Hunting Geese without Decoys?

[medhatshaun]

Gents
What are the odds of hunting geese with only a dozen decoys? I want to get into this, but i cant buy and store 10 dozen decoys......

Anyone have any luck with just a dozen?

Any tips for a new bird hunter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again.

[A Sittn Duck]

I dont hunt geese but I've heard that only a dozen will still work. Might not be able to attract the big flocks but still pick off the smaller groups flying around. Take it with a grain of salt, I have little actual experience. I've only done research

[pikeslayer22]

They will work...especially now in the early season

[anthony5]

In the right spot of a feeding area you can do well as long as you are well hidden, early season willow stand, gulley in the field to hide your profile,, will keep geese focused on the decoys and not the blind.
Happy hunting

[The Fishin Magician]

I've hunted with a dozen before, it works fine.

[schleprock]

I have used as few as seven for a number of years and did very well: enjoyed going with the minimalist approach. It doesn't matter whether you have six decoys or one hundred decoys, if you are where the geese want to be, you should do well.

[happy honker]

That's all I use (8), especially early in the season....when I'm really lazy or by myself, I've used as little as 4-6.

That's early season. Later in the season, I'll put out 24, as that's all I have.

[densa44]

1. Decoy them (be underneath them when they arrive).
2.Backshoot them, be underneath them when they leave, return to the roost or fly low coming into feed.
3. Pass shooting, just what it sounds like, they travel 12 feet with every flap aim for the bill.

I ordinarily wouldn't include this but you can "sneak" them, crawling on you belly across a 1/4 section, struggling to you feet and getting 3 shots.

Have fun there are lots of geese.

[bobalong]

There may be times when a dozen will work, but I have done much better, especially later in the season with 4-6 dozen for Canada geese. I am referring to field hunting, never tried decoying them on the water.

I started out many years ago with only a dozen decoys but found that a lot of the larger flocks would circle, but usually landed somewhere else in the field and once the larger flock was down, all the birds went to that group.

I guess there is no way to know for sure that it was the small amount of dekes I had that made them land somewhere else, but once I started using bigger sets the larger flocks would finish much better in my setup, so it definitely made a difference.

[jwilson]

To each his own but "bigger spreads, bigger results" that's what I always say.

[iliketrout]

In my opinion, if you're where the geese want to be, you'll have some success with a dozen dekes, but your chances with a larger spread will be higher, and you'll be able to control where they land a little better too.

That being said you could have the fanciest and largest decoy spread but if you don't do your homework scouting or don't conceal your blind well enough, you'll get skunked.

[ADH]

A few years ago before I had decoys I would watch to see the most common places where they would land then find the closest natural cover or cover myself in a straw bale. Had great success doing it that way without a single decoy. Just have to do your homework and remain hidden until the opportune moment.

[mox72]

Originally Posted by schleprock

I have used as few as seven for a number of years and did very well: enjoyed going with the minimalist approach. It doesn't matter whether you have six decoys or one hundred decoys, if you are where the geese want to be, you should do well.

I am in Ontario but this is spot on from my experience out here. Invest in scouting and a decent goose call. If you are where they want to be, the decoys just help to get them into shooting range if its a big field or body of water.

[GooseSlammer]

Hi There,

I've been decoying geese for almost 20 years now, and I started out with a handful of decoys and a lot of enthusiasm - that was all I could get my hands on at the time too!

There are multiple factors here that really need to be addressed in order for you to be successful. You can absolutely be successful with a dozen decoys, but the situation needs to be right and you need to set it up properly.

There are options for increasing the size of your spread with minimal storage space, such as using shell decoys instead of full bodies, silhouettes, etc. But that's another topic altogether. If you want to (or need to) shoot with only a dozen decoys, this is what I would recommend:

1) If possible, buy magnum shell decoys. They will stack nicely and won't take up much space so they will be easy to transport. The magnums will show up from a further distance with only a small spread. Sometimes this will attract birds that were flying by the area, but weren't necessarily planning on hitting that field. (I'm assuming you're talking about field hunting here too, but same principles apply to shooting over a pond.)

2) Geese always approach decoys from downwind before they land. This is really important in your planning. With a small decoy spread, if you try to hide a blind right inside the decoys (or right next to it) the birds will likely see it. So I would recommend finding some cover to hide in that is close to where the birds are feeding, and then set your decoys about 30-40 yards upwind of the cover. That way when the birds approach the decoys from downwind, they should fly right past you (or better yet, right over you) and offer you some good shooting opportunities.

3) Don't call to much with only a dozen decoys. A few honks or clucks should be enough. 12 geese won't make too much noise most of the time.

Smaller flocks of geese (especially pairs and loners) will often decoy really well to small set ups. Just make sure you're well hidden and don't move too much! If you're where they want to be, and there's even a dozen fake geese on the ground, some days you'll really have a great shoot.

