-
- Species
- Whitetails
- Rut Reporters
- Deer Camp
- Big Game
- Small Game
- Birds
- Special Methods
- Bow Hunting
- Conservation
- Heroes of Conservation
- Hero for a Day
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
- Land for Sale
-
- Species
- Bass
- Trout
- More Freshwater
- Saltwater
- Catchbook
- Special Methods
- Fly Fishing
- Hook Shots
- Conservation
- Heroes of Conservation
- Hero for a Day
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
- Land for Sale
-
- Health & Fitness
- F&S Adventurer
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
-
- Rifles
- Shotguns
- 2nd Amendment
- SHOT Show
- Outdoor Skills
- Total Outdoorsman Challenge
AnswersASK YOUR QUESTION
Print
Email
Share
Answers
Browse By
Top Users
Q:
hey just wondering if ne1 can give me some quick tips on goose hunting and how many decoys i should use and what i shud invest in. thanx
Question by codyboyd. Uploaded on November 04, 2009
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Today on Field & Stream
Loading...
Visit Our Sister Sites at Bonnier Corporation
| Enthusiast | Kiteboarding | QUAD | SKI | Skiing | Scuba Diving | Sport Diver | TransWorld Ride BMX | TransWorld Business | TransWorld Motocross | TransWorld SKATEboarding, | TransWorld SNOWboarding | TransWorld SURF | WakeBoarding | WaterSki | Warren Miller Entertainment | WindSurfing |
|---|---|
| Travel | Caribbean Travel & Life | Destination Weddings & Honeymoon | Islands | Meeting Traveler | Resorts & Great Hotels |
| Lifestyle & Shelter | Florida Travel & Life | Garden Design | Home Ft. Lauderdale | Home Miami |
| Luxury | SNOW | Spa |
| Marine | Boating Life | Cruising World | Fly Fishing in Salt Waters | Power Cruising | Marlin | Motor Boating | Sailing World | Salt Water Sportsman | Sport Fishing | Yachting | NewBoats.com | UsedBoats.com | YachtBroker.com |
| Outdoor | Field & Stream | Outdoor Life | SHOT Business |
| Parenting | Babytalk | Parenting |
| Science | Popular Science | Science Illustrated |
| Saveur | Saveur |
| Working Mother Media | Working Mother |
| Entertainment / Events | World Entertainment Services | World Sports & Marketing |
Fieldandstream.com is part of the Field & Stream Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation.
Copyright © 2012 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Answers (6)
You'll need about 3 dzn decoys, just find where they are feeding keep your back to the sun if you can and another thing to remember is geese and ducks land against the wind so if you have say a north wind they will circle and come in from the south. As far as ammo goes I would use 3in 2s or BBs and you'll do fine.
I second what IDDUCKHNTR said. Also its best if you have a call. A good beginner call is a flute. I reccommend the Big River flute. Its approximately $25, its easy to learn and has a range of calls. Otherwise just go with a short reed.
Sound like a good spread up there. 2-3doz is a good spread. Where I live there isnt alot of fields to hunt in so we mostly do river and swamp hunts. Set up a big spead of ducks witha couple goose floaters and on shore and you can get them to come join the party!
Just like with any hunting the answer is it depends. early season goose hunting if you been doing some good scouting and are hunting a field the birds want to go to, you really only need 6-12 decoys. Then as the season moves on you can increase the number of decoys you use. If you are hunting a field and the geese have been using a neighboring field, I would put out at least 4 dozen decoys or more. I'd say a good starting point would be the 3-4 dozen decoy mark. It would be nice to have all full bodies too, but isn't necessary. I would start with a mixture of full bodies and shells. Maybe one dozen full and 2 dozen shells. As you get more experience and more cash flow you can always spring for more full bodies. As far as calls go. I think the flutes are easiest for beginners, but don't sound nearly as good as a well blown short reed. Just know if you buy a short reed be willing to put some time in to perfecting your calling. Poorly blown calls are worse than no calling at all. Buy a flag also. I am a huge fan on flagging. Flag when the geese are way out and going side ways to you. Once you turn the geese with the flag and they are coming towards you, put the thing down. They already can see your decoys.
