| Goose hunting season will soon be upon us and hunter | | | | lot of extra work. Knowing how many goose decoys |
| across the nation will be busy preparing their decoys, | | | | to set out often goes back to your scouting. If you |
| blinds, and calling skills in anticipation of an enjoyable | | | | typically see about thirty to fifty real geese in a field |
| hunting season to come. For those first starting out | | | | there's no reason to set out a hundred decoys. In this |
| though they may be thinking of where to start or how | | | | situation having too many decoys in a spread may |
| to go about setting up a successful hunt. This article will | | | | even spook incoming geese as they are not used to |
| explain the fundamentals of scouting for geese, goose | | | | seeing that many geese in the field. An exception to |
| decoys and decoy spreads, goose calling, and blinds. | | | | this example would be if you are unable to hunt the |
| Scouting | | | | field where you observed the geese landing and are |
| The most important element of any successful goose | | | | going to hunt a field they are flying over. In this situation |
| hunt is to know where the geese want to be and for | | | | I would throw everything you own at them. |
| the hunter to be there invisible. Mastering this simple | | | | Calling |
| element of hunting success is required through out the | | | | Although fancy goose calling sounds heard on stage |
| season. Knowing where the geese roost and the | | | | grab other hunter's attention, simple goose sounds |
| types of food sources geese use through out the | | | | such as clucks and moans still put the majority of |
| hunting season can help make this daunting task easier. | | | | geese into a decoy spread. It is much more important |
| By knowing where the geese roost every night it is | | | | that you use sounds that you have mastered versus |
| simple task to simply arrive before they leave and let | | | | sounds that you're still practicing when in the field. |
| them show you the field/s they are feeding in. It is also | | | | During the early season this is very evident. After |
| important to note their flight pattern at this time and the | | | | calling in a flock of geese and shooting a few birds |
| fields they are flying over. If for some reason you are | | | | don't stop calling, as odds are some of the younger |
| unable to get permission to hunt in the field they are | | | | geese of the flock will come back again. |
| landing in, then you have a back up plan by hunting a | | | | Hunting Blinds |
| field they are least flying over. A a general rule of | | | | Trying to hide in a pasture or recently cut hay field can |
| thumb hay fields and pastures are early season goose | | | | be challenge. Before setting up blinds in this situation |
| hunting magnets, especially if there is a creek running | | | | first look for natural cover options as they tend to |
| through the field. As temperatures get colder, or | | | | offer the best concealment that the geese are used |
| chopped corn fields become available geese can very | | | | to if available. Maybe a creek with taller banks, a fence |
| quickly switch from grass to grain. But only scouting will | | | | line, or standing corn can offer adequate concealment. |
| confirm this switch. For consistent success no other | | | | If natural cover is not an option then the lowest profile |
| element is more important than simple scouting. | | | | blind possible should be used. Be sure to attach as |
| Decoy Spreads | | | | much natural cover to the blind as possible. Don't |
| While many goose hunters will set out as many | | | | forget to cover your face with a head net or face |
| decoys as they own, they may being going through a | | | | paint, as well as your hands. |