Also, for the actual set up, with 12 decoys I would recommend probably splitting it up into two groups of 5 (or a 4 and a 6) and a pair off to the side. It will look more natural to have 3 different small groups there, and a pair off to the side (with upright heads) can look like a new pair of geese that just landed. We shoot over huge spreads now, but we still make sure to put a couple of pairs somewhere they stand out.

Good luck! P.S. - if you line up a big field and want to partner up with a bigger decoy spread, P.M. me and I'd be happy to discuss it.

[walking buffalo]

Search for used decoys for sale. Build a spread as you can afford to.

In time meantime, use what you have. Make some homemade silhouette decoys, they can work great. Make some friends and join their hunts.

Pass shooting can be golden in the right spot. I have a couple places where the geese regularly fly over a treed hilltop on their way to a multitude of fields. These locations are often productive every year for several weeks and require no decoys, just get in position and wait. Nothing better than just showing up with a gun and a some shells a few minutes before they fly, banging out a limit and then only having to load the geese back to the truck.

[ADH]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Pass shooting can be golden in the right spot. I have a couple places where the geese regularly fly over a treed hilltop on their way to a multitude of fields. These locations are often productive every year for several weeks and require no decoys, just get in position and wait. Nothing better than just showing up with a gun and a some shells a few minutes before they fly, banging out a limit and then only having to load the geese back to the truck.

This!!!!^^^^^^^^^^

[mr.blonde]

Originally Posted by schleprock

I have used as few as seven for a number of years and did very well: enjoyed going with the minimalist approach. It doesn't matter whether you have six decoys or one hundred decoys, if you are where the geese want to be, you should do well.

X2

[Pikebreath]

As other posters have indicated , if you can put yourself in the right spot, you can kill geese with a minimalist approach. That said, for the avid goose hunter killing a few geese now and then isn't really the goal... as you get more into goose hunting, chances are you will progress into wanting to decoy every goose you see to be "in your face". At that point, killing the goose is not as important as making the goose fully commit to your treachery. If you get to that point my friend, I can guarantee you will be constantly looking at numerous ways to build and improve your spread!!

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by Pikebreath

As other posters have indicated , if you can put yourself in the right spot, you can kill geese with a minimalist approach. That said, for the avid goose hunter killing a few geese now and then isn't really the goal... as you get more into goose hunting, chances are you will progress into wanting to decoy every goose you see to be "in your face". At that point, killing the goose is not as important as making the goose fully commit to your treachery. If you get to that point my friend, I can guarantee you will be constantly looking at numerous ways to build and improve your spread!!

Agreed.

I would rather knock down 4 birds that are back flapping at 12 yards than a limit that are taken way up there.

[bobalong]

Originally Posted by Pikebreath

As other posters have indicated , if you can put yourself in the right spot, you can kill geese with a minimalist approach. That said, for the avid goose hunter killing a few geese now and then isn't really the goal... as you get more into goose hunting, chances are you will progress into wanting to decoy every goose you see to be "in your face". At that point, killing the goose is not as important as making the goose fully commit to your treachery. If you get to that point my friend, I can guarantee you will be constantly looking at numerous ways to build and improve your spread!!

I agree, trying to get every flock to come in and taking them when the feet drop is a big part of the hunt. I have found over the years, that you can almost "feel" when the set is going to be a good one.

Although there are no guarantees, with the right weather (overcast), constant steady wind of 10-15km, and the birds flying against the wind all the way from the roost to your setup, those conditions I have found usually result in a limit in less than 30 minutes.

[medhatshaun]

Appreciate the feedback Gents. Lots of good information.

[Drewski Canuck]

start cutting cardboard and chloroplast if possible. A bunch of home made silhouettes will double the spread without costing a lot. Early season flocked heads are not critical, but numbers do help.

Drewski

[wildside2014]

Originally Posted by pikeslayer22

They will work...especially now in the early season

^^^ This!

You'll actually probably have more success on opening day with fewer dekes than a large spread. Come end of September though, if you plan on hunting fields, the bigger spreads will definitely draw more birds.

With that being said, When I inherited my old mans dekes 12 years ago after he called it quits, I only had 15 to my name and killed birds every year. Took more careful placement and harder scouting (being more selective on the crops I shot over) to be successful, but I did manage to be successful. You could do what I did and go around to neighbors and family and grab any beat up half rotten slabs of plywood and cut out silos? Paint em a straight flat black, screw in some sort of metal stake and youre all set. I still use my original silos I made with buddies over a case of beer to this day to fill out my set!

And if it makes you feel better on Monday I will be in our duck blind on waters edge with my hound shooting over probably only 8 duck decoys

[Lumberman]

Thanks for the help. I bought a dozen decoys this year and a couple of ground blinds as big game draws are getting harder to get locally and there are lots of ducks and geese around.