Goose Decoy Spreads & Techniques Over Water

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rideauwrangler

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Eastern Mor-Ontario
Did a search and couldn't come up with anything. I want to hear from those of you who hunt honkers over water using floating decoys and what type of spread patterns you use.

Traditionally I've used simple groups of a half dozen decoys or so scattered up and downstream of my blind with a large landing zone in the middle. I've tried "J" and fish-hook patterns as well but they really didn't seem to produce any better results than clustering my decoys.

I'm hunting a long shoreline along a stretch of river approximately a 600m wide. Lot's of space for the birds to come in for a landing but I'm just not getting enough birds comming in so I think I need to improve my use of decoys to make my landing zone irresistible. I've got about 48 Geese and 60 Ducks to play with in my spread. Opinion? Patterns? Techniques?

Also: opinions on mixing Geese & Duck decoys? Keep them separte or mix together?

Thanks in advance!
 
I've always had issues with decoy geese on water. I see a lot of the time that they land outside of the kill hole, still haven't figured out why yet. Do you have any fullbody dekes that you could use on shore? I think moving the majority of your geese onto land and hunting from layout blinds might be a better option.
 
I only use a small spread for geese on water 6-10. I keep the sleepers and feeders closer to shore. I have one or 2 lookers looking directly at the anticipated flight path of the incoming geese, than I put one or 2 more about 20 yards downwind of the main spread and make it look like they are swimming up to the main group.


As for duck and geese mix, I've always been told to keep the geese downwind of the duck so they don't have to fly over the duck decoys when they are coming in. I usually don't have many that actually lands (maybe cuz they are bigger and louder than ducks, so it's hard to take you by surprise. They still come in slow and low for an easy shot.
 
gravyboat said:
That's a good sized spread. Maybe it isn't your decoy pattern but something else. What call are you using? Are you using a goose flag?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty comfortable with my calling; I'm using a Knight & Hale Pit Boss and a Buckmaster 79B Flute. I get tonnes of turn-arounds and lots of birds comming over but just can seem to entice them into comming in for a landing. I'm very well camo'd in my blind and my boat is well concealed too.
 
Seems like you got the basics down. Only tips I may add, use fewer deeks, small family groups(2-5) and leave lots of room for landing. If first flock doesn't look like they want to land, play with the spread till you get the desired affect. Geese deeks downwind of ducks, flagging is great, less calling or just moans when they are circling, no mojo - tends to flare geese. Let us know if you find the difference maker for you. good luck.
 
Geese don't like to fly over other species. Use a three pod approach one pod straight out from the boat about 30 yards and the other two pods say 20 yards from the end of the boat on each side keep the geese spread apart and natural looking. The wind direction should not matter. Only call when the geese seem to loose interest.
 
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