Any Snow Geese Hunters?

[Aaron N]

Do we have any avid snow geese hunters?

With spring slowly trying to break through, it’s only a matter of time before the fields start turning white from something other than snow.

I’m looking to dip my toes into the spring season, I’m just wondering what kind of tips you guys have for snows?

 

[BRICKBURN]

https://www.ab-conservation.com/wildlife-cameras/goose-gps/

There are a couple getting closer.

 

[Aaron N]

https://www.ab-conservation.com/wildlife-cameras/goose-gps/

There are a couple getting closer.

Already watched them tonight!

There were some Canada’s flying around two weeks ago, but the stubble in the fields is still covered with snow, and no open water is anywhere near opening up.

How is spring coming down south?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Already watched them tonight!

There were some Canada’s flying around two weeks ago, but the stubble in the fields is still covered with snow, and no open water is anywhere near opening up.

How is spring coming down south?

Back and forth with weather.
Some field were bare.
Canadas are grouped up and pairing up.
Have not seen a White bird, except Sea Gulls.

 

[IvW]

Sounds like a very interesting hunt....

Would a 1905 Greener SxS with 30" Roses steel barrels work? 12ga 2 3/4"

 

[Firebird]

I live in the state of utah and we have a short spring hunt-they migrated theough in March in good numbers and we had a couple decent hunts. Too many people in too small an area (guys set up in every field) and guys are so excited to shoot one that they resort to skybusting and worse. The guys I was with were excited when we shot one or two birds each one morning-I’ve been to Arkansas and Nebraska on spring hunts where we filled more than one truck bed in a morning Soto me it seemed like lots of work for not much shooting. I guess they are rare here so it becomes a trophy hunt more than anything else.
Good luck to you boys up north-I’m sure you are right around the corner from a fantastic spring white out!

 

[mikecatt13]

I'm hopelessly addicted and go every year, some guided, lots of DIY.

Tips: it's a ton of work and the most frustrating bird you will ever hunt, especially on the northern end of the spring and migration when they've been getting shot at constantly since September. I'm addicted to chasing them so I'd be trying anyway, but if I was in Canada I'd focus on fall season.

Either way, extremely smart birds. CAMO CAMO CAMO SHADOWS AND CAMO are keys to success. Whether that means perfectly camouflaged layout blinds, pit blinds, or laying on the ground in whites, they've seen it all so if its not perfect they will pick you out.

That being said, how they work vertically is a sight to behold and theres nothing else like it

Pic of one of my competition shotguns killing some geese for your enjoyment. 20 round mag and suppressed, my splits between shots are as fast as .11-12 on target

 

[Aaron N]

Sounds like a very interesting hunt....

Would a 1905 Greener SxS with 30" Roses steel barrels work? 12ga 2 3/4"

I can’t see why it wouldn’t, as long as you can run steel shot through. Only one way to find out though!

 

[IvW]

Oops forgot about the steel shot, not sure this old girl will handle that although it is Nitro proofed....

 

[Aaron N]

I'm hopelessly addicted and go every year, some guided, lots of DIY.

Tips: it's a ton of work and the most frustrating bird you will ever hunt, especially on the northern end of the spring and migration when they've been getting shot at constantly since September. I'm addicted to chasing them so I'd be trying anyway, but if I was in Canada I'd focus on fall season.

Either way, extremely smart birds. CAMO CAMO CAMO SHADOWS AND CAMO are keys to success. Whether that means perfectly camouflaged layout blinds, pit blinds, or laying on the ground in whites, they've seen it all so if its not perfect they will pick you out.

That being said, how they work vertically is a sight to behold and theres nothing else like it

Pic of one of my competition shotguns killing some geese for your enjoyment. 20 round mag and suppressed, my splits between shots are as fast as .11-12 on target View attachment 341257

Ive always wondered if grain fed spring snows are better eating than tundra fed fall ones?

