Goose Hunting

[Mish]

I'm thinking of trying goose hunting. I want to go with my uncle who is an avid duck/goose hunter...I know he'd love to teach someone how to hunt, so I want to surprise him and get all my research and paperwork done ahead of time. I've never hunted anything, so I'm really lost as to where to start. I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction!

[7 REM MAG]

well first and foremost your going to need a shotgun that you can use whether you buy your own or borrow one is up to you. just a few tips, birds always have to land into the wind so you want to have the wind at your back, be atleast half a mile away from roosts when field hunting, bad calling is worse than no calling at all so its good to learn but bad calling can lead to flaring birds and a bad hunt, the typical J U or X shape spread is usually a good start then modify when if the field but you dont want the spread to have solid lines so have wavy lines

[nube]

Mish, Pm me if you need some help with some of your questions. I'm an outfitter and could help you out and if you want to buy some gear I can see what I have and sell you some at a fair price and save you from buying junk or new gear and have a good time. It does not take much to get started and it depends on what you want to spend.

[theduke]

first you'll need to take your first time hunters test(u can take the course or just take the test, and then you can buy ur tags and all that stuff, then yu'll need a gun, and if ur incle hunts outaa a blind and doesnt have one for you u might need one if he doesnt ur fine and u just use his decoys, i enjoy hunting waterfowl more then big game cuz of the action all day long....in some of my spots i can limit out in a couple of hours with 3 other of my hunting buddies but can enjoy it at times when its slow

[bobbypetrolia]

Get your hunter safety.
Then I would strongly suggest before buying a shotgun and gear (dekes, blinds, calls, camo, etc) that you sit in on a hunt or two and get a feel for what its like. You may find you don't like it as much as you originally thought and now you are stuck with alot of useless waterfowl gear. Or.......you might love it. Just a suggestion.

[Albertabowhunter]

I'm sure if your uncle hunts alot he probably has everything you need for gear, and I'm sure he can do the calling. I would suggest hitting some trap or skeet ranges and practice on a few targets... learn how to swing/lead on a bird. Let your uncle call the shots, and learn why and when you shoot. THe only other thing you may need is some camo, or some nutral coloured clothing a nd some camo netting works well as well. any surplaus place should have both for cheap.... but I'd recommend tan colored for most field shooting setups... . some wear all white.

But, if you want to buy a call, thats realatively cheap and not so hard to use, try an OLT... they seem to do the job fairly well. For a gun, if your looking to buy, I'd suggest something like a Reminton 870 express in 3". very versatile/reliable gun and with the interchangable choke tubes or barrels you can use it for many different styles of hunting or sport shooting. As for camo for birds, I'd recommend a desert pattern the tan should blend in with most enviroments. Or if you want to be more realistic find a grass or reed pattern. As for blinds... gosh there are so many different pop up blinds now... but I use camo netting, for the cost it is really the answer. I do agree that the sled style blinds are the cats meow for staying out of the dirt, but if its dry... you really dont need to go that extravagant right away.

WEll, no matter how you decide to pursue the mighty goose... Have fun.... keep the wind at your back and 'TAKE EM!

[winged1]

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction!

How about your uncle. The satisfaction of hunting is enhanced when you can mentor a youngster.

[theduke]

Originally Posted by winged1

How about your uncle. The satisfaction of hunting is enhanced when you can mentor a youngster.

true, my lil cusin is 5 years old and for some reason i have this urge to teach him how to shoot and hunt(his mother wont let me, i wanna take him into the goose blind this year), and one of my other cusins im teaching him bow hunting and archery and he came to me about it so im very pleased that he did

[Cowtown guy]

Don't forget to buy another alarm clock. Have a bunch of alarms set because the days are verrrrry early in the early season. LOL

Mish in all seriousness I think your uncle would be tickled pink (no pun intended) to have you along. Talk to him so you aren't doubling up on gear that can get pricey.

Here is a thought. If you have a video recorder you could offer to come out with him one morning and record a hunt of his. This way you could get a feel for what is involved with the hunt and decide after that if you want to spend the coin to pursue it. If you do decide to pursue it, find someone with a skeet thrower and do some practicing at the range.
Goose hunting is by far my favorite and I think everyone should try it at least once.

[Tako]

Freakin do it. Most fun you can have with a gun in your hands. You'll be addicted beyond hope.

[BUD]

Sit in the ditch between the lake where they stay and the field where their feeding , and keep your head down , no black or red hats , no movements.
No need for a bunch of expensive gear , rubber boots and a warm parka in olive light green or tan , lotsa smokes and a choclate bar , yer good ta go.

