Skunked today

[Wetwoodshunter]

Still over here leading the geese/duck thing. I was at my spot before light and put up my camo net and grassed it in. The pond was frozen over. I took an axe and cut a 8’ x 8’ hole in the ice, which was 3” thick and slid the ice under the rest of the ice.

Calm day, no wind, no birds at all flying. Nothing at all came in for me before I called it. There were birds feeding nearby in a field but no chance to sneak in on them. They never moved more than a hundred yards from first light to 1:30.

I have no calls and no decoys could they have made a difference on the pond?

[Mfowl]

Likely nothing additional would have worked. The birds are probably stale and locked in their habits. I have not hunted myself for a few weeks to have an accurate guage but it can be a common scenario. I have spent some agonizing days set up next to the field that the geese are hitting. Flock after flock will pass by without a look only to plummet in to their real goose pals next door. I purposely avoid those kind of setups anymore. However, pray for a thaw and a reverse migration in January and hunting will improve dramatically!

[vandeman17]

If no birds were flying there wa nothing there for your decoys to try and draw in. Pond has likely been frozen for a while so birds haven’t used it in some time. Look for moving water or even better, spend a day driving around scouting for birds. They will be where they want to be until someone or something moves them off

[Jimmer]

An 8x8 hole in the ice will do zero for attraction. Decoys on the ice would help if anything was flying.
If it’s private property you are hunting, I’d recommend buying an ice eater and open that whole pond up! We have one for a private pond and it’s a game changer. Spendy, but worth it here on the east side.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Thanks everyone. I am going to give it a try again on Friday with a buddy and his son. I checked on the pond yesterday at lunch. The ice is still there but due to the melt is a few inches under water. I’m assuming after the next few days there will be tons of water in it.

The geese were in the field again feeding a few hundred yards away from the pond. It’s supposed to be terribly windy and rainy this weekend, supposedly that makes good hunting???

[Jimmer]

Thanks everyone. I am going to give it a try again on Friday with a buddy and his son. I checked on the pond yesterday at lunch. The ice is still there but due to the melt is a few inches under water. I’m assuming after the next few days there will be tons of water in it.

The geese were in the field again feeding a few hundred yards away from the pond. It’s supposed to be terribly windy and rainy this weekend, supposedly that makes good hunting???

You are seeing the geese again in the field. You now know their X.
If you don’t have decoys, borrow some and set up in that exact spot, that’s where they want to be. 99% of the time we scout the day prior and set up exactly where they were the day before. Increase your chances by 75%.
As far as wind “making it good hunting “, it sometimes helps kicking them off their roost a little earlier and definitely makes it easier on how to set up your decoys because now you know how they will set in.

[Stein]

If no birds were flying there wa nothing there for your decoys to try and draw in. Pond has likely been frozen for a while so birds haven’t used it in some time. Look for moving water or even better, spend a day driving around scouting for birds. They will be where they want to be until someone or something moves them off

 

Every time I've busted ice it almost always doesn't work unless it's right after the freeze.  After a few days, they know where the open water is and avoid what they know is frozen unless you get lucky and get some random birds that were maybe shot out of their place and desperate for someplace to land.

I think most of the time, guys are able to keep a hole open and they know it's there and keep using it.

[h2ofowlr]

Just get some decoys and place them on the ice or perhaps the field where they are.  You could white out in camo and lay close or in the spread and probably have a good hunt, as long as they don't roost in the field.

[Wetwoodshunter]

Just get some decoys and place them on the ice or perhaps the field where they are.  You could white out in camo and lay close or in the spread and probably have a good hunt, as long as they don't roost in the field.

I should have posted an update. I went Friday and Saturday. Friday I had 9 shots, Saturday 4 just sitting on the pond with no decoys/calls. Every group of geese does the same thing, fly into the area cruise over the pond at 30 yards high. Fly off into the field and land in the group feeding. I think we would have done a lot better we got busted in the blind a few times. Friday we saw easily over 1,000 birds land in the field next to us, Saturday closer to 300. Seems that the activity stops around 11 and then one group will come try and land on the pond at about 2-3 pm.

I may get one more hunt in this year around the 21st.