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MISTAKES A GOOSE HUNTER MAKES

By DENNIS HUNT

 

Getting a goose to take home is a challenge. It is harder to get a goose than it is to break 100 in golf. Less than 10% of all golfers can do that and less than 10% of all goose hunters will bring home a goose if he hunts over decoys and hunts, ethically. The goose hunter that hunts early in the season will more likely get a goose than those that hunt late in the season. Some goose hunters almost never get a goose while hunting over decoys because they make a lot of mistakes with some of them made over and over again. Let me tell you about some of them and explain some remedies.

• PICKING THE WRONG FIELDS TO SET YOUR DECOYS UP IN.
  The reason for this is, the goose hunting party does not do a good job of scouting the geese. Most of the time, geese will go back to the same field they left while out feeding. Another reason could be – the hunting party cannot identify grains and has no knowledge of grains. There are favorite foods in which the geese look for and that is what they are going to eat. You have to know what those are. Learn the different types of grain!
• SETTING UP THE WRONG DECOYS.
  Geese are getting more wary and know what decoys are. If your decoy spread does not have any movement in it then, you will not be fooling any geese. Your decoys have to resemble the geese you see while out scouting. I use 50% movement in my decoy spread while hunting Canada geese and up to 80% movement in my spread while hunting snows and blues.
• BAD DECOY PLACEMENTS.
  Setting up a good decoy spread is a science and a lot of goose hunters do it wrong! The huge mistake that is often made is, not leaving a LANDING ZONE for the geese to land in. You have to set your decoys up so the geese have a place to land near your spot of concealment. Compare this to an airport. The airplane has to have a large and clear runway in order to land.
• NOT PLAYING THE WIND.
  This is a horrible mistake to make and we all make it. The geese have to – take off and land against the wind! There is one way that they will come into your field and that is – against the wind. Your decoy spread and spot of concealment has to relate to the direction the wind is blowing. Be alert and watch for the wind to switch directions, start blowing or quit blowing. You might have to change your decoys and/or, your spot of concealment.
• CONCEALMENT.
  This is the worst sin that you can commit! Here are some of things that you could be guilty of:
  • Late in getting to the field and getting set up. The Captain has to get his hunting team to that destination with a lot of time to spare.
  • Moving while the geese are looking at the decoy spread. You must stay motionless while the geese are focused on your hunting field.
  • Dog/s out in the blind. You don’t need a dog with you while you are hunting geese in a field. For every goose a dog helps you get then, he will cost you 20 because he moves the head or makes eye contact with a goose.
  • Not staying in your spot of concealment. We have all done this! Stay in your blind or spot of concealment until the hunting team Captain gives the word.
  • Jumping out to retrieve a bird or shake hands will cost you opportunities if there are more geese flying into your field.
  • Talking and smoking in the blind. Geese can hear a couple of miles away and can see you miles away if you are talking or smoking in a blind. Beware of this! It could cost you some opportunities.
• CALLING.
  You have to know – only 2% of all goose hunters that own calls, know how or when to blow them. No call is better than a bad call! Let your hunting team Captain decide if, calling is necessary?
• SHOOTING.
  Poor shooting can account for poor hunting straps! You have to know – WHEN TO SHOOT and your hunting team Captain has to call the shot at the correct time. Talk things over and decide on - when to shoot and when not to shoot? This has to be decided if you are going to be successful.

 

Look this list over and discuss these items, especially if your goose hunts have been – less than successful. Good communication with your hunting team members and lots of practice, makes for a better goose hunting team.

 

HAVE A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE GOOSE HUNT!