[Cowtown guy]

Mish, The best way is to scout the fields that the geese are feeding in, obtain permission, then set up in that field in the morning.
Sitting in the ditch to sky bust them as they fly over is hit and miss at best and can turn into a nasty altercation with fellow hunters if their hunt is screwed up because someone is too lazy to do things properly. Not to mention that you are losing 90% of the experience of goose hunting.
Sky busting can also lead to wounded birds instead of quick kills because geese can be tough critters. The ranges are not consistent and too many people believe that they are way better shooters than they really are.
This is just my opinion of course. BUD is probably trolling again so I hope I didn't start anything. It wasn't my intention to go that way.

Originally Posted by BUD

Sit in the ditch between the lake where they stay and the field where their feeding , and keep your head down , no black or red hats , no movements.
No need for a bunch of expensive gear , rubber boots and a warm parka in olive light green or tan , lotsa smokes and a choclate bar , yer good ta go.

Hey Bud what if mish only has black and red hats and dosent smoke or eat choclate bar's.

Sit in the ditch

[7 REM MAG]

people who ditch hunt really pi** me off, ive had more than one good hunt ruined because of someone too lazy to find their own field to hunt in after i beat them to getting permission, do it right and you'll have more fun

[Mish]

Originally Posted by Cowtown guy

Don't forget to buy another alarm clock. Have a bunch of alarms set because the days are verrrrry early in the early season. LOL

Mish in all seriousness I think your uncle would be tickled pink (no pun intended) to have you along. Talk to him so you aren't doubling up on gear that can get pricey.

Here is a thought. If you have a video recorder you could offer to come out with him one morning and record a hunt of his. This way you could get a feel for what is involved with the hunt and decide after that if you want to spend the coin to pursue it. If you do decide to pursue it, find someone with a skeet thrower and do some practicing at the range.
Goose hunting is by far my favorite and I think everyone should try it at least once.

Great idea, I may have to borrow video camera and ask him to let me tag along! Thanks for all the replies, guys, every one has been really helpful. I'm sure my uncle has equipment for me to borrow and knowhow for me to absorb, I was mostly looking for what I would need in terms of paperwork and whatnot...he's the type that is really impressed when you do all your research and get your act together first, lol.

[FallAirFever]

Mish,

Being that you are in Calgary there is no better place to get information on getting your paper work, taking hunter training... then AHEIA. www.aheia.com is the website and they will get you going in the right direction. Looks like they are running a hunters training course starting May 6 and another mid-June. Or you could take the course on line then you can by your license. Aheia also has the firearms course, if you want to buy a shotgun. The gun club near Dewinton is ran by Aheia, its a great place to practice your shot gunning skills. There are at least a few guys on here that are members at that club that would be willing to head there and let you squeeze off a few rounds at some clays. There are gun rentals available there so you could try out a few different ones.

Good Luck!

Originally Posted by 7 REM MAG

people who ditch hunt really pi** me off, ive had more than one good hunt ruined because of someone too lazy to find their own field to hunt in after i beat them to getting permission, do it right and you'll have more fun

Lol, drives me crazy too. Take all the time to set up and than someone strolls down to the ditch and ruins the whole thing. I'd rather they come and ask to hunt with us, at least everyone can have a shot at some birds then.

[drake]

Originally Posted by 7 REM MAG

people who ditch hunt really pi** me off, ive had more than one good hunt ruined because of someone too lazy to find their own field to hunt in after i beat them to getting permission, do it right and you'll have more fun

Ive never had this happen to me. What has happend though, is getting to a field in the morning, only to find another group setting up. This can be frustrating. If conditions are right, and it is safe to do so, i will usually invite the other party to join my group. If not, i try to have a back up plan. If all else fails, i pack up and use the morning to spot.

Moral of the story......if you want a stress free hunt, remeber to ask your landowner if he has given anyone else permission for that day.

[BUD]

Originally Posted by Cowtown guy

Mish, The best way is to scout the fields that the geese are feeding in, obtain permission, then set up in that field in the morning.
Sitting in the ditch to sky bust them as they fly over is hit and miss at best and can turn into a nasty altercation with fellow hunters if their hunt is screwed up because someone is too lazy to do things properly. Not to mention that you are losing 90% of the experience of goose hunting.
Sky busting can also lead to wounded birds instead of quick kills because geese can be tough critters. The ranges are not consistent and too many people believe that they are way better shooters than they really are.
This is just my opinion of course. BUD is probably trolling again so I hope I didn't start anything. It wasn't my intention to go that way.

