# Goose dog



## Kyle Garris (Oct 27, 2005)

I am training a retriever for my brother that will be used almost solely for goose hunting in Canada. The training an the retrieving part isn't a problem. We are go to go there. My question is, do you goose hunters do anything different with your dogs to prepare them for retrieving geese? Especially handling unhappy cripples.
Thanks!
Kyle


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## Mountain Duck (Mar 7, 2010)

Having a dog that at a minimum has been taught "Hold", and preferably properly force fetched will provide the tools needed to teach a dog to handle big geese. It's not uncommon for people to say their dog won't pick up geese, but I've never had a problem, or seen a properly forced dog that would not handle geese (field and water) with a little practice. I get mine started with a dead goose that I have brought home from a hunt.

I guess you could buy the goose Doken, but I would just save my money till I could get a real one.

Be very careful with a young dog and a crippled goose. Most bold retrievers with plenty of prey drive will tackle a crippled goose in a field, but a younger, more timid dog could develop a bad attitude in a hurry with a 12 pound honker hissing and flogging them! I would dispatch all cripples promptly until I was confident my young dog could handle them.

Also be sure to train for hunting out of layouts, dog blinds....anything unique to his style of goose hunting.


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## Kyle Garris (Oct 27, 2005)

Thanks MD. He's FF'd and has been retrieving pigeons since a pup and more recently some ducks but never anything as big (and possibly as mean) as a goose. Thanks!


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

I'd be more concerned with rock steady, no matter what.


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## Mike Tome (Jul 22, 2004)

Training a good goose dog sometimes takes some extra steps. You say your pup is FF'd, which will be helpful. It's often helpful to start out with retrieving a dead goose in water.. that way your dog doesn't have to figure out how to pick up the goose and carry it... it can just push it ahead of itself in the water. When you do get to land retrieves some dogs do have trouble figuring out how to carry a large goose. Working with them to pick the bird up by the shoulder using your FF command (and you right next to the dog helping to "fetch it up" on the shoulder). A dog that has confidence in already handling a large dead goose with enthusiasm will be much more likely to be willing to tackle a cripple when the time comes.


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

for goose hunting you will need to teach the dog to sit or lie down in a mutt hut or similar type of blind if you hunt out of layouts....if you hunt out of a pit blind then the dog needs to stay in whatever concealment blind you have while you are in the pit...the problem is that most hunters will not teach a dog the actual logistics until the season or day of the hunt, and the hunt usually suffers and the dog gets blamed for not being steady or for flaring birds...

I practiced getting in and out of a layout blind in the garage, even though Mirk kept trying to climb in the layout blind with me, Kate figured out the game quickly ...contrary to an old wives tale, black dogs do NOT flare birds, poor concealment and movement flares birds


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## PhilBernardi (Jul 17, 2010)

I hunt alot of geese in fields, so having Fido steady in the mutt hutt is priority #1 for you IMHO. Our club will try to do a couple of days in later August where we have 3-5 layout blinds and with dogs in their mutt hutts; then we thrown about 5-7 dokkens pretty much around the same time to simulate a chaotic shoot at ducks (too hard to throw dokken geese from remote launchers). We practice like we hunt (as close as possible at least). Great opportunity to test the dogs and to correct breaking in such a scenario. We'll put some dokken geese (and ducks) out as blind retrieves as well

Practicing with a dokken goose decoy is good training for carrying the approximate weight of a goose (its my lab's favorite decoy to "play" with), but using a real goose is even better. I agree with starting retrieves from water with a real goose then moving to land, but don't wait for that as you can start that process with the dokken goose decoy - worth the investment.

Steady until released is absolutely required. As far as training for cripples, you can't really (without being unethical in your training methods and I don't support that). Outside of Mike's suggestion above, Fido will have to learn how to handle crips as he/she experiences retrieving in real hunting scenarios.


