Goose hunting

[richhodg66]

After seeing enough flights of Canadas fly over me while deer hunting, I think I'm gonna give it a go this year. I've never water fowl hunted for a lot of reasons, but I'm interested. I won't go out and get a boat, decoys, dogs and all that, but would camo up the best I can and hide 50 yards or so in from the water close to my main tree stand and wait. Any I shoot would fall over land, so recovery would be easy. Even a guy like me is smart enough to IS a Canada goose on the wing, so no danger of shooting the wrong thing.

I have a Winchester 1300 and a Mossberg 835 which will handle 3" and 3.5" magnums respectively. No real idea what would be a good all around shot size for them. Any thoughts or words of advice?

[labradigger1]

Size B or T in the 3-1/2" with a modified choke. Steel shot does not compress so no full chokes.
Hevi-shot is the king but some years ago when the shot went from $7 a lb. to $20+ I was out.
10 gauge and size T shot is the max bore and shot size.
Have fun and you may want to try goose jerky or country fried goose steaks cut from the breasts.

[M-Tecs]

For large dark geese I use these:

https://www.rogerssportinggoods.com/ammunition/fiocchi-steel/fiocchi-steel-heavy-steel-12-gauge-3-1-2.html

Normally I shoot 70 to 80 large geese a season. I do not hunt lessers or snows but I do get 3 or 4 a season. For lessers or snows I would use BB's.

[Djones]

hahaha good luck patterning geese! I have been hunting them for over 20 years. Once you think that you have them patterned, something will come up.....that is unless you are hunting the local non-migrating type. Those are pretty dumb until they get shot at a few times. Good luck!

I like F or T shot when they are up high. BBB or BB when calling them in close. With steel shot of any size, try not to shoot until you can see their feet.

[white eagle]

watch the grain fields to see them feed in cut fields
would do that and find one with a standing corn field next to it
use the standing for cover and get close enough to get them flying over
I used a 10 ga for my goose and turkey hunting
fwiw
my bil is a big goose hunter always asked me to go never had the inkling
one time I gave in and went then I was hooked
goose decoys,duck decoys boat and all kinds of waterproof gear
it gets in yer blood

[richhodg66]

hahaha good luck patterning geese! I have been hunting them for over 20 years. Once you think that you have them patterned, something will come up.....that is unless you are hunting the local non-migrating type. Those are pretty dumb until they get shot at a few times. Good luck!

I like F or T shot when they are up high. BBB or BB when calling them in close. With steel shot of any size, try not to shoot until you can see their feet.

I don't know much about them, but I know I seem to have several formations of them fly over me when I'm on a deer stand close to the big lagoon there. I even have them fly over the house pretty often, at least last year I did, and not close to water. No reason I couldn't shoot them in the front yard, no neighbors for over a half mile.

I'll swing by Wal Mart in the next couple of days and see what kind of goose loads they have on the shelf. It's about another $60 of tags and permits on top of what I've already spent, but I want to try it.

[runfiverun]

BB shot and improved cylinder will let you get them at 35 yds.
1400-1450 fps is a good velocity to target, it provides enough energy through velocity to do the job.

[DrCaveman]

Steel shot BB and full chokes can (and probably will) cause problems with some old barrels. My buddy got away with it for a few years until last fall, when his Wingmaster displayed a ripped (burst) barrel after a pass shoot. He didn't notice, it was the hunting partner. Wish I had a pic but it definitely required a new barrel. Gun was probably from the 70s

Cooking, my uncle swore that he had never had a serving of Canada Goose that he could eat. He's a bit picky and snow goose is low brow, speckle belly goose is the only good one to his palate. I cooked one up according to a Hank Shaw recipe, basically slow-roasted stuffed with buttered mashed potatoes, and it was as good as any roast beef. My uncle even liked it.

Blast some of those suckers and experiment! I like the chicken fried goose suggestion too.

[richhodg66]

I'm a gun nut and hence, have several shotguns, but only two I'd really consider and both are made since the steel shot requirement and use interchangeable choke tubes. The Mossberg will even handle the 3.5" shells, but I'm hesitant to even try them without adding a bunch of weight to the gun.

I have had goose, but don't remember it much. Looking at how to breast one, it seems like the swiss steak recipe I use for venison ought to do well with those too.

[GhostHawk]

You never fool a goose twice the same way.

They have eyes like hawks.

I loved hunting them and had some great days. Limited out a couple of times.
But it can be HARD.

Before steel shot came along I loved dueces. Nice tight pattern and big enough that if you hit them in the head they were done. I've seen them shed #3 buckshot out of their feathers and keep flying.

As said above T's and BB's maybe F's.

Even a couple of deke's could make a big difference. They would not have to be in the water. Canadians love green grass, and enjoy taking a nap out of the wind on solid ground.

