Goose hunting

Goose hunting from blinds with decoys and callers. Popular along the coast and on farmland.

Goose hunting is one of the most action-packed forms of hunting in Norway. The geese come in flocks, often in V-formation, and when they drop in over your decoys, it's intense seconds of shooting.

Preparation is crucial. You need to observe the geese in the days before the hunt to find out where they feed and which flight lines they use. Set up your blind on the feeding field the evening before, with decoys placed in natural formations.

The blind can be a pit in the ground, a layout blind, or a net frame with natural camouflage. Geese have sharp eyesight, so camouflage is absolutely essential. Anything that breaks the natural silhouette of the field will scare them off.

Calling with mouth callers takes time to learn but makes a big difference. Start with simple cluck sounds and build up to full greeting sequences. Electronic callers are prohibited in Norway.

The greylag goose season opens on August 10 and is best in the first few weeks. Pink-footed goose (Trøndelag and Nordland only) opens August 21. Canada goose is hunted from August 10.

Jæren, the Trøndelag coast, and Helgeland are the most productive goose hunting areas in Norway. Goose hunting has grown significantly in popularity over the past decade.

A 12/70 or 12/76 gauge shotgun with steel shot no. 1 to 3 is standard. The goose is a tough bird, and shooting distance should be kept under 30 meters for clean kills.