Anyone understand Canadien Geese

B

Bill Wortz

New member
Where do geese roost? On the water in marshes or in the cornfields? Do they spend the day on the water or in the stubblefields? They seem to be on the water when I am in the field and vice versa. Should I get to the water early in the morning or in the late afternoon? Any advice good or otherwise?

Bill
 
Bill,

I do not understand the Canada Goose and tend to only get them as incidentals out of duck spreads (with a few Canada dekes for confidence). I do not target them. I have been a handful of times and in those limited experiences, they appeared to roost on the water and come to cut corn fields for their morning meal.

Not sure if this helps at all.

Charlie
 
Well I have gotten some in past days during duck season as well, but we have a late goose only season in Michigan going on right now. Honestly many of the geese have left but I still see some flying. But I seem to be in the field when they are not and on the water when they are not. We were on the water the other day and a flock flew in 10 minutes after shooting time and I try to strictly obey the rules when the boys are with me. They decoyed in but I told them it was too late to shoot.

I guess what I am asking is when hunting strictly geese, should I be on the water say 3pm-ish? sooner? with the knowledge that they roost on water at night. Or do they stay in the fields at night? If I want to hunt them in the field should I get there before sunrise and setup because they come in to feed in the morning?

This is the first year I have paid attention to goose season and trying to chase them.
 
I guess is depends on what part of Canada they are from, if they are Canadian Canada Geese from Quebec, it might be a little bit harder to understand them, since they will honk in French. But if they are Canadian Canada Geese from another province, say Ontario, they generally honk in English and are easier to understand.
I've hunted American Canada Geese down here in Alabama, but they are resident flocks we see incidental to duck hunting. Given our location, they honk with a southern twang and prefer to graze on turnip greens and drink sweet tea.

Insert smiley face here :)

Sorry, couldn't resist. About 50% of waterfowl hunters (and most non-hunters) don't call them Canada Geese, which is the correct name.
 
Well what are they calling them then? You can tell the canadien geese from the other species as they are wearing hockey jerseys and tukes while eating cheese.

Bill
 
Cold frosty clear mornings they will go water to water normally. You can sometimes break a bird or two off and get them to slide past a good field spread but I wouldn't count on it on these mornings. So, they will come off a roost and fly to a "loafing" pond which can also be a roost incidentally-or a golf course. Your only hope is to hunt the water they're going to or any small pond that is a loaf and try to work birds off the flight line. So, this leaves the afternoon feeding flight for a field spread which of course may or may not occur prior to sunset.

Cloudy days, days with any kind of precip they'll hit the field sometime before lunch usually and many times relatively early. You have to pattern geese and it takes time. Normally in the early part of the season they will always go out in the morning unless its very frosty. Then they'll normally make an afternoon flight unless its sweltering. As the season progresses they'll shift to a "one a day" or "two a day" feeding system. It all depends on the weather...temps, snow cover, the roost, hunting pressure and probably most importantly body condition. Lots of times geese will just go out from a roost and "ride around" as my buddy Dan puts it. Occasionally they will skip a day or even two before they make big feeding forays into the fields. This can be very frustrating If they are well fed and comfy a good time to hit them is 12-24 hours prior to a big low coming in...they know its coming and they'll try to hit the feedbag hard.

Non-local geese...predominantly the "interior" race in our case tend to feed more consistently and fly a bit earlier and in larger groups than the resident "giant" race that is so plentiful. Then you have to determine whether or not they'll be hitting corn or grazing in a pasture or eating worms and sprouts in a picked beanfield on rainy morning. What does this translate into? More than likely in an area like you live in there will nearly always be geese in the air doing something...somebody will always defy the rules and do something off the schedule. It's hard to ingnore these birds and they can tip you off to a loaf or roost but do yourself a favor and don't pay too much attention to them. You are looking for a pattern based on the numbers of individuals that adhere to it and the more the better...not some village idiot gander that defies the rules and flies into a picked beanfield with his family to eat frozen grasshoppers at 8am on a frosty morning.

Geese are very hard to understand because it takes lots of time to pattern them and most guys aren't willing to make the commitment which is usually work or gas money related. But, if you do start to pattern an area life can become much easier when it's time to exploit them.
 
Very helpful. Thank you. I have been trying to scout (or pattern) them as much as possible but this damn job gets in my way of hunting and hockey. What you said makes sense to me and is the understanding of geese that I have been working under. I needed someone to provide the guidance you have so i dont think I am crazy in trying to figure this out for my sons and I. Love the idea of "loafing pond"

Bill
 
Hehehe, Good one Carl. That reply is worthy of the archives.

