Feral geese

[zobster]

Hi guys, I know I've been absent for a long time. But I'm back now. I recently came across a farmer who gave me permission to shoot feral geese on his land! SCORE!!

But these things are bloody smart with 6/6 x-ray, terminator, super long range vision! They see the farm ute approaching from a km away, they scatter and rush onto the river where no shooting is allowed, conservation land or something. I got one last week and they "remembered" my car and they would the same thing. I tried spotlighting them, the moment I light them up, they do the same thing.

There are at least 200 of the animals and the farmer would like to see them gone.

Any tips and tricks to getting more than one on every trip? There's a pipeline that run across the paddocks where the geese are, I've used it to stalk within 200m of them and unleashed the mighty OSA 223 on them. Then they scatter onto the river.

These are none migratory as I've seen them year round grazing in the paddocks.

[bladeracer]

Hi guys, I know I've been absent for a long time. But I'm back now. I recently came across a farmer who gave me permission to shoot feral geese on his land! SCORE!!

But these things are bloody smart with 6/6 x-ray, terminator, super long range vision! They see the farm ute approaching from a km away, they scatter and rush onto the river where no shooting is allowed, conservation land or something. I got one last week and they "remembered" my car and they would the same thing. I tried spotlighting them, the moment I light them up, they do the same thing.

There are at least 200 of the animals and the farmer would like to see them gone.

Any tips and tricks to getting more than one on every trip? There's a pipeline that run across the paddocks where the geese are, I've used it to stalk within 200m of them and unleashed the mighty OSA 223 on them. Then they scatter onto the river.

These are none migratory as I've seen them year round grazing in the paddocks.

You could try getting in there before dawn on foot and conceal yourself in good cover with a good field of view at a decent distance. But if they don't come back after a little while it might be pointless if you're only going to get one anyway.
I used to get lots of crows this way when I was kid, crawling out under fallen trees before dawn and shooting at 200m+, they never worked out where I was and would come back to check out their dead mates after just a few minutes. I took 27 out of one tree on one particularly good day.

[Oldbloke]

Ummmm,,, have you identified the type of goose? Are you sure they are not native?

[Chronos]

12g, 36 grams of BB and put yourself between them and where they take refuge (across the river)

You'd want to be there before dawn ad catch them as they come from their roost to feed and again at dusk when they go back to the nest

Chronos

[Gwion]

12g, 36 grams of BB and put yourself between them and where they take refuge (across the river)

You'd want to be there before dawn ad catch them as they come from their roost to feed and again at dusk when they go back to the nest

Chronos

This. But I'd add a couple of mates with the same, placed between grazing and refuge areas, then have some one flush them onto the shooters.

Also, make sure they're not Cape Barron Geese!

[Oldbloke]

"Also, make sure they're not Cape Barron Geese!" I didn't want to say it on an open forum but that's what I was thinking.

[Gwion]

There are often a lot of feral geese around, some times in among flocks of Cape Barron. Would be doing the CBs a favour by getting rid of the ferals!

[Chronos]

There are often a lot of feral geese around, some times in among flocks of Cape Barron. Would be doing the CBs a favour by getting rid of the ferals!

CB's are managed and you can shoot them as part of a cull which is exactly what i'll be doing in January

Chronos

[Heckler303]

Hey Zob, long time no see.

About these feral geese, any idea on the species? I've had geese on both mine and the neighboring properties (along with a bazillion native hens), just want to know what you're up against.

[zobster]

Regarding species, they are definitely feral. The farmer had help from dipiwe couple of years ago, they won't take poison as these smart buggers will regurgitate the bait the moment they fell funny.

Best success they had till date was when they got the geese "high" and they walk over to them with a machete. Culled 40. One off success though, they won't take any bait now.

They are super smart. Where they feed is sandwiched by the river (where shooting is not allowed) and their nesting area. The river borders their feeding area on the west and North. Their nest is on the east. My only approach is from the south where there's clear line of sight for about a km. Ideally I would set up on the west and shoot towards the east (not ideal, can't miss) or south (ideal backstop). But the problem is bordering the river on the west and North are public roads lined with houses. All possible paperwork has been fulfilled. Now I just need a better plan.