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## steve schreiner (Jun 15, 2009)

I too use the Dokken goose to get dogs started picking up big heavy objects...I keep a snow goose in the freezer for the next step...big ole barn yard ducks make a good transition to live birds of big size....A live on one water can be a big shock to young dogs...just tie the feet together and toss in the pond...Steve S


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## Cedarswamp (Apr 29, 2008)

Kyle, I have a goose dokken if you want to borrow it. Could prob sacrafice a muscovy drake if you wanted real feathers. 

Alison


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## steve schreiner (Jun 15, 2009)

Cedarswamp said:


> Kyle, I have a goose dokken if you want to borrow it. Could prob sacrafice a muscovy drake if you wanted real feathers.
> 
> Alison


here you go ...take um up on the offer.....Steve S


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## rontalbott (Mar 20, 2010)

They learn very quick how to pick them up.


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## Eric Fryer (May 23, 2006)

This is a good thread to reference...

http://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/showthread.php?t=753947


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## Mountain Duck (Mar 7, 2010)

Just to add on the steadiness issue....ain't no shame in staking a young (or even old) dog out in his dog blind. Hard to duplicate 2 dozen honking longnecks back peddling in a pups face!


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## Erik Nilsson (Jan 16, 2011)

Mountain Duck said:


> Just to add on the steadiness issue....ain't no shame in staking a young (or even old) dog out in his dog blind. Hard to duplicate 2 dozen honking longnecks back peddling in a pups face!


For sure, nothing can undo time well spent training then a goose hunt with all the commotion of the geese, calls, flags. We try to make sure that they are really ready to handle it by setting up training with everything we use in the field adding a CD of geese to expose them to the sounds. We set up wingers for crossing and incomming shots in and outside the decoys. When we do take them out its one guy doing the shooting one bird at a time at first. We also shoot crips before sending the dog and even to go as far as picking up birds ourselfs from time to time just to reinforce steadiness and that not everything is a shoot and go idea. One other thing we do, is not send the dog from their blind but call them to heel to the layout blind and then send them, it seems to help with avoiding breaking from the dog blind and later if we need to send them on a crip then we can take care of that first. Everything is set up in the best interest of the dog to the best of our ability.

Almost time to dig everything out again!!!!


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## PhilBernardi (Jul 17, 2010)

Mountain Duck said:


> Just to add on the steadiness issue....ain't no shame in staking a young (or even old) dog out in his dog blind. Hard to duplicate 2 dozen honking longnecks back peddling in a pups face!


Word


Preach on brutha....


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## DarrinGreene (Feb 8, 2007)

Keep his safety as priority #1. He's really not necessary in the field, so if you're going to put him in that very risky situation, keep him safe.

I'm not saying by the way that he shouldn't be trained or that taking a dog in the goose field shouldn't be done. I take my dog regularly with parties I trust not to shoot him if he breaks. He's a nice steady dog but we often let the first few birds touch down before calling the shot and he just can't take that! I agree with he no shame in staking him out argument.

I would also teach him to voluntarily retrieve geese, but I would force on them also, just to make sure things were totally clear in his mind on game day.


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## Ray Kirkpatrick (Sep 24, 2010)

I agree with all of the above: 
When training my pup on geese he was reluctant to begin with. 
I had him sit and sent his sire to pick up the goose that he just fooled with. After he saw the old man pick it up and deliver to hand a couple of times he was right on it.

They learn by example.


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## Jim Danis (Aug 15, 2008)

Steadiness is a big deal for sure. Before my dogs first goose hunt I used a Dokken Goose to get him used to the weight and that worked out fine.My dogs first goose came down in LA and it was a Speck so that made it easier on him. Not quite as big as a Canadian. It was a rather lively cripple and it bowed up and hissed at him as he ran to it. My dog hit him like a linebacker and it was on from there. He had the bird by it's shoulder. One wing was covering his face and flapping and the goose had ahold of my dogs ear. So my dog was blinded and could hear a thing with that goose going at his ear. It was pretty funny watching him try to bring it in. He had no clue which way to go to get back to me and could hear my whistle or yelling to him. My dog kept going in a big circle. I finally had to go out and get him. There was no way he was going to drop that bird and try to reposition it so he could see. We were all laughing watching the show go on out in the rice paddy.


