Geese

[Deerhunter22]

Hi,

I have forestry with a lot of it felled and some of the forestry is just large wide grass tracks etc, multiple times I’ve been out dawn and at dusk and heard the geese a little away but obviously not out of hearing distance

Never tried decoying them but curious if you think they’d land on forestry felled lands if I put some decoys out and tried calling them too

Anyone else has similar situation and had luck ? Will give it a bash but just curious if it’s a non starter before I bother. I always thought likes of geese would want just pure open fields with some crop cover remnants etc, never tried for geese was going to try wildfowling for first time this coming season too

 

[old 30-06]

I think you could be on a wild goose chase with your idea. However, why not give it a try ? It may help if you can get a large clear plastic sheet to lay on the ground and "simulate" water.

 

[Deerhunter22]

I think you could be on a wild goose chase with your idea. However, why not give it a try ? It may help if you can get a large clear plastic sheet to lay on the ground and "simulate" water.

Well I’ve seen a small flock maybe 3-4 pass over yday right where I thought I’d put a blind at so there’s every chance, the Forestry has fields either side especially right by the bit I’m thinking of trying so as long as could get them to fly over then I’d have a shot just need to figure out how to do that. Maybe best with some decoys but just calling them if I hear them in the distance

 

[Mike1979]

I can think of worse ways to spend an hour but dont really rate your chances of success...but if you dont try you will never know

 

[Deerhunter22]

I can think of worse ways to spend an hour but dont really rate your chances of success...but if you dont try you will never know

I don’t really rate my odds either ik what it is Geese look for/need and will get out wildfowling to hunt them if it fails but was out yday and seen a small flock fly over right where I’d be in range I think it’s cause I have fields either side and so have to transit over, then question is how low will they transit. I think there’s a chance of success but I need to get them low enough but looks like there travelling where I’d be in range to shoot

 

[Mike1979]

I don’t really rate my odds either ik what it is Geese look for/need and will get out wildfowling to hunt them if it fails but was out yday and seen a small flock fly over right where I’d be in range I think it’s cause I have fields either side and so have to transit over, then question is how low will they transit. I think there’s a chance of success but I need to get them low enough but looks like there travelling where I’d be in range to shoot

Worth a try and even if you get one its a success

 

[old 30-06]

My experience is that in the very early part of the season the birds will normally fly at a reasonable height, well within range. If the forestry flight line works then that is a big bonus for you. If it does not, then you will not have expended a lot of effort, and you will have had the pleasure of a wild goose chase !

 

[Deerhunter22]

My experience is that in the very early part of the season the birds will normally fly at a reasonable height, well within range. If the forestry flight line works then that is a big bonus for you. If it does not, then you will not have expended a lot of effort, and you will have had the pleasure of a wild goose chase !

love that “a wild goose chase” Sure would be, I think it’s on a flight line anyways but it’s worth a shot it’s just a case of wait and see what happens I guess once I go to try

Might try for the grouse instead the grounds got a fair chunk of a Muir to shoot over aswell. Not seen the Grouse but ik there on the Muir so worth a shot but of course need to wait for the season

 

[WalkedUp]

What dogs do you have for the grouse?

 

[Tim.243]

Stubble fields, decent hide lots of decoys or get under a flight line. Give them twice as much lead as you think as they cover a lot of yds per wing beat.

 

[Deerhunter22]

What dogs do you have for the grouse?

Got a few spaniels my retriever isn’t much use tbh and friends with gundogs would make it an outing

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hmmm.
Been on a goose trip - lying in a hedge whilst guide did an amazing job of calling the skeins in; then stood up and fired 3 shots, repeat then repeat….
Never tempted to go back to the firing squad…..

 

[Deerhunter22]

Hmmm.
Been on a goose trip - lying in a hedge whilst guide did an amazing job of calling the skeins in; then stood up and fired 3 shots, repeat then repeat….
Never tempted to go back to the firing squad…..

I could go shooting geese with a guide if I wished but it’s not my cup of tea and I’m not interested in shooting tonnes I want some for the plate that’s all

Same with pheasant shooting I don’t mind a small diy driven day through the season but big bird days are not my
Jam plus are expensive as heck so just aswell it’s not my jam

 

[mudman]

I would try and estimate their usual route, and then wait until they have a good head wind and attempt to shoot them flying over.

I have been known to stand behind a hedge with a rifle for deer and a big bore shotgun for the flighting geese

 

[Longstrider]

If you have a regular fight line then simply get under it with a 12 bore and some 32 or 34 gram #5 shot cartridges. Ignore the body of the goose and treat it's head as you would a pigeon.
Pluck them well, and draw them on site to save mess later and bag them up.

On the way home, stop at Tesco's and buy something nice to eat whilst stuffing the goose in any convenient bin
I've tried eating Canada goose enough times to know that about 1 in 50 must be edible to anyone but the genuinely starving. These days I would not even waste a .22 rimmy round on one

 

[Deerhunter22]

If you have a regular fight line then simply get under it with a 12 bore and some 32 or 34 gram #5 shot cartridges. Ignore the body of the goose and treat it's head as you would a pigeon.
Pluck them well, and draw them on site to save mess later and bag them up.

On the way home, stop at Tesco's and buy something nice to eat whilst stuffing the goose in any convenient bin
I've tried eating Canada goose enough times to know that about 1 in 50 must be edible to anyone but the genuinely starving. These days I would not even waste a .22 rimmy round on one

I have heard the Rumours there not too pleasant to eat but I’ve never tried it

 

[Basil H]

All the geese species are perfectly good eating. Don't blame the meat if you can't cook.
No doubt some fool will be along soon with the joke about the brick - as if it was an original comment.

 

[Basil H]

More to the point, if you are not going to eat them, why shoot them ?

 

[Tim.243]

If you have a regular fight line then simply get under it with a 12 bore and some 32 or 34 gram #5 shot cartridges. Ignore the body of the goose and treat it's head as you would a pigeon.
Pluck them well, and draw them on site to save mess later and bag them up.

On the way home, stop at Tesco's and buy something nice to eat whilst stuffing the goose in any convenient bin
I've tried eating Canada goose enough times to know that about 1 in 50 must be edible to anyone but the genuinely starving. These days I would not even waste a .22 rimmy round on one

A cooking lesson I advice people to follow, shoot a mid sized bird out of the flight, clean, dress, and lets it hang in a chiller
on the day of cooking use decent stuffing heat oven to 180, tray of water in bottom of oven above a std house hold brick then top of oven the goose in tray.




















Cook for 3 hrs until ready, then chuck away the goose and eat the brick

 

[Deerhunter22]

More to the point, if you are not going to eat them, why shoot them ?

I’ve no intention of killing things I won’t eat but I’ve never shot nor eaten geese and would like to try it and I can go out with a guide sure but I don’t want to shoot thousands I want one to try if I like it then I’ll shoot more