Goose Hunting - Fields

sean18mb

sean18mb

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Turner Valley, AB
Hey all,

I've never gone goose hunting before, but this year I will probably go out with my brother and dad. Anyways, does anyone have any tips/techniques, books, or websites I could see that would help me to better set up to get a few geese?

I've read a little bit about goose hunting, but I would like to know how I should be setting up a decoy spread, what kinds of calls I should be using, etc.

Thanks!

-Sean
 
you dont need alot of dekes, I used to have a dozen and killed just as many then as I do now with five dozen

Wind direction plays a big part in setup. If you're hunting along a fence or brushline, set the dekes according to the wind, but keep them within 30 yards or less so you dont get any long shots. If you're hunting in a goose chair or coffin blind and setup in a middle of a field, then position the dekes in a C or V shape and put your blind in the head of the spread so the geese will be landing into the wind in the hole of your spread

:)
 
Tips

Sean make sure the wind is always at your back.
When you pic a call to use try to find a single reed ,as they blow easier
Longer lenth calls some times known as flutes are also easy to blow
Learn the basic honk and do it consistantly and you'll have some sucess.
Many goose outfitters are putting the majority of the decoys behind the blinds with a few infront of your blind. we use layout style blinds and fill the side staps with what ever kind of straw thats in the field.
Things that shine scare geese off, don't let your decoys get frosty over night get a goose flag to wave a distant geese as movement in your spread can attract geese.
When geese are coming into your spread watch fot the feet to come down, as that gives you a good indicater that they are in range. Geese are big birds and can look alot closer than they are.
Use ammo that is 1550 fps and BB or size 1
Theres a few things to give you a start. FS
 
If you get a frost on your decoys. you might as wellll pack it in for the day. It will cause a glare and scare the birds away. Be still when the birds are getting close. They can see movement good. Wear whites and sit in with your white decoys. They can not tell the differance. And remember to leed your shots so they fly into the shot pattern.
 
What is most important is to be in a field where the geese want to be, and have been there feeding for a few days already. Then, you almost can't shoot them away! I can't stress enough how important it is to scout out a good field, and get in the right spot.
 
Be careful not to set your spread to close to hedges, trees or woods, or anything that might be intimidating to the birds.

When calling, try just some soft murmurs when they are in close, don't get to carried away. You can even try just to stop calling as they are coming in, depending how confident / experienced you are in the calling department. If they pass and look like they are going away, give'r all you got, every call as long and aggressive as possible, once they turn back slow it down to a few honks and murmurs. You just need to read the birds...

GoodLuck!
 
Grouse man said it right. If you are in right location you don't actually need decoys, calls or anything but some stubble to hide under. All the " extras" help, but scouting the geese a couple days ahead, figuring out their feeding patterns, and setting up in the right spot is ESSENTIAL!
 
Thanks guys!

There are a couple fields around home here holding good numbers of geese. It has been like that for a week or so now. All I need to do is talk to the landowner and get permission. I have 12 decoys from last season, but I never went hunting.

If I get out I'll definitely let you all know how things went!

Thanks!

-Sean
 
I take it neither your dad or brother have hunted geese either. It's really helpful to have an experienced goose hunter with you, at least once to show you the ropes. How to set decoys, where to lay, how to hide, how/when to call, when to shoot, etc. You've got a great recipe so far - geese in a field with permission - for a very good hunt.

But I'm sure you could convince somebody to come along and help you out! :D
 
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My dad hunted geese many many years ago, maybe one time. But no, other than that, we have not hunted geese.

I still have not had time to get permission. That's basically what's holding me up. The municipal office is only open weekdays, and I have not been able to get time to go and ask for the landowners address.

Depending on how things go with the permission, I just might have to "convince" someone to show me the ropes.;) It's always nice to have someone who actually knows what they are doing!

Oh, one other thing. How important is camo clothing? I don't have any fancy blinds or anything. $$$ is a little tight, but would hiding under some camo burlap do the trick? Would the geese notice the shotguns and our faces if they were exposed, but everything else was hidden?

The field has been plowed over, so it's not a nice stubble field. But the geese are landing there, so it's probably one of the better locations around where I am.

Thanks for all the help!

-Sean
 
If cash is tight, go to Army Surplus, they had 5- combo deke bags/laydown blinds left (out of 20 yesterday). Regular price 250$ sale price 37.50$ I should have bought all of them! They're right behind the clear plastic air soft guns. Good luck!
 
Camo clothing allows you to lay in the open - just don't move. You can lay under straw, under burlap, camo burlap, behind a blind, etc. as long as you disguise your outline and don't move, you're fine.
 
A bright shining face is the most likely part of you that will spook geese. I like to use a balaclava, face net or cover the lower part of my face with a flap of mesh or burlap while in a layout blind. Camo clothing is not essential, but dull, neutral colour is. MOVEMENT is what spooks most game, geese included. Stay still when they approach within 200 yards. When you decide to shoot, do it quickly and in one motion.
 
Alright, thanks fellas!

I still have not had time to get permission. I might have time Monday to sneak by the Municipal office, but we'll see! Aargh! My boss lives in the area, too, and at his house the other morning I could hear some shots being fired in a field somewhere nearby. Hearing that just made me want to quit work right there and go hunting! lol

-Sean
 
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