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## Travis Schneider (Aug 31, 2010)

BonMallari said:


> for goose hunting you will need to teach the dog to sit or lie down in a mutt hut or similar type of blind if you hunt out of layouts....if you hunt out of a pit blind then the dog needs to stay in whatever concealment blind you have while you are in the pit...the problem is that most hunters will not teach a dog the actual logistics until the season or day of the hunt, and the hunt usually suffers and the dog gets blamed for not being steady or for flaring birds...
> 
> I practiced getting in and out of a layout blind in the garage, even though Mirk kept trying to climb in the layout blind with me, Kate figured out the game quickly ...contrary to an old wives tale, black dogs do NOT flare birds, poor concealment and movement flares birds


I can't tell you how many geese I've killed that were attracted to the set by a dog running through the decoys picking up birds. 

Why is it that most people don't teach their dog the "down" command?


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## PhilBernardi (Jul 17, 2010)

Travis Schneider said:


> I can't tell you how many geese I've killed that were attracted to the set by a dog running through the decoys picking up birds.
> 
> Why is it that most people don't teach their dog the "down" command?


Because they don't goose hunt like you, I and others here. ;-)


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

Like many have said, steadiness is the key. For safety purposes mainly. 

I started by staking my dog. And on his first hunt, just he and I. I tried to land every goose I could and just let them walk around. It's sensory overload at first for geese to come in honking and flapping. I let the geese walk/swim around for a while and then jumped them without shooting. Later that morning, I shot a single that was just touching down. Dog retrieved! Picked up and went home...success. 

He still was not all that steady his first season, so he was staked. But he learned and experienced what it was about. 

Mainly, goose and duck meat dogs need to 2 things well to be successful. Mark and be steady in different environments (field blind, boat blind, tree stand). If they can do some moderate handling that is a bonus.


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

To mainly answer the OP, I'm guessing this dog will be a gun dog for a guide service. If that is the case, steadiness is the absolute key. You do not want a dog running out in front of clients, they will not be aware and shouldn't have to worry about a breaking dog running in front of their shot. If the dog is steady and picks up the birds relatively quickly = tips go up!!!


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## DarrinGreene (Feb 8, 2007)

Travis Schneider said:


> I can't tell you how many geese I've killed that were attracted to the set by a dog running through the decoys picking up birds.
> 
> Why is it that most people don't teach their dog the "down" command?


I do teach my dog the down command but I am NOT, I repeat NOT going to have him down in the middle of the decoys with anyone other than myself shooting, if that's what you imply.


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## Travis Schneider (Aug 31, 2010)

DarrinGreene said:


> I do teach my dog the down command but I am NOT, I repeat NOT going to have him down in the middle of the decoys with anyone other than myself shooting, if that's what you imply.


No, not what I'm implying. I'm talking about when your dog is by your side, waiting for geese to come in, you don't want your dog sitting way up above the decoys. It stands out badly. Don't believe me? Walk a good piece from the decoy set and then turn around and look back. What's the first thing you see? The dog.


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## Rick Hall (Jan 21, 2003)

Travis Schneider said:


> No, not what I'm implying. I'm talking about when your dog is by your side, waiting for geese to come in, you don't want your dog sitting way up above the decoys. It stands out badly. Don't believe me? Walk a good piece from the decoy set and then turn around and look back. What's the first thing you see? The dog.


That's a biggie here, so "down" has been my guys' default position:









And when guests ask about bringing their dogs, I suggest that it's very important their dogs be prepared to lay quietly while birds work, which I'm almost invariably assured they will. But precious few do.


