September was the month of Resident Canada Geese
September resident Canada goose season is quickly coming to a close. I had fun. I was able to take a negative and turn it into a positive. Because of several factors, the perspective of having a scouted field known to harbor geese during this time of year looked very slim. Instead, I turned my sights to water. I had wanted to spend more time hunting Canada geese over water, and this looked liked just the season to get wet. Even with all the Goose hunting this month, I did manage to spend an evening in the deer woods
Canada Goose Hunting Water Style
The first technique I employed was an old method not readily used today – sneak boat hunting. In September the local Canada geese roosting on the Potomac and Monocacy rivers will leave fairly early in the mornings to feed. So I had to be on them right at first light. Knowing where the geese generally like to roost on the river, I planned my sneaks accordingly, threading the time slot of sneak floating onto them after legal shooting light but early enough to catch them before they left the water. I was successful and able to load the canoe with a few resident Canada geese using this technique. I missed some too. After the geese left the river, I would pick up the fishing rod and pitch to the smallies.
The second method I employed to hunt late summer resident Canada geese on the water was to arrive on their nightly roasting waters before the geese and wait. I enjoyed this relaxing method. With only a few decoys, typically 5 to 7, (don’t ask why, but I always use an odd number of decoys), I would toss them out, anchor the canoe a short distance away, cover it in camouflage burlap, and read until the geese returned, as the sun set for the day. One particular hunt, instead of a book, I welcomed good conversation with an old friend. We caught up on life, as it had been way too long since we had shared time on the water or in the woods. On that hunt, the geese landed in the eddy of the river exactly where our decoys had been. The problem was it was past dark and we were not there any longer. We were paddling our way home. Upside to the afternoon hunt was the smallmouth we caught in route to our hunting spot.
On a few other evening Canada goose hunts, I was successful and able to fill the canoe with geese. These hunts took place on public managed blind sites that are open to all Maryland hunters.
I may not have been guiding as in years past. I may not have had the time to scout or the fields to hunt as in years past. But because of those very reasons, I was able to spend more time hunting in a method I have always liked and wish I did more. And I got to catch fish while hunting, an extra bonus for sure.
Wood Duck Season Is Just a few weeks away
After Wood Ducks Comes Whitetails with the Muzzleloader
Next up in October is Wood Ducks on creeks and Whitetails with the muzzleloader. It just doesn’t any better than that. October is my favorite month to be a hunter. Well, until November that is.
