#4 steel for geese?

[Ksfowler166]

Was wondering if you could effectivly take canadian geese with #4 steel shot.I have only used #2, BB, and T steel shot for geese.

[tornadochaser]

Yes. Just take ethical shots. A nice dense even pattern of 4's and the correct lead on a goose inside ~30 yards will stone them. I've shot piles of geese with 3" 4's while duck hunting.

[deadeye762]

Why are you wanting to shoot 4s? Im assuming because you are hunting both ducks and geese?

The bad thing with 4s is the amount of pellets in the meat when you clean them, even close, that is a lot more pellets per shell.

[2500hdon37s]

Why are you wanting to shoot 4s? Im assuming because you are hunting both ducks and geese?

The bad thing with 4s is the amount of pellets in the meat when you clean them, even close, that is a lot more pellets per shell.

even then #2's does great on all ducks but teal, and still even work for them. IMO #4 wont help much for geese

[DSM16428]

Ditto. 2s or 1s is what I load up with when there both geese and ducks in the area.

[BenelliSBE2]

Just shoot #2's at ducks/geese. Theres really no need for any other shot size.

[Ksfowler166]

Why are you wanting to shoot 4s? Im assuming because you are hunting both ducks and geese?

The bad thing with 4s is the amount of pellets in the meat when you clean them, even close, that is a lot more pellets per shell.

You shouldn't assume, I never said I was or even wanted to use #4 shot for geese.I just asked if you could ethicaly use it.

[DSM16428]

Why are you wanting to shoot 4s? Im assuming because you are hunting both ducks and geese?

The bad thing with 4s is the amount of pellets in the meat when you clean them, even close, that is a lot more pellets per shell.

You shouldn't assume, I never said I was or even wanted to use #4 shot for geese.I just asked if you could ethicaly use it.

I did. As did probably every other member that read your post. It was a perfectly valid assumption.

[deadeye762]

for someone asking a question and wanting opinions, you seemed to be a little testy.

Technically, you can kill geese with shells loaded in SALT ROCKS, or ever #6, heck a pellet gun could do the job granted there is a close enough shot and it all comes down to one pellet hitting them in the head or through the eye.

Was wondering if you could effectivly take canadian geese with #4 steel shot.I have only used #2, BB, and T steel shot for geese.

Why are you wanting to shoot 4s? Im assuming because you are hunting both ducks and geese?

The bad thing with 4s is the amount of pellets in the meat when you clean them, even close, that is a lot more pellets per shell.

You shouldn't assume, I never said I was or even wanted to use #4 shot for geese.I just asked if you could ethicaly use it.

Effectively and Ethically are two different ball games. Effectively, not unless they are close, Ethically, ONLY if they are close. No point in using 4s when 2s are so much better.

Im bowing out of the thread.

Good Luck

[tornadochaser]

A 1 1/4 oz load of 4's starting at 1450 fps or higher and keeping an even pattern will kill geese cleanly and ethically inside 30 yards. Its not rocket science, just basic physics. Would I reccomend it? No, not if all you are hunting is geese. But for the duck hunter who occasionally might shoot a goose, there is no reason to state 4's cannot perform as needed. What it really boils down to is having sufficient pattern density to ensure clean kills, regardless of shot size. sure 1 pellet of T shot has enough energy to kill a goose at 60+, but what good does that pellet do you if it hits the bird in the a$$?
Most geese that get crippled or sail off are shot in the a$$; which can give the illusion of a hard hit because of how easily the shot will rip feathers off the bird. One gets the notion that he "rocked" or "pillowcased" that bird, only to see it fly off and the person will immediately blame the ammo. Head and neck hits are the best way to take down canadas, followed by pellets in the top 1/3rd of the breast/wing joint area where the heart, lungs, and wingbones all reside. pellets hitting anywhere else in the body can result in cripples regardless of penetration, energy, shot size, etc. So no matter what you shoot, always swing through the bird and put the shot where it counts.

[Minnesota GreyBrow]

In MY 3 seasons of hunting with a guide being able to pull in migrators out of the heavens this is my opinion:

Steel BB is the best and most ethical load for Geese - #4 is simply too light and yes unethical ( especially over water)
If you cant hit a goose(most of the time) with a BB load you need to practice
All of the above discussions/opinions are pertinent however

That being said-- hevishot #2 is the best load for geese -- same as old school #2 lead

[deadeye762]

That being said-- hevishot #2 is the best load for geese -- same as old school #2 lead

along with a third shot of BB and you are set!

[Baysider]

I used #4's only for years on ducks and geese. I killed plenty geese out to 40yds, but enver tried anything farther. If you can shoot a load of #4'd will blister their heads. I use #2's mostly now, but really havent seen a difference as I keep all my shots inside 40yds if i can help it.

[2500hdon37s]

hell, I've even used BB on ducks and IMO it works just as good as #2 if not better. takes less hits to kill them.

[twisted]

hell, I've even used BB on ducks and IMO it works just as good as #2 if not better. takes less hits to kill them.

hell when the geese are flying BB is all i buy for ducks and geese they put the smack down on them quackers

[mikebig1]

early season geese...i would not be opposed to using #4 shot over decoys... late season migrators with a heavy coat of down feathers and fat... too much to penetrate for anything other than #2 or #BB.. In my weapon of choice i use one load of #BB in the pipe, for my first round, and back it up with #BBB in the magazine.. you need clean kills, out of respect for hunting the birds as a sportsman.. it is redundant, I know, but it seems to bear repeating on occasion.

[goosechaser125]

My turn, pulled #4's out of two birds this year, one I found just outside the ribcage when I was cleaning it, the other, my wife took out of the breast as she bit in to a cooked piece at dinner two nights ago. I guess it could have been the same bird, as there is no way to know. Either way, the one that I found it in at cleaning was a old wound based on no blood, no infection, no wound channel nothing, just setting there next to the ribcage and coated with black corrosion.

I like #2's, larger as they get heavier down in the winter.

Good luck to all of you!

[Lonegoose]

I used #4 hyper steel today because it was all that I had left. Definately doesn't have the knockdown power like bb's or 2's. I was knocking them out of air but not stone cold killing them. Long story short they wont be used for geese ever again in my gun.

[cut_un]

I'd have said No til I hunted with a fellow earlier this year. He is a crack shot,champion skeet shooter, it'scool how quickly he gets on the bird and shoots...Anyway, he shoots for the head and kills decoying geese cleanly. And ...he'll get his limit before everyone else

[duck slayer]

4 shot is not really a goose shot its more of a duck shot