Goose Tails

[Lancer09]

For the last three years I've thought about getting into waterfowl hunting.

This year I did.

Two and a half years ago my dad sold his lake place down at Truman. In the back shed were a dozen duck decoys, a mix of mallards, pintails, woodies, teal, and 9 goose shells. Out doing some Christmas shopping I decided to grab my tags and make my focus the geese as I have longer to hunt them versus the ducks, and any duck I would bag would just be gravy on my biscuits. My father-in-law and I went out one morning, set some decoys and had a ridiculous day. I was terrible on my shiny new goose call and pretty much scared everything away. I've been hunting a family's farm pond of about 10 acres that is a roosting pond for anywhere from a dozen to 10 dozen geese each night. I can't get to it and set up without spooking them so they aren't really the birds that I'm hunting hard. That first morning we saw nearly 800 geese as they were constantly flying over for 4 straight hours out of range. He ended up bagging a gadwall.

My terrible calling and poor decoy placement scared every goose off before we could get a shot, and the only ones we attempted were those who came from behind and couldn't see how bad anything was.

A few more days of practice on the call and research on how to set up a small spread of decoys I went back again.. nothing, and not a lot of birds moving. I decided that I'd hunt the next day as well, and again a slow day. I had to work so I got there early and had to start picking up by 930 so that I could be at work by 10.  Close to pick up time the first goose of the day comes over my spread and I hit the call. That goose darn-near broke his neck turning, two laps over the pond and heads back my way. I backed off a call and as soon as I saw it cupping those wings to come in and land I knew I had him. Stand up. Click. Bottom barrel of the over under didn't go off. I swear I saw goose give me the finger as it flew away. I squeezed off the top barrel and hit it but couldn't bring it down. His-posterior is going to be cold when he sits down in some cold water with all the feathers I took off of him.

So I've now figured out that if I'm aiming above parallel to the ground my bottom barrel firing pin isn't hitting with enough power to set off the primer, and it cost me a bird with that first shot at 35 yards. Time to start hunting with the pump gun.

Fast forward a few days, and $125 in bass pro gift cards for a wind sock decoy to give some movement, a duck call, a box of shells and a few other odds and ends and I'm pretty deep now.

A few hunts. Birds working me a little bit but just not liking something so I keep changing it up and every hunt I'm getting them a little bit closer.

Yesterday. Freaking birds everywhere. I sat down at 8, first birds at 815, and never went more than 10 minutes without birds coming over the pond, but CONSTANTLY flaring off of my spread at about 80 yards. I had them right there!

What was going wrong?!?!?!

I haven't been hunting in a blind but tucking back beneath a cedar and a locust tree. They aren't seeing me so I know that's not the problem, so what is it?

As I start collecting decoys I realized that one of the decoys out of my view had flipped and was laying on its side, and I know that the moment the geese would "turn the corner" to come in and land they saw that decoy laying on it's side and changed course.

I have just under a month left. I'm going to get my bird even if its in the 11th hour. 

 

 

[JohnP]

Just keep at it Lancer.  Been at it over 20 years and I'm still learning.  Biggest key I believe is location and movement.  Seen too many guys want to see where the birds and can't understand why they keep flaring.  Remember if you can them they can see you.  Also think of your set and blind on how it looks from above not from the ground level.   Another thing to think is movement on the water if thereso no wind and the dekes are just sitting there birds have had long enough to figure out somethings not right.  Rig a couple dekes to a jerk string and get to yanking to create ripples on the water. 

[Lancer09]

24 minutes ago, JohnP said:

Just keep at it Lancer.  Been at it over 20 years and I'm still learning.  Biggest key I believe is location and movement.  Seen too many guys want to see where the birds and can't understand why they keep flaring.  Remember if you can them they can see you.  Also think of your set and blind on how it looks from above not from the ground level.   Another thing to think is movement on the water if thereso no wind and the dekes are just sitting there birds have had long enough to figure out somethings not right.  Rig a couple dekes to a jerk string and get to yanking to create ripples on the water. 

Since ducks are done up here in the middle zone I'm zoned in on the geese now so the idea of the spreads I at least don't have to worry about movement on the water.

Since I'm only running with 9 shells I've been using a loose J or U shape with the wind sock decoy to a side coming in to keep the landing area open. I've been trying to orient them so that the geese can land into the wind, and still not have to drop on over top of all the others. 

Typically they are flying north to south so I know they aren't seeing me, and they can't/won't until they would be directly in front of me at 20 yards with how far back I am in some brush. I have trees that extend completely over the top of my head, plus the camo they aren't catching me that way at least. 

I'll just keep giving them a go until I figure it out.. then I have to figure out how to cook one. 

[BilletHead]

    Lancer yep on what John P. said,

    Sometimes no matter what you will not change their minds. You need to be where they want to be which is that mysterious "X" everyone talks about. How in the world the birds decide where that "X" is I don't know. I have watched birds drop into the spot, go back the next day and birds would change. If it were easy women and children would be doing it . Oh right I take women and children and made it work but there is times I have taken seasoned hunters promising a stellar hunt only to be embarrassed with noting to show them.

  Then there are rare times you can make the "X" if you have enough decoys and a little luck. Don't have to fool the all just a few to make things interesting. Calling in my opinion is a little overrated. Do what the birds do as they look at you. If they are quiet YOU be quiet. When they make some noise you do too. Now if they are going away and leaving for sure give them all the talk you want. Nothing to loose and you never know when one will break out and come back. Each day you go out you will learn something. I can't call worth a darn but am managing a pretty good season so far.

  Watching what works for others and asking questions like you have here will get you ahead of the game. Our Mysterious non posting Birdwatcher has given me many tips. Are you out there Chris?

BilletHead