# Geese



## Minnowhead

Crushed them today! 4 man limit. Lots of geese ahead of this cold front. Got some Giants and some lessers!


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## Weekender#1

Just too cold this morning for me in the blinds but on the first 4 days of the late goose season I have been successful and have limited out each morning. On opening day my neighbor and myself limited with 6 geese by 10:30. Friday 3 of us limited by 10:00 am, Sat 2 of us limited by 9:30 and yesterday 4 of us again limited again by 9:22 as I sent a text to a buddy. All in corn stubble fields miles from any water but within a block of my home. I have photos if anyone wants to see them but still on my phone. My shoulder is hurting, I am a old man. Coffin blinds with about 24 decoys and they land right at my feet, I should have had video. The flagging brings the geese in from a long distance. I have been seeing around a 1,000 geese per day. All the flight birds are passing through at the right time. I have people asking why we do not wait until afternoon to hunt them, but the fields are full of geese all day. They have been landing in the same field as we pick up our decoys and try to get out as quick as we can. We could do shifts of hunters. Just what I do not need another new passion.


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## Greg2Tall

Good stuff guys. We had some good luck this weekend too.


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## joete1218

Just getting into goose hunting.....just what i need another addiction but man its a hell of a time! Looking forward to dropping the boom stick on some this weekend. Good luck boys!


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## Carpn

Wish this weather would level out . Birds fly at noon one day , 3 the next day, 430 the next day. If the weather would get steady the geese would get steady We just started getting good numbers of migrants a couple weeks ago, but my buddies north towards erie are really loaded up.
Killed 3 bands in our group last weekend and wacked some lesser. One band from sunday was a james bay bird.


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## Weekender#1

4 of us limited this morning by 10 am, corn stubble, Hancock county. I about freeze up then here they come and I warm up pretty quick.


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## Weekender#1




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## Carpn

Nice pile ! I hunted with a buddy at one of his spots this evening . We killed our 3 man limit , and I lucked into another band. Bird was a local banded in 2013 . 
Great time of yr to be a goose hunter


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## Carpn




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## Weekender#1

My son and I were out yesterday. He went and set up the blinds and decoys. I left home at 2:22PM and was back home at 3:00 PM with both of our limits. This has been one heck of a year and my shooting has improved very much on the geese. I went through 4-3 inch shells yesterday to drop my limit of 3 geese. Second time this year I have limited on 4 shells. 6 hunts, 6 limits for all involved.
Our freezer is going to explode, waterfowl, deer and fish, a feast will be ongoing.


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman

Weekender#1 said:


> My son and I were out yesterday. He went and set up the blinds and decoys. I left home at 2:22PM and was back home at 3:00 PM with both of our limits. This has been one heck of a year and my shooting has improved very much on the geese. I went through 4-3 inch shells yesterday to drop my limit of 3 geese. Second time this year I have limited on 4 shells. 6 hunts, 6 limits for all involved.
> Our freezer is going to explode, waterfowl, deer and fish, a feast will be ongoing.


Wow that is awesome! Congrats!! Hero!! lol You need some help with those!!??!!


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## Weekender#1

Well I sure hope each of you are getting out for some of this late season action. Yesterday about noon a buddy called and said lets go goose hunting, he has been hearing the talk and wanted in on the action. With none of us having plans to hunt, I thought what the heck. I gathered up the decoys and the neighbor and we went out and set up blinds and decoys in what is becoming thick mud. Set up by 3 and watched flock after flock travel west not the south we needed. I mean thousands of birds. Watching that I thought we may have picked the wrong field, after an hour, bam, a flock of 4 coming our way. They land to my left about 10 yards, in coming are another 15 so I just let those 4 work as decoys also. The 15 come in, hell breaks loose, one dead bird between us all. WTF. But soon another flock comes our way and all the sudden we have 4 down, we need a total of 9. At 4 o'clock there are 5 people standing at the barn, 75 yards away. Low and behold here come 6 geese straight at the three of us. They come into land, when the smoke cleared 5 of the 6 are down. Believe it or not, my first shell missed, 2nd shell I dropped two geese, oh $hit, that was great. It was my son and his buddies at the barn, we carried our geese in and they took our places in the blinds. They only shot one but it had a band. Now they have a new field where maybe 2,000 birds landed last evening and we are setting up at 1:30 this afternoon, 5 of us. All of this under a mile from my home and this afternoon will be just under 2 miles from home. This is the shimizel.


