# What size shot for Geese



## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

Urriah said:


> #3 for everything. If it's good enough for a duck at 40 yards it's good enough for a goose's head/neck at 40 yards. IMO using BB, T, etc just gives you a higher chance when you body blast them and I'd rather not deal with the meat damage from the bigger pellets.
> 
> Also, if you ever get the chance to hunt geese over water where you can see your pattern it would open a lot of people's eyes as to how far behind geese they usually are. Those bigger pellets can have some huge holes in the pattern for water swatting too.


If you bring only #3 shot you may be disappointed when geese don’t fall, but it’ll work I suppose 


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## John Singer (Aug 20, 2004)

AaronJohn said:


> If you bring only #3 shot you may be disappointed when geese don’t fall, but it’ll work I suppose
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


At 20 yards or less, it would be difficult to find a shotshell that will not kill a goose shot in the head and neck.

I have killed several geese with #3 steel at those ranges while duck hunting.

Like you, I do not think that is why the OP started this thread.


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

100% 


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

AaronJohn said:


> If you bring only #3 shot you may be disappointed when geese don’t fall, but it’ll work I suppose
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


If I'm field hunting and I know we can run down cripples, I'll use some bigger pellets, especially if I know we're not on the X. But the vast majority of my hunting is over water. In those situations, I want to either drop them stone dead or not. I've seen a lot of people call geese 'in-range' that are 45-50-60 yards away. I don't need to shoot them that far. 20-30 yards and shoot them in the head. Regular season and late season you can only shoot three a day anyways. 
I shoot less geese than most since I mostly duck hunt and deer hunt, but between the early season, regular season and late season I only missed one goose and had no cripples.


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## Urriah (Jul 26, 2013)

And just to clarify, I understand why some guys use bigger pellets and know it works. It's just not my jam.


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

Urriah said:


> If I'm field hunting and I know we can run down cripples, I'll use some bigger pellets, especially if I know we're not on the X. But the vast majority of my hunting is over water. In those situations, I want to either drop them stone dead or not. I've seen a lot of people call geese 'in-range' that are 45-50-60 yards away. I don't need to shoot them that far. 20-30 yards and shoot them in the head. Regular season and late season you can only shoot three a day anyways.
> I shoot less geese than most since I mostly duck hunt and deer hunt, but between the early season, regular season and late season I only missed one goose and had no cripples.


Send it. Under 30yards any well placed steel will knock ‘em out cold. 


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

I've body shot a lot of geese with threes and it usually looks like WW2 bomber footage as it falls out of formation and slowly heads towards earth...


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> I've body shot a lot of geese with threes and it usually looks like WW2 bomber footage as it falls out if formation and slowly heads towards earth...


Sounds like #3 


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

I know most people go larger shot for larger birds, but I do not change. #2 for everything. Remember, it only takes one to the head or neck. Considering that the head/neck of a goose is at least 3-4x the size of the head/neck of a mallard, I opt for more hits on target over fewer, harder hits.


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## AaronJohn (Oct 18, 2015)

ajkulish said:


> I know most people go larger shot for larger birds, but I do not change. #2 for everything. Remember, it only takes one to the head or neck. Considering that the head/neck of a goose is at least 3-4x the size of the head/neck of a mallard, I opt for more hits on target over fewer, harder hits.


Breaking wings with size takes em down just as fast

Que the dog chase 


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

Shot size becomes far less important if you limit your shots to 35 yards, or less. In other words, ifin the gear ain't down, or you don't see them blink, just skip the shot and enjoy the view.


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## goose schatt (Sep 11, 2012)

#1’s get my vote


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## hammerdown (Sep 28, 2011)

3.5 bb of what ever is.on sale honk on i shoot 3.5 in.bb Kent's or 1/2oz by federal ultra shocks


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## SteelShot (Jan 26, 2011)

I was down by St Joe last week so I stopped in at Boss and got a couple boxes to try (shipping on boxes is $$, cases ship free). They suggest #2, 3” for geese, so I’ll see how they pattern and work. 

In the past I’ve always used BB or BBB for geese. 

If you ever get a chance to go to Boss it is well worth it. You basically just walk into the factory and buy the shells. I got a little tour of them making the shot and loading the shells. Very cool experience and everyone down there was super nice. 


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

I work too hard at hunting to not come home without birds. If they're feet down, that's cool. If they're at fifty yards and not working, I'll kill those too.

Sometimes when we run 40-60 dozen decoys the geese can both be feet down and 50 yards away. It seems where we plan on them landing and where they work are different.

There's a reason I killed birds at Muskegon 33 hunts running over five seasons.


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