Ryan Barnes for SPLIT REED
For most waterfowlers across the nation, hunting season is coming to a close. A sad reality for everyone. It’s the time when decoys get stowed away, boats are put back into storage, and the calls are placed back into drawers and closets. However, some lucky hunters are fortunate enough to be able to hunt later into the season, with some dates extending as deep as the first of February in a few states. The challenge of that type of late season hunting though, is the ice that has formed. Most of the hunting that is done on the ice is for honkers. And if you haven’t ever hunted big Canada geese on the ice, it can be quite the rush, but there’s also a right and wrong way to do it. So here are a few tips for having success while hunting the ice
Put the calls away!
On the ice, geese are very quiet. Most of the time they’re resting, sleeping, and trying to conserve energy. There isn’t a whole lot of movement or excitement while geese are on the ice. Maybe a murmur or a moan here or there, or something to get the birds’ attention, but after that, it’s time to shut up. Most of your decoys are sleeper shells or resting shells, so it would be wise to match that setting with your calls.
Be noticeable
This is where scouting plays a crucial factor in being successful on the ice. Most of the time, you can’t really tell exactly where the “x” is going to be on the ice. Unless you’re hunting a smaller body of water, there’s just too much surface area for them to land. So find a way to help your spread become more noticeable. Figure out where the geese are flying, where are they going to feed, where is there mid morning roost? Once you dial in on these things, you can then go and find ways to figure out how to attract the birds attention. Flags are a great option, but you’ll want to be somewhat subtle with a flag when the birds have started working your way. I always suggest bringing more than one. When birds are out on the horizon, you and a buddy get up, and start waving those flags around and get those birds to notice you.
It’s also important to have a noticeable decoy spread. Having a sizable amount of shells, and even silhouettes can make all the difference in the world. Taking out 10 dozen resting divebombs, removing the stakes, and setting the bodies in the snow, and another 5 dozen or so sleeper shells should do the trick, but it’s your spread, you figure out what works. You want the geese to be able to figure out where you’re at, and come give you a look, because when they think they’ve found a safe place to land on the ice, they usually will suck right into the hole.
Brand new paint suits!
I can’t overstate this one enough. Usually when hunting the ice, you’re hunting in snow, and you’re hunting in decoys packed in tight. Bringing layout blinds with snowcovers that have been through all sorts of mud and muck won’t look natural. So do yourself a favor; go to your local hardware store, and buy some paint suits for $6, and you’ll blend right in. It might not be the most comfortable hide in the world, but at least the geese won’t be circling overhead wondering about 5-6 weird white blobs with dirty scuff marks on them and decide to go a different route. Using paint suits allows you to disappear on the ice, and pull it over your warm clothes.
If you just are bent on using ground blinds, make sure the snow covers are washed as clean as possible. Remember, these geese have been shot over every tactic hunters could throw at them since September. They’ll be looking and scanning over the spread for anything that looks out of the ordinary, and a dirt smudge on ice, is out of the ordinary.
Patience, patience, patience
Remember, hunting geese on the ice isn’t like hunting geese on a feed. Geese come to the ice after they’ve eaten and are looking for a mid-day loafing spot. Mid-morning and on is when you’ll start to see the birds come back to the ice. Just because you haven’t fired a shell by 8:30 doesn’t mean the hunt is over. Some of the die hard ice hunters tend to set up later in the day and catch the afternoon flight. Hunting the ice for geese can be a miserable game of waiting. One flock of 10 at 9:30, another flock 3 at 10:05, then a flock of 50 at 10:30, then nothing for about 2 hours. You just have to trust your scouting and remember that as long as there’s birds in the area, and that you can grab their attention, you’ll have a chance at getting some action.
Know all the info about the body of water you’re hunting!
This one can’t be stressed enough! Please, before you go out on the ice, know exactly what the ice is like where you plan to hunt. I knew of a gentleman who went hunting on the ice on a local reservoir, but hadn’t taken the time to figure out how thick the ice was in a certain area where the water was being drained. Because of the moving water underneath the ice it hadn’t developed as thick, and he tragically broke through. Avoid ice 2” thick or less. Once you reach that 4” mark it’s usually safe to walk on, but all sorts of caution is advised. Take into account water depths, hot springs, and anything else that might make a great hunt on the ice, turn into a dangerous situation. Once this is done, and you know that the ice is safe to hunt, then you can go out and pound the honkers!
This late in the season, when ducks and geese finally decide to give it up, it can be a bloodbath. It can make for some fantastic shooting. Hunting on the ice is quite the experience and comes strongly recommended by those who do it. Just remember to be careful, hide with precision, be noticeable, and match the sounds of late season geese. If you follow those guidelines, you should be able to extend your late season goose hunting as the lakes, and reservoirs freeze over.
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