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## charles77

Weekender#1 said:


> Well I sure hope each of you are getting out for some of this late season action. Yesterday about noon a buddy called and said lets go goose hunting, he has been hearing the talk and wanted in on the action. With none of us having plans to hunt, I thought what the heck. I gathered up the decoys and the neighbor and we went out and set up blinds and decoys in what is becoming thick mud. Set up by 3 and watched flock after flock travel west not the south we needed. I mean thousands of birds. Watching that I thought we may have picked the wrong field, after an hour, bam, a flock of 4 coming our way. They land to my left about 10 yards, in coming are another 15 so I just let those 4 work as decoys also. The 15 come in, hell breaks loose, one dead bird between us all. WTF. But soon another flock comes our way and all the sudden we have 4 down, we need a total of 9. At 4 o'clock there are 5 people standing at the barn, 75 yards away. Low and behold here come 6 geese straight at the three of us. They come into land, when the smoke cleared 5 of the 6 are down. Believe it or not, my first shell missed, 2nd shell I dropped two geese, oh $hit, that was great. It was my son and his buddies at the barn, we carried our geese in and they took our places in the blinds. They only shot one but it had a band. Now they have a new field where maybe 2,000 birds landed last evening and we are setting up at 1:30 this afternoon, 5 of us. All of this under a mile from my home and this afternoon will be just under 2 miles from home. This is the shimizel.


Sounds great... After reading this topic the question is have you reviewed regulations concerning possession limits? This is a public forum many different people read this. Four limits in first four days of the season, three geese would be tough to eat in a day. You also mention six limits for all six hunters be careful with this, again on a public forum. By the way it is also an individual limit not a group limit. The geese are a natural resource to protect and share, not stuff your freezer with, ethics are important in this past time.


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## MuskieDan

charles77 said:


> Sounds great... After reading this topic the question is have you reviewed regulations concerning possession limits? This is a public forum many different people read this. Four limits in first four days of the season, three geese would be tough to eat in a day. You also mention six limits for all six hunters be careful with this, again on a public forum. By the way it is also an individual limit not a group limit. The geese are a natural resource to protect and share, not stuff your freezer with, ethics are important in this past time.


But...he has to brag about how many geese he killed. That's the only way it matters.


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## Carpn

The guys having great hunts , and is excited to share . Can ya blame him . ? The way possession limit was explained to me is uncleaned animals count towards your possession . Once home and in your freezer its not part of possession . If it was the way your viewing it every lake Erie walleye and perch fishermen is likely over their possession


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## supercanoe

Carpn said:


> The guys having great hunts , and is excited to share . Can ya blame him . ? The way possession limit was explained to me is uncleaned animals count towards your possession . Once home and in your freezer its not part of possession . If it was the way your viewing it every lake Erie walleye and perch fishermen is likely over their possession


I was told otherwise by the ODNR. What's in your freezer is part of your possession limit. It may depend on who you talk to at ODNR, and the day of the week. They seem to use selective interpretation of the law sometimes.


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## ldrjay

Refer to h. Freezer or just harvested is what I see.....


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## Weekender#1

Well sorry about the bitch'en but we have been making lots of jerky and keeping up with the meat, the other hunters take home their own meat. Complain as you might I am taking legal amounts to my harvest and have not gone to the black side as you seem to suspect. This is a sharing site and that is what I intended to do. How do you feel about guides and the amount of geese/ducks/fish that they and their guests pull from the sky/waters on a daily basis? Or even a guy that has a cabin on Lake Erie that enjoys walleye fishing and goes out nearly daily ?
If I only knew how you do it on a daily basis, I would be just like ya. Tell me more.
Why would a person read a goose hunting thread if shooting a goose or a limit of geese repulsed a person so much?


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## ldrjay

Does the jerky come out dry? I have a hell of a time getting those suckers not to dry out anyway I cook em. 

I couldnt care less about the possession thing. I cant figure out why the limit is low. Them honkers need thinned out a lil more in the early season due to places we cant hunt that they hole up at (city limits).


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## cootmap2

Weekender#1 said:


> My son and I were out yesterday. He went and set up the blinds and decoys. I left home at 2:22PM and was back home at 3:00 PM with both of our limits. This has been one heck of a year and my shooting has improved very much on the geese. I went through 4-3 inch shells yesterday to drop my limit of 3 geese. Second time this year I have limited on 4 shells. 6 hunts, 6 limits for all involved.
> Our freezer is going to explode, waterfowl, deer and fish, a feast will be ongoing.