Bugs me too but it REALLY bugs the guys I'm hunting with when I constantly correct them - they just don't get it.
 
I will second Jays post. We never gun the roost because they then leave and never come back. A lot of times it's not possible because of it not being a hunting area. The geese we get on water are on there way to the roost from fields or some times on there way from the roost. The fellows that go mainly for geese hunt them on fields.

They spent a lot of time scouting and getting permission to hunt fields.
 
...some village idiot gander that defies the rules ...
Click to expand...
That is the goose that I am targeting. If it weren't for dumb luck, I'd have no luck at all. Really though, Jay hit the nail on the head, it take a lot of scouting and flexibility to consistantly get Canada geese. Chuck
 
I just started getting into goose hunting, because of the abundance of birds compared to ducks (this year). Plus I want to knock down these resident birds that have over run this area. If you can finds a field that they are feeding (sod or grain field) or close proximity, hunt their in the morning by 11 am the flights are over and the geese are already where they want to be for the day.

As far as hunting over water for geese, I've found that when there is about 4-6 inches of snow on the fields the geese tend to stay on the water throughout the day.

I've never tried hunting geese in the PM, but if I did, it would be around 3 PM to set up before they come in, sand bars seem to be what they are seeking around here ( don't know why). I watch about 200 or so birds leave an area in the morning to head to the fields ( usually a school field) and come back in the afternoon, then lift up to go to roost in the marsh.

Just my 2 cents.

-Jack
 
Funny Carl.I love it.I wonder if when a Canadian waterfowler shoots a Canada ,what do they call them.I guess,"I shot a few of our National Bird!"Probably the smartest bird,or close to it.
 
Ok everybody - I was merely using a term that is common to describe the the type of geese I am chasing as compared to a speckle belly, snow, or Brant, etc, which may (or may not) have different habits. These are greyish, black heads, white cheeks Scientific name - Branta Canadensis. I get it already they are Canada Geese not Canadian a mistake I wont make for generations to come

Bill
 
I have had luck hunting them over water. I don't hardly ever hunt them over fields. I don't hunt a roost pond, but a lake were they roost. If they get shot at in one area they just move to another and never really leave the general vicinity.

This time of year around here anyway, they often don't show up at the lake until afternoon. That being said some flocks can start coming back 8-9 AM. This is a good time of year to be able to sleep in a little, if someone else doesn't get to your spot first.

I seems like weather will effect their patterns. Some days they just don't fly, others they come into the spread with reckless abandon. They seem to just loaf around if it real warm or just rest if it is too cold. So basically it is a crap shoot, just like hunting any other time.
 
The geese I hunt in the saltwater marsh if left alone will tend to roose in small creeks at night, dusk to dark. They will wake up about 8/9 am and make some noise for a half hour or so. Then for no reason they will take flight and go to the nearest park, golf course, school yard or parkway grass. Feed there for a couple of hours and lay down and rest. Now here is where it gets tricky. If they are harressed they my come back to the water at any time. One thing that I do not understand is that you may see 10 small flocks on the marsh in different area, they will fly up at different times but head to the same grass feeding area. The problem is that it changes daily or weekly.
 
Also consider the recent weather here in Michigan.

Recently we have had a big thaw and some rain - almost every pond, puddle, creek is open and lots of fields have standing water. This means the geese can go just about anywhere and have some measure of safety.

Colder weather means less open water which will concentrate the geese on flowing rivers and bigger lakes. They will be more limited in where they can safely roost and this will limit the fields they are likely to feed in based on proximity to the roost. Colder weather also means they are less likely to skip a meal as they need the food energy to stay warm.

Bottom line is colder weather should make patterning the geese easier.
 
Carl what should I do? I went to buy some decoys at Knutson's. I was looking for Canada Geese decoys and all they had was CANADIAN LOL
 
Bill,

I have hunted some local geese on a lake they roost on. The lake is big enough they don't leave they change their flight pattern. I do set up some decoys. They will help get singles to pass by, they don't change a flocks flight pattern. It tends to be pass shooting. You can try to pattern them. They usually tend to return to the lake/roost after shooting hours. When the weather is poor, rain/snow/cloudy etc. the geese will tend to return earlier. On the right day the shooting can be good.

Tom
 
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