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## BonMallari (Feb 7, 2008)

agree.. Mirk wasnt even covered and we killed em


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## mathewrodriguez (May 11, 2011)

Best thing one can do with a dog that is going to be a meat dog is leave their gun at home at a minimum for the first few outings, if not the entire first season. FOCUS ON THE DOG. Make hunts training sessions, not tests.

Some dogs take to cripples right out of the box, most young dogs don't even if they have been convientionally FF. FF the dog on live ducks and then on batam roosters (They don't have spurs, and won't hurt the dog. They will teach a dog how to properly grab a cripple). Then move the dog to field and let him/her retrieve the live birds. Then incorporate the dead goose or dokken for size. Your need to be in shape for Canada! Swim your dog as much as you can in the off-season to build up their upper body strength and stamina.

Further -- Hunting in Canada is demanding & chaotic on a dog. It would be in your best interest you to take the dog on several duck or teal hunts prior to putting the dog in a big goose hunt scenario. Especially if you are going to hunt with large groups.

Alot has been said about breaking and controlling your dog on this post, _more importantly is to control your hunters!_ Pre-hunt conversations on who calls the shots and when guns are safe/no shot situations should be gone over before ever hunt.

We off-set our callers a row back with hunters forward in a line to the left and to the right. We teach the dog to step-out of the mut-hut or blind at "take'em," but just enough to see. Some what of a controlled break. We set the dog blind just slightly back so that the step-out puts the dog just behind the callers, and the dog can see the full field. We teach our dogs to go for the long birds and cripples first. It's hard to teach this if you are trying to shoot birds rather than paying attention to the dog. And, we send the dog on 'sailors' while they are floating down. It's not uncommon to have 600 plus yd retrieves in Canada. Often the retrieves are at a distance that a dog can not hear you or see you. If a dog doesn't immediately get on the bird, the dog will waste time hunting or loose the bird and possibly spoil the next set of birds working in. There is nothing better than watching good dog work on a good hunt, and nothing worse than a dog that spoils a what would have been a good hunt and looses retrievable birds.

www.goosehuntinginc.com


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## thebigcat (Feb 17, 2010)

It doesn't matter if they're not laying down 100%, you'll still finish birds


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## Scott Bass (Apr 28, 2009)

AKG said:


> I am training a retriever for my brother that will be used almost solely for goose hunting in Canada. The training an the retrieving part isn't a problem. We are go to go there. My question is, do you goose hunters do anything different with your dogs to prepare them for retrieving geese? Especially handling unhappy cripples.
> Thanks!
> Kyle


Here is how I start training for geese!


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## JustinS (May 17, 2009)

For me there are two things that are a must and they have already been mentioned but here you go again Force Fetch and steadiness, since your dog is already FF then now you need to test the steadiness get a buddy and have him shoot live flyers about 4 does the trick start out at 60 yards then 50 then 40 then 30 so the dog gets more amped up at each bird have a leash on him and use a heeling stick or a collar do not let him get the birds till they are all shot. my goal when doing this is to get a correction this way your dog knows not to break and he wont get shot during a hunting trip because he broke and went infront of a shooter. live mallards seem to get most dogs to break at least once but use what you have and good luck.


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## David Lo Buono (Apr 6, 2005)

Training a "goose dog" isn't really all that different from training any GOOD waterfowl dog. STEADINESS is the element you focus on more then anything else. Picking geese up is better learned through experience then anything else. I've seen 55lbs peanut females handle lively ganders better then 100lbs bruin males, its all about experience(time in the field) They "figure it out".