2 or 3 shells and one of those wind powered "landing goose" windsocks could significantly alter your odds.

Also keep an eye on large harvested corn fields. It can be a long belly sneak down a ditch. But it can be very rewarding.

[MT Chambers]

Here in Saskatchewan we shoot alot of geese, I use a Browning Maxxus 3 1/2" mag. but find that 3" BBs are optimal and you can use the same loads for sudden ducks arriving......good luck!

[runfiverun]

they like the high spots in the wheat fields around here.
it just has to be a small hump 2-3' higher than the surrounding 1-200 yds.

[labradigger1]

Fwiw I use a Remington sp-10 with 3.5" size t shot. I bat perhaps 400's. Geese are tough birds. The feathers are very dense and tough to penetrate. Sounds silly if you are used to shooting lead but consider lead is dense and heavy. Steel shot is neither dense nor heavy and doesn't have poo for energy at longer ranges.
You will need to balance speed and max size shot. Speed gets your hitting force up. Larger pellet sizes help get the energy up but as you go larger you get less shot per ounce thus less pellets in the air.
I feel most people prefer size B as fast as they can get for pass shooting.
Since my ole lab of 14 years died in 04 I have only hunted our resident goose populations. Anymore I usually wade out to islands in the rivers at daylight and smack em when they fly up the river to feed grounds. Canoe hunting is very efficient here as well. Take bino's to see them before they see you. Get your path close to the birds and pull your paddles in and continue towards them from momentum or current. Geese will usually not fly doing this. When In range let them have it. Don't stand up in a canoe with a ten gauge. You get wet.
Haven't seen it mentioned above but make sure your gun can only hold a max of 3 rounds. Only non tox shot in your possession. All migratory fines are dual violation, each fine you receive from the state you will also get one from the fed as well. I've never had any issues and don't want any either.
Goose hunting is loads of fun. Very few here hunt them and it takes the birds a while to smarten up.

[Hogtamer]

Shoot 'em in da head! Seriously...and make jerky.

[GhostHawk]

He's right, shoot em in the head. Takes a LOT of leade if they are moving.

Took me years to figure out I was swinging on the lead bird and dropping the 2nd, 3rd or 4th bird back.

[gumfighter]

I been duck and goose hunting for many years now (50 years or so). I started out with lead shot, number 4 copper plated in my 3" 12 ga 870 for both ducks and geese. Never needed anything else. When steel shot was required I upgrade to the 10 ga . Tried a double SxS, 2 Browning BPS's and a Rem
SP 10. Found they are too heavy to swing on ducks and we were limited to only 1 gun. We shot alot more ducks back then. I went back to the 12 ga and never regretted it. Found it works perfectly for both ducks and geese. Here in SE Michigan in the past 10 years I shoot an average of 75 geese a year on a couple of private farms near my home. We pass shoot them along with decoying them into both water and field set ups. (Get more over in Canada in the late season.) I've been using a Benelli SBE that I brought in 1992. I tried all different loads BB's, T's, 1, 2 both 3" and 3 1/2" and found when they are less than 50 yards, 3" 1 1/4 oz #1 out of an extended mod carlson's choke is the best for them and the mallards we shoot. That's as far as I will shoot with most taken around 40 yards. I shoot the inexpensive Federal blue box 1450 FPS about $110 a case from Rogers. If you hit them in the head and neck they drop. I shot 3 yesterday about 45 yards with instant kills in the air. All head, neck and broken wings. To cook them I breast out the geese. Cut up into 1" squares, shish kabob style and then marinate them in a zip lock baggie with Kikonmens teriyaki marinade over night. Next day drain out the marinade and wipe off the goose chunks, then cut up 1" squares of bacon strips. Put them on a skewer with the bacon on both sides of the meat. Grill them rare to medium rare on the barbeque and you'l think you are eating beef tenderloin. Even the ladies love them, but I don't tell them it's geese.

[4719dave]

OH ,,MISS SHOOTING PUMPKINS OUT OF THE SKY ...have fun ..be safe .I bought a benelli sbe best wing shooter I own 3.5 bb's extended imp choke . PS SOLD THAT REM SP 10GA WAY TO HEAVY .

[M-Tecs]

After seeing enough flights of Canadas fly over me while deer hunting, I think I'm gonna give it a go this year. I've never water fowl hunted for a lot of reasons, but I'm interested. I won't go out and get a boat, decoys, dogs and all that, but would camo up the best I can and hide 50 yards or so in from the water close to my main tree stand and wait. Any I shoot would fall over land, so recovery would be easy. Even a guy like me is smart enough to IS a Canada goose on the wing, so no danger of shooting the wrong thing.

