Goose Loads

[Duckslayer100]

I see a few guys do what I do: Pattern Master choke with Blue Box Federal 3" No. 2s.

 

[Meelosh]

Also, and I'll admit I'm bad at this but I'm actively trying to get better, but force yourself to take more head shots. I know its so tempting to just put the bead on the whole bird when they come in but you'll be way more effective.

 

[Migrator Man]

What have you guys found to be the best goose loads on canadians over decoys. I shot 3" 1's and bb's last year and man they just didn't seem to have much killing power. They were plain old steel shot. Winchester and Federals. Anybody use Hevi-Metal?

Try a box of Federal in T shot. Early season is a perfect time to shoot T shot since you can’t shoot ducks. Less pellets but when you hit them they go down hard.

I shoot federal blue and red box shells in 3” depending what is on sale. I’ll shoot BB for goose and duck fields and 2 or 3 shot for mostly duck fields. Nothing better than shooting blue box for $9 a box! $80 a case in Rogers sporting goods.

 

[Maddog]

how many shoulder surgeries have you had? Good god man.

IMO a misconception. I have and shot a 10 gauge a lot. It is more of a push than a sharp rap like from a 12 gauge.

Plus with the increased payload (# of shot) your range is greater than a 12 gauge -- was especially true before they came out with 3-1/2" 12 gauge.

I took a wingshooters class from the DNR. I am NOT a good shot. But learned hunters in general use TOO tight a choke and shoot at TOO far of a distance.

Good luck!!

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When steel shot first came out I did a lot of field testing with loads and chokes.

At that time a 10 gauge was best with BBB shot and an improved mod choke.

The 12 gauge just didn't have it.

Now loads have improved dramatically and a 12 gauge can do great.

If I go on spring snow goose hunts I always bring my 10 gauge. It will outshoot most of the 12 gauges out there. Maybe somewhat driven how poor of shots most people are.

 

[snow]

Agreed,shots inside 40yds over dekes any and all steel ammo will do the job no matter the make,I'm scratching my head why anyone would shoot 3.5ammo this close in?

Most often over the years when field hunting I found alot of guyz have an issue judging distance and as stated above poor shot placement,not all birds will come in with feet down,late season and educated birds are a challenge to decoy up tight,some flare for various reason,some will swing wide,upping your ammo quailty can help the hunter bag more birds as long as he does his his job on shot placement.

Now for folks that shoot the high end brands these guyz are looking for performance,hence we have black cloud,hyper steel,hex etc...then in that same price point catagory we also have "Hevi Metal" not hevi steel or hevi shot but Hevi Metal which is a blend of highly machined steel pellets and Hevi shot 50/50 blend (hevi shot pellets are made up of tungsen,nickle and tin) 10% heavier than lead and 50% more dense than steel plus this load uses a smaller shot size when packaging the shells.

Example,hevi metal in #2 shot,has 50% of #2 steel pellets and #4 hevi shot pellets the smaller shot size gives each shell 20% pellets in each shell=- more pellets on target.

The load looks like this~



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PS~ Also agreed about choke selection paired with ammo brand and shot size,its recommended that shooters using shot size greater than #1 use a more open choke for peak performance where the pattern board will tell the story,but for most guyz that get out a few times during the fall,factory chokes,and blue box will do ya just fine.

Most aftermarket chokes have vaious and assorted choke selections for various shooting situations but thats another thread.

 

[eyexer]

My concern with the blended shot is that the shot string would get strung out so long I would think. Different weight BB's would travel at different speeds I would assume. Anyway, last year we had birds less than twenty yards and knocked the living shit out of them and many kept flying. The ones we knocked down were simply wounded. When I cleaned them I found a shit pile of BB's stuck between the skin and the meat. It was really weird. I was shooting 1's and 2's in 3". I'm a good shot and have no issues ever killing plenty of ducks and snows, upland, etc. These black bastards don't want to come down. I'm going to lay some #4 buck on em just to see if it's me or the ammo lol

 

[Migrator Man]

Agreed,shots inside 40yds over dekes any and all steel ammo will do the job no matter the make,I'm scratching my head why anyone would shoot 3.5ammo this close in?

Most often over the years when field hunting I found alot of guyz have an issue judging distance and as stated above poor shot placement,not all birds will come in with feet down,late season and educated birds are a challenge to decoy up tight,some flare for various reason,some will swing wide,upping your ammo quailty can help the hunter bag more birds as long as he does his his job on shot placement.

