European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Hunting in Europe Goose Hunters dilemma fair weather or fowl by Norm Zeigler travel outdoor writer the Gecse appear d it is a mass of Black flecks on that horizon moving Low against the Gray morning sky. Gradually the silhouettes took shape above the Distant Skyline growing larger As the Loek formed into a Quot Viand moved up into the wind. Soon the first faint honking drifted upwind that plaintive haunting cry Evoi alive of far Tundra and thousand mile migrations at first it seemed they would Drift Oft to the West like the dozen ticks before them. But then the Point of the v swung Back into the wind and they headed directly for the Blind. The Hunters crouched lower and cocked their Heads skyward tensing in anticipation. A halt minute later the geese were Over the Reeds and nearing the Shoreline honking loudly and pulling themselves Forward with powerful wings. They were High but not outrageously so. If they dropped say 10 Yards it would be a great Chanc e. But it was not to be. In another it seconds they were overhead still so to 55 Yards up. In a futile final try born partly of frustration we jumped up and fired anyway. The shots were no More than a goodbye Salute As the Birds out of our Range quickly swung wide to the East winging their Way calmly into the distance and out of sight. It was an Anticlimactic but fitting ending to an intriguing and exasperating Hunt. Three Days before photographer Ken George  skies Light winds shoot Down chances of getting Birds c Apt Kurt Obeck and i had arrived in Hampen Netherlands with High Hopes of bagging geese the waterfowl Era a treasured trophy. Ducks we thought would be .1 Bonus. Now we would be leaving with no geese and a meager two ducks. Guide Frank Landsman summed up the Hunting Quot worser than this it is not  we had picked january historically the Best Goose Bunting month during the Netherlands six month waterfowl season. Each year tens of thousands of the big Birds Migrate from Scandinavia Eastern Europe and Northern Russia to Winter Over among Ideal habitat myriad marshes lakes canals and Rivers bordered by thousands of Square Miles of pastures Grainfield and soggy Meadows. Like most Goose Hunters we had hoped Tor Loul weather a Gale driven snowstorm it we were Lucky but at the least moderate winds and rain to keep the Birds restless and flying Low. In the end we had been thwarted by a january thaw. The trip had begun on a couple of promising notes. A week before the Hunt organizer had passed on the encouraging news that there were More than i million White fronted bean and Greylag geese in the Netherlands. We had driven up from Central Germany on a Gray sunday that turned to rain and fog. But by the time we arrived at Shok Kerhan Kii Cirlin  it was i Starr. Cool Nair it with Cist a with Amei u ans state it Ned in i tin it pc lot Mote than it Xaiv the ate Vigani de Loi Ali in Kampen native a my Vos a i cd 11 de sea c Apt am who e Ames on a Gono Illions old Lamia tradition. Vos i Attis to an International i Lient Cle. Some of whom Book As my h As a veal in Advance e. It a the Meiu an Side bookings Aie handled in 1 he i Lurting t onto Timin .1 Mednit Herbai h. T Lermann c of pan headed in retired arms  Olicer Bob Kern. I he Hunts w Inch Are set up As Pai , include three Davs of Hunting Over Deco a including live ones Tom blinds plus lodging aboard Voss 50-toot c Abin Cruiser the Olympia the use of a guide and break Asl and Lum h each a. Most of the Hunting is done air Vos three blinds on the Kettl Emeer a Large shallow Lake North of Kampen. But because we had hooked so late Vos arranged Lor us to Hunt in another Atea about live Miles away. I spec  in the Winter break Asl is the most important meal for outdoors men. A Good one gives you a jump Start on the Day. A poor one can literally leave you cold As your body struggles to maintain Tegt my erasure and Energy Levels with a shortage of fuel. Vos and his colleague Dick Gort who operates the Olympia know the it importance of both Quality and Quantity at mealtime. I Hunters Roll out of their bunks to massive Onti Niu d on i ago Kurt Obeck Hunters Down in a Duck Blind while eyeing a flock of geese flying overhead out of the Range of the Hunters fire. A amps photos by Ken George february a t h2 stripes Magazine