As was brought up before a dog is NOT a necessary tool in the goose FIELD. Especially if you're shooting decoying birds. In many cases we land 50-100 or more birds before cutting into a flock. Thats asking A LOT of a high drive dog, no question. However, it is attainable...And NOTHING entices a dog to break, more then a bunch of rowdy honkers 5yds away... then all the sudden 4 guys springing from layout blinds shouting TAKE EM. It gets even the most highly trained dogs....And ofcourse the "down command" especially if you hunt fron layout blinds....Or the "kennel" command if you use a dog blind....Now my dog will actually run into the field and lie down next to the center most blind.. its pretty neat actually Before that i used "place training concepts" I'd say "get in your place" and they would go to the right side of the blind i was in and lie down. "Get in your place" is used for our dog stands in the timber, dog platforms in the TDB, muskrats huts in flooded cattails ect..Its a "defined area" and the dogs conceptualize it pretty quickly.


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## BJGatley (Dec 31, 2011)

I don't know if it was said yet, but remember to keep your dog away from muzzle blast.


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

David Lo Buono said:


> As was brought up before a dog is NOT a necessary tool in the goose FIELD. Especially if you're shooting decoying birds. .


It may not be necessary, but consider shooting decoying birds with 5 clients who aren't regular goose shooters. Then a dog becomes invaluable. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like running down a couple of 200 yard sailers. It gets hard to jump back into the blind and put together some good notes. I agree that it isn't necessary but it does make hunting much more enjoyable, but it does take some work. I hunted for quite some time field hunting in Minnesota without a dog and was fine. But when I would guide down in Luboock, TX with 50 geese in the hole at a time and 6 shooters...there will be sailers...and the next flock of 100 is a mile away. Need to make quick work and jump back under the blanket.


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## Scott Bass (Apr 28, 2009)

I agree with Charlie 100%!!!!

I was the dog for years with my hunting group because I was the youngest of the group. Most of them where retired and I still have lots of years left to work. I got into dog training only becasue I got tired of chasing down cripples. 

Now I wouldn't go hunting without a dog. I have changed alot in the past 5 years. It use to be all about limiting out as quick as possilbe but now I would rather see a few great retrieves of a cripple that sailed off over 200+ yards than limit out.

Charlie, let me know if you need any help retrieving geese this year.


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

Scott Bass said:


> I agree with Charlie 100%!!!!
> 
> I was the dog for years with my hunting group because I was the youngest of the group. Most of them where retired and I still have lots of years left to work. I got into dog training only becasue I got tired of chasing down cripples.
> 
> ...


For sure Scott, I will have some good spots if last year is any indication. I just hope to see some more ducks show up...I still need to shoot my first black duck. The local flocks around me look pretty strong so far so we might have a chance to get after them before the migrators show up. 

I still have your cell #, but I will probably see you before the regular season at the fall trials.


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## David Lo Buono (Apr 6, 2005)

> It may not be necessary, but consider shooting decoying birds with 5 clients who aren't regular goose shooters


I might know a thing or 2 about that.........




> Then a dog becomes invaluable


Nope, a "DOG" is not invaluable...An extremely well trained retriever is invaluable. A "dog" is a nuisance...A half assed senior hunter is a nuisance.....I don't need a dog dropping a bird a dozen times on a 20yd retrieve..or spending 5mins figuring out which end to grab the goose by...I need a MACHINE...I need a rock steady lightning fast MACHINE....I've been blessed to have and hunt over "machines"...If I can pop out of my blind and retrieve the birds faster then the dog I'm with..Then that dog needs to wait in the truck........And for 200yd sailors you need a good blind running dog that can deal with cripples...A real goose dog is a MH level dog with lots of goose experience.


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

David Lo Buono said:


> I might know a thing or 2 about that.........
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Taken out of context, but whatever....

You have pretty high standards for dogs...that's good. I guided in TX with a half breed lab that helped immensely. She knew how to be steady and to pick up birds she saw. Not perfect but better than nothing. She saved me time. I've also hunted over accomplished and extremely experienced dogs. We would all like to have a MH level dog with us in the field, but many don't have that option due to varying circumstances. If all I have at my disposal is JH dog, who has picked up geese before, is steady, and can handle moderately....then that's what I'm gonna use. They don't get experience sitting in a truck. I guess everyone wants a ferrari (machine) but some make due with chev aveo.


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## Scott Bass (Apr 28, 2009)

David Lo Buono said:


> In many cases we land 50-100 or more birds before cutting into a flock.


Why would you do this? You are educating alot of geese by shooting into these large flocks. I can understand this if they are snows but canada geese this just doesn't make sense. That is making it tough on us poor hunters that live furhter south. What is the limit in NJ for canada geese?


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## David Lo Buono (Apr 6, 2005)

> Why would you do this? You are educating alot of geese by shooting into these large flocks. I can understand this if they are snows but canada geese this just doesn't make sense. That is making it tough on us poor hunters that live furhter south. What is the limit in NJ for canada geese?


Wait, let me get this straight.... I now should worry about how other guys feel in other states??? Do you think anyone from ontario on down gives a hoot about me and my crew??? These migratory birds are being pounded and EDUCATED from the middle of sept.(in canada) until the time our migratory season starts in mid November......They are PLENTY EDUCATED by the time I get to play with them.





> Why would you do this? You are educating alot of geese by shooting into these large flocks.


Not as much as you think, and sometime its unavoidable....Sometimes you're working birds from all different directions, you've got small groups, singles and pairs sliding in and bigger flocks stacking and cupped..You land birds to draw the bigger flocks. And sometimes you have a DECENT amount of birds on the ground before that happens.

Also, and I'm not ashamed to admit it we "land and de-band" No different then trophy hunting a big white-tail by passing on smaller bucks. There has been times we've landed hundreds upons hundreds of birds in the dekes never firing a shot..Thats TOUGH on any dog

We do the same thing for snows, let that snow'nado funnel down until half of them are on the ground and you can't even hear yourself think! Pop up and have it!

We have pretty liberal season here in NJ...15 per day for resident geese(sept) Its not uncommon for us to shoot north of 200 birds during that season...3 per day during migratory. and 5 per day during special winter season.


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

David Lo Buono said:


> Not as much as you think, and sometime its unavoidable....Sometimes you're working birds from all different directions, you've got small groups, singles and pairs sliding in and bigger flocks stacking and cupped..You land birds to draw the bigger flocks. And sometimes you have a DECENT amount of birds on the ground before that happens.


Come on...landing geese and then busting into a big flock certainly educates them. You are teaching them every time they see and hear you. If you are hunting a large flock of geese, geese that are migrating, or geese that flex quite a bit throughout the season then I can see how "educating" them isn't a big deal. I'm guessing you have quite a few geese in the area and don't just hunt 1 flock that flies from town to your fields/ponds...then I totally understand why someone would educate them. But they are going to school every time you are setup regardless of whether you shoot into them or not. 

But if you are hunting an average sized flock (~2000) that have typical refuge roosts, and stick around for a majority of your season. Then educating and shooting into big flocks is a big deal. You can shoot the geese in your area however you like....I think that Scott was just joking about educating the geese that get to us.


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## Scott Bass (Apr 28, 2009)

David Lo Buono said:


> Also, and I'm not ashamed to admit it we "land and de-band"
> 
> We have pretty liberal season here in NJ...15 per day for resident geese(sept) Its not uncommon for us to shoot north of 200 birds during that season...3 per day during migratory. and 5 per day during special winter season.


David,

If you are just out band hunting "trophy hunting" then you need to find out where the resident birds are being banded and hunt those ponds in Sept. That is what the yahoos do around here to get bands. Not much of a trophy when the banded bird was banded in your back yard though.

I use to be all about getting a limit of birds as fast as possible but I have matured and realize that is not what waterfowl hunting is about. *It is about having fun with your friends and most importantly to me with your dog*. I don't train year around to leave the dog behind on a hunt.

How do you cook your geese? I'm not sure how I could consume 200 geese. They are alright tasting but not that good. It takes alot of marinade or bacon to make them that good. I do however make alot of jerky out of the geese I get as well.


