# Pics of your decoy spreads



## tman_ (Jan 5, 2012)

Hello im am fairly new to goose hunting and was just wondering the best way to set up your decoy spreads early and late season. Anyone have any pictures of there spreads that they would like to share. My spread consist of 20 bigfoots flocked heads and a dozen lesser shells that also have flocked heads and 4 big foots non flocked heads any info on settting them up and pics of your guys spreads would be great.

Thanks


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Spread them out into small family groups. Best thing to do is to make your spread look as big as possible. All of my pics show big spreads so I can't really help you out on that.


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## dsm16428 (Feb 19, 2009)

Guys, my bad. Jumped to conclusions and flamed a guy whom I thought was somebody else. Uncalled for and it won't happen again. Sorry Tman_...

Post edited accordingly.


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## Goose junky (Aug 13, 2008)

So why not leave him alone and if someone wants to respond to his post with pics let them. He isn't bothering anyone by just asking a question. Your post makes you look like a immature kid a lot more than him.

Welcome to the sport tman_. I'll look through my pictures to see if I have any your looking for.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

dsm16428 said:


> Guys, say hello to Tarin. Avery forum's own resident and pet TROLL. He has apparently and unfortunately for us, found NODAK. It is only a matter of time before he spreads to every chat forum on the web I have no doubt. He got so much grief over there that he went so far as to stop posting under the screen name GHGRULE and changed his name to honkcluckbang...and then started right back up with the trolling.


We are capable of watching over Nodak and the rest of our websites. You don't need to jump on someone as soon as they join Nodak. If he follows the rules here he is welcome. Catch my drift?


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## CrazyWalsh81 (Nov 30, 2011)

If you are looking for good decoy set up ideas, Google "decoy set up pictures" and then look at the images. You can even save and print them as refrences or to use if you have people helping you set up.


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## CrazyWalsh81 (Nov 30, 2011)

You have to have this too or else the geese will flare when you look at them.
http://www.phantomgoosehats.com/


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## tman_ (Jan 5, 2012)

First off thanks for the replies so for guysi really appreciate it. And secondly to dsm16428 i have no idea who tarin is and i have never visited the avery forum so i guess nice try but not quite. and thanks again for the replies so far and are them goose hats really something that work and help when using layout blinds?


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## CrazyWalsh81 (Nov 30, 2011)

tman_ said:


> are them goose hats really something that work and help when using layout blinds?


Naw, they won't get you any more Geese, but girls love them.


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## dsm16428 (Feb 19, 2009)

Guys, my bad. Jumped to conclusions and flamed a guy whom I thought was somebody else. Uncalled for and it won't happen again. Sorry Tman_...

Post edited accordingly.[/


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## tman_ (Jan 5, 2012)

another quick question is what is a good ratio of feeders to active/ lookers


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## CrazyWalsh81 (Nov 30, 2011)

Plan around 75% feeders, the more the better. When you want to put more out it never hurts to fill in with feeders to get a bigger spread. It can be a good thing to mix brands also, makes for diffrent sizes and colors.


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## BirdJ (Aug 24, 2011)

I like about 6 feeders to one upright or looker. I'm just buying all feeders and some resters now. I like the more relaxed look! When scouting you don't see a lot of uprights unless they get nervous!


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## dsm16428 (Feb 19, 2009)

BirdJ said:


> I like about 6 feeders to one upright or looker. I'm just buying all feeders and some resters now. I like the more relaxed look! When scouting you don't see a lot of uprights unless they get nervous!


Exactly. A relaxed flock is a feeding or resting flock. Most gus run about a 70:30 ratio of feeders to uprights. It all depends on the day, the field and the time of year honestly. In late season I have even run a 50:50 ratio of distinct pairs in flocks. One upright to one feeder with a couple yards between each pair and just slaughtered birds that the day before wouldn't decoy to a more tradition and still natural looking spread. You have to be willing to try something different, especially in the later season when the birds habve most likely seen just about every type of set from canada to the southern states.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

This is no exact science, more of an art at times. I cannot say to use a specific ratio of uprights, etc. or use a certain formation. As a matter of fact, I laughed when I heard a guy on the radio say to put them in a rough "V" pointing into the wind. Nothing says "look, another decoy spread" like that. Some times I will set out a few lookers and nothing else to create the "first geese just landed" scene. Sometimes you need family groups scattered in a line with a group of lookers (landing party) just down wind. This is common to cornfields which have a great deal of corn left over in the "knock down row" when it is cut. The birds go to where the most food is.
I commonly will have groups of mostly feeders with an occasional sentry (not to be confused with the "lookers") spaced pretty far apart with family groups amongst them. Then I place family groups of "actives" in between with a stray feeder or sentry in these little family groups. I put these in a sort of line since they represent birds which are not finding much to eat and waddling up to join one of the feeder groups. At the edge of the spread where the "landing party" of lookers is, I place another pair of lookers, aimed directly at the other group of lookers. Some folks would call these "greeters". Geese doing this are actually trying to fend off the new intruders and keep the food to themselves. Real geese will often race over and bite one of the new arrivals. Fred Zink was right about that for sure. Be certain to leave a good sized hole next to the "landing party". I usually will place a couple pairs or trios of to the side of this zone to help keep the geese steered toward it on the final approach. I often leave a few other potential landing sites in the spread too. During cold periods in late winter, a few sleepers and resters help add realism. Don't be afraid to use up to a dozen or so decoys in the landing party either, it is natural for these birds to have their heads all the way erect right after touching down.
It is all based on how live geese land then interact and forage in a field. I will say to never face all of the decoys into the wind, it creates the "tin soldier" look that tips off geese to a bogus deal.


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