So what your saying that because you have permission in a field and do a lot of work setting up decoys and all that that gives you exclusive rights to all the geese in the area , not in my books it dont , and as far as a ditch shooter sky bustin , what are you doing in the field , same thing .
Why do you think your way is the proper way , l,m shooting geese , am l not , we get geese any way we can legaly one way or another , if a farmer wont give me permission in a field then l,ll be ditch shootin.
l,ve done lots of field shootin too, and if someone shoots the ditch ajacent to our field , so what , l dont own the geese , most cases the geese still come in anyway if your setup is ok.
l,ve got my limit of geese from the ditch lots of times too , some excelent pass shooting is to be had on a windy day when they fly low.As far as ethics is concerned , well if they want to sweat and dig in thats their business , but l,m not bowing down to them because of that , l have my rights to shoot at geese just as much as they do.

[Cowtown guy]

No real surprise BUD that you wouldn't see what is wrong with this. The point of this thread was to give someone info on goose shooting. Not to put a newcomer into a potentially confrontational situation.

Check my post BUD. I didn't say I had exclusive rights to all the geese in the area.

Sky busting and decoy shooting are not the same thing. Are you kidding me? I set up to have the geese in my face. Most shots are less than 20 yards. Those of us who take the time to do it right don't have lots of cripples to chase down either. Most who ditch hunt wound many birds in the process of a morning hunt. What do you do BUD when a bird is crippled and lands in the farmer's field? I would bet you just hop the fence and go after it. If you even bother. Why is this wrong? It is trespassing. Without permission you can't go in the field to get the bird. Without permission to get that bird it will lay there and suffer for hours maybe even a couple of days until a coyote finds it. You mentioned ethics. Is this ethical? NO! It is our responsibility as hunters to do what we can to humanely harvest the game we pursue. Gee I wonder why you have the confrontations that you were reporting on this board during hunting season. Oh wait no I don't.

[duffy4]

One thing I might add.
The first time out might not be so great. If so give it another chance. Goose hunting like all other hunting depends on a lot of variables and some luck.
I took my wife out for a goose shoot her first time and it was windy and drissling and sleet was in our faces as we sat in a muddy blind. I know this may sound like the perfect goos hunt to you veterans. But the geese did not come that morning and my wife did not enjoy the event. She has not expressed a disire to go goose hunting again.

One morning up at the inlaws farm It was overcast and windy and I set out some deeks and put up a quick willow blind. I had my limit of fat canadas in no time and spent some time just bringing them in to land in front of me.

Two days later I sat in the same spot with my kids in the blind. The sky was blue with not a breeze and the birds were shy. We did not fire a shot.

Good luck to you and your uncle.

Robin in Rocky

[BUD]

Originally Posted by Cowtown guy

No real surprise BUD that you wouldn't see what is wrong with this. The point of this thread was to give someone info on goose shooting. Not to put a newcomer into a potentially confrontational situation.

Check my post BUD. I didn't say I had exclusive rights to all the geese in the area.

Sky busting and decoy shooting are not the same thing. Are you kidding me? I set up to have the geese in my face. Most shots are less than 20 yards. Those of us who take the time to do it right don't have lots of cripples to chase down either. Most who ditch hunt wound many birds in the process of a morning hunt. What do you do BUD when a bird is crippled and lands in the farmer's field? I would bet you just hop the fence and go after it. If you even bother. Why is this wrong? It is trespassing. Without permission you can't go in the field to get the bird. Without permission to get that bird it will lay there and suffer for hours maybe even a couple of days until a coyote finds it. You mentioned ethics. Is this ethical? NO! It is our responsibility as hunters to do what we can to humanely harvest the game we pursue. Gee I wonder why you have the confrontations that you were reporting on this board during hunting season. Oh wait no I don't.

First off l dont sky bust at birds out of range , very seldom do l cripple , and if l do the dog go,s in and gets it , guess the dog will get the tresspassing ticket then.
Also like l said , l have set up in fields many , many times under my home made decoys and have geese land in my face also , in fact up at youngstown one time l had a goose land right on top of my pit cover , could have grabbed it by the leg.
Around Calgary theres no need to pit in , just a gunnie sack blind to look like a hay bale is all l use now.
No way is the proper way , the right way is any way you can get geese , its all fun.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by BUD

First off l dont sky bust at birds out of range , very seldom do l cripple , and if l do the dog go,s in and gets it , guess the dog will get the tresspassing ticket then.
Also like l said , l have set up in fields many , many times under my home made decoys and have geese land in my face also , in fact up at youngstown one time l had a goose land right on top of my pit cover , could have grabbed it by the leg.
Around Calgary theres no need to pit in , just a gunnie sack blind to look like a hay bale is all l use now.
No way is the proper way , the right way is any way you can get geese , its all fun.

