Geese with a 20 gauge?

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7.62Man

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Northwestern Ontario
I am planning on hunting geese with my mossberg 500 20 gauge 3" chamber. I have never hunted waterfowl before and this will be my first time. I also reload my own shotshells (more for fun than anything).

We will be hunting over decoys I am told, so the geese will be short range shots.

What size steel shot should I use? I plan on loading up some 3" shells using Sam 1 wads. Also what size steel shot should I use for duck over decoy?

Thanks
 
is that mossberg 500 a fixed choke? as long as its mod or under, you are good to go for steel - try using a 3 shot - probably in 1 1/8 oz., preferably in 1 1/4 - either or.haha
 
For ducks you should be o.k. if you use the fastest steel loads you can get and #2 or 3 inside 35 yds....For geese with steel shot i think your pushing it...I know...I know...someone will chime with "I shoot lots of geese" with my 20 ga...however there are far better choices for these big strong birds and we owe it to the birds to strive for good clean kills and not wounded birds.
 
Very few people I have every heard of shoot geese with a 20. Most who do use an aftermarked wad-retarding choke tube to hold a tight pattern and short shot string to put plent of shot on the bird. If you go ahead with it I'd load #2 or bigger into the fastest load you can and don't take shots outside of 25 yards or so. Better yet, I'd use a 12 gauge, which IMO is the right tool for the job. Good luck!
-DW
 
#2 is about as big as you want crammed into a 20. The 20 wasn't designed to handle big pellets. I'd look into a bagful of bismuth to load instead.

#4 is fine for ducks over decoys. Works for me, anyway.

Just let them get into the decoys, and they won't know what hit them.
 
I just returned from hunting geese with a few friends and we all took are limits. one of the group brought alond a 20 gauge to see how it would work.The fact of the matter was it didn't. the geese hit with it only shuddered and did not fall within a 200 acre field.He was using federal #2 3 inch loads. For ducks I'd say go for it but for geese I would pickup a single shot 12 or only take the birds standing on the ground with head shots using #2's
 
I know a couple who were seriously in to hunting geese, he hunted with a 12 guage, and she hunted with a 20 guage. She did fine, actually better than most of the guys. She is the only person I know myself who brought down four geese with three rounds, and it was with her 20 guage. This was back in the days of lead pellets though, and I don't know what load she was using.
 
Don't forget that heavy loads in a light shotgun will result in high felt recoil. In the interests of clean kills and for your own benefit, consider using a different gun. Borrow one, if you don't have something suitable in your cabinet.

If alternatives are impossible, by all means give it a go. But, in the interests of sportsmanship, please show restraint on the long shots. It would be tragic if the anti's got a hold of video of a hunter unnecessarily wounding birds (although, they're so crass, they wouldn't hesitate to fake one if there were no real ones available).
 
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I used a 870 20 bore with 3" kent faststeel #3's. It worked well on decoying honkers and some longer shots at snows and lessers. I tried to target the head and necks of the big birds and had very good results. I doubt if any shots were over 35 yards and my two labs provided security for any cripples that came down. The choke was a Rem Choke modified.

cheers Darryl
 
Hey,
I shoot a 20 gauge exclusively for geese in the early season here in Ontario. It works just fine for me. I use #2 shot with a Patternmaster choke.
Ciao,
Angelo
 
So the 20 gauge is pushing it for geese is the group view. So is the 20 gauge good for Mallards over a beaver pond (am told is short range)? I looked into bismith and hevishot and wow is the stuff pricey!

Thanks for the help all
7.62man
 
When I was a kid my father told me about shooting geese over decoys that were coming in so close they used a 20 guage with #'4s ( lead).
However, steel shot is the most obscene piece of propaganda that ever hit the market IMHO!
I'd go with Bismuth , etc. steel is crap...
Cat
 
I never had any problem with #2 shot and the 20. I have used both the 20 and the 12 and for me personally I never noticed a difference except in the price of the shells.
 
We shoot a lot of geese each year. Within 35 yards a modified choke 20 ga. 3" with Kent Faststeel #3's kills 'em dead. Farther and you'll just cripple too many. My son used a 20 for several years, and it was OK within range limitations for Lesser Canadas, Ross' Snows and Specs. Not so good for greater Canadas unless 5-10 yds closer. Or use the expensive and more efficient Tungsten Matrix or Bismuth 4's for the big boys out to 35 yds. Bigger shot doesn't pattern worth a hoot. I have not tried the new heavy shot tungsten iron loads, they may be worth a look. Learn to judge distance, and your 20 ga. will work fine with steel, BUT don't try to stretch the range!
 
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