i am going to get into some goose hunting this year and wondered when they fly in the v formation.why is one side of the vee formation longer than the other side?.

More geese on one side. :P Just joking I dunno.

The v-formation is how almost all migrating birds fly. I'm not sure exactly why, but I do know that the arrangement of the v is decided by the age and dominance of each bird. Most family groups form their own v. The head goose is usually the oldest gander and if he is killed the lead goose spot is filled by the next oldest or dominant bird. If you shoot the birds towards the back of the flock you are more likely to have a more tender bird than you would if you shot the lead birds.

duck_hunter2006

ok you got me on that one. ha! ha!.
you had the right answer.
boy, i tell that one to alot of goose hunters and
you should of seen the look on their faces.

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It has to do with aero dynamics & efficiency pure and simple. It is the most efficient way for them to fly. If you ever stop and really see what you are looking at, you can see birds in the formation that can skip two or three wingbeats in formation, actually getting a break ever so often as the draft one another.
This is just another example of why magnums are so popular.

The drafting thing is true, it's so the geese in back can have an easier ride. The other thing though is that the lead goose doesn't stay up there all the time, it'll shift back and another will take it's place and with it the burden of the flying.