Choosing to go on a guided goose hunt can be a very smart decision if you are just starting out in the sport or if you are hunting a new area. These professionals can help show you the ropes and maybe even teach you a thing or two about calling or setting out decoys. However, what sometimes happens is new hunters get a little overzealous in their desire to show their expertise, which is a nice way of saying they spoil everyone’s trip by not letting the guides run the show.

Because we want everyone to enjoy themselves and bag their limit, we have put together some tips to follow to make sure everyone has a great time and that you or one of your friends don’t end up being “the guy” that ruined the trip.

1.  Leave Your Dog at Home – while some goose hunting outfitters will allow you to bring a dog, it is not always a good decision. Only so many dogs are allowed on a trip and if your dog is not properly trained, it could really cause a lot of problems. Leave Fido at home and let the guides use their dogs. In fact, take the opportunity to drill these guys with questions about training so your dog can shine when you take him out on your own.
2. Wear the Proper Gear – yeah, I know, Dick’s had some really cool looking stuff on sale CHEAP and you decided that would be better than getting some gear that would keep the water and the cold out. You are going to be mucking it up in the mud and water on a regular basis, so remove the cobwebs off that wallet and get good gear, not cool looking gear that is cheap.
3.  Practice Your Shooting Skills – have you attempted to shoot a moving target out of a layout blind yet? Knocking down bottles in the back yard is not going to prepare you for hitting ducks and geese that are ripping through the sky. You need to learn how to properly lead your shots. Take the family skeet shooting a couple of times before you head out to the local rice field in the hopes of bagging that Christmas goose.
4.  Leave the Calling to the Pros – let me guess, you just spent a couple hundred on the best acrylic duck and goose calls in the store and you cannot wait to break them out. Let me give you a better tip…leave it in your pocket! This is something, again, best left to the guides as well as being something you can learn. These guys will be more than happy to teach you some techniques that will actually draw the birds in instead of scaring them away.
5.  Be Patient and Listen – we all know that “guy” that has to be the first one to put his empty beer mug on the bar or jump into the ocean…leave him at home. You need to be very patient in not only waiting for the birds to arrive, but also making sure they are close enough before the first shot is fired. Your guides will lead the way, all you need to do is listen to them and you will go home with a heavy game strap. The alternative…do it your way and the only thing that will be in your bag when you get home is some dirty socks!