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Canada Goose Calling Tips and Sounds

Goose calling is a skill, that to many, seems difficult to master. Actually, becoming a competent caller is quite simple. It only requires you to do two things: learn the basics of calling and practice. Fortunately, this process has been tested and proven.

Although listening to real geese is a great way to learn the sounds they make, it is not always practical. That's why we're including audio downloads of the five basic calls in a goose calling sequence. The accomplished goose caller reaps many rewards both in increased hunting success and personal satisfaction. Whether you hunt the prairies of Canada, the bays and inlets of the Eastern Shore, or the peanut fields of Texas, just harvesting a Canada goose becomes almost secondary to the sense of accomplishment you get from your ability to entice geese.

Let's get started. Your first step is to choose a goose call. Two of the most popular choices on the market today are; flute calls, and short reed calls. Both are very versatile and effective. Typically, the short reed call has a sharper more piercing sound and the flute call has a mellower and fuller sound. Evaluate your hunting situations and choose the call or calls that will work best for you.

Eight Basic Goose Calls

Cluck

A cluck is the foundation of all sounds produced on a goose call. By lengthening, shortening, or using the first or second note, you can make every note in a gooses vocabulary, including the murmur and the moan.

A cluck can be broken down into two parts or rather notes consisting of a low first note (grrr) and and a higher pitched second note (it). By lengthening or shortening either of the two parts you will produce different honks or clucking sounds.

Download Cluck Sound File

Murmur

Using just one portion of the cluck will produce the feed murmur. The first part of a cluck, used in succession, will produce the murmur or feed call as it is also referred to. Try using reference words like grrr, grrr, grrr in succession and you will produce the murmur call.

Download Murmur Sound File

Moan

Slightly modifying the second portion of the cluck will produce the moan. In a moan you are dropping the first portion of the cluck and modifying the second portion so the sound doesn't break over, but rather drags out. Instead of saying (it) on the second portion of the cluck, you say (ihhhh)), (awww), or (whooo).

Download Moan Sound File

Hail Call

The hail call is used to get the attention of geese that are off in the distance. The hail call is a cluck that has a short front-end and a drawn out second note (herAWWWWNK) with the emphasis on making the call snap or break over sharply. Although this is a sound that may sound unrealistic at close range, the call serves it's purpose by attracting the geese.

Download Hail Call Sound File

Greeting Call

The greeting call is used once you get the attention of the geese and they start responding to your calling. This is the time to start to call faster and more excited as they get closer and closer. With the greeting call you will mix in clucks, double clucks, and some longer greeting style clucks.

Download Greeting Call Sound File

Intermediate Greeting Call

The intermediate greeting call is where you speed your calling up even more to simulate even more excitement all the while you are breaking down the individual notes to sound like as many geese as possible. This is accomplished by using straight clucks and double clucks with some moans mixed in.

Download Intermediate Greeting Call Sound File.

Comeback Call

The comeback call is used to get the geese back to your spread after they've worked it and are starting to leave, or you have killed a group of geese in a flock and you want to call the remaining back. A comeback call needs to be loud and aggressive and show emotion. This is where you will lay it all on the line with pleading moans and whines.

Download Comeback Call Sound File

Laydown Call

The laydown call is used to create confidence and safety. This call is used to get the geese to finish that extra 10 to 15 yards. This is where the short clucks, moans and murmurs are so important.

Download Laydown Call Sound File