How to pinpoint the "X"?

Lungdeflator

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Still fairly new to goose hunting. As far as I understand, the last spot the geese were the night before is their preferred starting point the next morning, AKA the X.

So when out scouting, how do you pinpoint the X?

Some fields it seems easy as there might be a slough or some feature in the field to use as a landmark. Other fields are just wide open and it all looks very much the same on a dark foggy morning.

I think maybe a rangefinder is a good way to do it. Should be able to triangulate a mark and then cross reference those distances on google maps or something. And then verify the next morning by looking for droppings in that spot.
 


zoops

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GPS mostly. Google earth on the phone can help, drop a pin on the part of the field they're in. Crazy how turned around in a field a guy can get in the dark. If you've really got time you can wait until the birds leave and then drive out there and drop a waypoint.
 

Duckslayer100

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I've had it be where if you weren't EXACTLY where the birds wanted to be, they would land somewhere else. But lately I've been having luck just being in the general vicinity and having an extremely good hide. I think some guys get so hung up on location that they neglect taking time to really get covered up.

My favorite setup is to find a field with those dried up potholes that have overgrown cattails or weeds. This is primo for hiding as you can really disappear. You're not "in" the decoys, but that's to your benefit. I think geese and ducks start to pick out layout blinds in decoys not long after opener, so doing something different throws them off.

I'll set the closest decoys about 20 yards out and the further decoys 45-50 yards. I really clump them up and make a U or J shape. If it's duck season, I put the spinners right in the kill hole and make sure remotes are at the ready so they can be turned off when geese are working.

With this setup I know I've been off the X, but because I'm not in the decoys and they can't pick me out, the birds work well.
 

CutEm

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Depending on your permission. I like to sit there till the birds leave the field. Mostly for two reasons. I like to know where the majority are roosting and than I can drive out while their location is still fresh in my mind and drop a pin in google maps. That way in the morning I know exactly where they were and can tweak the spread for the direction they will be coming from.
 

Auggie

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I agree, it's easy to get lost in a field at 4 am. When I scout fields, I use a range finder to figure out how far they are out then move my gps coordinate on the good old Lowrance H2O approximately to there. More times than not, we're right on the area. We'll walk around a bit and look for droppings/feathers before setting up. Geese still have to cooperate that morning though.
 


Lungdeflator

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Ok, that seems like the way to go, driving out after they leave. I knew there had to be an easy way lol.

Last Sunday morning was our first outing of the year. It was really foggy, less than 100 yard visibility. We setup where we thought they were. When the geese finally started arriving, they all landed 150-200 yards away from us. After a couple hours, we finally made a quick move over, and sure enough, thats where all the droppings were and it was pretty obvious that was the "X". We just didn't do a good enough job pinpointing that spot and missed out.
 

Bfishn

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Get the OnX app. Can drop a pin wherever you want, and be on that spot the next morning.
 

Kickemup

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If I can’t drive out in the field after they leave and drop a pin I drop a pin on 2 different road straight out from where the birds were. I can usually find the x in 15 min or so doing it this way.
 

wby257

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People make this so complicated. I will look at the approach Im going to drive in and the angle im going in the field. The distance I can judge and drive out there. I dont care if its foggy or snowing, I still know the angle and distance. It has work for the last 40 yrs.
 

eyexer

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Watch how the birds are feeding the field. If they're moving north just make sure your a little north of where they were last. You don't have to be on the X just be ahead of them if your not sure. When they see decoys they're going to assume those geese know what the hell they're doing lol
 


Rowdie

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Look for goose crap when you think you're on it.
 

FishSticks

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Get the OnX app. Can drop a pin wherever you want, and be on that spot the next morning.

OnX is better suited for finding landowner info. Google or iOS maps work just fine for dropping pins
 

wby257

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Watch how the birds are feeding the field. If they're moving north just make sure your a little north of where they were last. You don't have to be on the X just be ahead of them if your not sure. When they see decoys they're going to assume those geese know what the hell they're doing lol


Birds will always feed into the wind.
 

zoops

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Ok, that seems like the way to go, driving out after they leave. I knew there had to be an easy way lol.

Last Sunday morning was our first outing of the year. It was really foggy, less than 100 yard visibility. We setup where we thought they were. When the geese finally started arriving, they all landed 150-200 yards away from us. After a couple hours, we finally made a quick move over, and sure enough, thats where all the droppings were and it was pretty obvious that was the "X". We just didn't do a good enough job pinpointing that spot and missed out.

I've never had much luck on foggy mornings. Birds either don't fly or can't see the decoys.
 

Bfishn

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OnX is better suited for finding landowner info. Google or iOS maps work just fine for dropping pins
I've always had problems loosing my pins on google etc. With OnX i can mark a spot a mile away if i see something through the binos and label it with multiple different icons to say what it was etc. I also know its always going to be there in the future.

I also got tired of having one phone in my hand with google maps, and another with the GNF plots map. Then you get out of cell service and neither want to update. OnX literally solves every problem and does everything better in one user friendly app.
 
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jdinny

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Birds will always feed into the wind.
do you mean they will always fly off into the wind off the roost to feed?

if so you couldn't be further from the truth they will find a feed field and hammer it until they get hunted, farmer works it, sprays it, feed it out etc but if you mean they will only fly off the roost into the wind that is very inaccurate.

- - - Updated - - -

if you pattern a group of birds right it dosnt matter if there is no wind, or a gale force wind from the N,E,S,W they will hit their feed field.
 

eyexer

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do you mean they will always fly off into the wind off the roost to feed?

if so you couldn't be further from the truth they will find a feed field and hammer it until they get hunted, farmer works it, sprays it, feed it out etc but if you mean they will only fly off the roost into the wind that is very inaccurate.

- - - Updated - - -

if you pattern a group of birds right it dosnt matter if there is no wind, or a gale force wind from the N,E,S,W they will hit their feed field.
I think he meant they will work a field into the wind. At least that's what I assume he means.
 

jdinny

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im really confused by that statement if that is the case in dec with a north wind your saying every bird on lake sak feeds on the north side? and with a south wind every bird roosting on lake sak feeds on the south side...yah not true

- - - Updated - - -

I think he meant they will work a field into the wind. At least that's what I assume he means.

okay yeah ill buy that a little more. too long staring at a computer not enough working haha sorry if I mis understood:;:cheers
 

bigv

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Never heard of it being so complicated. I've hunted geese hard for a looong time. I find access point to field and use my binos to pin point where they are sitting. Can use hills or bails or sloughs etc for landmarks. Drive out in morning and use head lamp to snoop around a minute to find their poop. Setup. Never had issue in my life. But I guess using gps would be easy.
 


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