My father, U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Robert James Pinsky

In a few weeks, I'll travel to West Texas to hunt Aoudad with Shane Jahn and an exceptional custom rifle chambered in the classic 257 Roberts, "The Bob," built by Banser & Company. Throughout the hunt, I'll share memories with Shane about my dad, Robert "Bob" Pinsky, a Vietnam veteran and 5th Special Forces soldier gone too soon from me in 2016.

The rifle, which travels in a Pelican case, will wear a Swarovski optic and will do its damage with Hornady 117-grain bullets. All of these world-class companies and Shane donated to this cause. Then, together with GunBroker.com, we'll auction off the rifle, optic, a case of ammo, and the rifle case to raise money for The Green Beret Foundation.

These world-class companies and Shane, a world-class man, donated to this cause. Every penny from the auction will go to charity.

Let's hope Shane and I find an Aoudad just as patriotic.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make it possible for me to hunt with my dad again and honor all Green Berets.

Jay
jay@theoutdoorwire.com
540-229-9650

If you’re anything like us, the excitement of early-season goose hunting is something that keeps you up at night, imagining those first flocks breaking the morning silence. While the familiar tips of scouting, calling, and decoy spreads are important, there’s also a bit of science to hunting early geese. With an abundance of food and Mother Nature switching up unpredictable and warm temperatures, it’s a unique time in the season.

For those about to chase early geese, we salute you! Let's get into it.

Scouting Late, but Smart

Let’s start with the obvious. We all know scouting is one of the most important aspects of the hunt. We spend a ton of time behind the windshield, no matter what, to ensure we give ourselves the best shot at knowing what our feathered friends are up to. But this time of year in particular, the when and how can often make the difference. Instead of just focusing on morning and evening feed times, try scouting late into the day when most people have already packed up and gone home for the night. Why? Geese often loaf in different areas than where they feed, giving you a clue to secondary feeding patterns. They may spend midday resting on small waters or grass edges near feeding grounds, which can help you set up for a traffic hunt later in the day. Delta Waterfowl has highlighted the fact that many early-season birds hit fields at midday, which often catches hunters off guard.

Decoy Spread Myths—More Isn’t Always Better

When we think of waterfowl hunting, we usually think big. Big spreads equal big results, but early in the season, geese aren’t necessarily looking for massive groups. Remember, early September geese are typically still in smaller family groups. Setting up smaller clusters of decoys not only mimics natural behavior but also reduces the intimidation factor for younger, inexperienced geese. As Ducks Unlimited has pointed out, early-season birds are more cautious and less aggressive in their movements. Using fewer decoys and keeping space between family groups can sometimes convince geese to drop in a little more willingly. Instead of a blanket spread, try the old faithful loose U-shape or staggered lines with your clusters, simulating family units feeding. Another quick tip is to take a little walk and view it from a distance to make sure everything looks organic. Memorize what it should resemble when you're scouting.

Using Natural Cover 

One of the most overlooked aspects is how much movement affects geese. Although early-season geese may not have experienced much pressure yet, they will quickly react to any suspicious activity. Instead of relying entirely on a manufactured blind, look for natural vegetation—cornrows, tall grass, even fence lines—to break up your outline. Keep movement inside the blind to a bare minimum, and make sure your gear, face, and dog are well hidden. To blend even further, lay out old corn stalks or whatever natural vegetation you can find over your blind. Please always ask permission before making any cuts or changes, no matter how small, to someone’s property—permission is essential. Remember, geese have amazing eyesight, and any unnecessary movement will cause them to flare long before you can raise your shotgun to your shoulder.

Consider The Wind, But Don’t Rely On It.

Geese do tend to land into the wind, but early-season birds can often throw you a curveball. Strong family bonds mean geese might land in non-traditional ways as well, particularly if they feel safer closer to cover or other geese. Set up with flexibility in mind. Consider placing your decoys in clusters with pockets that give geese multiple approach options, even if the wind changes. Adaptability in your spread design can make all the difference during these early days, especially when patterns are sometimes unpredictable.

Traffic Hunting 

If you don't have a field with a good feed to hunt and find yourself running traffic, movement decoys like flags or jerk rigs are a must. Try to set up in a cut field between a feed and a good water source. Geese are constantly scanning the ground for feeding behavior, and still decoys can appear unnatural. You want your motion and your calling to simulate subtle feeding behaviors to catch the attention of what otherwise would have been passersby.

