Early season geese over fields

[Roosterslayer05]

I agree with Quack. I have hunted the same field 2 days in a row many many times and usually do well the second day also. A couple years ago I hunted the same field three days in a row and did well on the third day. It all depends on how many birds are around.

Erik- I'm guessing you didn't do very well because you hunted the evening. Evenings are allot more spotty in the early season than mornings. If a group is hunting the roost on Sunday I wouldn't expect the birds to stick around unless they do it right...like wait until all the birds leave then set up and wait for them to trickle back. But most guys don't do that.

[erikwells]

For some crazy reason I've shot all of my geese in the evening for the early west central zone. I'll provide a report after this weekend being I plan to hunt the a.m. due to the heat.

[otterman91105]

For me i normally hunt till about 10.30am unless i have something going on. I will only hunt a field one time in a weekend, but don't see anything wrong with hunting two days in a row. For me just to busy to be able to get out two times in a weekend.

[erikwells]

Decided to take a personal day today and go to the lake and do some deer stand tuning and check a trail camera. I plan to hunt the same oat field Sunday morning I have been hunting. Not sure what to expect. On my way from the cities driving through Paynesville off hiwy 23 there were a bunch of geese moving. I'd say a couple flocks were in the 25-30 count. There were 4-5 of these flocks. When do the geese typically flock up and start migrating?

[CANOPY SAM]

They really start bunching up when they get pressured. Not necessarily "migrating", but will start sliding to new areas merely from hunting pressure.

I wouldn't expect to start seeing birds trickling down from Canada until late September. Perhaps even later this year with the heat, and potentially late harvest of crops.

[Roosterslayer05]

I agree with sam, they usually start bunching up after they get pressured.

On the other hand there is a molt migration that occurs during the September season that increases numbers substantially in certain area's. There's also a push of Canadian birds by the second or third weekend every year in northern MN. That first heavy NW winds get them moving into the northern third of the state. I've shot cacklers early season every year the last 4 years and have seen decent numbers of cacklers every September season. I've even seen some snow geese during the September season the last two years so there is some migration as early as the second weekend.

[erikwells]

Sunday morning I tagged out and was going to get a hot cup of coffee by 7:00 a.m. What a great hunt, too bad I was alone. Sunday evening and Monday morning I hunted without firing a shot. I hunted the same field but moved the spread. Some birds moved but none decoyed. I guess thats hunting.

[stacker12]

Sunday morning I tagged out and was going to get a hot cup of coffee by 7:00 a.m. What a great hunt, too bad I was alone. Sunday evening and Monday morning I hunted without firing a shot. I hunted the same field but moved the spread. Some birds moved but none decoyed. I guess thats hunting.

So you limited out Sun morning and still went hunting Sun evening??? Hmmm, you sure must be pretty smart to admit on a forum that you attempt to double dip

[erikwells]

Thanks for cathing that. I was able to take out my sons and a disbled hunter as I am a helper for capable partners. Geez I'm done posting here.

[erikwells]

Stacker12, I have a funny feeling you wouldn't be calling me stupid unless it were here on the internet.

Beer muscles and internet anonymity. I use my real name by the way.

[CANOPY SAM]

Beer Muscles! Ha ha ha... That one made me laugh out loud. Never heard that one before.

Yea, erik, there's not much grace or mercy here. Don't sweat it brother. You're doing a purely good thing. That's all that matters.

I'm not surprised that you didn't get birds coming back into the same field after a good morning shoot. This time of year, the birds that heard your gun in the morning are likely still in the general vicinity.

Give it a few weeks and hopefully we'll start seeing some new birds filtering on thru.

[erikwells]

Thanks Canopy Sam. I had my freind drive from Bloomington for the evening hunt. I added the caveot before he drove up that just because the birds moved in the a.m. doesn't mean we will have any success for the evening. The picked field was decent enough we were able to drive his lift van right to the corn and get him concealed. Also my 10 year old was finally allowed to chamber a shell that evening and we had zero birds decoy. I sure would have rathered they had the shooting rather than me but I guess thats hunting.