Goose Hunting

Goose Hunting the Canada Honker

What does it take to be successful in hunting a “dozen moster honkers”? Back in the 80’s, hiding in fence rows with about a dozen home made decoys was considered hunting. Today however, the strategies for decoying the all mighty Canada Honker has dramatically change. Custom full body decoys are not available in the market, ranging from $25.00 a piece to about $900.00 a dozen.

Still wondering what it takes to go goose hunting? There are three consistencies that will let you have successful goose hunting, location, concealment, and decoys or calling. These three factors are all equally important. Taking an in depth look into each area will give you a better idea of what it takes to successfully hunt Canada Geese day in and day out. People who have been hunting snow geese through the years may notice that they have evolved into very smart and wary birds that make it almost impossible to kill on some days no matter what your spread looks like. The Canada Honker is one way or another following the same footsteps.

Let’s take a look at the three areas of great importance to goose hunting, location, concealment, and decoy or calling. Location for more than one reason is a key to successful goose hunting. Having no birds in the area that you are hunting will obviously slim your chances to none that you would succeed. Doing your homework and scouting thoroughly the area beforehand is very important. Ideally, look for a field that has had birds feeding on it consistently before the hunt, and setting up in the exact spot that the birds have been sitting the day prior to the hunt is as important as well. And of course, you would want to be the only hunter with permission to that field. To summarize, scout, pick the perfect field, attain permission on that field, and keep permission locked up for the future.

Concealment is another area you have to carefully consider. How well you are concealed during your goose hunting is just as important as your location. It can be frustrating to watch hundred of geese coming in with their wings set at sixty yards then flare off because they saw something or someone they don’t like. Technology on this area has greatly advanced over the last ten years. A huge impact on the way of hunting geese today is the field ground blind technology. Every year better products come out of the market and this is one aspect you won’t want to hold back on.

Decoys and Calling is as important as the other areas for successful goose hunting. The more realistic decoys you can have the better off you are, so invest on your decoys. Depending on the situation, every decoy has a time and a place and putting them all together in one spread just doesn’t do it. Lastly, having some type of movement in your spread is needed. The geese are getting smarter and smarter every year, and magnum shells just aren’t as productive as they were before.

Producing a successful hunt involves many factors and it is very important to stay on the front edge of what’s happening in the field these days. Investing some money into your spread can go a long way.