Water Sources

While it's well known that geese prefer roosting on water, what’s often overlooked is their relationship with smaller water sources during the day. Even shallow ponds in cut fields can attract early-season geese, especially during hotter temperatures when extra hydration becomes more essential. Positioning your decoys near water that’s between food sources can serve as a magnet for thirsty birds. Scout for fields with standing water after recent rains. Early-season birds may return to these spots, making it an underutilized tactic for setting up traffic hunts.

The Art of Minimal Calling

We’ve talked about it before, but too much calling is a common early-season mistake. Geese this time of year aren’t always responsive to aggressive calling—they’re more content, feeding, and bonding with their family units. Focus on subtle clucks and moans to replicate relaxed feeding groups. Pay attention to the birds’ body language; if they start veering off course, a few light comeback calls may help guide them back, but overdoing it will push them away. Field studies have shown that birds often respond better to strategic, well-timed calls than a constant barrage.

Adjusting Your Approach 

Always remember to factor in the unique geography of the area you are hunting. If you’re in an agricultural spot with miles of open fields, birds may be more likely to spread out, giving you better odds in less obvious locations. On the other hand, hunting in areas with fewer open spaces might require more precise scouting. Paying attention to specific details is often what leads to the best days in the blind.

Understanding Food Sources

By September, food is plentiful, but geese tend to favor certain crops over others. Early-cut silage fields, particularly sweet crops, become magnets for goose feeds. It’s also worth noting that if a food source is particularly abundant, geese may skip over patches of crops, so targeting less trafficked areas can pay off. Also, early-season geese will often switch between fields multiple times a day as they navigate between food and water, which is why staying out late scouting both morning and afternoon flights gives you a more complete picture of their routine.

Conclusion: Stay Ahead by Thinking Differently

Scout smart, set strategic spreads, and always be ready to adapt to the unexpected. Early-season success is about being both prepared and flexible, combining time-tested tactics with a willingness to try something new. So, this season, when you’re out there before dawn, keep your eyes open and think like a goose. And as always, keep talkin’—the geese are listening.

By Dan Larsson

The hunting terrain looked like the surface of the Moon

Successful hunting brings about the urge to share. Upon receiving my trophy photo, my father commented that it looked like I was hunting on the moon’s surface. What do you know, I was hunting moon goats.

The top of Maui is nothing but the lonely remnants of a volcano. Hawaii is such an exciting mix of ecological zones. I had driven our rental jeep above the forests and climbed above the scrub brush. The loose sand and lava rock are as slippery as snot. Every step takes twice as much effort as you slide six inches down the mountain. Even so, you go where the game is to be a successful hunter.

Hawaii Sign In and Check Station

There are goats farther down the mountain, but I enjoy hunting them on the very top of the peaks. I was an hour late after a two-hour drive, and it had been light long enough the goats were headed off for some final browsing before bedding. Just outside the public hunting area, I saw skylined figures. Throwing the binos up, Yep, a herd of goats. On the North side of the knob, there were a couple of black billys in the hunting area and feeding farther into my huntable area.

I drove up to the gate at the end of the road and started hoofing it uphill. That didn’t last long. This slip-and-slide stuff is no fun. Huffing and puffing, I would take 20 steps and stop to catch my breath. The air at 8,000 feet is slightly different from my Montana home elevation of 3,400 feet above sea level. A medium billy jumped up and stared at me for seconds before taking off. It took 20 minutes or so to reach the top. As quietly and quickly as possible, I made for a small point in the saddle where the goats had been. Nothing. I sat down to rest and look around the barren landscape.

I glanced behind me almost immediately, and a billy appeared from the ridge. Pressing the button on the rangefinder, it read 238 yards. Perfect, a dead-on hold. I had sighted the 103gr Eld-x bullets 2 inches high at 100 yards. I pulled the bipod legs down and settled onto the lava chunks. My elbows ground into the sharp grit as I aimed. Waiting for the goat to stop, I pulled the trigger. Boom! As the recoil settled, I found him in the scope. He was walloped. He ran down and died on the public hunting boundary line. Perfect.

Two more goats came out of the crevice at the sound of the shot. A bit farther, but only a little 275 yards. I worked the bolt and settled on this billy. He had a more extended horn, but...he was missing his right horn. I took the shot. He briefly ran behind a knob, and then I watched him for 100+ yards until he was out of sight. I never miss (especially at this distance), but it isn’t true. I have no idea what happened.

