Goose hunting

L

Lexthedestroyer

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
15   0   0
Location
Abbotsford, BC
Hi all, thinking about going out into buddies field in a few weeks to take some shots at geese. My only issue is that I don't think I have an "ideal" gun for geese... my options are: 20 gauge semi-auto 3" with IC, IM, and Full choke tubes; dad's old 12 gauge, 3" pump fixed full choke; or my "tactical" 12 gauge pump fixed Cyl. I'm not adverse to spending a bit of money on some premium non-toxic loads, but I can't very well be buying another shotgun this close to Christmas, lol. Any insight on what my best bet would be? I'm leaning towards the full choked 12 gauge with some hevi-shot BB or some such thing...
 
20 gauge will work, 12 gauge is what I use as will a lot of people, between the two I'd use the 12 gauge. I'd also use BB ammo I like kent fast steel or black clouds as they're a good price and available but other brands can be as good or better I don't think I'd buy the highest end ammo though. I usually want 3 boxes with me or 75 rounds, some days I've gone through 50+ never 70 and other days I've gone through 4 rounds. #4 shot is the smallest I ever took a goose with but #2 is another option if you don't have access to a large shop. I use modified choke but if your dad's is a newer mossberg their full choke will accept steel (wholesale sports chokes shelf for 500 said full steel/lead and turkey lead only), my benelli full won't (or says it won't/shouldn't). Best of luck but if you're not puddle jumping I've never had luck field hunting without decoy's and blind. Not to be a downer :(
 
Last edited:
cupar1 said:
20 gauge will work, 12 gauge is what I use as will a lot of people, between the two I'd use the 12 gauge. I'd also use BB ammo I like kent fast steel or black clouds as they're a good price and available but other brands can be as good or better I don't think I'd buy the highest end ammo though. I usually want 3 boxes with me or 75 rounds, some days I've gone through 50+ never 70 and other days I've gone through 4 rounds. #4 shot is the smallest I ever took a goose with but #2 is another option if you don't have access to a large shop. I use modified choke but if your dad's is a newer mossberg their full choke will accept steel (wholesale sports chokes shelf for 500 said full steel/lead and turkey lead only), my benelli full won't (or says it won't/shouldn't). Best of luck but if you're not puddle jumping I've never had luck field hunting without decoy's and blind. Not to be a downer :(
Click to expand...

Dad's is almost certainly not steel friendly, it's an old Savage Springfield Model 67e. He said his uncle bought it for him as a thanks for helping him on the farm one summer. From my understanding, it is/was a cheap utility shotgun, but it's got some sentimental value, so I'd much rather not blow the end of it off trying to shoot 3" steel through an old fixed full... I suspect I won't have much luck either, but it's always good to get a few of the guys together with guns ;).
 
I have a 80's shotgun that's retired as it's $5400~ that's full choke but I shot steel out of it for years before hand and never an incident, steel in full is a huge debate you can probably find else where IMO steel can cause problems but I put odds at 1:20,000 people or 1:80,000,000 rounds. I'll accept those odds. (Those odds have been pulled from the fictional portion of my brain.) best of luck regardless :)
 
Use the 20 gauge with a modified choke tube in it along with some number 2 shot for the close birds and the bb for the further shots.
You dont mention if your going to be over decoy sets or pass shooting so thats another consideration.
Take the close shots let the bigger guns for the ones a bit longer out.
Rob
 
More details will help but......close in geese crumple hard with a twenty gauge but a twelve would be better suited for a bit longer shots. There are alternatives to steel shot for the full choke 12 gauge but you tend to pay a premium for that kind of ammo.
Get em close and run the twenty...respect the range you have. "Aim" for the cheek patch and you should be all over em.
 
If you wanna hook a brother up with a place to shoot geese, I probably have a Maverick 88 you can borrow for a day. Im busy until the 12th, but I dont think Canada's open until the 17th anyways??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom