How to lead a goose

[Smudger687]

The advice given here, namely to ignore the body and go for the head, is sound, but with only 2 chances a year on geese, is difficult to implement.

The area of a goose's head is much less than that of its body. As such, it makes more sense to go for body shots than it does to go for head shots. I've had far more success on Canadas when I tailor my loads to body shots than I did when tailoring to head shots.

Geese are tough but they're not armor plated, tss 7's or steel BB/BBB will make short work of them.

 

[WOODIE13]

Depends on the wind also.

I never try a sustained lead, just swing through them, when I see air (more if farther away), I pull the trigger and keep swinging, don't stop either, you rarely shoot infront of them

Biggest thing when I miss is not keeping my head down on the gun, you will over shoot them every time

 

[#1WATERFOWLER]

Invite me on a hunt and I’ll show you how to do it. The first lesson is free.

 

[likesbigspreads]

Shot a snow this season that had landed way out in the spread. I jumped it up at about 40 yards and started shooting, I finally connected on my 5th shot and I was about 20 foot in front of it, I stepped it off at about 70 yards. I have never had that kind of lead on a bird, nor would I have ever shot a Canada at that distance, but I know for sure that I was WAY behind it until the last shot.

 

[Wareagle1011]

Shoot where theyre going. Not where theyve been

 

[Grif]

Personally I don't think about it. Just like throwing a football to a person running. I would be curious how many do the same?

Me, for sure......hell, I'm not even thinking about it now.

 

[Backwards bleed]

Depends on the wind also.

I never try a sustained lead, just swing through them, when I see air (more if farther away), I pull the trigger and keep swinging, don't stop either, you rarely shoot infront of them

Biggest thing when I miss is not keeping my head down on the gun, you will over shoot them every time

Wind is a huge factor that everyone forgets. It is also one of the hardest things to figure into your lead. Shoot at a couple cripples on the water with a stiff cross wind. You immediately realize how far the wind can blow your whole shot string off target.
I can remember days where the wind made monkeys out of everyone in the blind. You just have to laugh it off and reload. Lol

 

[HONKSRWORKN]

Lead .. What lead … I got so spoiled shooting them 15/20 yards coming straight in trying to land on my DSDs .. To this day I will rarely if ever pull up on a passing goose in range .. not my thing .. I like to foolem more than anything … killin a pile that’s a bonus ..
Your lead for a goose shouldn’t be any diffrent than a Duck other then they are moving way faster than they look .. Best advise for pass shooting honks .. Don’t .. you cripple more than you kill ..

 

[bang you'r dead]

At 20 yds crossing , if the bird is doing 30mph (44 fps), and the shot will take about 0.05 seconds +/- to get there, you are looking at a 2+ foot lead at that distance. A shot at the head will probably ensure a body kill.

 

[Scott Taulbee]

Always shoot at the lead bird. If your lead is insufficient you’ll know when bird #3 falls.

It’s funny you say this, that’s how I learned to lead a goose and how I figured out why I was missing. I lead the lead goose by about a foot and when I shot the one that was about 3 feet behind it folded like it hit a wall. You talk about an eye opener.