# Do you think they see it ?



## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

The newer decoys that have motion stands , bungee cords or other gizmos do they work? Do you think that geese see this type of motion.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

I think they do. Motion is key in a spread.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Do they see it- yes. Does it matter most of the time? I dont think so.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

Decoy motion is probably the least valuable tool for the big canada hunter, but late in the year when the geese come off the one body of open water and fly to the fields at 432 yards and sit over your decoys I'm sure they see it. In North Dakota though, the other 50 days of the year you hunt when the canadas are flying 40 yards or lower and are coming at you at 30 mph+ and their heads are searching for something wrong or a place to land, they can't keep their eyes fixed on one decoy long enough to see if it is slowly rocking from side to side.

Decoy motion can work especially late, I don't think every decoy should be on a motion stake though, but a flag is still your best friend for motion.

Main point: It is an overrated, marketing ploy that we are now convinced we need, and even bigfoot thinks they need to have a motion system. In a real flock a few geese may be moving, but not quickly and not the whole flock at once.


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## Blue Plate (Jul 31, 2006)

Motion is the biggest marketing ploy BS ever implement in goose hunting. Have you guys even watch geese in a field feed, especially late season? Most late season birds land and go right to their bellies. Geese make very small movements typically walking forward searching for food. Some of the movement is really unnatural moving 30 degrees side to side or in the case of the DSD/Hardcore motion system it would require hurricane strength wind just for the decoy to move.

How have guys been killing honkers over Silos and Foots forever with out movement?

How about a $15 Randy Bartz flag?


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I disagree. I think that wind socks were one of the best innovations to come to goose hunting due to the motion they provided. Birds do not have to be fixated on one decoy to pick up motion. Even subtle motion of several decoys is more eye catching than the movement of one. How many times have you spotted canada geese in a black field AFTER you caught their motion in the corner of your eye or a deer standing in clear view that you only spotted because it moved. I constantly pick up motion in my peripheral vision. I have to believe it is the same for birds. Ever notice how things can go dead so you get out of the blind to adjust decoys or whatever and suddenly birds are on top of you. That's not luck (good or bad) they were attracted by the movement. I will agree that often many geese are not doing a lot of travel type movement but they are generally moving their heads to some degree. Since it is hard for us to duplicate that movement, subtle body movement is the next best thing. On the other side there can be too much movement. My experience with only windsocks in the spread is that they turned more flocks but often have too much motion to finish the birds. My experience is that 3/1 to 5/1 is about optimum. There is long range and short range motion. Flagging is long range (1/4 mile +)motion decoys are short range (150 yards or less). Limited motion really seems to help finish wary birds. In the FB spread I am building I'm wanting my feeders to have motion and everything else can be stationary.

Bottom line is that some motion is a valuable tool.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

dakotashooter2 said:


> How many times have you spotted canada geese in a black field AFTER you caught their motion in the corner of your eye


It happens all the time, but I would say 90 percent of it is a stretching flap. Which is replicated by flagging and not motion.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

I dont think motions a big deal in a small spread, under 40-50 decoys or so. But, you start talking large numbers, in an active feed, or as the temps dip and the birds start really wolfing the feed down, than you start seeing more motion.

I know I see a big difference in 50 September geese in a field than I do with 50 late November birds. The cold weather feeds seem to have alot more "action" to em.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

barebackjack said:


> I dont think motions a big deal in a small spread, under 40-50 decoys or so. But, you start talking large numbers, in an active feed, or as the temps dip and the birds start really wolfing the feed down, than you start seeing more motion.
> 
> I know I see a big difference in 50 September geese in a field than I do with 50 late November birds. The cold weather feeds seem to have alot more "action" to em.


I agree with late season geese moving a lot, but only when they are in the process of migrating. But the Late November, December, January geese that we hunt will barely move a muscle while out feeding. Most of the time right after landing they are laying down immediately and just feeding on what is within neck's length. There is only one time where I would consider a large motion-laden spread would be a great tool and that is during the 3 day cold front in Mid-November when birds are flying overhead and moving in a Southward direction. Once again, the other 50 days a year you would be fine if not better with a flag and no motion decoys.


