Specklebelly Special
Flocks of white-fronted geese are becoming increasingly common throughout much of the birds’ range.
A successful white-fronted goose hunt requires a lot of preseason planning and preparation.
Hunters know the white-front as “specklebelly,” a reference to the broken black barring on the breast of mature birds. The name “white-front” notes the white patch or “front” immediately behind the bill of adult birds. These are medium-sized geese, most weighing 4-6 pounds, and all slender and agile on the wing. While Canada geese glide to a landing like huge bombers, white-fronts careen out of the sky, sideslipping or butterflying down in a near vertical descent. Their voice is distinctive: high-pitched and melodious, like laughter.
As geese go, white-fronts are wary birds—more difficult to approach closely, less
Specklebellies are considered special prizes because of their wary nature and delectable table qualities.
Hunting geese of any sort is a lot of trouble. And because they are less common and more wary than Canadas or snows, white-fronts present a special challenge. If you hunt them right, with a large spread of decoys set out before first light in an area you’ve scouted, a specklebelly hunt represents a considerable investment of time.
Begin preparing well before the season. Secure permission to hunt on farms you believe geese will use during the coming winter. Many farmers lease their fields for hunting or hunt the land themselves. But geese sometimes damage winter wheat crops, and there are plenty of landowners who allow respectable sportsmen to goose hunt if plans are laid well before the season.
It’s best to obtain permission to hunt several fields if possible, because there’s no way to know where geese will be from day to day during the hunting season. Fortunately, specklebellies are fairly predictable, wintering in the same general area year after year. If it’s not shot out, a flock in a particular area last winter will usually be in the same vicinity this year and next year, too, if habitat conditions remain the same. If you located flocks of white-fronts last winter, try to obtain permission to hunt some of the fields where you found them.
When the season opens, it’s time to figure out where the geese are. If you’re lucky, a flock or two will be feeding in areas where you already have permission to hunt. If not, get back to work. Find out who owns land the birds are using, and see if they’ll grant permission for a hunt. Then return well before daybreak to set up.
Specklebellies often can be brought into range using the same decoys used for snow goose hunting.
Because white-fronts are usually found with flocks of snow geese, most hunters use the same decoys and decoy spreads used for snows. Many hunters use white trash bags filled with rice straw or white rags staked down with wooden pegs. Spreads of 500 or more aren’t unusual, and most hunters supplement the makeshift
Hunters who learn to properly call specklebellies enjoy more success in the field.
Arrive at your hunting area well before daylight, and hunt with several partners to hasten placement of decoys. Don’t bunch the decoys too tightly. A spacing of five to 10 feet is about right. This gives the appearance of a relaxed feeding flock and provides space between decoys for an approaching flock to land.
Some hunters dig knee-deep pits in the field, big enough to put their feet in while sitting comfortably on the ground. Dirt is piled on the downwind side (the side from which geese will approach), and when geese drop into the spread, the hunters
A retriever often is kept busy on a good white-fronted goose hunt.
When properly camouflaged, it’s also possible to simply lay down in the decoys without being detected. In snow goose decoy spreads, hunters often wear a white smock, coveralls or old sheet and become, in effect, part of the decoy spread. Hunters should be positioned to shoot toward the downwind side of the decoys, because this is the direction from which geese generally come.
Specklebellies have a call that’s quite different from Canadas or snows. Hearing this call helps attract them to decoys spreads, so it’s wise to obtain and study an audio or videotape that teaches the proper sounds to use.
One call to use is the two-note yodel, made by saying “wa-wa, wa-wa...” into the call. Both high-pitched and low-pitched yodels are used as a hail call to draw the birds’ attention when a distant flock first comes within hearing range. When a flock gets close, switch to the feeding call, which is made by grunting “kuluck” into the tube. Continue calling until the moment you shoot.
A successful specklebelly hunt provides the makings for some of the most delectable wild game meals you’ve ever sat down to. The meat is considered by many to be superior in taste to Canadas or snow geese. Pluck and draw the birds, stuff with your favorite stuffing mix, and roast in the oven 18 to 20 minutes per pound at 325 degrees.
Season dates and bag limits are set in late summer within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Contact your state wildlife agency to obtain a copy of the current migratory birds hunting regulations guide listing dates and restrictions.
