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DG45 · January 27, 2011, 03:36 PM

Sorry, I don't buy the need for camo guns for waterfowl. In the late 1800's my granddad used to be a "market gunner" in the winter, killing geese to ship north to railroads and fine restaurants. He probably killed more geese every year than most of the members of this forum will ever see. He didn't use camo anything. Today, I live on a river about 30 miles as the crow flies from where he used to hunt, in what used to be considered the greatest goose-hunting area in the world. The huge sky-darkening flocks of geese that were common in my grandads day are no more, but we still occasionally get migrating Canada geese and Mallards in our backyard. People still hunt them about a half mile upriver from where I live, in an area where theres no development. You can hear shotguns blasting away up there at ducks and geese early every morning this time of the year.

When we first built this house about ten years ago, anywhere from 2 to ten geese at a time would occasionally land (or swim up) to graze on our lawn, but then my wife started feeding them cracked corn and we'd get over 50 adult geese in our backyard sometimes, and at least that many ducks. They made a disgusting mess of our yard, so we had to quit feeding them. Now we're back to occasionally getting from two to ten at a time again.

If you don't make any sudden movements, you can walk up to within about 30-40 feet of a flock of these geese. Once, I got too close to some (within about 25 feet of them) and one of them looked like he was going to attack me while all his buddies made an unhurried retreat back to the waters edge. Then some of them swam, and others flew out about 30 feet or so from shore and watched until I went back in, then they all returned to my yard to graze (and defecate).

Camo shotgun needed to hunt them indeed! Harrumpph!

Incidentally, the local golf courses in this area hate Canada geese. They'd probably PAY you to bring your camo shotgun and walk up to within about 30 feet of a flock of geese grazing (and defecating) on their fairway, and start blasting.

January 27, 2011, 03:36 PM	#29
DG45 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2009 Posts: 904	Sorry, I don't buy the need for camo guns for waterfowl. In the late 1800's my granddad used to be a "market gunner" in the winter, killing geese to ship north to railroads and fine restaurants. He probably killed more geese every year than most of the members of this forum will ever see. He didn't use camo anything. Today, I live on a river about 30 miles as the crow flies from where he used to hunt, in what used to be considered the greatest goose-hunting area in the world. The huge sky-darkening flocks of geese that were common in my grandads day are no more, but we still occasionally get migrating Canada geese and Mallards in our backyard. People still hunt them about a half mile upriver from where I live, in an area where theres no development. You can hear shotguns blasting away up there at ducks and geese early every morning this time of the year. When we first built this house about ten years ago, anywhere from 2 to ten geese at a time would occasionally land (or swim up) to graze on our lawn, but then my wife started feeding them cracked corn and we'd get over 50 adult geese in our backyard sometimes, and at least that many ducks. They made a disgusting mess of our yard, so we had to quit feeding them. Now we're back to occasionally getting from two to ten at a time again. If you don't make any sudden movements, you can walk up to within about 30-40 feet of a flock of these geese. Once, I got too close to some (within about 25 feet of them) and one of them looked like he was going to attack me while all his buddies made an unhurried retreat back to the waters edge. Then some of them swam, and others flew out about 30 feet or so from shore and watched until I went back in, then they all returned to my yard to graze (and defecate). Camo shotgun needed to hunt them indeed! Harrumpph! Incidentally, the local golf courses in this area hate Canada geese. They'd probably PAY you to bring your camo shotgun and walk up to within about 30 feet of a flock of geese grazing (and defecating) on their fairway, and start blasting.