Early goose?

[Marshmallow]

I hunt on a creek with a pretty swift current, and I don't like it when my dog has to chase a cripple. I've killed geese with as large as #2's, but I try to always to use BB for that reason.

 

[fabsroman]

Funny I kill geese with #2's every year, Huh, just don't tell the geese they must not know they are not suppose to die

Honestly if you lead the bird and keep the gun moving you will kill the bird every time a proper shot on a goose will have a pattern placed on the head and neck not the body.

Love to see a head shot on a going away goose or a quartering away goose. Not quite as easy as on an incomer or a true crosser. Pretty much impossible on a true going away goose. One day last season I killed my 2 bird limit on a two bird double that was going straight away. Little hard for #2 to penetrate on those shots. Then again, I tend to take 60 yard shots too. I know, I am going to get the lecture about it being unethical, but the thing is, I usually make them. I was getting the opposite type of comments during dove season, "How the heck do you shoot them that far out? What shells are you using? What gun is that? What choke are you using? How much do you lead them?"

Yes, on perfect presentations #8 shot will work if the bird is shot in the head and neck. My problem is that the birds don't always cooperate.

Oh yeah, these are dumb early season geese that don't know much better. I remember those days. "Hunted" two golf courses in early season and we killed enough geese to fill up a couple 60 gallon trash cans. #2 would have probably worked on all of them.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Wish I could have made it. Best of luck to everyone. Be sure to post some pics/videos!

 

[Hyp81]

Boys, boys, always measuring.

We had a mix of BB and #2 last year on my hunt and we all limited out. I think we'll do alright this year too.

Bought a new semi-auto shotty this weekend (an H&R Excell) and I picked up two boxes of 3" Federal Fasteel BB. I have leftover #2 from last season. I'll pack it all, just in case.

 

[fabsroman]

Boys, boys, always measuring.

We had a mix of BB and #2 last year on my hunt and we all limited out. I think we'll do alright this year too.

Bought a new semi-auto shotty this weekend (an H&R Excell) and I picked up two boxes of 3" Federal Fasteel BB. I have leftover #2 from last season. I'll pack it all, just in case.

You know how it goes, we all have our individual experiences, and they are ALWAYS right. lol

Stopped by a hunting buddy this afternoon and he is going to hunt the early season. So, I might be going too. Time to buy a camo t-shirt and shorts.

Go out and do some shooting with the new gun before you start shooting at geese, or at least practice mounting it to your shoulder a lot and swinging it along a wall/ceiling joint to get yourself familiar with the gun. Of course, that is just my experience with new shotguns. My scores always go down a tad when I use a new gun.

 

[Hyp81]

Go out and do some shooting with the new gun before you start shooting at geese, or at least practice mounting it to your shoulder a lot and swinging it along a wall/ceiling joint to get yourself familiar with the gun. Of course, that is just my experience with new shotguns. My scores always go down a tad when I use a new gun.

We are going to try to get out to LR and shoot some trap in the coming weeks.

 

[LeadSled1]

Ended up with 5. Large flock came in, some poor shooting occurred. Still had some shells left in the gun (10+1), Using 2 3/4 BBs. Will try again tomorrow evening.

 

[fabsroman]

Ended up with 5. Large flock came in, some poor shooting occurred. Still had some shells left in the gun (10+1), Using 2 3/4 BBs. Will try again tomorrow evening.

Congrats on the 5. Had no idea that guns could be unplugged for early season. Might have to remove my plug and get a mag extension.

What do you consider a large flock? 20, or something more? The geese have been acting weird this summer, and I have seen them in some pretty large groups which I don't usually see in August and September. Wondering if more migratory birds just decided to summer in Maryland instead of moving up north. Lord knows we have received enough rain to make most ducks and geese happy. I've been mowing the grass like never before.

 

[gc27]

Too hot for neoprene waders...thats why im currently looking for a small boat . A big flock of ~25 at the end of our hunt made up for it. Me and 2 my hunting buddies (my son and family friend) ended the day with 13.

 

[LeadSled1]

40.

 

[Marshmallow]

Headed to my blind in the morning to see if any geese are flying around. And to scout for teal. Hoping at least a few honkers come back with me.

 

[fabsroman]

Headed to my blind in the morning to see if any geese are flying around. And to scout for teal. Hoping at least a few honkers come back with me.

Good luck

 

[Marshmallow]

Luck can't outweigh stupidity. At least I got the dumbest things I can do out of the way before the migration starts.

 

[fabsroman]

Luck can't outweigh stupidity. At least I got the dumbest things I can do out of the way before the migration starts.

Sometimes it can. It just makes it tougher for luck to win the day.

A buddy I used to hunt and fish with always said "I'd rather be lucky than good." However, I think being good creates some "luck".

 

[Marshmallow]

Sometimes it can. It just makes it tougher for luck to win the day.

A buddy I used to hunt and fish with always said "I'd rather be lucky than good." However, I think being good creates some "luck".

My errors weren't really hunting related. I looked at the sunrise time, and completely let it slip my mind that shooting time is a half hour before. Got too used to hunting doves every day and that doesn't open until noon. So I get there late, and I'm walking down to the blind and sure enough. There go the geese, right over the blind.

I do believe luck has a lot to do with it, but skill stacks limits of birds.

 

[mark71211]

I just got a call tonight from a farmer whose farm I goose hunt and he said that the geese have been hitting his pond for the past couple week now. And the best part is I'm off on Monday for the last day.

 

[fabsroman]

I just got a call tonight from a farmer whose farm I goose hunt and he said that the geese have been hitting his pond for the past couple week now. And the best part is I'm off on Monday for the last day.

That should be a slaughter of epic proportions. Take some pics.

 

[mark71211]

That should be a slaughter of epic proportions. Take some pics.

Not a goose in the sky today but better then a good day of work

 

[fabsroman]

Not a goose in the sky today but better then a good day of work

That sucks. That is also the problem with early season geese. About a decade ago, I found around 500+ feeding in a field the day before the season opened. I got permission to hunt the field and all we saw the next day was a pair and they wanted nothing to do with us. The birds just have a ton of food available to them and very little need to actually feed since the temps are high.

However, like you said, a bad day of hunting (unless catastrophically bad), is better than a good day of work.

 

[Marshmallow]

Welp, I'm ashamed. We had at least 50 geese work the blind this evening. Only dropped 1. Really poor shooting.

On the plus side, teal are everywhere. Hopefully the morning puts limits of teal in the blind.