is two and on Saturday afternoon, I shot a double, quickly hide 8 guys- 6 hunters and two cameramen from the Wild Dakota TV show. putting me on the crane board and filling my limit. Soon geese that were close enough for us to reach We bumped up a nice covey of sharp-tailed grouse out and grab were falling from the sky. We finished just shy along the way, and if we hadn’t been in stealth mode, we of our limit, but that wasn’t because of our shooting. There would have had a couple of nice sharpies in the freezer too. The evening consisted of some of the finest nightlife were no “free passes given”-we didn’t miss any birds, just ran out of flocks to hunt. Soon it was lunch time and we found ourselves in the Middle River Cafe face-first in a plate of pork and mashed potatoes. In fact the food was almost as big of a highlight as the hunting. Goose Fest features a smorgasbord of gooserelated dishes. The obligatory goose jerky is always on the menu, but an assortment of favorites and experiments are available as well. The goose quesadillas were my pick in the goose-cooking contest. There are also games for the kids, a goose calling contest, and a parade-complete with a camouflage-wearing Miss Middle River.
a Waterfowler’s DReaM DesTiNaTioN!
www. visittrf .com
Goose Fest
WWW.MINNESOTASPORTINGJOURNAL.COM
9