How I spent the last weekend of goose season

Matt Moore

Matt Moore

Active member
Here's some pics of saturdays results. At least Stu and I finished the season on a good note. The geese were pretty cagey, we decided not to call, other than a honk or two when they were a ways off to let them know we were there. We were set up in a pasture surrounded on 3 sides by an oxbow slough, with dekes to the east of us, a landing zone in front, the slough and blackberry and hawthorn behind us, the wind in our face. Most of the birds that decoyed came from the west, and circled in from our right.
We each got 3, and the cackler was shot by someone on the east side of the oxbow, and they never came looking for it. Here you see the 3 common subspecies in our area. Westerns, taverner's and cacklers.
The panic I had earlier in the year over my ten gauge was false. I was apparently seeing strings of plastic in the barrels, that were hell to clean out. The gun has cleaned easy since, so I don't know what was going on with it. I felt so bad when I thought I'd ruined the gun. I then didn't want to mention that to the group because I felt imbarrased, but I'll come clean now. I don't want anyone to shy away from buying an American Arms shotgun, thinking they can't shoot steel through it. I've had a few trips with this gun now, and I really like it for geese. You can frankly shoot similar loads out of a 3 1/2'' twelve, but the larger bore size is probably better patterning with large shot. The extra weight helps control recoil too. I'll likely take my 12 gauge on days I'll be hunting mostly ducks. The smallest load I have for the 10 is 1 1/4 oz steel, I do fine on ducks with 1 1/8 oz of #2s. It's somewhat limited, geese, turkeys, and coyotes, but I've quickly become fond of it for that.
The weiner dog and corgie don't go hunting with me, but they did want to check out the geese. The dachsund is a pretty good mole hunter though.

View attachment geese1.jpg
View attachment geese2.jpg
View attachment geese3.jpg
View attachment geese1.jpg
View attachment geese2.jpg
View attachment geese3.jpg
 

wow, what a difference in size. i don't think there are many goose hunters here but i've knocked a few down. way to go.
 
Aleutians are similar size, but uncommon here, I've never shot one. These are called cacklers, and have higher pitched voices, with no low note. They have a feed call that sounds alot like pigeons cooing. They're not much bigger than a mallard, have a short neck, and are real common here. I think the barring on the flank and back feathers are a little prettier than the larger breeds. Some day I may shell out the money to have one mounted, it'd take up less room too.
 
now that is a small goose,,, awesome at least your still hunting we wait until october....

i have to tell you that if a small goose like that were to come at me id probably misjudge the distance we never get them that small out here most are 10 to 17 lbs,,,,,,

congrats

shermie...
 
Nice Geese Matt!
Do you still have to take a test before you can be legalized to hunt Canadas?
Don't shoot the dusky!
I don't hunt Canadas much here in NJ - its mostly on private land ($$).
Thanks for sharing,
Dave
 
Guane,
Unless the laws have changed in the last year or,so then the ID test is still in effect in NW Oregon and SW Washington.

Matt,
Does your 10 guage have much muzzle jump with the short barrells? I've lifted one of those a couple of times, and while I almost bought it for divers and occasional geese, just couldn't justify the expense. Bet it really is great on geese though. Strtches out your point blank range how far?
 
You do have to take a test to hunt the regular season, but not for the September season. We're really spoiled here. We get a 9 day September season designed to keep the local goose population down. It's only the big westerns that are around that time of year. Since they're local geese though, they wise up real fast, and quickly move to the areas they aren't hunted. So it's great opening day, not generally worth it the next, and ok the following saturday. You're soon down to a tee shirt, and wishing for iced tea in the thormos instead of coffee. You have to remind yourself it's geese you're hunting not doves.
Regular season opens one week after duck season opens. You have a goose card to enter geese shot. You're required to go to a check station at the end of the day. The lady measures the bill and shank bone, looks at it's butt to sex it, stuffs a wire through the nose, and crimps on a seal. She then writes out a new goose card for you. If you shoot a dusky subspecie, you're through for the season, and have to retest. If too many guys shoot duskies, they close the season. If you shoot geese, and don't fill out the card, or stop at the check station, you're through for the season, and probably get a fine.
The season recloses before duck season ends, but reopens in January, closes again, and opens again in February, and finally closes the first weekend in March.
My elk season started in December, and caused me to miss alot of duck and goose hunting. I know many here choose to hunt waterfowl over big game, and I've given up deer hunting at times to go, but elk hunting trumps either in my book. Besides, elk tastes the best of any wild game I've eaten, and there's alot of eatin' with an elk!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top