I have a Winchester 1300 and a Mossberg 835 which will handle 3" and 3.5" magnums respectively. No real idea what would be a good all around shot size for them. Any thoughts or words of advice?

My first reply was based on what I do and use. All my shooting is over decoys. I pick my shots carefully and goal is always to shoot a triple. We have 5 bird a day limit. Steel works well for me. Best percentage season was 64 killed in 68 shots. Last year was 76 killed in 85 or 86 shots.

That being said pass shooting is a different game. Since you are not going to be shooting a lot I would recommend looking at heavy shot or the like for increased yardage.

For ducks I use #2 shot steel. Occasionally when duck hunting geese coming in. With #2 shot some require a 2nd shot. When I clean them find pellets under the breast meat that failed to penetrate the chest cavity on 11 to 13 pound geese.

[725]

I used to use a 10 ga. or 3" 12 ga. Always use Hevi-Shot. It's expensive but a few shells that work beat the dickens out of cheaper shells that don't. Now I use a 2 3/4 #2 shot, 20 ga. when I can find them. Sometimes I have to use 3" shells, but prefer the 2 3/4's. My hunting buddies all use 12's & 10's, 3" & 3 1/2" and I drop just as many as they do. Best of luck. It's a great sport. (and jerky is the way to go. I do have a recipe for Queen Victoria soup that is hard to beat.)

[M-Tecs]

Now I use a 2 3/4 #2 shot, 20 ga. when I can find them.

For pass shooting?

[The Lord Flashheart]

Steel shot BB and full chokes can (and probably will) cause problems with some old barrels. My buddy got away with it for a few years until last fall, when his Wingmaster displayed a ripped (burst) barrel after a pass shoot. He didn't notice, it was the hunting partner. Wish I had a pic but it definitely required a new barrel. Gun was probably from the 70s

Cooking, my uncle swore that he had never had a serving of Canada Goose that he could eat. He's a bit picky and snow goose is low brow, speckle belly goose is the only good one to his palate. I cooked one up according to a Hank Shaw recipe, basically slow-roasted stuffed with buttered mashed potatoes, and it was as good as any roast beef. My uncle even liked it.

Blast some of those suckers and experiment! I like the chicken fried goose suggestion too.

I shoot a fair number of Canada geese a year but purely as a pest control exercise and even then under protest...

Your wise old Uncle has it right, I would rather eat a filet of sea slug served in a sauce made from the wetsuit of diver that fetched it than eat Canada goose.

Even the dog won't eat it.

There is a time honoured recipe for those foolhardy enough to remain determined to eat it however:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 medium apple, cored, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup veal (or low-salt chicken) stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons dried rosemary
2 Tablespoons dried thyme
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 whole wild goose, about 7 to 10 pounds
1 house brick, colour of choice
Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the carrots, celery, onions, apple, and garlic. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the stock, wine, parsley, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes.

Place the brick in a roasting pan fitted with a lid and pour the vegetables and liquid around it. Turn the bird breast-side down and nestle it on the brick and into the vegetables and liquid. Spoon some of the liquid and vegetables over the goose and add more water (or wine if you like) to submerse the bird half-way. Cover and roast about 1-1/4 hours. Turn the bird over, facing up, and cook another 15 minutes, uncovered or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees F when inserted next to the leg bone.

Spoon some of the juice and vegetables on to each plate, throw away the bird and eat the brick.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

[richhodg66]

Funny! That same basic joke is told here about how to eat the common carp, which, oddly, most Asians and Europeans seem to think of as a pretty good food fish. I bowfished quite a bit for years and shot and ate quite a few carp and they can be quite good prepared certain ways. I suspect goose can be as well, this will be a learning experience for sure.

I spent some time last weekend on the same deer stand and didn't have a formation fly over me, but did have some fly fairly close by. I'm kind of anxious to get another deer now and close out the season so I can give this goose hunting a try.

[725]

M-Tec -- Yep. We have a field blind. Shoot over decoys. My buddy & his son are good callers (I'm pitiful). Nobody shoots any better than the other, and if the birds are flying, we limit out before lunch. Furthest knock down for me is 40 yards on one going away. Most are around 30 yards & in. I used to use a 12, but one day I just wanted to try something different. Had surprisingly good effect with the 20 and have stuck with it. I still take the 12 once in awhile, but mostly as a back up in case of equipment problems. Plain Jane 870 in 20 ga. is my go to, WITH HEVI-SHOT !!

[LazyTCross]

Gumfighter, couldn’t agree more. We shoot 2’s instead of 1’s. But only because they are on every shelf. I know you know what you are talking about because anyone who overcooks geese hasn’t had good goose in their life! I have pass shot a lot of geese. Decoyed a lot more. I think if I was starting i would find a field they liked. Hope for crappy/foggy rainy. And have a call and a flag and sit where you saw them feeding the night befor. Flagging geese works. Calling helps. Don’t call to much. But you might just get some good close shots.