Now for folks that shoot the high end brands these guyz are looking for performance,hence we have black cloud,hyper steel,hex etc...then in that same price point catagory we also have "Hevi Metal" not hevi steel or hevi shot but Hevi Metal which is a blend of highly machined steel pellets and Hevi shot 50/50 blend (hevi shot pellets are made up of tungsen,nickle and tin) 10% heavier than lead and 50% more dense than steel plus this load uses a smaller shot size when packaging the shells.

Example,hevi metal in #2 shot,has 50% of #2 steel pellets and #4 hevi shot pellets the smaller shot size gives each shell 20% pellets in each shell=- more pellets on target.

The load looks like this~



- - - Updated - - -

PS~ Also agreed about choke selection paired with ammo brand and shot size,its recommended that shooters using shot size greater than #1 use a more open choke for peak performance where the pattern board will tell the story,but for most guyz that get out a few times during the fall,factory chokes,and blue box will do ya just fine.

Most aftermarket chokes have vaious and assorted choke selections for various shooting situations but thats another thread.

I have had good luck with hevi-metal when pass shooting as it gives me extra punch on long shots. It’s a bit too spendy for shooting over decoys when the birds are landing close but it has its place. It is good to see hevi shot and other tungsten loads coming down in price lately. Hopefully the trend continues.

 

[remm]

Switched to hevi-metal 2’s last year on honkers, wont look back. Used to shoot blue box or kent mostly. The sound the hevi-metal makes when it hits a bird is unreal compared to the lower end shells. No more cripples or follow ups, just a loud crunch and they fold up. I can justify the cost because as waterfowling access has gotten more difficult in the past 10-15 yrs, i no longer shoot up a couple cases a year, i only shoot a couple boxes a year so the $30/box is no big deal. Buy a box and try it, you wont be disappointed. I have found it really good for the shy birds that flare at 40, or the last one of the flock trying to get away after shots are fired close.

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One more thing. Those same dueces are kick ass on late season roosters. Not too expensive if you only shoot 3-4 times per outing

 

[AR-15]

Best shot we ever used was Double Odd

 

[Dew1970]

What have you guys found to be the best goose loads on canadians over decoys. I shot 3" 1's and bb's last year and man they just didn't seem to have much killing power. They were plain old steel shot. Winchester and Federals. Anybody use Hevi-Metal?

Winchester blindsise little spendy but no cripples

 

[Black Cloud]

I've always kept 2 boxes in my blind bag. 3" 2s for when im hunting the same field the birds are feeding in and 3 1/2" BB for when im running traffic which I do frequently since I hunt by myself a lot and only need 5/8 birds. As for giving myself an idea for range, I always set a decoy in the hole about 40 yards from my blind. as long as the birds are past that, I know im good.

 

[( deleted account )]

You're exactly right. If you can deek em on top of you, it won't matter. Under 30 yards and my 20 gauge will work. Though where I hunt, if you decoy them, they won't come back there for a while. We do it, but I love having the range of my 10g. Pass shooting them is best to keep them around. One day I was shooting right beside a 3.5" 12g. Not sure what shells he was shooting but you could hear them bouncing off the geese. While my 10g brought em down. This was pass shooting. KDM is absolutely correct about shot selection and placement. Growing up shooting double barrels teaches shot selection, especially for grouse and pheasant.

Oh and dont worry about my shoulder lol. I'm a fat ex college wrestler, shooting just stretches me out a little.

My old goose hunting dad used to tell us that when you hear them bouncing off geese you were hearing the echo of the shot and you missed. Didn’t believe him at first till he demonstrated to a few of us kids by deliberately missing a few geese by a long way and we still heard the “ shot bouncing off the geese,” I suppose you might hear Both in some cases, but to this day I think we are mostly hearing the echo of the shot!

 

[snow]

eye,true theory years back when we had duplex loads in lead,the smaller hevi shot in hevi metal weight is about the same as the larger steel pellets,minimal shot string and more pellets on taget.

Also check for rebates,last couple years hevi shot had rebates online up to $100/flat (10 boxes) of hevi metal.

About the only way we'll see prices on these high end shells is we keep the metals here in our country,seems china has been on a buying spree snapping up all the metals they could for years,tungsen and being #1 driving up the cost of our recreation ammo.

 

[Enslow]

What have you guys found to be the best goose loads on canadians over decoys. I shot 3" 1's and bb's last year and man they just didn't seem to have much killing power. They were plain old steel shot. Winchester and Federals. Anybody use Hevi-Metal?

4 buck (41 pellets of destruction). To be politically correct 4 buck heavy shot.