

From there, you can go into the hutta call." I say 'grrrr' or 'grrrrit.' That reference note will get the reed vibrating. That is, like you are humming into the call. "It's important to start with a reference note. Emphasize on the 'T.' That's with either a short-reed or a flute," Eldredge says. Simply say 'hutta-hutta-hutta' into your call. "With early-season geese, the hutta-cluck works very well over water and grasses, like alfalfa or in a pasture. He is typically in the field up to 128 days a year, beginning with the resident goose seasons and wrapping up during the spring snow goose season. I don't use all those different calling sounds, but sometimes I have to pull one of the odd ones out to make things work."Įldredge, who has been tagged with the nickname of "Goose Guru," for the past 12 years has concentrated his efforts in the Midwest, regularly hunting in Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri. I can do 23 different calls in goose language on a short reed, opposed to 12 calls on a flute.
#GOOSE GOOSE DUCK CANADA GOOSE PROFESSIONAL#
"The key to short-reeds," says professional guide Shawn Eldredge of Des Moines, Iowa, " is their versatility. These days, however, short-reed goose calls are most often the chosen tools. Flutes, first introduced during the mid-1950s, dominated the market for decades. Mechanical calls used to lure geese have changed during the past five years. The dividends of this labor, however, can make the difference between an endless string of frustrating birdless days and success in the goose fields on a regular basis. Talking goose takes practice, which takes time, which takes discipline.

Perhaps no one can be sure of the exact topic of each conversation, but goose hunters who harbor hopes of outstretched wings over their decoys would do well to master at least a small portion of this colorful dialect. Researchers have determined that Canada goose language includes more than 20 distinct sounds. Geese are the chatterboxes of the waterfowl world. No matter the project at hand, there was always time to stop and listen. They seldom arrived by calendar, but most often appeared when the air first became crisp and the trees began flashing the rich golds and reds of autumn. Today the geese are a popular game bird, and some management concerns center on keeping populations in check because of their detrimental effect on crops.While growing up, and continuing to this day, there was always something reassuring about the clarion cries of migrating Canada geese. The birds were guarded by law and even reintroduced in some areas where their numbers had become low. Population RecoveryĬanada goose populations represent a successful wildlife protection program that revived dwindling numbers in the beginning of the 20th century. These noisy groups honk their way along established paths that include designated “rest stops.” These social birds remain in flocks year-round, except while nesting. When the birds do migrate, they form impressive and aerodynamic “V-formations.” They can cover 1,500 miles in just 24 hours with a favorable wind, but typically travel at a much more leisurely rate. Just 50 geese can produce two and a half tons of excrement in a year. In some areas, such as airports, they are so numerous that they are considered a nuisance. Other Canada geese have become permanent residents of parks, golf courses, suburban subdevelopments, and other human habitats across much of North America. This cycle endures, but some northern populations have shortened their flight to traditional wintering grounds in the southern U.S. Typically, the birds summered in northern North America and flew south when cold weather arrived. Because of changing weather, settlement, and farming patterns, many Canada (not “Canadian”) geese have begun to alter their migrations. Adaptations to Changing EnvironmentsĬanada geese are adaptable to many habitats and may thrive wherever grasses, grains, or berries are available. state and Canadian province at one time of the year or another. The ubiquitous Canada goose is one of the best known birds in North America.