[6pt-sika]

I handload for my double 10's which are all old 2 7/8" and choked tighter then the hinges of h...e...l...l . When I went to order shot I wanted Nice Shot or Bismuth and at the time the only thing I could get my hands on was #1 Bismuth . So thats what I use , stuff patterns very well in my old boat anchors at 40 yards . 1 1/4 ounce with 30 grains of SR7625 is my load using the REM SP-10 wad .

[DIRT Farmer]

I started goose hunting 40 or more years ago, was in an outlaw blind where every one went home with a limit even if they could not shoot. I learned on a 870 wing master shooting BBs, went to an Ithaca mag ten shooting 2 1/4 oz of lead BBs they worked out to 100 or more yards pass shooting, Steel came out we cut the range to 35-40 yards using Fs. I finaly got away from that bunch, take 10 to 20 a year shooting the Mag 10 with #1 or #2 steel shot. Calling is the name of the game. I have taken them with 1 1/8 of bismuth #5s in my Brown Bess yes a flint lock or using 7/8 oz of bismuth 5s in my 28 ga flint trade gun. Call them into 20 yards and you can take them with 7 1/2s in a 410, I have back when lead was legal.
Properly cooked goose breast tastes like beef roast.
Rich when I hunted deer in Kansas the amount that came off the South West end of Perry always made me wonder why I was hunting deer. I could have filled a freezr all under 35 yards.
And yes at near 70 years old I still carry and shoot the Mag 10. I have never shot a more dependable or efficent gun. It is on its third set of springs and a few small parts. There have been years when I went through more than a case of shells and it just keeps shucking them. And it kicks less than a standard 12 ga.

[JSH]

Rich the geese we have around here eat pretty good, much like our deer. I will say I have killed my fair share for sure. Like any game, it is no better than how it is treated from the start. As mentioned treat it like very lean beef and you will be fine.
I even bone out leg and thigh meat and grind it for burger.
As to loads and the 835. Others will say no, 31/2" BB is all I use for water fowl period. My old 835 owes me nothing for where it has been and what it has done. The 31/2" are for sure not dove loads, we are not shooting doves either.
If you are going to pass shoot, spend the money on a box of black cloud. I will warn you not to use them inside of 25-30 yards. These are some of the hardest hitting loads I have ever used.
With extra clothes on and all, it won't beat you up near as bad as you think. Of coarse proper mounting is not always done when things get hot and heavy.
Pass shooting. If they are going over you and landing, don't shoot at the first few bunches. The first bunches will land and settle in. The later groups are more relaxed and tend to come in lower, just skimming tree tops a lot of times.
I will warn you, it is VERY addictive!
My thoughts on ranging these big critters, feet and eyes. If you can see either of these they are kill able. I suggest not getting caught up in body shooting. These things can suck up a lot of hits, hard hits. Buddy and I were hunting some years back over a pond. Both of us with SBE's loaded with 31/2" 2's because we had been into ducks more than geese. I didn't want the 2's but he talked me into it. A pair of geese came in and were setting wings feet down. First shot, one folded grave yard dead. Second one is pumping hard trying to climb. Five real solid hits, feathers just blowing off. Empty and trying to reload, that rascal flew a big circle and came back around. BB's in the tube and one shot at about 35 yards and it was over. The first one had one pellet through the head, no other marks on the carcass. The second one, had a lot of feathers in wing and body missing, the BB's found the mark, broke a wing and some into the body cavity.
Another FYI, if your pass shooting and they are coming right at you. Be careful of where they fall. One one of these folds up hard and comes down they hit like a ton of bricks! Shot one a few years back and it landed on one of the guys pop open coffin blind with him in it. Broke the frame up on the blind beyond repair and bruised his thigh up pretty good.

Comments have been made to the effect they are smart. I think they are so stupid they are lucky. I found much the same with turkey hunting.
Jeff

[richhodg66]

Honestly, I've never been able to generate a lot of interest in turkey hunting just because there are so many here. I don't unt Fort Riley much anymore, but used to with my sons and many times one of them and me would be out in blaze orange and have a large flock of them move around us un alarmed within easy shotgun range. Once, moving to our stand location, I almost stepped on a big tom, flushed him like a quail only closer than that. Everybody talks about how smart and wary they are, I just don't see it, and Kansas charges almost as much for a turkey tag as a deer tag.

I bought a box of 3" BB steel loads the other day, so that's what I'm gonna try first. Wal Mart didn't have any with bigger shot. If I like this, I'll look into others.

[JSH]

If you can't find anything bigger and want it let me know. I will be going though heading way on I70 west deer hunting, leave the day before opening. Cabelas has pretty much everything priced about the same as most.
Jeff