To land or not land

[mulvany]

I just posted in another topic and figured I would start the conversation here before it takes over that thread...

I like to let geese land or almost land in the spread before I shoot. I've had several groups glide over treetop height or lower but I never called the shot...I normally use treetop height as a gauge to see if they're in shooting range or not. I was lucky the last 2 years to have an awesome spot to hunt where most of the time I had geese landing, but this year I moved and they've been tough local birds so I've had less birds land but lots of shot opportunities at tree height that I never took.

I know this is a personal preference to some people, but I want to know...do you try to get them to land or is treetop height good enough?

[Rajah]

My decoys are there for a reason... to get them to come into my spread and land.

[Fox_hunter42]

I want them cupped and feet down, let the first couple land then take one out of the air behind, This allows for a follow up on one getting up.

But if the attitude of the Geese is telling me they won't decoy, and the opp. presents itself. Yes i would if times are tuff and I haven't been getting the birds to behave.

That said, there is nothing better than those big ole wings locked and that big bird 3-4 feet off the ground at your feet.

[goosechaser125]

I like to pound them about a foot before they land, but.........with enough experience you will start to be able to tell if birds are going to commit or not, and you will start shooting some that you just "know" are not going to land. But other times you will be sure they are just going to commit and they don't .......That's goose hunting

[formerly full choke]

I like to take them when they are about three or four feet off the ground. They have committed, the dekes, the calling, the hide all worked. Now comes the gravy shots...

[dakotashooter2]

I like to pound them about a foot before they land, but.........with enough experience you will start to be able to tell if birds are going to commit or not, and you will start shooting some that you just "know" are not going to land. But other times you will be sure they are just going to commit and they don't .......That's goose hunting

Decoy killer!!!!!!!!!!

[don835]

It depends on the time of year. The later the season gets the tougher it is to put 'em on the ground. If I can see that the Geese are working good then I will try to land 'em every time. You will be surprised where Geese will land in your spread. I have learned a lot about decoy spreads by landing Geese.

Murph.

[goosechaser125]

I like to pound them about a foot before they land, but.........with enough experience you will start to be able to tell if birds are going to commit or not, and you will start shooting some that you just "know" are not going to land. But other times you will be sure they are just going to commit and they don't .......That's goose hunting

Decoy killer!!!!!!!!!!

Not hitting decoys, thier heads are still high enough, but did put a T- shot directly into the cheek patch on a Bigfoot shell last week, when a cripple tried to make a run for it....... he didn't make it! And replacement heads are cheap

[cashman]

I've yet to find something more awesome and enjoyable than a big flock of Canada Geese, cupped, locked, landing gear down, backflapping, head moving side to side, moaning and groaning, into the decoys! If I can get them there, I'll shoot decoying geese every single time. This time of year though, doesn't happen as much as I'd like and we'll have to take some of those 40yard shots while they skirt the decoys. But if I had my choice, that's all I'd ever do because that IS the reason I do this, having a goose land three feet from you and not have a clue he's about to die, not much in my book more fun than that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DSM16428]

He said moaning and groaning!!! ... What happens in the goose pit...

[goosehunter78]

I've yet to find something more awesome and enjoyable than a big flock of Canada Geese, cupped, locked, landing gear down, backflapping, head moving side to side, moaning and groaning, into the decoys! If I can get them there, I'll shoot decoying geese every single time. This time of year though, doesn't happen as much as I'd like and we'll have to take some of those 40yard shots while they skirt the decoys. But if I had my choice, that's all I'd ever do because that IS the reason I do this, having a goose land three feet from you and not have a clue he's about to die, not much in my book more fun than that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[goosehunter78]

He said moaning and groaning!!! ... What happens in the goose pit...

Thanks, I Just spit beer all over my notebook...

[Doubletap]

I like to pound them about a foot before they land, but.........with enough experience you will start to be able to tell if birds are going to commit or not, and you will start shooting some that you just "know" are not going to land. But other times you will be sure they are just going to commit and they don't .......That's goose hunting

Decoy killer!!!!!!!!!!

Let one land last week, he walked around and just sat down, guy next to me says, birds got a band, I say shoot him then, DSD lessor and the goose died

[Jacob Johnson]

I definantly perfer to either let them land if their is another string coming or shoot them when their a foot off the ground. That is, if they look like thier actually going to land. If their coming in and flare and are still in shooting range, I usually take a crack at them.

[cashman]

For your consideration I'd like to submit two recent situations from two of my hunts in the last few weeks.

Case one: Mallard drake cupped, dropped, landed in the decoys... swimming around... I'm ready to kill... Pop says "not yet, the guys at the other pit (our other lease members) are working geese, kill him in a second..." then somebody two roads over squeezes a few shots off, my drake up and leaves, so do their geese and we all got skunked.
Case two: Goose back flapping with 12 behind him on the last day of the season, couple inches off the ground. Pop says "let him land, the others will come right in..." Goose moved off to the side, never landed, and got right back up with them and got outta dodge.

Moral of the story: If you're in the late season and you have the chance to kill a bird, kill it!!! Let us not forget that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!!!

[timmy3131]

I can remember when i first started hunting a few years ago that was one of my favorite things was the wings Locked and landing gear down. Last year we were spring snow goose hunting and we had a ton of canadas coming in on us. Up until this point I had never seen them dupping the air from their wings. I could have sat and watched that all day.

[mikebig1]

dumping air, slippin' air ... I love that sight when they are sliding in, and falling all over themselves to get to your decoys.. that is second only to them backwinging into your face at the foot of the layout blind or pit.. that is the time to give'em three in the lips...

[JN204]

If their feet aren't down, ready to land, I don't shoot them, as I didn't earn them if they aren't landing. If they get to 20 yards and bail out, well within shooting range, that means I did something wrong and that bunch of birds wins for the day. I refuse to lower my standards and kill geese that are not backpedaling just for the sake of going home with birds.

[JN204]

For your consideration I'd like to submit two recent situations from two of my hunts in the last few weeks.

Case one: Mallard drake cupped, dropped, landed in the decoys... swimming around... I'm ready to kill... Pop says "not yet, the guys at the other pit (our other lease members) are working geese, kill him in a second..." then somebody two roads over squeezes a few shots off, my drake up and leaves, so do their geese and we all got skunked.
Easy solution in this case. The second that other group shoots and the duck jumps, kill him. No problem waiting out of courtesy for the other guys as long as he is sitting there, just shoot him if he gets nervous and jumps, simple as that.

Case two: Goose back flapping with 12 behind him on the last day of the season, couple inches off the ground. Pop says "let him land, the others will come right in..." Goose moved off to the side, never landed, and got right back up with them and got outta dodge.
IMO it is worth risking 1 or 2 birds sliding off for the chance of having the group come in and being able to mop up on them. Groups of 4 or more, I agree, shoot them in that case, but a single, it is worth losing one once in awhile for the other times that the following group commits.

Moral of the story: If you're in the late season and you have the chance to kill a bird, kill it!!! Let us not forget that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush!!!

It all depends. I am confident enough in my abilities that I rarely jump the gun and kill a single when there are other candidates following behind, even during the late season. More often, you end up killing the "2 in the bush" rather than just the single.

[GregB]

If their feet aren't down, ready to land, I don't shoot them, as I didn't earn them if they aren't landing. If they get to 20 yards and bail out, well within shooting range, that means I did something wrong and that bunch of birds wins for the day. I refuse to lower my standards and kill geese that are not backpedaling just for the sake of going home with birds.

A most excellent post.