Question for you goose hunters

No work to the land. Don't need a blind. Just white spread and buy white parkas. Lay in the spread, preferably on a levee with your back on it. Just scout the property and see if geese work it at all. You can set up a spread and see if you can get geese to work you but the best bet will be if geese actually use it.

Decoys, this is not a cheap cliff to jump off of. You need #'s. I prefer SiloSocks. To start off, maybe 200. Need to build up to maybe 500 if possible. You can find people selling if you are lucky sometimes. I mouth call Snows. Have no clue about calls.

Not targeting any specific species. Land is near Kaplan If that helps. Saw one flight flying over pretty low when we went to check it out. Have not been there for a morning scout.

Would we have any success with strictly evening hunts? More success in morning? Typical price tag for a sufficient set of generic decoys?

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preferably an electronic call if your an outlaw

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My pow pow says he is 84 and can do what he wants.

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flooded rice fields

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Going to be real tough to use rag type decoys over water. Geese don't really like to land in water. Not saying they won't, but a plowed or stubble field is much better. Not having an obvious food source (rice) will make it even tougher. I really doubt you'll have any luck with snows/blues unless you are out on a windy or foggy day and you can catch some passing shots. You're best bet is to get yourself about a dozen (or more) floating speck decoys. Set them out in a couple of small groups with an open space between, preferably right at the range you need for shooting. Hide yourself well and then start hoping.

As for calls, I hate the Haydel goose calls, all of them. The speck call is one of the worst out there. I'd choose anything over it. Find a partner or a friend who knows something about calling geese and learn how to blow it. Until you can make it sound right,I wouldn't even bring it to the field. You'll only scare them away. Anyone who hunts specks and knows how to call will admit that a single screwed up note can send birds away screaming.

Hunting specks over water is not ideal. 6 good looking floaters is the way I'd recommend but I can't tell you for a fact it'll work. Pair them up with a little space between the pairs. As for calls the primos shaved reed speck is probably the cheapest call that will work but I find it outrageously hard to break over. The riceland poly call is about twice as expensive but will be your best bet. You must be very hidden. No movement whatsoever or they are gone. Leave your dog at home. Find a choke that's pretty tight and some bigger shot. I'd say for regular steel at least #1 shot until you get good with your call. 2 note 3 note and clucking is all you need. It's not like calling ducks. You are trying to create a conversation with the bird that's calling. Whatever sound it makes imitate it. You aren't trying to get groups of over let's say 15 to commit. You'll educate too many birds. Groups of 5 or less is ideal. Make your shots count and remember that they are always going to look a lot closer than they are because of their size. Most common mistake with new speck hunters is calling a 60 yard shot thinking they are 35-40 yards out and not being about to kill them.

What kind of geese? and where?

It ain't easy I can tell you that much.

ETA hunting specks is the way to go unless it's conservation season. Get a call and practice practice practice. you can have no decoys and still kill specks if you can call.

I like setting only a handful of good speck fullbodies, hiding thick in the grass, don't overcall, and then pray

Best Specks Decoys
LINK

Pricey but you don't need more than 6.

Flocked GHG will work for you when you are starting.

You will love speck hunting though.

Best speck call
LINK /
Very easy to blow. Look up their videos on youtube for help. PRACTICE!

For snows, I love to try and hunt them but they are hard. Need at least 350 decoys, rags will work -OK- in low light conditions but try and build up a sillosock spread if you want to become a better snow goose hunter.

One thing I can tell you, is that if you get one or 2 good hunts on a piece of land, that might be it. Geese move a lot. If you target specks, it's a lot easier to shoot a couple here and there and not scare them from your land.

As far as field conditions, muddy plowed or water buffaloed fields work best. Nastier the better. Set your decoys a good ways from you, I like to put them upwind. Let them work. Call on the corners. Clucking would be the first call i'd master. I primarily cluck once they've found my decoys

acrylics

the polys cost 65

that's what I have....for now

definitely worth paying for a good call. it's the large majority of what speck hunting is.

All shot over "dry" land







Blind. This is a little too grassy of terrain. Muddier would have been better. It was brushed a little better too.


A little of the spread left. Should have done a whole spread shot but I forgot

Windtamer Texas Rags are OK if you are on a budget. Won't work as well and take way longer to put out.

The best/easiest way is to buy sillosocks. But they're pricy.

Next way is the buy the economy sillosocks. you have to paint and put them together. $350 for 120. I put them together in a long weekend.

Last way is to buy the sillosock kit, without the tyvek bag. Then buy/make your own bags. you can save a little this way.

Best way IMO is the economy sillosocks.

LINK
LINK
gotta put the rags on stakes though IMO. But even the hardcore rag hunters in Tejas are going to sillosocks. that says something

txwatefowler.com forums have a lot of good threads on snow hunting