 

[CoElkHunter]

Went once in Northeastern Colorado in March and once was enough! Setting out 3,000 flag and several dozen full body decoys at 3am with no sleep, only to find out by the “expert” scouts that we set up in the wrong field, so had to do it all over again. Still no sleep. Bluebird weather, thousands flying hundreds of yards overhead. Everybody had 10ga. semi-autos with cases of shells banging away at birds 80-100yds up ( they would actually hit one every once in a while). My father in law and me with 3” 12gauges undergunned! The WORST part was the Massive STEREO system! ALL day long, the sound of cackling snow geese ad nauseum over the stereo system as LOUD as a rock concert! I did shoot a number of times, so the shotgun blast in my ears would drown out the cackling geese in stereo! My father in law and I each finally got ONE , after he chased his wounded one down like he was running after an antelope (those geese can run fast) banging away at it till he got it! That was actually the best entertainment of the day! I think I’ll pass next time on the invite, and take a journey to Australia and get kicked by a camel!

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Sounds like a very interesting hunt....

Would a 1905 Greener SxS with 30" Roses steel barrels work? 12ga 2 3/4"

Steel shot is required to hunt migratory waterfowl in Canada which would probably be detrimental to a beautiful old gun.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I've only ever shot one it was in with a flock of canadas and must of been terribly lost as we're not on there migration route. That was a fall bird though.

 

[sgt_zim]

Ive always wondered if grain fed spring snows are better eating than tundra fed fall ones?

I wonder that myself, because the ones we hunt in Fall and early Winter down here in Texas taste like moose shit pie. And it isn't because I don't know how to cook wild game.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I wonder that myself, because the ones we hunt in Fall and early Winter down here in Texas taste like moose shit pie. And it isn't because I don't know how to cook wild game.

We have the same problem with canadas and lessers tasteing like mud flats , I soak them over night in a sink full of warm water and baking soda. The stuff them with oranges and cranberries, even with all that some arnt fit to eat.

 

[YancyW]

Add as much as of an extension as you can on your shotgun, then bring another shotgun. I have shot 100+ rounds in a single day of hunting. I have a Beretta A400 with an extension to allow 10 rounds total, you rip through that a few times, you will want to make sure you have a pad on your shoulder.

 

[Aaron N]

I wonder that myself, because the ones we hunt in Fall and early Winter down here in Texas taste like moose shit pie. And it isn't because I don't know how to cook wild game.

I’m thinking they’ll all be made into jerky

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Add as much as of an extension as you can on your shotgun, then bring another shotgun. I have shot 100+ rounds in a single day of hunting. I have a Beretta A400 with an extension to allow 10 rounds total, you rip through that a few times, you will want to make sure you have a pad on your shoulder.

There's nothing quite like laying in a blind that second morning of goose season, praying to god no geese fly over because you almost cried that morning buttoning up a shirt and know full well your to stupid not to shoot at them if they come... can't wait to do it all again.

 

[YancyW]

There's nothing quite like laying in a blind that second morning of goose season, praying to god no geese fly over because you almost cried that morning buttoning up a shirt and know full well your to stupid not to shoot at them if they come... can't wait to do it all again.

That is 100% true.

 

[Major Khan]

Not exactly the same thing ... But our Greylag Geese in Bangladesh can often weigh more than 5 pounds . I shoot them quite a few times through out the year .
I shot the magnificent specimen pictured above , just last month .
I use my " Old Belgian " 12 Bore double barreled side by side shot gun , loaded with AAA cartridges .

When fired through the fully choked left barrel and the modified choked right barrel ... the AAA cartridges completely make short work of the geese on the spot.
I originally used to use Eley Alphamax 2.75 inch 36 gram AAA cartridges for them . However , Eley no longers manufactures anything larger than BB cartridges these days .
For many years after that ... I used American AAA cartridges exclusively for hunting Greylag Geese .

I personally prefer the Federal 2.75 inch 12 Bore cartridges ( right ) , as they hold 34 pellets .
However , the Winchester " Super X " 2.75 inch 12 Bore cartridges ( centre ) perform quite adequately , even though they only hold 27 pellets .

Recently ( as of 2020 ) .... I have begun to use Lyalvale Express 36 gram 12 Bore 2.75 inch English AAA cartridges . These hold 44 pellets to the cartridge ( albeit the pellet size of English AAA is slightly smaller , than American AAA ) .It is with these cartridges , that I successfully managed to bring down the specimen in the photographs .