Where is you shot falling Bud? You by the very fact of having your shot fall on lands you have no permission on are, hunting without permission, and or Trespassing.
See how this sort of behaviour nets the use of a mighty wide brush for all who hunt to be painted with. Think about the big picture.

[drake]

Originally Posted by BUD

First off l dont sky bust at birds out of range , very seldom do l cripple , and if l do the dog go,s in and gets it , guess the dog will get the tresspassing ticket then.
Also like l said , l have set up in fields many , many times under my home made decoys and have geese land in my face also , in fact up at youngstown one time l had a goose land right on top of my pit cover , could have grabbed it by the leg.
Around Calgary theres no need to pit in , just a gunnie sack blind to look like a hay bale is all l use now.
No way is the proper way , the right way is any way you can get geese , its all fun.

WOW...lol. "guess the dog will get the tresspassing ticket then"......um sorry sir, YOU will. You're so adiment about "getting geese any way you can", if that was what it was all about we would all ground swat birds.

Im sure someone has had "the best shoot of their life" from a ditch, but believe me, the experience doesnt come close to good day hunting over decoys.

discuss.....

[DAVE]

Originally Posted by BUD

First off l dont sky bust at birds out of range , very seldom do l cripple , and if l do the dog go,s in and gets it , guess the dog will get the tresspassing ticket then.
Also like l said , l have set up in fields many , many times under my home made decoys and have geese land in my face also , in fact up at youngstown one time l had a goose land right on top of my pit cover , could have grabbed it by the leg.
Around Calgary theres no need to pit in , just a gunnie sack blind to look like a hay bale is all l use now.
No way is the proper way , the right way is any way you can get geese , its all fun.

THANK YOU FOR SAYING YOU HUNT AROUND CALGARY

people who ditch hunt really pi** me off, ive had more than one good hunt ruined because of someone too lazy to find their own field to hunt in after i beat them to getting permission, do it right and you'll have more fun

This happens all too often.Some clown shoots at the geese as they pass out of range and cripples a goose or two and scares the rest off.

guess the dog will get the tresspassing ticket then"

Coming from Bud,that is no surprise.Sending your dog onto private property that you don't have permission to access to retrieve birds is trespassing.

[theduke]

Originally Posted by Cowtown guy

Don't forget to buy another alarm clock. Have a bunch of alarms set because the days are verrrrry early in the early season. LOL

Mish in all seriousness I think your uncle would be tickled pink (no pun intended) to have you along. Talk to him so you aren't doubling up on gear that can get pricey.

Here is a thought. If you have a video recorder you could offer to come out with him one morning and record a hunt of his. This way you could get a feel for what is involved with the hunt and decide after that if you want to spend the coin to pursue it. If you do decide to pursue it, find someone with a skeet thrower and do some practicing at the range.
Goose hunting is by far my favorite and I think everyone should try it at least once.

lol were looking for someone to record one of our hunts

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by theduke

lol were looking for someone to record one of our hunts

I bought a camera at a Boxing day sale and plan to record a few this year myself. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by DAVE

THANK YOU FOR SAYING YOU HUNT AROUND CALGARY

It is hard enough to find landowners around here to let me hunt because of slob attitudes like the above mentioned. It takes alot of looking and putting up with comments such as Calgary hunters don't have respect for the land. It is not hard to see why.

By the way not all of us are like this. Please don't spread the word that all Calgarians are road hunters.

[theduke]

Originally Posted by Cowtown guy

It is hard enough to find landowners around here to let me hunt because of slob attitudes like the above mentioned. It takes alot of looking and putting up with comments such as Calgary hunters don't have respect for the land. It is not hard to see why.

By the way not all of us are like this. Please don't spread the word that all Calgarians are road hunters.

thats ture i was denied one of the best spots 15 mins away from calgary last year, cuz the year before some dumb dumb shot one of the guys cows, this guys everyyear has no word of a lie 3000 geese on his land everyday, with a nice big pond in his land. people ruin it for others. i send this guy a bottle of whiskey once a year now hoping he'll change his mind