 You may be over the possession limit


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## capt.scott

Good shooting Weekender#1. Keep it up.


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## Weekender#1

Well today is the last day of the season, I will shoot away until sunset. And about the goose jerky. My son buys the spice blend from Dunhams, slices the meat thin and lets spice mix on the meat in the fridge for 24 hours then both dehydrates and some on the smoker. The final result is people are showing up asking for jerky to eat and take home. We have never sold or bartered the meat away. After trying and offering deer or goose each has asked for more goose not deer. And the deer is great. So the meat in possession is under a two day limit, no matter how bad you want me in jail.


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## charles77

Weekender#1 said:


> Well sorry about the bitch'en but we have been making lots of jerky and keeping up with the meat, the other hunters take home their own meat. Complain as you might I am taking legal amounts to my harvest and have not gone to the black side as you seem to suspect. This is a sharing site and that is what I intended to do. How do you feel about guides and the amount of geese/ducks/fish that they and their guests pull from the sky/waters on a daily basis? Or even a guy that has a cabin on Lake Erie that enjoys walleye fishing and goes out nearly daily ?
> If I only knew how you do it on a daily basis, I would be just like ya. Tell me more.
> Why would a person read a goose hunting thread if shooting a goose or a limit of geese repulsed a person so much?


Complain, no. Trying to help someone who said they are just getting into goose/waterfowl hunting and developing a new passion, yes. Many people check these sites, some with jobs to do. Why even post numbers and risk a visit from what would have to be an extremely bored warden? You have clarified your move to jerky instead of stuffing the freezer, that is a much better posting that is helpful to people, particularly in light of the interest that created and the people that may now make good jerky instead of bad that gets thrown away. Sharing is good lets just share the right things. You are a salesman sell the experience and teach how to utilize the goose not just the kills.
I am a waterfowl hunter, I have no issues with the taking of game. But, I can remember the days of short seasons and low limits and the rare sight of a flock of geese. As you and I enjoy waterfowl hunting we should not only share success but also some stewardship and ethics of the hunt. Am I singling you out with this statement, no it applies to all of us.
I hear of and see many things while out hunting that do not bode well for our future as waterfowl hunters. The sky busters, the group that sets up downwind of you and shoots at birds working your spread, the photos of all the dead birds after a hunt and articles about finding geese thrown in ditches or dumpsters. Is social media to blame? I think it has contributed. Social media seems to have amped up the hunt to be less about the dance and more about something quantifiable that can be posted for easy comparison. Act like you've been there before, thank you Coach Bryant for that phrase.
Lets all continue the great hunts, shoot our own limits, contribute to conservation be it DU, Delta or buying an extra duck stamp every year, better yet do all three. 
How do I do it all day, you asked, I try to be a part of the bigger picture. Don't want you to be just like me, be yourself, widen the focus on your new found passion and embrace it completely, just don't show up at my spot.


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## Weekender#1

Charles this has been a magical season for me, I shot two more Sunday. I have probably bought duck stamps in 20 of my 60 years on this earth. This year is the first time I have ever shot a goose, shot a handful of ducks in years past. Been a member of more different organizations than I care to type out. I would much rather you round up some kids and take them fishing. What about hunting ? When is the last time you took a few kids to a sporting goods store ? How many will you be taking to this winters sportsman shows, in most major markets. You know the goose hunting I have done this year was with 30 year old kids that I mentored when they were 10-20 years old. They bought me a coffin blind, pick me up and take me each and every time I have goose hunted this year. I am a very, very lucky man. But Charles do not stereotype me thinking I am something I am not. I currently have 3 children that I am mentoring very regular. Pick them up to blood trail deer this fall, take them fishing, take them on just "deer rides " in the evening. And I may show up at your spot with 3 kids in tow, but just to watch you shoot, I have enough. You may think I am a game hog but when I have people wanting meat, I feel no shame in my legal limit.