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## Erik Nilsson (Jan 16, 2011)

grind them to sausage or hot sticks, save the bacon for ducks


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## David Lo Buono (Apr 6, 2005)

> Come on...landing geese and then busting into a big flock certainly educates them. You are teaching them every time they see and hear you. If you are hunting a large flock of geese, geese that are migrating, or geese that flex quite a bit throughout the season then I can see how "educating" them isn't a big deal.


Ok, perhaps there was a miscommunication here...........Every goose that comes into our spread in sept season gets shot. During migratory season we have an amazing amount of birds that traverse through this state...Its not uncommon to have several fields within a 25 mile radius of each other that each have DIFFERENT 2K+ flocks using them...We can hunt 4 or 5 different sets of birds in a week and not hunt the same birds twice. We can afford to land birds if we choose...If it doesn't work, then we wouldn't do it. It works.....Not saying that we hit a home run everytime. We have those bluebird days with no wind(those are the days we layout and crush seaducks ) With birds stalling 8oyds up giving you the hard look over........Our birds get stale to, I'm not the only guy hunting them lots of pressure in our area.




> David,
> 
> If you are just out band hunting "trophy hunting" then you need to find out where the resident birds are being banded and hunt those ponds in Sept. That is what the yahoos do around here to get bands. Not much of a trophy when the banded bird was banded in your back yard though.





> I use to be all about getting a limit of birds as fast as possible but I have matured and realize that is not what waterfowl hunting is about. It is about having fun with your friends and most importantly to me with your dog. I don't train year around to leave the dog behind on a hunt.



Nice passive aggressive post, You don't know much about me, But make alot of assumptions.... I'm certainly no "yahoo" I enjoy pretty sunrises....But I also like to enjoy some measure of success now and then...I could watch pretty sunrises from my porch 

As far as band go, yeah, I have some from the next town over, and I have some from the artic circle....



> I don't train year around to leave the dog behind on a hunt


Yeah well I don't know what else to tell ya...Some people study all year long and still fail the BAR exam, unfortunately results count more than effort




> How do you cook your geese?


I don't




> I'm not sure how I could consume 200 geese


Ahh There it is !!!!!!The Old "you can't possibly consume all those birds therefore you're either a LIAR or a Law breaker!!!" ! Ya got me!!!!! I throw them all in a dumpster

I don't personally shoot 200 birds in sept....Its divided amongst 3-4 guys.... 50-60 birds per guy. I rack up quite a hefty bill to a local butcher who proccesses them into slim jims, Jerky and hot sausage...After I can convince folks to try it, its not hard to give away bags upon bags of slim jims & jerky...By thanksgiving people are begging me for more. For what it costs me, almost $500 I could eat Filet Mignon every night for a month.....But, I enjoy waterfowling and I know all the birds I shoot are eaten...


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

David Lo Buono said:


> Ok, perhaps there was a miscommunication here...........Every goose that comes into our spread in sept season gets shot. During migratory season we have an amazing amount of birds that traverse through this state...Its not uncommon to have several fields within a 25 mile radius of each other that each have DIFFERENT 2K+ flocks using them...We can hunt 4 or 5 different sets of birds in a week and not hunt the same birds twice. We can afford to land birds if we choose...If it doesn't work, then we wouldn't do it. It works.....Not saying that we hit a home run everytime. We have those bluebird days with no wind(those are the days we layout and crush seaducks ) With birds stalling 8oyds up giving you the hard look over........Our birds get stale to, I'm not the only guy hunting them lots of pressure in our area.


This is what I figured your situation was David...I can see how shooting into a big flock isn't that big of a deal. Sounds like you are in a pretty opportunistic area! 

So just curious, what's the band situation like in NJ? Do they band a lot? I would guess that you probably get a lot of bands from NY and PA too. 

