southLA

Hey guys. I'm new to this forum and have a question. A couple of buddies and I have hunted geese half a dozen times this year so far. The past two days we were in a plowed field(rice). We had 2 dozen snow decoy shells, 3 dozen speck shells, and about 100 rags. It's conservation right now so only snows and blues are fair game. We had several small groups (3-5) decoy in and circle several times. We thought we had them for sure. We had an e-caller and one guy calling a speck call, only to have them flair off at the last second every time. We are positive that we were'nt being seen. Hell we could barely see the birds so I don't think that's the problem. The only thing I can think is that the sun was out too bright, or that we need some full body decoys.


Any opinions?
Thanks

Colorado Luckydog

Real tough to say without being there. If concealment was not an issue, then I would think the decoys and the calling would be the place to start looking for changes.

Birds hate to be shot at!!

JW

I would look at the set-up and change that. There was something there that they did not like.

Also watch anything that would shine like a shotgun barrel or glasses.......

And they may have been shot at so much they are extremely wary.

JW

southLA

Thanks guys. The calling is excellent (i'm trying to get my buddy expert to teach me haha). I'm thinking it's partially weather(way too sunny and clear) and decoys. What patterns do you guys recommend for smaller spreads? They are good looking shells and I may shell out some cash for a half dozen full body specks. What is the general consensus on rags? Do you need a large number of them to work? I've heard they are magnets from some people and other people say they frighten geese. I don't know...

Nemont

If the birds just won't commit and you are hiding in your decoys, try pulling the blinds or your hide out of the decoys and moving it off to the side.

If you have wind try placing the blinds on the down wind side of your decoy spread. Try to get the birds to focus on the decoys and not on blinds. You may think they are not seeing something but you may find out something is shining or is just our of place.

Nemont

southLA

were were hiding in a levee a good 30 yards away(i havent shelled out any cash for a layout blind yet. we were on the upwind side.

thanks

i_bowfish93

bigger number of snwo goose decoys is way, its usally best to use fullbodies

SecondChance

Would be willing to bet that they saw faces. That and with you being in a levee, you may not have had enough cover to hide. You may have thought so, but from their point, you looked like cigars laying in the dirt. Next time you try this and hide in a levee, pull local vegetation over you and you will more than likely do better.

southLA

we had tons of vegetation pulled over us (the levee had quite a bit on it). Only one guy out of the 4 was peeking up at the birds every now and then and everyone else was looking at the ground. We're going to try a different spread tomorrow.

Teddee5

I would say that the LEVEE was the problem. Geese like the middle of the field and don't care to light near any possible cover. If you have the geese decoys down wind from you and you are in a levee 30 yards up wind, you are in effect forcing them to land near the levee. Figure out how to decoy them into a more open area, or, put your decoys on the up wind side so the geese will have to fly over your position to land. They will generally land up wind from any feeding decoys to take advantage of being the first to feed, not scrounge for the left overs.. Ducks generally won't fly over geese to feed, geese have no qualms to eat first. Remember, geese are a feeding machine and need a lot of food this time of year, hell, any time of year. The only way to take advantage of the way you are hiding, it would seem to me that would be to split your decoys, and perhaps the geese will land between the flocks. But again, I don't think they are going to land with an embankment close. Good luck.