Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

The basics of calling at incoming geese

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,079
223
Ohio
I guess ask and I shall receive lol. Thanks, Matt! I've been to a few of Fred's seminars down at The Fin but honestly, I think your 7+ minutes there in this video have been more helpful. Fred talks about using spit notes and quick-spits as additions to the aggressive calling sequences... What is your take on spit notes and are they a staple in your goose calling, or are they just a curveball to throw at stubborn geese?
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
Ha I knew alot of this but didn't "know" it until it was explained. Get that? lol I have heard all of these while in the outdoors from geese but never paid any attention to it. Hearing you explain it and demonstrate makes complete sense. Thanks.

I haven't killed my first waterfowl but I can see me diggin it.
 

matt hougan

Junior Member
338
0
Dayton area
Certainly spit notes, trains, and my specialty the half honk are all valuable vocabulary. Again it gets back to scripting. If I have another guy that likes to do spits etc I'll have him add that in to add to the over all effect. A broad vocabulary will also help in come back sequences. I am a big fan of doing just enough to get the job done. If and when the geese ignore you, you have no choice but to turn your calling up a notch. Keep turning up the notch until the geese respond positively or they fly out of range. If you dont have another notch, well...........
 
Last edited:

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,079
223
Ohio
Here's another questions for you, Matt. Comeback calls to geese... what do they consist of? Since geese on the ground are trying to tell the flying geese to stay away as they get closer, wouldn't they naturally quiet down as the geese in the air fly away?
 

matt hougan

Junior Member
338
0
Dayton area
Here's another questions for you, Matt. Comeback calls to geese... what do they consist of? Since geese on the ground are trying to tell the flying geese to stay away as they get closer, wouldn't they naturally quiet down as the geese in the air fly away?

Keep in mind "come back calls" is what we call them. What I like to do is create quite a comotion on the ground. Inevitably you'll see a goose or two look back at whats causung all the noise. Be prepared to show them a "landing" goose. Sometimes the urge to land with a goose that has already landed is more than they can take. Hopefully the goose that looked back will turn and land. If that goose lands let him and keep hammering the parting geese. Maybe they will get over thier concerns and land as well.

I'm not sure why it works, insert your own theory here. Maybe the more agressive the geese are on the ground the more thre flight geese feel there must be the mother load of corn on the ground. Perhaps they are intrigued by all the noise from the feeding geese and come back to make sure they dont want to eat. I dont really know. I dont think they have that level of cognitive thought.

More than likely I think all the extra noise sparks some sort of emotional or instinctive response. I think they "think" about anything.
 
Last edited:

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,079
223
Ohio
Keep in mind "come back calls" is what we call them. What I like to do is create quite a comotion on the ground. Inevitably you'll see a goose or two look back at whats causung all the noise. Be prepared to show them a "landing" goose. Sometimes the urge to land with a goose that has already landed is more than they can take. Hopefully the goose that looked back will turn and land. If that goose lands let him and keep hammering the parting geese. Maybe they will get over thier concerns and land as well.

I'm not sure why it works, insert your own theory here. Maybe the more agressive the geese are on the ground the more thre flight geese feel there must be the mother load of corn on the ground. Perhaps they are intrigued by all the noise from the feeding geese and come back to make sure they dont want to eat. I dont really know. I dont think they have that level of cognitive thought.

More than likely I think all the extra noise sparks some sort of emotional or instinctive response. I think they "think" about anything.

Makes sense to me, Matt. I can't wait to get back out and put the new skills to the test. Not sure where all the geese went around here, though... I drove around for over an hour after work and none of my fields were holding birds.