Civilized Goose Hunting

[Nemont]

The birds are staying on the water until almost 10 am every day. The last two hunts we have killed our first bird at 9:50 so this morning I got to sleep in until 7:30, have breakfast some coffee, read the newspaper and then head to field about 8:30.

Set up and waiting for birds to come in at 9:30
.

Done with our limit at 10:45.

Was taking pics and birds were circling the field waiting for us to leave.

Might try it again tomorrow. I could get used to these hours.

Nemont

 

[Big Fin]

Cool stuff. Harlin is trying to bribe me into being his gunnery sergeant if he comes up and joins you. Congrats.

 

[wyoming556]

Nice work. You must really like to eat Goose. I'd be afraid to shoot that many as I havent found a way to enjoy the meat and I don't shoot unless I'm going to eat it. What's the secret to making it taste good?

 

[1_pointer]

Way cool!!! I could definitely enjoy that type of 'civilized' endeavor. Good shoot.

 

[Nemont]

Nice work. You must really like to eat Goose. I'd be afraid to shoot that many as I havent found a way to enjoy the meat and I don't shoot unless I'm going to eat it. What's the secret to making it taste good?

We make a lot of jerky. Also I posted a recipe for brined and smoked breast. I have people who will take as many as I will make.

Here is one that never fails.

Take at least 6 breast and put them in a crock pot. Cover them with beef stock and slow cook all day. Remove the meat and shred it with a fork. Pour your favorite BBQ sauce on the meat and eat like pulled pork. Even the kids will gobble it up

None of our gets wasted.

Nemont

 

[Nemont]

Cool stuff. Harlin is trying to bribe me into being his gunnery sergeant if he comes up and joins you. Congrats.

With Harlin I only believe he is coming when I see the whites of his eyes . Would be fun to have you up for some bird hunting. Ask Pat why he always has to buy dinner.


Nemont

 

[noharleyyet]

head to field about 8:30.

Civilized indeed, as well as friend and family fellowship.

 

[jlmatthew]

Very nice!

 

[cornfed]

Sat here this morning reading this post waiting for sunrise and then proceeded to copy nemonts success.Me and the boy even got two leg bands and one neck band. Sure like goose hunting in the snow. Someday I will learn to post pics,sorry for now.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Again??? Have you ever had a bad day duck/goose hunting? Don't worry, I'm just jealous. Anytime I see you post I know there will be great photos of another great day of hunting. Congrats!

 

[Paul in Idaho]

You're killin' me Nemont. I was up at 4:00, and drove 2 hours to the field. We set up 60+ decoys and had just one passing chance to shoot, which we messed up.

 

[Nemont]

More fun today

 

[bmack]

Awesome. That's a slug of geese.

I need to do that again, it has been too long.

Congrats.

 

[What Map]

Take at least 6 breast and put them in a crock pot. Cover them with beef stock and slow cook all day. Remove the meat and shred it with a fork.
Nemont

I do almost the exact same with duck and goose breasts. I shred them with my fingers. Then I use the meat in my favorite chili recipe. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top. Everyone eats eat.

I tried to make my duck lake this morning but the high winds and blowing and drifting snow forced a retreat, so now I'm back home on the computer.

 

[Rat Fink]

We are on the afternoon schedule down here as well. Killed 21 greenheads and 10 geese in the barley on saturday. I love gentleman's hours. Nice hunts Jeff

 

[whiskeydog]

how many decoys do you set out? we have 100 or so, but not the full body style. they all seem to flare just shy of range and i'm wondering if it's the style decoy, the arrangement, a glare of the bodies, or maybe our ground blinds.?

 

[Nemont]

how many decoys do you set out? we have 100 or so, but not the full body style. they all seem to flare just shy of range and i'm wondering if it's the style decoy, the arrangement, a glare of the bodies, or maybe our ground blinds.?

Depends on the day. I think the two hunts this week we put out 8 dozen full bodies and 2 dozen shells. We hunt with 4 dozen sometimes.

IMO if geese are flaring 95% of the time it is because of your hide. Couple of things that we try to do with late season geese. 1. Don't set your blinds in the decoys, find a higher place in the field if possible and put your decoys up higher than your blinds. 2. Place you blinds off to the side down wind of the decoys. 3. We have played around with different decoy spreads and 90% of the time we end up with a long J shaped pattern and the blinds on the downwind side.

Try changing it up. Place all your decoys but 4 or 5 in a J and take the 4 or 5, 50 yards away and set up your blinds with those. We have also placed a robo duck on a post 50 to 75 yards behind our blinds to keep the geese focused on that little bit of motion rather than concentrating on the blinds.

Dig in to lower the profile of your blinds. Remember flocks bigger than 8 or 10 are just really hard to get into the kill hole regardless, especially late season. Singles, pairs and triples are your friend.

If you think it is the decoys shining, do this: Pull your blinds and sit off a long ways and watch to see if birds will land without your blinds, if they will land without you in your blinds then it is the blinds.

Play around with calling and flagging. IMO let the first flock come in without doing anything, why work harder if you don't have to, call if the birds are making noise but if they are silent limit the calling.

I like full bodies for late season geese but watch birds in the field they will land and and immediately sit down in the snow to warm up their feet and melt of a spot to feed. Then I like to use some fully flocked shells to simulate that. We will put some sleepers around the blinds sometimes also just to change things up .

Purely one mans opinion.

Everyday is different.

Nemont

 

[cornfed]

(I like full bodies for late season geese but watch birds in the field they will land and and immediately sit down in the snow to warm up their feet and melt of a spot to feed). I noticed this on my hunt Sunday when we landed a couple waiting for the rest to get in range.Makes sense now that you mention it.