2021 Waterfowl Thread
- Thread starter the spank
- Start date
1963beretta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vaughan, Ontario
Spank, where those big geese you shot maxima’s?
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
1963beretta;[URL="tel:18338201" said:
I'm not certain but judging by the size I would think they are Maxima's or Western Giants though I don't know if Western Giants are known for achieving those sizes.
Been goose hunting for years, but the last couple we started taking it more seriously. Found a setup that works and way more patient this year. Shooting when their landing gear are down and are almost on the ground. Lay down blinds blended in good. Sometimes they'd circle us 5 times before committing. Feels good when it starts coming together!
1963beretta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vaughan, Ontario
I had the day off so I was able to get out this morning and I’m glad I did. The weather was excellent, the ducks were flying and I was dry because I seem to have fixed the hole in my waders. Had a limit of mallards fairly quickly. I waited for the geese to fly, but only a single goose came to visit so I packed it up at about 10.
I did experience another first....I had an unexpected mallard drake cross me at about 15 yards from my left. I caught sight of it at the last second and snapped up my gun and dropped it on the first pull of the trigger. When the bird dropped, I swear I saw something fly off to the right. I figured it was my wad. Walk out to get the couple birds that were floating in front of my blind and to my surprise, the drake mallard is completely missing its head. First time I’ve shot the head smooth off a duck. Not a single pellet in its body. Took its head off halfway it up neck. Reminded me of this Mossberg ad. Coincidentally, I was shooting a Mossberg
I did experience another first....I had an unexpected mallard drake cross me at about 15 yards from my left. I caught sight of it at the last second and snapped up my gun and dropped it on the first pull of the trigger. When the bird dropped, I swear I saw something fly off to the right. I figured it was my wad. Walk out to get the couple birds that were floating in front of my blind and to my surprise, the drake mallard is completely missing its head. First time I’ve shot the head smooth off a duck. Not a single pellet in its body. Took its head off halfway it up neck. Reminded me of this Mossberg ad. Coincidentally, I was shooting a Mossberg
1963beretta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vaughan, Ontario
I shot two maxima’s several years ago. They had thick white eyebrows and bills very similar in shape to swans. Actually, they kind of sounded like swans too. Very deep honks. I recall thinking they were swans when I initially heard them. I couldn’t see them until they flew over the tree line and I don't recall them looking any different when flying. But it was clear these two birds were different when I shot them and they hit the water. And like you described, grabbing their necks was like grabbing a baseball bat. Their heads were bigger then my hands. I’ll see if I can find pictures that I can post.
Edit- this is the only photo I have of the maxima’s on my device. The goose in the middle is a regular, everyday goose. I’ll have to find the pictures I have of their heads to show the white eyebrows and bill shape. The bird on the right had a neck nearly as thick as the barrel and forearm of the shotgun. What a bruiser
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fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
That ol' hen on the far left appears to dwarfs both the greeny and lesser it is laying on.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
The wife finally made it out after being housebound the past 10 days after putting her back out and she was on fire this morning with her A400 20ga. She knocked down 5 birds in the first two flocks then followed that with a single then a double filling out her limit and ending our hunt in 4 flocks!
It was really cool seeing her Shotkam footage as she folded a triple on the first flock!
It was really cool seeing her Shotkam footage as she folded a triple on the first flock!
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jlovie
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Great stuff folks. No pic, but just imagine a hunter in a clown suit. I fell asleep in my blind this morning, woke up and decided to pack up. I took a quick look in my spread and thought that 1 goose looked particularly realistic. I pay it no mind, get up, stretch, hang a #1 and all of a sudden that realistic decoy took off. There I am, mid stream with a goose in my decoys, maybe 30' away. Good job genius.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
Fast one this morning. It was all over by 8 am, limit of dark geese(10 Specks/6 Lesser Canada's) and 4 Greenheads. Wasn't a single Speck on the field last night while scouting but they came in this morning numbering into the thousands! What a day. Best feet down in the decoys Speck shooting we've experienced to date! Now it's time to go back to turnaround for another rotation, days off are done. Got out 11 of the 14 days off!
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TheCoachZed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Made it out to New Brunswick's duck opener, the usual spot off Hampstead in the Long Island Lake. We hunt out of the classic Canadian "stick some alders around your boat and call it a day" blinds, which I hate, but the other guys all like it, so that's what we do.
Day 1 was ... OK. Shooting a new gun, shot terrible, started to redeem myself with some jump shooting around lunch. Made some nice shots in the evening hunt. Killed my limit but lost two in the same patch of grass near our blind, despite a lot of looking.
Day 2, no birds moving, so most of the guys pulled out. I did a bunch of walking and paddling alone, and didn't really have much success until my wife's brother picked me up in his boat and we headed upriver to a new spot. Found the "X," with birds pouring in just at sundown. We had to stop shooting because the dog couldn't find them, but man, what a gas for 10-15 minutes.
Day 1 was ... OK. Shooting a new gun, shot terrible, started to redeem myself with some jump shooting around lunch. Made some nice shots in the evening hunt. Killed my limit but lost two in the same patch of grass near our blind, despite a lot of looking.
Day 2, no birds moving, so most of the guys pulled out. I did a bunch of walking and paddling alone, and didn't really have much success until my wife's brother picked me up in his boat and we headed upriver to a new spot. Found the "X," with birds pouring in just at sundown. We had to stop shooting because the dog couldn't find them, but man, what a gas for 10-15 minutes.
Mazeofmystery
Regular
- Location
- Fraser Valley, BC
My first season has already been a great success! Haven't hit a limit yet, but i've had birds on the ground every time out.
Does anyone know where to get some decent calls for ducks/geese in Canada? I've been suggested a bunch of different ones (daisy cutter, hybrids, strait meats) but not where to find them haha.
I'm open to hear new call suggestions as well i suppose.
Does anyone know where to get some decent calls for ducks/geese in Canada? I've been suggested a bunch of different ones (daisy cutter, hybrids, strait meats) but not where to find them haha.
I'm open to hear new call suggestions as well i suppose.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
Canadian Waterfowlers Pro Shop carries Sean Mann and GK Calls....both make great calls
Canadian Waterfowlers Supply carries Buck Gardner, Grounds, Zink, RNT and a whole lot of others....
And Cabela's & Bass Pro carry a selection of name brand acrylic or higher grade wood calls besides the standard poly-carb calls, usually Zinks, Grounds, BGC, RNT etc...Or you can order direct from many custom makers like C&S, Riceland, etc, etc...the list is endless. I suggest you join The Refuge forum and look around in there. You'll find LOTS of callmakers in there and can chat with them on what they offer, how to tune your calls, how to use them etc, etc...
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TheCoachZed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
New Brunswick's Zone 1 opener in Musquash this weekend. Wild-camped in the bush, first light we were on the X, had great shooting for a half hour ... but not enough other hunters on the river, so birds stopped moving by around 8. We walked up a couple more Blacks, then had to call it quits on the day due to other commitments.
Saturday, a buddy and I hiked a mile into a prime marsh on the coast to find it had already been shot out ... but we went over a berm and lo and behold, the creek was boiling with mergansers. We shot five out of that flock and should have probably had 10. We'll probably turn them into jerky ...
Saturday, a buddy and I hiked a mile into a prime marsh on the coast to find it had already been shot out ... but we went over a berm and lo and behold, the creek was boiling with mergansers. We shot five out of that flock and should have probably had 10. We'll probably turn them into jerky ...
