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Goose HUNTING IN THE Midwest
One of the bright stars on the hunting scene has to be the explosion of geese in the midwestern region of the country. Areas of the country that just a few years ago had very few geese, now have strong populations of resident birds. In fact, Canadian Honkers have made a nuisance of them selves on many golf courses in the Midwest. Snow goose populations have grown to the point where biologists are concerned about overpopulation and have enacted special spring seasons and other new regulations to help reduce the population of the birds. Geese have adapted well to new farming practices. In fact, agriculture plays a key role in the population increase of geese. Obviously, for any species to do well, food must be available and modern agricultural practices have created many new "restaurants" for geese to feed. Guns and equipment for goose hunting have been much improved as well. Ten gauge guns are offered in a variety of models and manufacturers also offer 12 gauge models in 3-1/2" chambers for more range.
GOOSE HUNTING METHODS
By far the most popular method of goose hunting today is field hunting over decoys. Never before have goose hunters had so many varieties of decoys to choose from. There are standard shell decoys, Super Magnums, wind socks, full bodied decoys, silhouette decoys, and even goose decoy blinds to choose from. A variety of decoys will work but keep in mind three important factors. They are size, numbers and realism. Super Magnum decoys are visible from longer distances than standard size shell decoys.
Like other wild animals, geese feel safety in numbers. This is especially true when decoying snow geese where large spreads of decoys are much more effective than smaller spreads. Obviously a large spread of super magnum decoys isn't realistic from a price or transportation perspective. Wind sock and silhouette decoys are less expensive and easier to transport than large shell decoys. Silhouettes such as Outlaws have very realistic detail because of the photographic detailed finish. These are an excellent choice for adding both realism and numbers to a decoy spread. Full bodied decoys also add realism, but again are more expensive and bulky than other models.
The best answer is to have a variety of styles to give your decoy spread size, numbers and realism. Blinds and camouflage are an important consideration for the goose hunter. Geese have eyesight equal to a human with seven power binoculars so not being seen is very important. Pit blinds are a good way to go if you have the landowners permission. If not other blinds like the Hay Bale Blind work very well. Some hunters will lie flat with camouflage covering over them. This works as long as the hunter remains motionless. Geese spot motion very easily so keep all movement to a minimum. Calling is another important aspect that can't be ignored. The best style of call is the flute variety. Purchase a goose calling tape to learn to sound realistic. Bad calling will flare geese, particularly when they have been hunted hard.
Hunters can have a great decoy spread, excellent calling and a great blind, but all will be for naught if they aren't hunting where the birds are. Scouting is a must for successful goose hunting. Normally the birds will feed in the mornings and evenings and rest on the water during the day. Scouting the night before the hunt to find the fields the birds are using is important. Then one only needs to be at the field the next day before the geese arrive to have a successful hunt.
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