After I descended and butchered the first goat, I climbed up and followed where the second goat had been. Nothing. No blood. No goat. Nothing but lava rocks and sand. I went to the top and rested for a bit. I sent Jay and Dad a text message and got the moon text message. Huh, it does look like the moon.

I chose a little Howa mini rifle I love for this hunt because it is light and easy to shoot. A few days before leaving for Hawaii, I put one of Dad’s prototype 3-18x Skinner scopes on it and sighted it in. The zero was still on after three plane flights and a bumpy Jeep ride. It's always a good sign.

Hornady set me up with a bunch of their 6mm ARC 103gr hunting loads. I usually load my ammo, but it can be not easy to find components these days, and a hunter doesn’t always have time. One thing I love about Hornady is their availability. Everywhere I go, there seems to be more loaded Hornady ammunition on the shelf than any other brand. Hornady has proven themselves over and over in target shooting and hunting.

Hornady 103gr ELD-X for the win!

This little 103gr .243 bullet has a ballistic coefficient of .512. That is phenomenal for such a small bullet! Extremely-Low-Drag is right. Hornady used Doppler radar to find that plastic bullet tips could melt and designed a polymer tip to keep its shape at ultra-high speeds. The 6mm ARC is the baby brother of the 6.5 Grendel. My buddy and I constantly discuss and test all manner of bullets. One of his observations is that a lead core bullet does its best work impacting under 2,900 fps. That isn’t a problem with the ARC. This ammunition averaged 2,690fps out of my rifle, and the advertised B.C. was right on. I plugged the data into my phone and hit steel out to 720 yards. This is the perfect cartridge for the size of these feral Pacific goats. I hit the first goat right behind the shoulder, and the bullet exited the far side. I couldn’t have asked for better bullet performance. Thanks, Hornady!

Every day around noon, a cloud comes off the ocean and mists over the mountains. I saw it coming and hurried down off the top, stashing the meat in the shade of a tree. When I returned, 50 yellow jackets claimed my goat meat. That was a fun match of wills.

One of the goats before taking it with the 6mm ARC.

I was confident I had missed the 2nd goat and decided to keep hunting. This public hunting area has a two-goat-per-day bag limit. I hurried over the hill and found an area where the goats liked to bed. Sure enough, 50-odd goats were there but spooked. Most of them were leaving the little ravine as I spotted a one-horned goat with some good length on his left horn. Interesting. Doppelganger goat. That’ll work. I followed him down the hill and shot from 100 yards as he quartered away. Whoo-hoo! Goat down.

I found the bullet as I quartered his meat. It had opened beautifully and had shed the lead core. Upon examination, this billy (yes, all male goats share the same name, William) had a bullet graze mark on his front leg. Bingo! He had run around the point of the mountain, cut through the saddle, and headed for the bedding ground. I ended up killing the same goat I had shot at earlier that day. I couldn’t be happier about that. How did I miss the 1st time? Who knows. Sometimes, a slam dunk shot doesn’t pan out. Why? Who knows.

Tomorrow, my 12-year-old son, Enoch, is going hunting with me. It is his turn to get his goat. Yes, all pun intended. Catch you later.

— Dan

By Brent Miller, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Unlike nearly all other states, the tropical paradise of Hawaii contains a heightened level of bureaucracy for non-resident firearm hunters. The additional hoops you must jump through to legally bring a firearm to the islands is perhaps a reason why you don’t see more non-resident participation in what should be a “bucket list” destination for all American hunters.

Spread among the islands of Hawaii are a wide variety of opportunities to target free-ranging populations of species that you would typically have to travel internationally for. Included among these species (depending on which island you are on) are axis deer (Chital deer), wild boar, feral goats, both mouflon sheep and feral sheep, blackbuck antelope, turkeys, and a wide array of upland bird species. The hunts are highly successful and relatively low-cost compared to big game hunts on the mainland. Despite that, non-resident participation only drives 25 percent of Hawaii’s hunting license revenue – less than half of what most western states enjoy. Hawaii’s firearm laws are one variable we can surmise is contributing to this lower participation rate, likely stifling state-based wildlife conservation and management practices supported by hunters.

