Modern Wild Man: Modern Wild Man ~It's Goose Season!~

Goose Hunting Is a Passion!

Goose Season Is Open - Take 'Em!!

Hunting Geese Is a Waterfowlers Addiction

Goose hunting is a blast! I mean big ole' birds cruising by and working into your decoy spread is a rush. Canada geese migrate south following the snow and frozen lakes throughout the winter. Tough birds that thrive in brutally cold temperatures, geese are hard to bring down and a challenge to decoy.

The sight of 30 pound birds breaking the horizon and flying towards your setup is a great thrill. This season has proven to be a good goose season with cold fronts pushing birds down and into feed fields most of the winter. At Modern Wild Man we usually do our goose hunting in fields, and occasionally on water. This year's hunts have all been in the field so far, mostly on bean stubble fields, with a couple milo and corn stubble field hunts mixed in.

A nice afternoon hunt on a bean field, notice the blinds grassed in to hide.

Scout for Geese

The biggest part of a successful goose hunt is scouting. Finding flocks of geese in your area and pinpointing their feed fields is key. If you can identify where the geese are feeding, hopefully you can secure permission to hunt and setup before they migrate out of the area, or feed out the field. Little things affect goose habits and patterns, a change in the wind, sun, snow, or rain are likely to bring new birds into the area or just as likely to push birds out.

Once you locate the birds feed field and secure permission, setting up the hunt takes into consideration many factors. Geese are wary birds, and small details can cause them to flair or leave your spread without committing. Your setup must provide a place for a good hide. Canada geese are experts at picking out hiding hunters. It's always a contest between the hunter and the geese when it comes to a good hide, especially in late season. Details like shine, shadows or movement are deal breakers and will likely send birds packing. But, when it all comes together, when you get on the X in a field with a good place to hide, and the birds come dropping in, it makes for an amazing hunt.

Stacking up Canada Honkers!

Goose Decoy Spread

I primarily use full body decoys with a few shells mixed in. Setting up with the wind in mind, knowing the geese always like to work with the wind into their face, it's a trick to spread out decoys so that birds finish in close to the shooters. Many times decoy spreads need an adjustment or two after the first group of birds works to fine tune the landing hole. It's always a great feeling to watch a string of birds cup up their giant wings and come sailing into your spread with their feet down.

Getting a flock's attention with long and loud honks on a goose call, and working a group over the spread changing calling with clucks and spits and moans takes some practice and experience. Some days geese like to hear calling all the way into the decoys and other days the less calling the better, the birds body language will tell you how much to call. I prefer to let the birds work with little and softer calling once they decide they are going to make a pass over the decoys.

Popping up from a layout blind and picking out a target from a flock of landing geese takes a little practice, but man is it a rush. Firing 3" BB 12 gauge rounds at giant birds 20 yards out is a thrilling way to hunt.

I have been hunting Canada geese for more than 20 years now, and I never get tired of watching honkers finish in the decoys. I hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy some late season waterfowling this winter and that a goose hunt is on your list!