Id have to agree with adswartz. I've had luck with anywhere from a dozen to a hundred. If Im hunting along a river or even in a sandpit or something like that, I tend to use somewhere between 15-25 goose decoys and I usually throw out some duck decoys as well. Hunting with my buddies in cornfields, we have put up well over 100 but its usually 50-70. Investment wise, I use Green Head Gear decoys myself. Depends on what your willing to spend I guess. A good, easy blowing call is nice. My cousin owned his own business making some really user friendly short reed calls. They run from $25-$35. (www.callemclose.com) Im sure he could hook you up, if your interested in purchasing one, by contacting him. I have never used a flute since these short reeds were really easy to learn on.
about 5-10 decoys and a 12 ga with 2-2 1/2 inch turkey loads
I would go some research on google on how to layout your spread. I would put out as many as you can and you need decoys that move a little with the wind. This works like flagging only every single decoys moves and there is no work for you. With enough wind you won't even need to call the geese they'll just come right in for you.
Post an Answer
You'll need about 3 dzn decoys, just find where they are feeding keep your back to the sun if you can and another thing to remember is geese and ducks land against the wind so if you have say a north wind they will circle and come in from the south. As far as ammo goes I would use 3in 2s or BBs and you'll do fine.
I second what IDDUCKHNTR said. Also its best if you have a call. A good beginner call is a flute. I reccommend the Big River flute. Its approximately $25, its easy to learn and has a range of calls. Otherwise just go with a short reed.
Sound like a good spread up there. 2-3doz is a good spread. Where I live there isnt alot of fields to hunt in so we mostly do river and swamp hunts. Set up a big spead of ducks witha couple goose floaters and on shore and you can get them to come join the party!
Just like with any hunting the answer is it depends. early season goose hunting if you been doing some good scouting and are hunting a field the birds want to go to, you really only need 6-12 decoys. Then as the season moves on you can increase the number of decoys you use. If you are hunting a field and the geese have been using a neighboring field, I would put out at least 4 dozen decoys or more. I'd say a good starting point would be the 3-4 dozen decoy mark. It would be nice to have all full bodies too, but isn't necessary. I would start with a mixture of full bodies and shells. Maybe one dozen full and 2 dozen shells. As you get more experience and more cash flow you can always spring for more full bodies. As far as calls go. I think the flutes are easiest for beginners, but don't sound nearly as good as a well blown short reed. Just know if you buy a short reed be willing to put some time in to perfecting your calling. Poorly blown calls are worse than no calling at all. Buy a flag also. I am a huge fan on flagging. Flag when the geese are way out and going side ways to you. Once you turn the geese with the flag and they are coming towards you, put the thing down. They already can see your decoys.
I would go some research on google on how to layout your spread. I would put out as many as you can and you need decoys that move a little with the wind. This works like flagging only every single decoys moves and there is no work for you. With enough wind you won't even need to call the geese they'll just come right in for you.
Id have to agree with adswartz. I've had luck with anywhere from a dozen to a hundred. If Im hunting along a river or even in a sandpit or something like that, I tend to use somewhere between 15-25 goose decoys and I usually throw out some duck decoys as well. Hunting with my buddies in cornfields, we have put up well over 100 but its usually 50-70. Investment wise, I use Green Head Gear decoys myself. Depends on what your willing to spend I guess. A good, easy blowing call is nice. My cousin owned his own business making some really user friendly short reed calls. They run from $25-$35. (www.callemclose.com) Im sure he could hook you up, if your interested in purchasing one, by contacting him. I have never used a flute since these short reeds were really easy to learn on.
about 5-10 decoys and a 12 ga with 2-2 1/2 inch turkey loads
Post an Answer