I thought of the shotgun approach. But seeing that the closest I could get to them is about 250-300m. That would rule of the shotgun. I might try stalking in before dawn and see if I could get more than one.

[NukeBOMB88]

Use a rifle from long range?

[zobster]

Use a rifle from long range?

That's the only plan. I just want my trips to be a little more efficient. Last trip, there was a pair on the nest. I shot one, the other took flight and I smashed the rest of the eggs. I waited a couple of hours for things to calm down and returned with a spotlight. Once I turn the light on them, they spooked and took to the water and that's the end of the night for me.

[brett1868]

I'm thinking something quieter with a thermal scope might be a winner, possibly a 300Blackout with subsonic ammo would work. Keeping in mind that you need to work with the tools available maybe another member has a good subsonic load for the .223 they can share. Taking some of the noise away might assist in knocking a few over before they figure out what's happening.

[Wylie27]

Brett,

what about your 50BMG? surely perched up on a hill about 1km away with a hollywood style scope zoomed right in on the geese would be uber quiet for the geese

[Oldbloke]

LOL, got a brain the size of a marble and cant shoot the buggers. YA gotta laugh. NO offence intended.

[Gwion]

Rubberised jaw trap in the nest?

Booze soaked grain laid out to keep them from flying off so quickly???

If you can't get closer than 150m, I don't think subsonic loads would help much as they drop like a stone after about 120m and you'd have to be spot on the money with your ranging.

Maybe you could set up a hide and let the geese get used to it then use it to set up. I still think setting up between the geese and their escape is the way to go.

[brett1868]

Brett,

what about your 50BMG? surely perched up on a hill about 1km away with a hollywood style scope zoomed right in on the geese would be uber quiet for the geese

Spectacular but not cost effective and based on my last outing at 600yds it'd need a better trigger jockey to even get close. I have a feral banana bender mate who used to shoot Brolga's professionally with a .243 as they used to get onto the crops wreaking all sorts of damage. I've not thought that geese or Brolga's could be such a problem on crops as I've only shot Galahs during sunflower season.
Geese look to be a good challenge in this situation, bit more like actual hunting then just plain culling. Is there any market for the meat? shame to spend so much time only to get 1 bird then not do something with it.

[Gwion]

The meat is pretty bad, Brett. You have to get them before they fledge or it's like eating boot leather; even after a long slow cook in plenty of good stuff!

I culled a flock a couple of years ago. Just someone's paddock geese that got out of hand. Shot about 7 of them. My neighbour took some and thought they were ok but I fed mine to the dogs. I'm not that desperate for meat!!!

[Oldbloke]

Soooo, the recipe goes something like:
First catch the goose.
Clean and pluck
Place in pot with 1 brick
After boiling/stewing for 8 hrs toss out the goose and eat the brick.

[Gwion]

That's the one, OB!

[zobster]

I like the idea of the hide. Might try and convince the farmer on that.

The one I shot I kept the breast and legs. Made a ragu out of it, not too bad. 1hr in the pressure cooker.

[Oldbloke]

I like the idea of the hide. Might try and convince the farmer on that.

The one I shot I kept the breast and legs. Made a ragu out of it, not too bad. 1hr in the pressure cooker.

What was the brick like?

[Gwion]

I like the idea of the hide. Might try and convince the farmer on that.

The one I shot I kept the breast and legs. Made a ragu out of it, not too bad. 1hr in the pressure cooker.

4hrs in a slow oven and a gumboot would have more tender, juicy & tasty than the one I tried to cook. Comes down to how fussy you are. Like I said, my neighbour liked hers but then she likes her pigeons as well and I'm in no hurry to try her roast pigeon again. I will eat most things if cooked properly or I'm hungry enough but I certainly wouldn't waste the effort preparing wild goose again, unless it was a very young bird that has not yet flown.

[zobster]

LoL! I guess I'm not too fussed about food then! The brick was delicious BTW, so tender you could eat it with a spoon!