Early season geese over fields

[erikwells]

Can someone tell me what to look for when trying to find a field that will likely attract geese? Is there a certain type of crop that attracts them? Do you need to be within 1/4 of water? I hunt in west central minnesota and have not hunted geese in many years and don't want to miss out anymore so I'll start scouting and talking with some of my good farmer friends.

Thanks,

Erik

[monstermoose78]

wheat is good early in the season because it harvested same with oats.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

wheat fields are usually the first fields the geese will hit. get an idea now of where the fields are in your area so when harvest starts you can scout and see which ones are getting hit by the birds. silage cut corn and edible beans won't be far behind wheat harvest, and you see birds in those types of fields too.

I heard from a few farmers that guys are already going around locking up wheat fields for the august season.

[hunter322]

First make sure you have geese in the area. second, SCOUT SCOUT SCOUT. Theres no sense in hunting in a feild they are not using. they will use all sorts of crops. ive hunted and killed geese in em all from picked corn to hay fields to picked beans, oats, wheat. Scouting is the key!

[erikwells]

Did some scouting this weekend and I'm not to optimistic about the early west central goose season so far. I just dont see the geese around the area I hunt. I don't see geese in fields, lakes or sloughs. I checked a couple of oat fields (one that was just harvested) that I have permission to hunt and saw zero birds. I'll keep scouting but I may find a better use of my time if I don't see some birds.

[hunter322]

Right now you wont see to many, they are still with their young. give em a couple more weeks to a month and youll start to see more and more. If ya ask me the august goose season is a joke. Its just to hot for them to move and to have to feed.

[erikwells]

Hunter322, I was initially excited about the season when I read about it. However after some thought and a little scouting it feels a bit like sitting in a field, hot, buggy watching field decoys sit really still rather than hunting. I think I'll likely spend that time moving a few deer stands and building a new stand.

[hunter322]

Personally i think youre on the right track with that one. I think ill be out fishing or sitting around a fire drinkin some beer and wait till september for the hunting to start.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Hunter322, I was initially excited about the season when I read about it. However after some thought and a little scouting it feels a bit like sitting in a field, hot, buggy watching field decoys sit really still rather than hunting. I think I'll likely spend that time moving a few deer stands and building a new stand.

The birds are JUST starting to fly around again. There will be birds in the fields by the 10th. maybe not all the birds will be flying out yet with the late hatch, but there will be opportunities.

[Maxxed Out]

Don't be discouraged by what you see now. Birds are just starting to fly again and you will see more and more in the air in the next 10 days.

There will be opportunities to kill birds especially if you have any oats field.

We'd rather of had the 10 birds in December but we're happy to have 15 extra days to hunt our favorite bird.

[Quackaddict9]

First make sure you have geese in the area. second, SCOUT SCOUT SCOUT. Theres no sense in hunting in a feild they are not using. they will use all sorts of crops. ive hunted and killed geese in em all from picked corn to hay fields to picked beans, oats, wheat. Scouting is the key!

Yes there is....hunting under the birds flight path over fields or between the field they are using....can work out well. "Running' Traffic" many people do it but being on the X is less work most days.

[erikwells]

Anyone going out this weekend? Seeing any birds? I've seen a few around northern Kandiyohi county but not enough to get excited.

[Proskier2038]

I've secured my spot for opener- couple dozen honkers in the area- not real promising but it should help cure the itch untill sept! -

[CANOPY SAM]

My mild concern with this VERY early season, and taking into consideration the last few weeks of unusually cool weather, is that most of the fields won't be harvested when the early season starts.

The small grains are slowly ripening, but we're gonna need some heat to dry em' out for harvest. The last few weeks have felt more like mid-Sept then late July, early August. Haven't run the AC once in the last 3 weeks.

[paceman]

Nah I am not going out. There are no crops going out yet, and I don't want to hunt over water yet and chase them away for good...

[TylerS]

Drove around SE Nodak yesterday evening. Didn't see a single goose and NO harvested fields. Lots of what is still pretty green, and the rain we got combined with the cold weather isn't helping that.

I'm shooting for Sept. 1...as it should be.

[Shane Z]

Drove around SE Nodak yesterday evening. Didn't see a single goose and NO harvested fields. Lots of what is still pretty green, and the rain we got combined with the cold weather isn't helping that.

I'm shooting for Sept. 1...as it should be.

Haven't seen a lot of geese flying in my area yet, although the hatch from what I've seen was REALLY good, so I'm remaining hopeful.

[CANOPY SAM]

Well therein lies the problem, doesn't it? We're not allowed to hunt over open water for early season geese, right? At least I don't think we're allowed to in Minnesota, not sure about NoDak?

So if the small grain fields aren't out, and we can't hunt near water, the only thing we're left to do is try and pass shoot the baby geese if we can figure out their flight patterns.

Might be fun, but might be a roll of the dice as well.

We've got big broods of geese all over up here in NW Minnesota, but I haven't see squat in the air for weeks. I do hear em' swimmin' up and down the river now and again.

[HunterLee]

We can hunt them over water just not up in the NW goose zone.

We do tons of over the water hunting and do real well. They don't move out either they just move to another pond. They will come back to the pond if you don't over hunt them.

[HunterLee]

I also am sure that you guys in the NW zone can't hunt until the 1st of Sept.

[dan z]

Were did you guys see that open water was an option for this IHH. I was on the DNR site and regulations were not found by me. I'll be amped if I can hunt water.

[fishgutz77]

We got about 30 working one of our fields but you get one wack at them and then it's over until another group finds the field.

I might just wait awhile.

[BFT]

Just talk to a warden about hunting over water in the August season. He said the area that is open for the August season , you are allowed to .

BFT

[dan z]

Just talk to a warden about hunting over water in the August season. He said the area that is open for the August season , you are allowed to .

BFT

Thanks bft, I'll be on the water next week.

[erikwells]

I talked with my land owner and he took out oates last week. AS long as the weather is going to be reasonable I may have to go out and take a look. At the very least it's fun to have the option. Good luck.