subject: Tips For Goose Hunters [print this page] If you are new to the sport of goose hunting it is important to learn a few basics to help you understand how to be as successful as possible on your hunts. The first thing is to learn a few basic goose hunting tips that can be used in a variety of settings and locations, then refine these to meet the exact hunting requirement that you have.
Remember that not all goose hunting tips will be applicable in all situations, but learning a variety of strategies will allow you to pick and choose what will work the best.
Some of the tried and true goose hunting tips include:
Place your decoys in a J, U or X shaped pattern (called a spread) to most closely approximate the normal positioning of feeding geese. Remember that geese in the later part of the season will become very wary of decoys and you will need to be a bit more creative in strategically placing the decoys.
Scout the area that you are going to hunt at least three or four days before you plan to hunt, this is probably one of the most important goose hunting tips. Study the large bodies of water to see where the flock typically flies to and from, watch the flocks movement and look for feeding fields.
If you have never hunted the area before consider using a local guide at least for the first time.
Be cautious about how much action you put on your flags, if you are going to use flags to bring in flocks of geese, especially when the flock is close. A gray or black flag can be used to mimic geese in a field, but it will not fool the flock when they get close. You may wish to consider a decoy with wing movement or a decoy on a spring mount and stop flagging when the flock starts heading your direction.
If you are using calls do so carefully. When calling geese make sure you are giving the correct type of call since geese have different calls to indicate danger, flocking and feeding. If you plan to use an electronic caller make sure they are allowed and legal in the area you are hunting.
When using blinds be sure to have them set up well before first light. Choose blinds that have a low profile and are similar to the terrain and coloration of the surrounding area. Geese are likely to fly away and not land when the area looks disturbed or different, and blinds are often a dead give away that danger is present, especially when into the hunting season.
To get ideas for goose hunting tips for various areas consider using an online forum or joining a hunting club in your area. Many of the clubs provide information about other areas as well as offer discounts to guides and guide services in various areas, one of which may be yours.
