# 18 lb goose



## Honker Guide (Mar 15, 2007)

The subject of big geese has been bandied about for as long as there have been waterfowlers. I have shot some over 14 lbs and I have personaly handled swans that were 18 lbs. Now I am not a biologist, but I am an aeronautical engineer. Lift is determined by many factors and weight is one of the most important limiting factors. Also wing area and horsepower get factored in. I am trying to keep this as simple as possible because of all the claims of 18lb and over geese. Now the size and wing span of that swan was so much bigger than the 14 or 15 lb goose as to make no mistake about what it takes for 18 lbs to get airbourne with a high aspect ratio wing. A low aspect wing like a turkey will lift more weight, but only for a much shorter distance. Thus the claims of the 18 lb goose had me wonderin 3 1/2 years ago if it was really possible for a wild goose that flies around to weigh that much. So I started a contest for anyone to enter to find out. The first 3 years the winning weight dropped from 18 to 17 to 16 and now this year it is 15 lbs. But, when we get a winner this year we will start the contest again in a year at 16 lb and leave it there to find out if there really is a 16 lb goose out there. The winning goose muct be a Canada goose and it muct be a wild bird!! There is no doubt that with the right feed, you could easily get a Canada Goose up and possible over 20 lbs. And when you hear of these guys in the past that raised these giants, that is exactly what they were doing. If you do shoot a goose over 15 lbs this year, you must be the first one to send it to me to win. I will return the goose to you after we verify it as a winner. Here is a few pictures of some of my big geese and I will let you decide how big they are!! Paul


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## Sportin' Woodies (Jun 26, 2006)

discussion aside, those are some good pics


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Mr Sullivan

Good to see you made your way here to NODAK. I hope you plan to stick around and share your pictures, stories and most importantly knowledge. It is pretty much a guarentee there won't be as much crap here as the other place. Once again Welcome!!!


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

PorkChop said:


> Mr Sullivan
> 
> Good to see you made your way here to NODAK. I hope you plan to stick around and share your pictures, stories and most importantly knowledge. It is pretty much a guarentee there won't be as much crap here as the other place. Once again Welcome!!!


I'll second that! Welcome Paul!

Ryan


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

Glad to have you here Paul. Great pics nice fat honks.

HM


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## Honker Guide (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks for the welcome, guys. I have not spent much time over here, but I can see by the discussions that I will be spending more time over here! I hunted geese only a limited amount last season as my duck pond has taken more of my time. But here are a couple more shots from last season. These geese were all taken on my own farms:


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## honkbuster3 (Jan 11, 2006)

those are some pretty good sized honkers  Nice pics looks like you guys had a good time hunting them :beer:


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## GW (May 31, 2007)

Looks like some good hunts there. Congrats.
Greg


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

Awesome picks! People can doubt big, fat, heavy honkers all they want and I just will never get their train of thought. A big goose is a big goose is a big goose and it sure doesn't look like you've had a hard time findin em'. :wink:


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

Thanx for postin' up Paul, I've rather enjoyed your candor over the last several years. You bring some good perspectives to the world of waterfowling.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

So how big were those PIGS in the pictures?


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

I will guess that not one of those geese in the pictures that Paul posted weigh over 14lbs. Anyone want to make a wager?


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## DuckBuster (Mar 18, 2003)

Here we go again.....


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Trapperjack said:


> I will guess that not one of those geese in the pictures that Paul posted weigh over 14lbs. Anyone want to make a wager?


Let it go man, let it go. Let's keep this civil without calling people out as liars. I locked the other thread for a reason.


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

Relax for crying out loud! Paul has posted those same pictures many times on the refuge along with their weights. I was just answering your own question Chris. However, if you think those birds weigh more and would like to make a wager I would be more than happy to take your money! :beer:


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

I'll tell you one thing, spankin' honkers from a pit is the bomb. Brings back some great memories. :wink:

That's where I got alot of my cabelas store bought bling from. 8)


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## Honker Guide (Mar 15, 2007)

You are correct, non of those geese were over 14 lbs. Most goose hunters do not realize how big a 12 oe 13 pound goose really is until they start weighing their big geese on an accurate scale. The big goose contest has a lot more guys weighing there big geese and I think that there is a much better awareness of what is a really big goose. Paul


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

hmmmm...guess I'll keep eating Mickey D's until I find an "accurate" scale and one that isn't lying to me then. :lol:

There might be a little camera magic in them pics b/c of the close shots, but there are definitely 4 geese that stick out to me beyond the rest.


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## honkbuster3 (Jan 11, 2006)

Lets not worry about it. Those are great geese and lets leave it at that congrats again!! :beer:


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

honkbuster3 said:


> Lets not worry about it. Those are great geese and lets leave it at that congrats again!! :beer:


Words of wisdom honkbuster3, words of wisdom.


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## mshutt (Apr 21, 2007)

Wow Honker Guide...where do you live? Those pictures are simply AMAZING! In Eastern ND here during the fall, I hardly ever see any Drake mallards! In those pictures they are FULL of greenheads! Nice work on your hunting season last year, and ill have to say duck decoying in a slough/field is alot more fun then decoying geese...only for the simple fact of the ducks fly a lot faster, and are a harder shot to make.


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## franchi (Oct 29, 2005)

mshutt said:


> Wow Honker Guide...where do you live? Those pictures are simply AMAZING! In Eastern ND here during the fall, I hardly ever see any Drake mallards! In those pictures they are FULL of greenheads! Nice work on your hunting season last year, and ill have to say duck decoying in a slough/field is alot more fun then decoying geese...only for the simple fact of the ducks fly a lot faster, and are a harder shot to make.


If you have your set up right, the ducks shouldn't be any faster than the honks. They should all be coming in with wings cupped and all you can see is white chest. That's how it is for me anyway!


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