Fall Goose Hunting is Hot Action
Dr. John Woods 12.26.19
Time to take a break from deer hunting and climb into a waterfowl pit or hide in some cattails along the edges of a water source or farm field. Goose hunting is a ton of fun if you enjoy shooting a lot. Most goose populations are holding steady or increasing, which provides plenty of flapping targets to unload on.
All we need in the Deep South is for nasty weather up north to send the goose flocks south into our rice, corn, and soybean fields. All it takes is some good food sources, some standing water and willing participants. So, watch the weather and state wildlife reports on goose numbers and have all the gear ready.
Gear? Make it easy on yourself. If you have some water on your deer property, take a machete or weed hook and hack out some small places to hunker down in the weeds. Some hunters pop up a screen or camouflage blind material for hiding behind. For goose hunting you do need to remain hidden below the horizon line until a flock circles overhead. Then be ready.
If your goose spot is especially wet and boggy, you will want some waders, either chest types or hip waders to get around in the bog. Dress for the weather, too, whether it is cold, or rainy, or both. Goose seasons can be nasty weather wise which is what makes the birds active.
You don’t have to be an expert goose caller, but knowing some calls and sequences certainly helps. Check into some You-Tube instructional videos to give you some tips on your calling. Most basic goose calls are fairly inexpensive, so you won’t need a collector call to get some action going. Just plan on lying low and blasting some calls when you see geese coming around your area.
Open feeding fields also make good places to take down geese. A combined soybean field is ideal with some deep rows to lay in or along the edges of fields. Geese can be taken as they come into feed. Again, deploying a decoy spread is always helpful, but not always required depending on the flights in the area.
What geese to expect? Often goose species mix into together, sometimes not. Expect to see Canada geese, Snow geese, Blue geese, Ross’, White-fronted, and Brant. Be sure you know the bag limits in your hunting areas and have the right state and federal licenses to waterfowl hunt.
