16ga.com ~ View topic - Guided snow goose hunt

Going on a guided snow goose hunt in the next week or two. Shots will be close, 15-40 yds, over decoys. Going to go with 2.5" reloads out of my 16 or 12. My shot choices are nice shot 5's, or ITX 4's or #2's. Nice Shot 5's hammer roosters, but I have limited experience using them or ITX on geese. If I go with ITX 2's, I'll definitely have to use the 12. The nice shot I have on hand. The ITX I will have to order. Both are short chambered Husky hammer guns.

Thoughts?

*Last edited by skeettx on Wed Oct 26, 2016 1:58 pm; edited 3 times in total*

Take some of each, start out with what you have the most of. If the smaller shot size is NOT doing the dispatching, then move to a larger diameter.

Shoot for the heads and not the bodies.

Mike

good read
http://decoypro.com/best-spot-to-shoot-a-goose/

Good advice Mike, thanks.

Hear on the East Coast Snow Goose shooting is usually a long range event. They decoy to a big big rig then flare hard when the shots start going off. The worst weather possible is usually the best hunting they travel in massive flocks and all play follow the leader. I have shot my share of snow geese my take is if you are real selective with your shots 5's up front will do the job on the first shot then probably 2's as they catch the wind and elevate in a big hurry. Snow's are really tough to hunt and usually you don't get limitless opportunities. Western flyway and central flyway may be different our birds get hunted hard. We use steel BB's and #1 shot moving along at a good clip. If the guide told you 15-40 yards I would wager most will be 40 yards plan for the 40 yards. Years ago when tungsten first came out we shot tungsten BB's those babies reach out and touch. Good luck and enjoy the hunt.

*Last edited by skeettx on Wed Oct 26, 2016 5:00 pm; edited 1 time in total*

Here in the West we put out a land spread of 100s of decoys and rags and often the dugout or layout blind is in the middle of the decoys,
On good days, with good spreads, good calling and etc, the birds will almost land on our heads. Shocked

Mike

Admittedly, this is a SPRING hunt with NO LIMITS on birds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0znkDvLR0U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51dXSgHpAyk

Skeettx I have had very few days like that 2 birds at 15 and 400 at 40 with 5 guns in the blind. Usually it's a 1000 to 1500 birds at a time they can't even hear the calling. I only do it occasionally anymore setting decoy's from 3am till sun up and then picking up until 9 pm just isn't as fun as it used to be. Canada's are more agreeable and take less effort to hunt plus they taste better. Ruffed Grouse even better grab a shotgun and the dogs and walk 6-8 miles easy enjoyable hunting.

These are early season birds on private land that haven't been shot at much yet, so shots are pretty close apparently. Even so, I like the 5's/2's combo idea. My Husky 12 hammer gun is choked m/f, so that sounds about perfect. I might bring a 16 too, just for grins to take my last bird if things are going well. I'm mostly doing this because I've never shot a snow before and have always wanted to. I hope they're edible, but I'm under no illusions that they are as good as the corn fed canadas we get on the east side of the mountains here in Washington.

pudelpointer
YES!!!
For Canadians I just use 5 decoys and a few rags and lay down in the milo field.
Sure is a LOT easier Smile

Mike

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

Mark,

Not sure where you're hunting on the wetside, since I go from the Cascade trail-East. but the acquaintances that hunt the Lower Columbia and Skagit Co. They are mostly other hunter ed instructors that use "newer" 12 ga (gasp) guns and steel BB shot on geese. How BB steel compares to what size in Nice or ITX I don't know, particularly since it's loaded about 100 fps faster than what I'm familiar with.

As noted previously, I haven't hunted geese since the lead shot days, but I am planning on going this Fall/Winter to a guided hunt in Lincoln County (wheat fields) and I expect I'll be using 1 1/8oz #3 TM in a M 21. It's nice that there is once again shot that is sufficient for geese that won't ruin a finely made barrel. Good luck and wishes for an enjoyable hunt.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2346 Location: West MI

I've used #4 Tungsten w/good results, hold your shots until they are right at the edge of the deke's and with a large group of birds bearing down on you try and resist the temptation to flock shoot, pick your bird/birds.

I still wonder if they hear the calling when they are soooo high up there, and to watch a group peel off the migration and turn into your spread... SHOW TIME!!... what a rush!

Snow hunting is a blast, pardon, shoot well, bring alot of ammo....

Mark,
Snow's are very edible they just need a little TLC. Gazebo greek dressing for about 2 to 3 days then grill medium rare slice thin and put on a bed of spinach and crispy greens.

Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 962 Location: Minnesota

My experience in hunting them in the Dakotas is that shots tended to be long. I would take a 3" 12 ga with steel BBs or tungsten #2.
Hope you get closer shots