Burdensome and confusing firearm permitting and registration requirements can create both uncertainty and a chilling effect on the purchases made by law-abiding firearm owners. Hawaii’s current firearm laws also likely contribute to Aloha State’s relatively low non-resident hunting participation rate. Currently, Hawaii’s non-resident hunting license revenue sits at roughly 25%. Conversely, in states like Montana, non-residents represented about 75% of all hunting license revenue, and many other western states also see more than 50% of their license revenue coming from non-resident hunters. While many variables may contribute to this, such as ease of travel, overall cost (i.e., having to bring the whole family with you for a coveted Hawaiian vacation), etc., the additional hurdles you must jump through to hunt in Hawaii are a variable that warrants consideration as well. Hunters who plan on traveling to Hawaii must have a solid understanding of the nuances of bringing a firearm into the state for hunting. Given the challenges already related to air travel and firearms, these laws only exacerbate the issue by creating a more significant barrier to entry than you would face if you were traveling to nearly any other state (the notable exception being Massachusetts after they passed a sweeping gun control bill last year).

A non-resident may travel to Hawaii with a firearm if they already possess a valid hunting license. Upon arrival at the islands, the hunter will need to register their firearm through the local police department within 72 hours. Fingerprinting and photographs are required for permitting, and each firearm must be permitted individually. Also, many commonly used firearms and firearm accessories (such as suppressors) are prohibited in Hawaii. And, with the rise in popularity of suppressors over the last decade, many hunters won’t hunt without them, so that barrier alone could be turning some would-be non-resident hunters away.

Adding to this complicated process is legislation passed during the 2023 legislative session, SB1230 (Act 52). Effective January 1, 2024, all individuals applying for a long gun permit must prove they have completed a hunter’s education or other training course within the last four years. Traditionally, hunter’s education courses are taken at the beginning of the individual’s hunting journey, and the class is not retaken. Under this new revision, those hunting for decades must retake their hunter’s education course before traveling to Hawaii for a hunting opportunity. This new hunter’s education requirement may prove to drive the already low non-resident participation rate even lower in the future.

The comparatively lower rate of non-resident hunting versus other western states means less financial support for the conservation efforts of Hawaii’s well-trained biologists through the “user pays – public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). Increasing non-resident hunting would also be a beneficial tool for managing axis deer's well-documented overpopulation while providing improved funding for the wildlife resource fund maintained by the Hawaii Department of Lands and Natural Resources (DLNR). Unfortunately, legislation aimed at public safety, such as firearms permits and registration required by Chapter 134 of the Hawaii Revised Statues, can create confusion and hesitation among hunters who would otherwise be eager to take advantage of Hawaii's fantastic hunting opportunities.

As a real-world example, we can look at the proliferation of axis deer in Hawaii. Axis deer, introduced to Maui County in the late 1950s, have no known predators on the islands besides man, which allows for rapid population growth. When Governor Green issued a sixth emergency relief proclamation in 2023, the axis deer population had reached 60,000 in Maui County. On August 30, 2024, the sixteenth proclamation relating to axis deer was issued as persistent drought has amplified the habitat damage caused by overpopulation. Current axis deer numbers are unsustainable for the habitat available, leading to significant impacts on other species and increasing the potential for disease outbreaks. The most recent emergency proclamation instituted loan programs through the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and enabled the state to take additional steps for management, including culling and corralling deer. The State also began offering landowners a bounty of $50 per deer harvested. Funding for this effort is provided through the existing wildlife revolving funds, federal grants, state agency support, and state emergency funds. In other words, Hawaii taxpayers are, in part, footing the bill for management practices that non-resident hunters would otherwise pay the state for the opportunity to perform.

It is unfortunate that the existing laws in Hawaii may be turning off some non-resident hunters from giving a destination hunt to Hawaii deeper consideration. As someone who has personally traveled to Hawaii to hunt axis deer, feral goats, and mouflon sheep, I can attest to how special and unique the experience is. It is something that I urge all hunters to consider for a future destination hunt, and if the opportunity presents itself, don’t let it pass you by (even if it means doing some horse trading with your spouse to slip afield for a day or two during a family vacation). The laws in place may appear foreign to many of us on the mainland (and having to shoot unsuppressed is highly unattractive!). Still, once those hurdles are crossed, the game is abundant, the opportunities are plentiful, and the memories will last a lifetime.

Brent A. Miller
Vice President, Policy
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Web http://www.congressionalsportsmen.org
Email bmiller@congressionalsportsmen.org

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