How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

Being a newbie who was with out with others yesterday who had probably 7 dozen decoys. How many decoys are needed to do half decent? If I start investing time and money, I'd like to know now whether two or three dozen will work ok, or if you really do need quite a bit more.

Thanks

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

I hunt in Frederick Co, and have had good success with as little as 3 dozon shells, 80 shell and silo mix. Yesterday we had 30 shells outwith 120 silo's,and the birds wouldn't commit - they circled us a couple times.

I was hard with the big flights of 130 - 150 birds at a time looking us over:D There was something that they didn't like[:@]

Any chance you saw the rocket launch in the morning to the east. It was pretty cool looking. I was surprised that we were able to see it from so far away.

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

Yes! We saw the contrail,and I joked that it was fromNorth Korea's Taepo Dong III. Actually, we thought it was just the way the clouds were with the sunlight hitting the edges of it, but I found out later a rocket was launched and figured that was it.

Can you explain to me what are shells, and what are silo's? I know nothing about goose hunting except how fun it is!

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

That was definately an interesting sight - we always see the trails from airplanes, but this was clearly "rocket" powered. From where we were it looked like it was coming towards us "OH NO!!", but then it disapeared.

Shells are plastic decoys that usually have removable heads and can stack within each other for transport and storage. Full body decoys are the whole bird with feet. Silo's are the outline of geese - usually feeding and sentry's, cut out of thin wood with a metal stake to stick in the ground. Full bodys are usually the most expensive - then shells - silo can be made very cheaply.

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

Thanks for the info! We saw the contrail after the rocket had already gone through. If we knew there was going to be a launch visible, we would have been looking that way.

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

Me and my friends called in some geese with no decoys this year. You can't get them to commit obviously, but we got them in close enough to shoot em

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

2-3 dozen is a good place too start.. Youll find in goose hunting its being on the X that matters the most(X-where the birds are feeding day in and day out). If on the X,, as little2 or 3 decoys will work. If running traffic(birds that are just moving through the area) the more decoys the better.

If you decide too buy 2-3 dozen decoys,, buy a dozen shells and 2 dozen fullbodies. Full bodies will pull geesedown faster than any otherdecoy, if you get into youll find all you want are full bodies,, then a trailer, an atv too pull the trailerinto fieldsetc etc...Its an expensive hobby,, can easily drop a grand just getting yourself outfitted with a smallish spread and blind, a couple calls and a flag. Look on Ebay for deals!!!

Waterfowling is the funnest, most addicting,,, and I hate too say it the most expensive hunting you can do!

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

Dod gammit! Here we go again. First deer, then turkey, now geese. Thank God me and the Ms. are getting beyond the "family has to be together as much as possible" stage!

Thanks a lot guys! I already have a trailer and ATV, and thankfully, some buddies with decoys, and a place to go. I was just figuring that withonly one of the otherguys abld to go, we may be light on decoys, and I wouldn't mind being equipped to have the option of going by myself.

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

Id say forget the full bodies. Get ultra mag size. I shot 2 geese last yr on one outing w/ about 20 dekes. Ive got ultra mags, mags, standards and some no-keel floaters.

It would do ya good w/ the buddies to put up some $ and buy some of your own dekes that way if you want to go and noone else, at least you can outfit yourself.

The nice thing too about the um size, you can put one over your legs to give you some cover.

(and i would have made it easy - silos = silouettes)

RE: How many decoys are really needed for goose on farmland?
 

The number you need has a lot to do with how much competition you have from fellow hunters. If you're in an area that doesn't get much pressure, 2 dozen full bodies will do fine.

If, however, there are other hunters around, you will need to increase that number substantially. It's not uncommon to see 100-150 fullbodies.

Good luck,