Noob question --> Goose Hunting: morning or evening and why?

emilio613

emilio613

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Hey folks, searched this everywhere but can't find a definite answer.

I am going to try my hand at goose hunting this year (finally, last year was a screw up and it never happened), and my question is this:

Is there any reason hunters prefer to go hunting in the morning rather than evening?

I would feel that in the evening, geese are coming into the fields to rest, hence providing a better opportunity (well, aside from the PETA/Liberal patrol making sure no one is hurting anything, as they drive home from work).

I don't understand the reasoning behind early morning hunts, as I would think the birds are leaving the fields at that point.

I know it may sound stupid. However, I would GREATLY appreciate a reply, so that I can be successful this year!

My dad wants to join me, and it was him that brought it up. He said we should go in the evening...I dunno....
 
No.

Geese GOES to the field to feed am and pm. They sleep on water. So morning and evening hunts can both be productive providing you are where they want to be. Evening hunts are great because you don't have to wake up early, but morning hunt you can see the sun rise and all the animals waking up and all that jazz.
 
sherlockbonez said:
No.

Geese GOES to the field to feed am and pm. They sleep on water. So morning and evening hunts can both be productive providing you are where they want to be. Evening hunts are great because you don't have to wake up early, but morning hunt you can see the sun rise and all the animals waking up and all that jazz.
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Ah, ok thanks :)

So its more a preference thing? Although I have heard that geese are more consistent in the mornings (As in, always hitting the same spots on fields etc).

Well good to know.

Thanks!

So I guess its best to show up before sunrise (way before) to set up, or to be there by 5pm later on when it gets dark early?
 
It depends on how you scout. If you "put a field to bed" - ie. watch the geese right til dark and see them leave, then the odds are very good they will back there in the a.m. Same thing for evenings except you scout in the a.m. and again they are likely going to be there that night. And either way, get there well in advance of your anticipated flight time and be well set up, well camoflagued and ready to go.
 
sherlockbonez said:
No.

Geese GOES to the field to feed am and pm. They sleep on water. So morning and evening hunts can both be productive providing you are where they want to be. Evening hunts are great because you don't have to wake up early, but morning hunt you can see the sun rise and all the animals waking up and all that jazz.
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Agreed except they don't always sleep on water. I've watched huge flocks take off from fields in the morning.
 
We kill our geese in fields in the morning and on the water in the evening.

Never really had a good evening field hunt as the birds where we are typically feed late and the evening flight is more just them staging in fields.
 
I have hunted productive fields in both the morning and the evening for geese. Ducks on the otherhand, I normally have luck in the morning.

We normally go out an hour before sunrise and set up the decoys. Couple of guys are calling and we all take turns retrieving. Good fun!
 
goosehd said:
I have hunted productive fields in both the morning and the evening for geese. Ducks on the otherhand, I normally have luck in the morning.

We normally go out an hour before sunrise and set up the decoys. Couple of guys are calling and we all take turns retrieving. Good fun!
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Sounds good! That's exactly what I would like to do. Get my friend to finish up his courses/hunters ed, and take him out with me (if his wife lets him buy a gun ... :rolleyes: she's worse than some liberal! LOL)

I wish I could find some used decoys (just a dozen) to start out with, since the stores keep getting more and more expensive!
 
2233 said:
It depends on how you scout. If you "put a field to bed" - ie. watch the geese right til dark and see them leave, then the odds are very good they will back there in the a.m. Same thing for evenings except you scout in the a.m. and again they are likely going to be there that night. And either way, get there well in advance of your anticipated flight time and be well set up, well camoflagued and ready to go.
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This has always worked for me.
 
Thinking said:
I like morning field hunts for geese, that leaves the later morning/early afternoon free for grouse, and/or the evening free for ducks on the water.
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Ah! A multi tasker :) Well played!

I would hunting in areas without grouse (well, there may be, but no access to that area). The grouse will be at a buddy's cottage land, so that's during deer season or whatnot.

:)
 
Nothing beats an evening goose hunt over water...By far my favorite hunting!! We usually hunt fields in the morning, and on water for the evening.
 
You have received some good advice here by a few fellows and I would like to add having a few years at this myself now, about 32 to be exact. Morning hunts in fields tend to be more consistent producers. Early morning light is much dimmer and the birds have a harder time picking out imperfections in your setup. Afternoons the sun is high regardless of overcast skies or not so it becomes easier for the birds to see you. As stated scouting and how you scout are very important to success. Poor scouting results in poor shooting opportunities. If we can we put the birds to bed so to speak and we watch for them in the a.m to see their line of approach and "the spot" on the field they want to land on before spreading out feeding.That spot is known as the"X". Getting set up on the "X" ups your odds immensely for success. As for decoys I realize that they do not come cheap any more but a 6 pack of good realistic looking dekes is better than a dozen or so used ratty looking decoys of a lesser brand like Crappy Tire sells. In goose and duck hunting less is often more and a guy can purchase a half dozen each year of good quality realistic looking decoys and build a spread in a few short seasons to what he wants if big numbers are required. Look at Cabelas, they have Bigfoot B2's on for $119/6 pack. I have 3 dozen of them and they sucker birds in very well. Good luck in your new adventure.

P.S If you want to have good quality shooting in your fields during the duration of the season then I would ignore the advice to shoot geese in the evening on water. You bust the roost, the geese are gone! If they have nowhere safe to rest overnight they move on. No different than us, if your house burns down while you are at work you have nowhere to live when you get home so you burn down the goose's house he has to move too! If you ae going to shoot water and yes it is a fun way to hunt, then find where they are going for a drink and rest after their morning feeding. Often it is nowhere near their roost and you can hammer them on their drinking/loafing spot and not push them out of the area completely.
 
Up here in the north we tend to hunt during the early morning and early evening as during the day unless you're at a marshy area you won't see them. LOTS of geese flying over town at nite going south right now ... I can hear them honk nightly! ;) :D

Otokiak
Rankin Inlet, NU
CANADA
 
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