Tips For Early Season Honkers

It’s here! The early season goose season. It is the time of year to shoot the biggest honkers in the Midwest who have been leisurely strolling through local parks and golf courses all summer. It’s a waterfowler’s wonderland to pursue these less-than-educated geese while the weather is still sunny and bright. Hunting Canada geese in August or early September is an entirely different way of pursuing big geese, and the habits of early-season honkers differ from those of later-season migrators a fair bit, so understanding those differences can be the key to helping you finish more birds and shoot more honkers.

Finding a Hunt

Waterfowl hunts will forever start with the scout. During the early season, I’m not looking for a thousand birds—you’re simply not going to see that—but a couple hundred will do. Birds almost always move in small groups this time of year, so don’t pass up the chance to follow a dozen or so birds in the air to a feed when scouting. August and September geese are not very social and will roost, travel, and feed in smaller family groups. Hence, you aren’t likely to find big groups together in a field but rather many groups in a single field sharing it, which can make it tougher to decide where to set up.

I prefer to find birds feeding in dry fields and allow them to relax on the water. That keeps them around longer when they know they have somewhere safe to go. Wheat, barley, and pea fields are where I’ve found most of my success. If I know areas where some of those crop fields are cut and harvested and have decent roost waters within a few miles of them, that’s where I’ll begin scouting. The previously mentioned crops are often combined shortly before the season opener, and the higher protein grain and peas match the needs of early-season birds. Sometimes, they can be found in a hay field, which can be the winning combination on occasion. If I have a roost located, I’ll often wait until late afternoon, sit until those birds leave to feed, and follow them in my pickup to find the feed. It’s also not a bad idea to check fields early in the morning and late in the evening to see when and where the birds are landing to help you get an idea of the pattern of the birds you’ll be hunting.

Setting the Trap

“I like to run small spreads—family groups and pairs, typically—totaling four to five dozen decoys at the most. Don’t be tempted to dump your trailer in the early season. It’s unnecessary, and the birds that don’t flare will likely finish too far out.”

-Wyatt Thompson, North Dakota goose hunter.

Once you’ve found your feed, the next things to consider are your hide and decoy spread. These geese are fairly patternable but not easy to traffic, so for early geese, you are going to want to set up with pinpoint accuracy in the field. If you’re lucky, you can use an edge to hide, given the wind direction allows for it. I prefer a weedy edge to blend in with well-brushed layout blinds instead of using crop stubble, but without a close weed edge to use, you’ll find me about ten yards off the closest decoys in a layout meticulously stuffed with crop stubble.

It’s been said a thousand times, and hunters always say they do it, but when the hunt comes, they set their decoys out with caution to the wind and an eagerness to get the trap set. Remember, decoy spreads should imitate what you’ve seen in the field during your scouting. I like to set about half as many decoys as birds I’ve seen in the field. I want to set a wide spread of family groups that are not bunched up to each other and leave a kill-hole in front of the guns. Geese typically will land in the hole intent on waddling around to feed. Wyatt Thompson of North Dakota, a former guide, says, Expect to see groups of 6-12 birds come in at a time, with some pairs and singles as well.

Working the System

“I’m careful not to over-call in the early season. I’ll use a few loud, higher-pitched honks or long, drawn-out moans to get their attention, but after that, I try to key in on a few subtle sounds that seem to be effective on that given group of birds. I’ll use those sounds sparingly to keep their attention and to center them in front of the blind(s).”

-Forrest Carpenter. World-renowned goose calling champion

Now it’s almost shoot time, and you’re confident the birds will be flying in the next twenty or thirty minutes; how will you play the game when birds are on the horizon? In my opinion, light calling with a few bigger clucks as they are a couple hundred yards out is the way to approach these birds. Not everyone needs to have a call in hand, and as the birds near, be softer on the clucks and throw a few moans in, and go silent as they approach. Think of late-season calling as a symphony of sounds, while calling in the early season is a short and sweet poem. It’s that simple.

Another vital tool is a goose flag. I only want to signal to birds where the feed is good and that others are landing in the field for that reason. Like your call, a goose flag can hurt you if you overuse it in the early season, but it can be very effective when used properly.

Action Packed

As the sun comes up, the birds will begin to lift off their roost waters and make their way to feed. Because of their anti-social nature this time of year, expect to find waves of small groups and pairs approaching through the first couple hours of the morning rather than a few large groups. Without the later season down under their feathers, these birds are a little less tough than December geese, so bringing them down is not hard. But remember—your shooting skills might be a little rusty from the off-season and put a little lead on them as they coast into the decoys. After the shot, congratulations are in order, but pick up the downed geese and get ready because the next wave isn’t far behind! Remember to take care of your birds on warm weather hunt days and get to cleaning them as soon as you get home to avoid spoilage.

Enjoy your time in the field, be safe, and thank your landowners.

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