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Resident honkers often haven’t seen much pressure. Sometimes smaller spreads work fine. These family group setups, say 4-6 decoys spaced evenly near your blind, can work early on. (Courtesy photo, Travis Mueller, Avery Outdoors, Inc |
Honker action can be hot early on: literally and figuratively. The sight of early-season geese moving across the late-summer skyline still lifts your heart the same way it did back in winter, even if it feels just a little different now.
More geese can be a good thing — for us waterfowlers, and a challenge for landowners as population surges can foul lawns and wreck habitats. As a result, these seasons are staged around the country in late summer; many begin in early September (check your current regulations).
Assuming you’re armed with a reliable shotgun, loads, and proven calls, here are some other basics.
Due to availability, resident geese are much more likely to munch green grass (in addition to certain planted crops) than agricultural leavings; at least early on.
As a result, you’re often better off finding their roost (where geese loaf at night, often on water), and where they like to hang out by day, be it a corner pasture that hasn’t been planted (check with your landowner first), or any other available spot, including where you might call them out of the sky on their way from point A (the roost) and point B (where they feed and/or linger during the daytime). As fakes go, you should use the best you can afford. Add new options to the old reliable mix. If you hunt hard as many of us do, take care of your gear to and from your hunting spots. Decoy bags are a must. Some guys even put full-bodied fakes in individual bags. Clean decoys with a bristle brush and water. This is a 24/7 lifestyle. No shortcuts. Do what it takes. It’ll put more geese in range. Read more »
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