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## Traxion (Apr 16, 2004)

Does motion help at times? Probably. Is it needed most of the time? No. I will say when I notice geese, it is usually the big black spot in the field, birds landing, or a bird stretching its wings. Then, when watching birds feed, it often depends on the time of year and subspecies as to how they feed and their movement. Early Sept honks are pretty leisurely feeders while migrating birds get after it harder. Lessers feed like crazy with lots of movement. Late season birds often go belly down right away. So it just depends on many factors. Most decoys on the market offer such limited motion that isn't dependable anyway. My decoys work in moderate wind, but with little wind or high winds they either don't move or look totally erratic. Point being decoy motion is something we really cannot depend on anyway, we are at the mercy of the weather. But, I know what a flag can do and have control of it. It is dependable and is really the only motion I think is needed the vast majority of the time.


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## Blue Plate (Jul 31, 2006)

barebackjack said:


> I know I see a big difference in 50 September geese in a field than I do with 50 late November birds. The cold weather feeds seem to have alot more "action" to em.


I would disagree with that statement. When I watch geese feeding in November and December they land, go to their belly. Very little movement from these geese base on my observations.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Blue Plate said:


> barebackjack said:
> 
> 
> > I know I see a big difference in 50 September geese in a field than I do with 50 late November birds. The cold weather feeds seem to have alot more "action" to em.
> ...


You got that right and it is the time of the year that the bases come off the full body and when short stakes are used in my spread on shells to mimic the normal feeding behavior of geese.

Movement helps in getting birds attention, if it did not why do we use flags to turn geese back when the skirt the spread, or to get their attention from a distance.


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

> You got that right and it is the time of the year that the bases come off the full body and when short stakes are used in my spread on shells to mimic the normal feeding behavior of geese.


uh ohhh...the secret is out! :beer:


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## kberggren (Mar 27, 2006)

> How have guys been killing honkers over Silos and Foots forever with out movement?


I disagree with the Silhouette comment. A lot of guys, me including, think silhouettes offer the illusion of movement. When geese fly over or around the spread some decoys appear while others disappear giving the illusion of movement. Walk around a spread of silhouettes and you'll see what i mean, it really gives the illusion of birds moving!


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## Bustem36 (Feb 5, 2008)

RV cars under your decoy...The next best thing? 8)


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

I think BIG motion helps. When you watch a flock in a field or on the water, what always stands out and catches your eyes? It's when geese flap their wings. That's why flags work. It gets their attention.

As far as having a decoy wobble a little...I don't know. I guess I'm not sold that it makes that big of a difference (if any). A goose that is flying probably can't detect it nearly as well as the hunters sitting in the spread can. When you are in motion, it hinders your ability to detect other motion. I doubt that a goose that is circling the spread, pumping their wings, with their head moving...can pick up a slight wobble on a decoy.

If you don't believe me, set up your spread in your back and run by it as fast as you can. Let me know how much that motion stands out then.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Maverick said:


> > You got that right and it is the time of the year that the bases come off the full body and when short stakes are used in my spread on shells to mimic the normal feeding behavior of geese.
> 
> 
> uh ohhh...the secret is out! :beer:


Not all of them! I am not telling what scent I put out for them! :beer:


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## Bustem36 (Feb 5, 2008)

Ron Gilmore said:


> Maverick said:
> 
> 
> > > You got that right and it is the time of the year that the bases come off the full body and when short stakes are used in my spread on shells to mimic the normal feeding behavior of geese.
> ...


Doesn't happen to be skunk in heat scent smeared on fake corn cobs is it?


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Fake corn cobs are killer on manbearpigs!


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## Bustem36 (Feb 5, 2008)

NOOOO I don't believe they work on manbearpigs you don't know what your talking about...Those things are only attracted to full flocked cotton candy decoys.

Seriously though movement is an asset to a spread but like has been stated I also believe the big motion gets noticed and helps more than a little waddle waddle in a spread of a couple dozen decoys. But, the motion doesn't hurt.

