Goose hunting has certainly changed over the years and so have goose calling tactics. Back in the day, your typical flute goose call with a couple honks would persuade any flock to light in your decoys. As time has passed, birds have gotten smarter with the increased hunting pressure. Mastering when and how to goose call has gotten more important than ever. Your call isn’t just a noisemaker; it’s a tool for conversation. However, the message you send needs to change drastically based on your audience. The eager migrating birds flying high overhead require a different approach than the local, wary geese that have heard every honk off of a $15 plastic call.
Here’s a breakdown of how to fine-tune your goose calling for two distinct scenarios: hunting pressured birds and working migrating flocks.
The Local: Hunting Pressured Birds
These are the birds that have seen your decoys, heard your calls, and probably laughed at your hide. They’ve been hunted hard and are often referred to as “resident” or “pressured” geese. Your goal is to be subtle, realistic, and convincing.
The “Less Is More” Approach
● Soft, Contentment Calls: When working pressured birds, your calling should be minimal and focused on confidence. Once you have their attention and they are turning, switch to the quiet calls of a flock on the ground that is content and feeding.
○ The Moan: A low, drawn-out sound that conveys contentment and security. It tells wary birds, “Everything is safe here.”
● Soft Clucks and Murmurs: Use gentle, realistic clucks (“hut”) and double-clucks (“hut-hut”) interspersed with low, contented murmurs (a feeding or laydown call, often a deep “da-da-da-da” or “who-who-who” growl into the call). This is a great confidence booster as the birds are making their final approach.
● Volume Control is Key: Avoid loud “hail calls.” Calling too loudly at close range will often “flare” or spook these educated birds. Your call volume should decrease as the birds get closer.
● The Decoy Does the Talking: If your hide is good and your decoys are set realistically, once the birds are locked up and committed, stop calling. Let your setup close the deal. Only call again if they start to “peel off” or show hesitation.
● Observe Body Language: Watch the birds closely. If they glide and turn their heads from side to side, they are interested—tone it down. If they fly fast and high with no response, try a small change, but don’t force it.
The Traveler: Working Migrating Birds
Migrating geese are often less pressured and flying at higher altitudes. They are focused on getting from point A to point B and need a lot of convincing to break from their path. Your goal is to be loud, aggressive, and noticeable.
High-Energy, High-Volume Calling
● The Hail Call: Since they are often flying high, you need to grab their attention from a distance. Use a loud, long, and aggressive honk or a sequence of honks to get them to look your way. You are essentially screaming, “Hey! Land here!”
● Aggressive Clucks and Double-Clucks: Once they respond and begin to work toward your spread, increase the excitement. Double-clucking (fast, sharp “hit-it, hit-it” sounds) and a faster cadence will sound like a large, excited flock welcoming new arrivals. These birds want to hear a lot of noise.
● The Comeback Call: If a high-flying flock turns and starts to leave, hit them with a loud, aggressive comeback call (a rapid, pleading series of honks and clucks). This is often the time to “really get after it” to pull them back into the pattern.
● Use a Flag: Don’t forget the visual component! Flagging (using a goose flag to mimic a landing bird) in conjunction with your loud calls is a very effective one-two punch for distant, migrating flocks.
General Tips for Goose Calling Success
● Practice the Fundamentals: No matter the scenario, you must first master the cluck, moan and honk. These three calls, perfected, will kill more geese than any advanced sequence.
● Read the Birds: This is the golden rule. The geese will tell you exactly what they want. If they react well to a certain call or cadence, stick with it! If they ignore you or flare, don’t be afraid to change it up.
● Match Your Setup: Try to match the volume and aggressiveness of your calling to the size of your decoy spread. A small spread calling aggressively may sound unnatural.
By understanding the mindset of the birds you are targeting and adjusting your volume, cadence, and call selection, you will significantly increase your success in the goose blind.
Goose hunting has certainly changed over the years. Back in the day, your typical flute goose call with a couple honks would persuade any flock to light in your decoys. As time has passed, birds have gotten smarter with the increased hunting pressure. Mastering when and how to goose call has gotten more important than ever. Your call isn’t just a noisemaker; it’s a tool for conversation. However, the message you send needs to change drastically based on your audience. The eager migrating birds flying high overhead require a different approach than the local, wary geese that have heard every honk off of a $15 plastic call.
Here’s a breakdown of how to fine-tune your goose calling for two distinct scenarios: hunting pressured birds and working migrating flocks.
The Local: Hunting Pressured Birds
These are the birds that have seen your decoys, heard your calls, and probably laughed at your hide. They’ve been hunted hard and are often referred to as “resident” or “pressured” geese. Your goal is to be subtle, realistic, and convincing.
The “Less Is More” Approach
● Soft, Contentment Calls: When working pressured birds, your calling should be minimal and focused on confidence. Once you have their attention and they are turning, switch to the quiet calls of a flock on the ground that is content and feeding. ○ The Moan: A low, drawn-out sound that conveys contentment and security. It tells wary birds, “Everything is safe here.”
● Soft Clucks and Murmurs: Use gentle, realistic clucks (“hut”) and double-clucks (“hut-hut”) interspersed with low, contented murmurs (a feeding or laydown call, often a deep “da-da-da-da” or “who-who-who” growl into the call). This is a great confidence booster as the birds are making their final approach.
● Volume Control is Key: Avoid loud “hail calls.” Calling too loudly at close range will often “flare” or spook these educated birds. Your call volume should decrease as the birds get closer.
● The Decoy Does the Talking: If your hide is good and your decoys are set realistically, once the birds are locked up and committed, stop calling. Let your setup close the deal. Only call again if they start to “peel off” or show hesitation.
● Observe Body Language: Watch the birds closely. If they glide and turn their heads from side to side, they are interested—tone it down. If they fly fast and high with no response, try a small change, but don’t force it.
The Traveler: Working Migrating Birds
Migrating geese are often less pressured and flying at higher altitudes. They are focused on getting from point A to point B and need a lot of convincing to break from their path. Your goal is to be loud, aggressive, and noticeable.
High-Energy, High-Volume Calling
● The Hail Call: Since they are often flying high, you need to grab their attention from a distance. Use a loud, long, and aggressive honk or a sequence of honks to get them to look your way. You are essentially screaming, “Hey! Land here!”
● Aggressive Clucks and Double-Clucks: Once they respond and begin to work toward your spread, increase the excitement. Double-clucking (fast, sharp “hit-it, hit-it” sounds) and a faster cadence will sound like a large, excited flock welcoming new arrivals. These birds want to hear a lot of noise.
● The Comeback Call: If a high-flying flock turns and starts to leave, hit them with a loud, aggressive comeback call (a rapid, pleading series of honks and clucks). This is often the time to “really get after it” to pull them back into the pattern.
● Use a Flag: Don’t forget the visual component! Flagging (using a goose flag to mimic a landing bird) in conjunction with your loud calls is a very effective one-two punch for distant, migrating flocks.
General Tips for Goose Calling Success
● Practice the Fundamentals: No matter the scenario, you must first master the cluck, moan and honk. These three calls, perfected, will kill more geese than any advanced sequence.
● Read the Birds: This is the golden rule. The geese will tell you exactly what they want. If they react well to a certain call or cadence, stick with it! If they ignore you or flare, don’t be afraid to change it up.
● Match Your Setup: Try to match the volume and aggressiveness of your calling to the size of your decoy spread. A small spread calling aggressively may sound unnatural.
By understanding the mindset of the birds you are targeting and adjusting your volume, cadence, and call selection, you will significantly increase your success in the goose blind.
