Do goose hunting tactics change over water vs land?

jlovie

jlovie

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Dashwood, ON. But some day on Manitoulin
I've always hunted geese in a field and have had decent success for the amount of time I've put in it. The field is located between a lagoon and a bedding/feeding area. I have a few store bought decoys but mainly diy silhouettes that seem to work ok. I have gotten permission to hunt a small pond, not even an acre large where I know that geese and ducks frequent. The landowner put a small cabin close to it and we all know how messy these birds can be so I am hopefully going to help ease his problem. I know the basics will stay the same, as far as remaining concealed, etc, but I am wondering if I should invest in a few floating decoys to go along with my others? With the size of the pond, is there a possibility of "over crowding" the pond with decoys? I plan on getting a dozen or so duck decoy as well. There is plenty of grassy area for them to land, I'm just wondering if floaters would help my chance of getting them in range. I'm assuming it couldn't hurt?
 
It will give them confidence to see birds on the water... a few decoys on the bank is a good idea also... you can't over crowd the pond... just make sure you are well concealed.
 
In my experience they are even easier to decoy to water than a field at the right time of day. I always waited for them to leave to go feed then set up on water and waited for them to return for the late morning rest and water. The action can be fast and furious and not as many decoys are needed. I always preferred rivers to lakes as the narrowness of a river makes for less chance of them landing wide or long on you. I have had some good hunts on rivers using as few as 4 quality decoys. Dakotas were my fave. Birds dropped into them like they were being reeled in on a line. I also believe calling is essential. Relaxed loafing geese tend to make a lot of noise when they first return from feeding.
 
"Good" calling helps a lot... if you can't pull off "good" calling, stay quiet... especially in the spring... early fall season, young birds are pretty gullible.
 
the spank said:
In my experience they are even easier to decoy to water than a field at the right time of day. I always waited for them to leave to go feed then set up on water and waited for them to return for the late morning rest and water. The action can be fast and furious and not as many decoys are needed. I always preferred rivers to lakes as the narrowness of a river makes for less chance of them landing wide or long on you. I have had some good hunts on rivers using as few as 4 quality decoys. Dakotas were my fave. Birds dropped into them like they were being reeled in on a line. I also believe calling is essential. Relaxed loafing geese tend to make a lot of noise when they first return from feeding.
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THIS

I also read that you were hoping to add some duck decoys... my honest opinion on that is the best duck decoy is a goose decoy. I'd reinvest what you'd spend for ducks back into more geese.
 
Decoys keep the birds eyes from wandering and checking out your blind. Returning birds will often land farther out if no decoys are present. Standard montro: bring them in close and shoot them in the face. Good luck
 
Thanks guys. It's super easy for me to scout the area before season starts so I should be able to get some kind of idea of how they come into the pond before hand and go from there. I will likely pick up a few more resters. As far as calling goes, I practice, not as much as I should, but I do practice. However, I have come to the conclusion that I do more harm then good when it comes to calling. I'm almost positive I've scared off more flocks then I've called in so I stopped calling later on last season. I guess I will find out where my calling stands come this September.
 
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The big thing with goose calling is don't blow them out by making your two dozen decoys sound like twenty dozen birds. Once you have their attention and they are headed your way just talk to them enough to keep them on a string. Watch the body language and the reactions to the sounds you make. If you make a note or two and they are locking their wings and gliding in you got them and just stick to that same sound at the same rate of speed which they are caliing. You'll be amazed and feel like a million bucks when you talk them right in backpedaling and they are calling to you!!

Swinginberry's needs to chime in here. Without a doubt he is one of the top 10 callers I have ever had the pleasure to hunt with and that is saying something as I have hunted and filmed with Shawn Stahl, hunted with Craig MacDonald and the GK Calls crew as well as Big Sean and the Foiles crew back in the day and with the exception of Shawn Stahl and Craig MacDonald whom I must give the edge to he rivals the others hands down.
 
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the spank said:
The big thing with goose calling is don't blow them out by making your two dozen decoys sound like twenty dozen birds. Once you have their attention and they are headed your way just talk to them enough to keep them on a string. Watch the body language and the reactions to the sounds you make. If you make a note or two and they are locking their wings and gliding in you got them and just stick to that same sound at the same rate of speed which they are caliing. You'll be amazed and feel like a million bucks when you talk them right in backpedaling and they are calling to you!!

Swinginberry's needs to chime in here. Without a doubt he is one of the top 10 callers I have ever had the pleasure to hunt with and that is saying something as I have hunted and filmed with Shawn Stahl, hunted with Craig MacDonald and the GK Calls crew as well as Big Sean and the Foiles crew back in the day and with the exception of Shawn Stahl and Craig MacDonald whom I must give the edge to he rivals the others hands down.
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Holy crap! I'm flattered Frank...not sure I can stand shoulder to shoulder with those lads but I'll take that compliment!
Honestly don't think I can add much....Franks hit the nail on the head. Without getting to complicated here's my two cents.
If you're hunting larger geese they don't usually need a lot of talking to...grab their attention and give them the basics. Honks, murmers..basically relaxed noise. The little geese seem to like noise, they don't usually care what you say just throw a pile of goosy noise at em. If you are hunting a water set I'd go deep, mellow, and relaxed. But like Frank said let the birds dictate what to do, read em and do as they want. Not sure that helps much.
On a side note I've never seen Frank give anything but stellar advice when it comes to waterfowling.
 
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