One of the most common mistakes we see when goose hunting over decoys in Colorado is when hunters don’t let birds finish. Sometimes geese will work decoys for a few passes before finishing and giving hunters a good opportunity. The good goose hunter learns to enjoy the show and wait for the right time. The rookie gets impatient and decides to call the shot the first time birds hit the 40 yard mark.
Nothing is more frustrating to experienced goose hunters than being in the same area as a field where hunters are shooting before the time is right. On one occasion, our group watching from about 1/2 mile away through binoculars while hunters would start shooting when birds would first lock up and begin bombing in. We spoke to the group after their hunt and asked how many they got. Their answer was, “Only 2. They wouldn’t come close enough to our decoys”. Ends up this was their 2nd time ever goose hunting and they just didn’t understand but still burned through 5 boxes of shells. Received a call from them the next week that they had shot limits and the most rewarding part was watching geese bomb until they were just a few yards above their dekes.
Click HERE to read an article that Wildfowl magazine published about calling the shot at the right time.
So how does one know when the time is right when goose hunting over decoys? Some believe that seeing their eyes is a sure sign it’s time to shoot. This is a good indicator but they may get even closer so let em! Guides are very experienced in calling the shot at the right time. Click HERE to get info and pricing on a guided hunt with us.
If their wings are locked, let em keep coming. Sometimes the excitement of shooting gets in the way of letting birds get closer. Just remember, if their wings are locked, they’re getting closer and you have a much better shot at em. Missing birds also educates em.
Experience in the field is also crucial to understanding birds and when it’s best to call the shot. Get out and put that blind time in!