Good luck this coming season and have fun!


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## KwickLabs (Jan 3, 2003)

Geez, this thread has me checking my "goose stuff" way earlier than usual. All four dogs are ready, steady and love a good fight (once in awhile). The single most effective way to teach a dog to handle cripples is running "Euro" pheasant hunts. Lots of crippled roosters (when young) creates a "no nonsense" goose dog. 

Daisy at 9 months old 









Daisy "cooked" this goose


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## KevinsKennels (Mar 6, 2012)

So question for you guys. If you are training with a Ecollar and your dog breaks blind, do you correct him with that or just re set him?


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## KwickLabs (Jan 3, 2003)

> So question for you guys. If you are training with a E-collar and your dog breaks blind, do you correct him with that or just re set him?


It depends on the training set-up. I often train two dogs at a time. Dog breaks, get's corrected with e-collar, returns to blind and the "clincher".....the other dog picks up the mark as the "breaker" watches. 

If I'm setup training with one dog, I will go out and pick up the mark. If that is not possible (water), I usually have the van close by and bring out a pick-up dog. If at all possible, the breaking dog always gets to see the mark picked up by "not him/her". 

"My turn when you need me....just ask" becomes the standard. Penalties (I prefer the term consequnces) = collar correction, no retrieve and watching someone else do what they really wanted to do. It's called becoming responsive.


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

KevinsKennels said:


> So question for you guys. If you are training with a Ecollar and your dog breaks blind, do you correct him with that or just re set him?


I taught my dog what the dog blind was - "kennel". Then taught him that he needs to stay in until released. Then he can be corrected, I normally don't use much e collar to correct because he's already amped up enough. Using a stick and stern voice worked well. We don't train with him in his blind, only do some pre and in season short training sessions. 

How is Gaylord? I grew up in St. Peter and went to college and am friends with a few guys from Gaylord.....nesvig, pioske, erickson.


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## KevinsKennels (Mar 6, 2012)

Oh ok that's very helpful! I currently have a 1 year old CLM and we are just working on "place" command (in the mutt hut) and I set up some duck and goose decoys and throw 1-4 dokkens goose and ducks out there and he does good at staying until "Drake YUPPP " command is given to retrieve but he does not respond to Ecollar corrections very well. So I usually just re set him and try again. I will try going and getting them myself at tonights training session! Thanks for your advice!


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## KevinsKennels (Mar 6, 2012)

Gaylord is good. Very quite lol. I grew up in Arlington and went to college st Gustavus. Last year bought a small farm site just south of Gaylord and am currently working on training my first lab myself so its a challenge lol loving every minute though. Ya I know all those guys.


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## Charlie Seitzer (Oct 22, 2011)

KevinsKennels said:


> Gaylord is good. Very quite lol. I grew up in Arlington and went to college st Gustavus. Last year bought a small farm site just south of Gaylord and am currently working on training my first lab myself so its a challenge lol loving every minute though. Ya I know all those guys.


hmmm small world...I went to Gustavus too. Graduated in 04


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## KwickLabs (Jan 3, 2003)

One of the critical components of training "steady in the hide" is that they do NOT launch from the hide. They come to heel first (from the hide) and then make the retrieve. Here is an example of "ingraining the standard". (It was posted a few months ago.)

*Daisy's Kwick "Hide Steady" (drill)*


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## David Lo Buono (Apr 6, 2005)

> So just curious, what's the band situation like in NJ? Do they band a lot?


They used to do a fair amount of banding. Teddy Nichols is the lead biologist( Used to help him band) Obviously during our resident goose season in sept. We get a lot of local banded birds...On our best days we shot 6-7 bands out of 30 birds, all local. During migratoy most of our geese are from the finger lake region and ontario canada specifically the St.Lawrence & Kanata areas..We also get a few birds from Newfoundland...I shot a black duck and a Canada Goose with in a week of each other both banded in searston newfoundland!


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