Everything you need to know about hunting specklebellies (aka the greater white-fronted goose)

SCOUTING

As with hunting all geese, scouting is fundamental to success, but it’s not enough just to see birds feeding in a field. If they’re broadly spread out, it can mean the field has been picked pretty clean, and there’s a risk the geese may not return the next morning. Unlike snow geese, specks are not as prone to jumping fields, but you want to do everything you can to avoid a here-today-gone-tomorrow scenario. So, watch them carefully until dark.

Be aware of where they’re roosting, too, and the prevailing winds around the roost. Depending on the wind, shooting a field within a kilometre and a half of the roost can mean the geese will hear your opening volley, making them unlikely to follow the first birds in.