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## capt.scott

charles77 said:


> Complain, no. Trying to help someone who said they are just getting into goose/waterfowl hunting and developing a new passion, yes. Many people check these sites, some with jobs to do. Why even post numbers and risk a visit from what would have to be an extremely bored warden? You have clarified your move to jerky instead of stuffing the freezer, that is a much better posting that is helpful to people, particularly in light of the interest that created and the people that may now make good jerky instead of bad that gets thrown away. Sharing is good lets just share the right things. You are a salesman sell the experience and teach how to utilize the goose not just the kills.
> I am a waterfowl hunter, I have no issues with the taking of game. But, I can remember the days of short seasons and low limits and the rare sight of a flock of geese. As you and I enjoy waterfowl hunting we should not only share success but also some stewardship and ethics of the hunt. Am I singling you out with this statement, no it applies to all of us.
> I hear of and see many things while out hunting that do not bode well for our future as waterfowl hunters. The sky busters, the group that sets up downwind of you and shoots at birds working your spread, the photos of all the dead birds after a hunt and articles about finding geese thrown in ditches or dumpsters. Is social media to blame? I think it has contributed. Social media seems to have amped up the hunt to be less about the dance and more about something quantifiable that can be posted for easy comparison. Act like you've been there before, thank you Coach Bryant for that phrase.
> Lets all continue the great hunts, shoot our own limits, contribute to conservation be it DU, Delta or buying an extra duck stamp every year, better yet do all three.
> How do I do it all day, you asked, I try to be a part of the bigger picture. Don't want you to be just like me, be yourself, widen the focus on your new found passion and embrace it completely, just don't show up at my spot.





Weekender#1 said:


> Charles this has been a magical season for me, I shot two more Sunday. I have probably bought duck stamps in 20 of my 60 years on this earth. This year is the first time I have ever shot a goose, shot a handful of ducks in years past. Been a member of more different organizations than I care to type out. I would much rather you round up some kids and take them fishing. What about hunting ? When is the last time you took a few kids to a sporting goods store ? How many will you be taking to this winters sportsman shows, in most major markets. You know the goose hunting I have done this year was with 30 year old kids that I mentored when they were 10-20 years old. They bought me a coffin blind, pick me up and take me each and every time I have goose hunted this year. I am a very, very lucky man. But Charles do not stereotype me thinking I am something I am not. I currently have 3 children that I am mentoring very regular. Pick them up to blood trail deer this fall, take them fishing, take them on just "deer rides " in the evening. And I may show up at your spot with 3 kids in tow, but just to watch you shoot, I have enough. You may think I am a game hog but when I have people wanting
> meat, I feel no shame in my legal limit.


 Weekender#1 you don't owe this clown an explantation. This guy thinks he is the only one that has as ever went to a DU benefit or put up a wood duck box. Takes some nads to come on a public form and accuse someone of over limit, over possession, make sure you eat what you kill, telling folks how to spend there money. What a joke. This guy probably bends his barrel of his shotgun just to give the geese a chance.


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## KaGee

capt.scott said:


> Weekender#1 you don't owe this clown an explantation. This guy thinks he is the only one that has as ever went to a DU benefit or put up a wood duck box. Takes some nads to come on a public form and accuse someone of over limit, over possession, make sure you eat what you kill, telling folks how to spend there money. What a joke. This guy probably bends his barrel of his shotgun just to give the geese a chance.


Please ratchet it back. Like water on a duck's back, you have to let some things roll off. Thanks!

charles77... one does not move into a new neighborhood and immediately become confrontational with the neighbors. It's just not going to win you friends or influence around here.


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## Carpn

I've had the same experience with goose jerky vs deer jerky . The majority of people choose goose over deer . As far as someone mentioned earlier about dryness , take it out while it seems like its not done . If ya wait till it feels fully dry , by the time it cools it will be like leather . 
I get a mess made into snack sticks each yr and distribute them to landowners who allow me the priveledge of hunting on their property .
A third way I've made good use of goose is the can it like you would beef or venison .


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## Weekender#1

The secret to making great jerky is by taking the nearly crisp Jerky off the dehydrator, put it in a airtight zip lock bag and place in the refrigerator for a day after the dehydrator. It will turn soft and crispy at the same time, that is our secret to perfect jerky. Yea it is ok off the rack but 24 hours in the refrigerator will make you a believer, just try this once for me. As well as to rotate the racks every hour while in the smoker or dehydrator.
Charles I wish you a great season and many more seasons of hunting for yourself. We do not have to shoot everything we see, you probably would not believe how many deer I passed up on this season while bow hunting and I sit here without a buck this season. I still have a few days, may or may not go out. But I wish Goose was still open as that was awesome.
Charles maybe next year you can spend a day late season goose hunting with me. I think we would get along better than you would think.


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## 3 dog Ed

Charles77 and Weekender#1 I would love to share a blind with both of you. I can tell you both have a high appreciation of the resource and of the future. Hopefully all hunters care as much as the two of you. May we meet some day on the water or field!!!!
Thanks!
Ed


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