Hmmm... Canada geese...

N

NewToTheGame

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Embro, Ontario!!
I went hunting canada geese for the twice on the weekend. My first and second times. My question is, are these things bullet proof??

Now maybe I am just missing, but the geese were fairly close, coming in to land on a pond that was behind me. Some were head on, some from the side. Every shot I took, the geese seemed to take note that they were being shot at, and they would quickly change direction and honk at me in a "laughing" kind of way...

Any tips?

Oh by the way, I a. Using 2-3/4" BB winchester high speed steel with my win 1200 choked at full...

Also, how long can I expect geese in south west ontario?

Thanks!
 
Have you patterned your shotgun with the shot? Do a search about steel shot with full choke and the concensus seems to feel that a modified choke is more suitable for steel shot; just a thought.
 
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Canadas are very large birds and may seem closer then they really are, for them to be within 40 yds. you must clearly be able to make out the patch on their cheek. That range is marginal with steel shot and 23/4" shells. I use the fastest 3" or 3 1/2" Steel BBs for those ranges and minimal lead is required. They are large and tough birds and require good hits or you will wound them, similar to ducks, I prefer using heavi-shot especially if limited to 2 3/4" but the cost is prohibitive. You will get some on here that will say "I use my 20 gauge on 'em", and this may be,but in your case, just starting out, you need a closer target, maybe some practice, and maybe a heavier payload. One other consideration is that Canadas appear to be flying alot slower then they really are and it is very easy to shoot behind them IMHO.
 
ben hunchak said:
Canadas are very large birds and may seem closer then they really are, for them to be within 40 yds. you must clearly be able to make out the patch on their cheek. That range is marginal with steel shot and 23/4" shells. I use the fastest 3" or 3 1/2" Steel BBs for those ranges and minimal lead is required. They are large and tough birds and require good hits or you will wound them, similar to ducks, I prefer using heavi-shot especially if limited to 2 3/4" but the cost is prohibitive. You will get some on here that will say "I use my 20 gauge on 'em", and this may be,but in your case, just starting out, you need a closer target, maybe some practice, and maybe a heavier payload. One other consideration is that Canadas appear to be flying alot slower then they really are and it is very easy to shoot behind them IMHO.
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I'm one of those guys that uses a 20 on them, but I shoot a lot of skeet - about 100 birds every weekend all year. I do not make a habit of shooting them at 40 yards if I can get them into 30.
However, as my good friend just posted, full chokes and steel are a no- no unless they are desiganated full for steel, and I suspect yours is not.
If you have a Winchoke system on your gun, go to an IC choke and you will see an improvement. Steel does not compress like lead, and needs a very open choke and fast speeds to work well.
Also, 40 yards is getting out there for someone that is not acustomed to shooting at geese at those ranges.
So, don't get discouraged, get a bit closer, and get some clay shooting practise!:)
Cat
 
Try "Black Cloud" ammo, expensive but it is rather nasty stuff.

As others have said those honkers are real tough birds. With a 2 3/4" shell best to get them within 30 yards. 3" are better on geese.
 
I agree with the above posts re: patterning and choke. I would like to add that if you are used to hunting / shooting with lead, chances are you may be giving them way too much lead. On geese, within range, I hold on the tip of their beak. Good steel is moving considerably faster then the fastest lead, and those of us who were/are used to shooting lead can have a hard time relearning how to lead flying birds. I still have a hell of a time with ducks, usually hitting more farther away then close.

One other thing, you can usually hear the pellets passing through their feathers. So if you are not hearing that, then you are not hitting them. BB's should hit hard enough, they do out of my 2 3/4", but I use a skeet choke, not full.

Pattern your gun and then try leading less (inside 35 on decoying birds I would hold on their head or neck). Let us know if you work it out.
 
Wrong Way said:
I find the look, taste and texture of Canada's somewhat similar to beef....esp. if prepared like a beef dish. I shoot so many gees in a year I have taken to turning 90% of them into jerky now though....good stuff :D
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Yes, yes, and yes. Although I have also had goose that tasted close to liver. Luckily I don't mind liver.
 
Ok, I will start with changing to my skeet choke, and see how that helps this weekend. From what I am hearing, I think I am leading too much. Most of my shotgunning is shooting trap weekly.

Thanks for all the tips so far! Keep them coming!
 
NewToTheGame said:
Ok, I will start with changing to my skeet choke, and see how that helps this weekend. From what I am hearing, I think I am leading too much. Most of my shotgunning is shooting trap weekly.

Thanks for all the tips so far! Keep them coming!
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That open choke will do a world of good for you, just remember to swing past the white patch!:)
Many geese that we have killed this year were shot at before, and we found several that were body shot with BBB ( none of us use that size) and we found pellets throughout the bodies.
I concentrate on swinging through the same as I do when shooting skeet.
Cat
 
Geese are tough buggers!! I've seen them hit HARD at about 40 yards fall half way to the ground and then spread their wings and start flying again.


But, body, beek, BOOM!

And, I bought a single shot 10 gauge a couple years ago to stop them laughing at me.
 
As for long they stay.... in southern Ontario we have lots of resident geese as well that don't migrate, and if you live in a township that has the 10 day hunt in march you can even get geese then.
 
They aren't particularly hard to kill, but you have to hit them in the head and neck. While you don't need a lot of lead, ppl gets in the habit of looking at the big fat body and wing and end up shooting behind. Look only at the head and try to hit it like a mini on clay.
 
Well, if you can still toss a football like you did back in '82; what was it, a quarter mile? Then you could just knock them out of the sky.
 
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