goose hunting in the single-digits - crazy, or just insane?

[mazzgolf]

This is our final two weeks ever on this goose field that has been the X for migrators for at least the last 6 years, probably longer... we are losing it to developers this year (totally sucks... it's 5 minutes from my house - we have been hunting this field regularly for years that people would pay a hundred or more for just a single morning hunt)... so I feel I have to go out any chance I get. Get it all in before it goes away.

But... 5 degrees wind chill in 15 to 20mph winds ... I'm questioning my sanity. Gonna take me the next 30 minutes putting on all my layers  

If I'm not back by mid-morning... call for help. Actually, never mind - it'll probably be too late.

[SPEARFISH]

I'll pass,  Although I am out every morning checking traps.  I hate the wind.

[Buck154]

The colder the better if they fly. Have done real good in the cold

[Jcol6268]

Cold and waterfowl hunting go hand and hand. 

[Greybeard]

Better chance of hitting one when flying into this wind

[Bigmac]

Curious to hear how you do, birds been in water keeping what little water isn’t frozen  from freezing if they fly it’s a few and they come back soon

[archer36]

The temps don't bother me but the wind is a killer. 

[mazzgolf]

1 hour ago, Bigmac said:

Curious to hear how you do, birds been in water keeping what little water isn’t frozen  from freezing if they fly it’s a few and they come back soon

Blue bird day. We were set up pre-shooting time and I had to leave at 9:15am - no birds at all. Didn't see or hear a thing. While driving home I only saw one small flock flying; other than that, the skies were empty of birds. This is an area/field where we had multiple-man limits within an hour every time we've been out the past couple weeks, with hundreds (I think over a thousand) birds flying by 8:30am every morning.

Something is keeping them hunkered down where ever they are today. They are going to start very late.

[Bonefreak]

15 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

Blue bird day. We were set up pre-shooting time and I had to leave at 9:15am - no birds at all. Didn't see or hear a thing. While driving home I only saw one small flock flying; other than that, the skies were empty of birds. This is an area/field where we had multiple-man limits within an hour every time we've been out the past couple weeks, with hundreds (I think over a thousand) birds flying by 8:30am every morning.

Something is keeping them hunkered down where ever they are today. They are going to start very late.

I did it last year in same conditions w about 10 pals on a huge Monmouth farm and as much fun as it was…it was hard to determine who was downing each flyover bird…except for running cripples…& it was hysterical watching one of us chase em down n blast the snow all around em!  Then I made jerky with them and it was weird compared to my awesome venison jerky…& I chose the young birds out of the pile…so the setter n hound had tasty treats for a month. Have yet to find them as good table fare….so for the effort…I’m probably guna pass next time. 

[mazzgolf]

1 hour ago, Bonefreak said:

so the setter n hound had tasty treats for a month. Have yet to find them as good table fare….so for the effort…I’m probably guna pass next time. 

If you make this goose recipe and tell me it isn't good table fare, then you either (a) have faulty taste buds or (b) can't cook: 

Pulled Goose Enchiladas --> https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2021/8/7/recipe-pulled-goose-enchiladas

This is an awesome goose recipe - tastes delicious and is easy to make with not a lot of unusual ingredients or hard steps to do. And easily feeds 4 people if not more. I have some in the fridge that I made 2 days ago - gonna eat some leftovers tonight  The goose meat flavor is not overpowering in this recipe; so if you have an aversion to the strong flavor of goose meat, you will want to try this. 

Me and a guy I met on a goose field recently were talking about the topic  - I gave him this recipe and told him to try it.. "trust me" I said  . He made it and told me it was a "10 out of 10." Delicious.

Another winner is Goose Pate... this is awesome, too. But I would say try the enchiladas first.  Then go with the pate.

Goose Pate --> https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2020/3/28/recipe-snow-goose-pate/

(pate recipe says it is for snow geese, but I use Canada geese and it is phenomenal - my tip for this one is do NOT skip the smoked paprika - that spice makes the pate IMO).

 

 

[mazzgolf]

Oh, BTW - about people not liking goose meat. I actually think I might know why that is - at least this could be part of it. In short, remove all of those huge veins running through the breast meat.

When I butcher the bird, I breast it out, and remove all the silver skin I can. Then the part I think a lot of people skip - I actually carve out all of those nasty huge veins running through the breast. Cut them all out as best you can. You are going to lose some good meat doing this - it is unavoidable. But if you cut out all of those, you will get great meat without the nasty rubbery veins and fat that surround them. Those do not render when you cook and are horrible to eat. It takes time to do it right, and you are going to feel like you are wasting good meat doing it - but take your time, and go into it knowing you will need to cut out some of the good meat to get to the veins and remove them.

Once all of those huge veins are removed, and all silver skin removed from the surface, you will have a great piece of meat to do all kinds of things - smoke it, bake it, slow cook it, grind it up for hamburgers or meatballs.

[Buck154]

10 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

Oh, BTW - about people not liking goose meat. I actually think I might know why that is - at least this could be part of it. In short, remove all of those huge veins running through the breast meat.

When I butcher the bird, I breast it out, and remove all the silver skin I can. Then the part I think a lot of people skip - I actually carve out all of those nasty huge veins running through the breast. Cut them all out as best you can. You are going to lose some good meat doing this - it is unavoidable. But if you cut out all of those, you will get great meat without the nasty rubbery veins and fat that surround them. Those do not render when you cook and are horrible to eat. It takes time to do it right, and you are going to feel like you are wasting good meat doing it - but take your time, and go into it knowing you will need to cut out some of the good meat to get to the veins and remove them.

Once all of those huge veins are removed, and all silver skin removed from the surface, you will have a great piece of meat to do all kinds of things - smoke it, bake it, slow cook it, grind it up for hamburgers or meatballs.

Wait I remember you eating Merganser too,,,,  

[Buck154]

They are out. Flying short distance from water and mostly on grass. Grass fields and industrial parks in the grass.

[chenrossi]

Rarely move early when it’s this cold, won’t fly til late morning early afternoon to feed. 

[mazzgolf]

25 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

Wait I remember you eating Merganser too,,,,  

I cannot help those that want to eat Merganser. In the immortal words of Bonefreak, "I have yet to find them as good table fare" ... and I have tried