Now if you have a lot of decoys 100 up to the giant snow goose spreads the movement of the decoys will get noticed a lot more because those geese can't help but see it.

Its just like those motion head things for decoys. If a goose notices a head bouncing a little bit on a decoy that's barely moving it should be dead. Or the calling goose poses for decoys, or tongues in decoys, feet, or for that matter the eyeball on a decoy. Is it needed no! Does it look good to hunters? Yes! Will people by it if they think they will kill birds? yes!

Confidence is a huge thing with geese and I believe even more so with hunters. If you don't have confidence in your equipment than your not going to be successful. I know guys that will not goose hunt with out x number of fully flocked motion system decoys. Then I have a friend who has like 3 dozen unflocked fullbodies and some old G&H shells and he kills them just the same. What does each group have in common? Confidence in there decoys.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

Bustem36 said:


> Confidence is a huge thing with geese and I believe even more so with hunters. If you don't have confidence in your equipment than your not going to be successful. I know guys that will not goose hunt with out x number of fully flocked motion system decoys. Then I have a friend who has like 3 dozen unflocked fullbodies and some old G&H shells and he kills them just the same. What does each group have in common? Confidence in there decoys.


I love the guys though that replace actual hunting skill with a trailer full of fuzzy decoys!


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## cut'em (Oct 23, 2004)

Less motion the colder it gets. Reason being any animal that must survive the winter does not burn more calories then it comsumes. A goose will not march all over the field burning two hundred calories to consume 100 otherwise it would starve to death. Thats why they hit the X and stay there all day even though they food is spread across the entire field. Flagging is the best movement. Thats why I was upset when reelfeet bases where discontinued.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Bustem36 said:


> Ron Gilmore said:
> 
> 
> > Maverick said:
> ...


Try three parts water to one part scent and apply, let me know how it works for you and we can compare notes!!!!!!!


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

cut'em said:


> Thats why I was upset when reelfeet bases where discontinued.


Except they broke when you looked at them wrong, I'm happy they got rid of them. At least it eliminated one not durable part of Avery's.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

goosebusters said:


> cut'em said:
> 
> 
> > Thats why I was upset when reelfeet bases where discontinued.
> ...


No kidding. half of mine are shattered and a third of them dont fit worth a damn to begin with.


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## Sam Doyle (Feb 19, 2009)

I believe that motion is very important to decoys spreads. I like to use REEL WINGS because they fly like a kite but you do not have to mess with them once they are in the air, they just fly. I also like the AIRWING decoy, also made by REEL WINGS (www.*************) because I can keep the motion a little closer to the ground. Watching birds fall out of the sky toward these decoys is a wonderful experience.


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## Buck25 (Mar 27, 2008)

Sam Doyle said:


> I believe that motion is very important to decoys spreads. I like to use REEL WINGS because they fly like a kite but you do not have to mess with them once they are in the air, they just fly. I also like the AIRWING decoy, also made by REEL WINGS (www.ClickHereForAComputerVirus) because I can keep the motion a little closer to the ground. Watching birds fall out of the sky toward these decoys is a wonderful experience.


I've never really heard of killing canadas with reel wings...Tell me more please


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

Sam Doyle said:


> I believe that motion is very important to decoys spreads. I like to use REEL WINGS because they fly like a kite but you do not have to mess with them once they are in the air, they just fly. I also like the AIRWING decoy, also made by REEL WINGS (www.ClickHereForAComputerVirus) because I can keep the motion a little closer to the ground. Watching birds fall out of the sky toward these decoys is a wonderful experience.


I would rather sit in a field with no decoys than a spread with just one Reelwings decoy. They are the worst decoy on the market IMPO. It takes the pefect wind to keep them up in the air, if you put them to close the tangle, too much wind and they look like geese on crack. I personally have wittnessed more flairs from birds than feet down! Save your money and buy some sillouettes or sillosoc's. Reelwings are the biggest joke I have ever seen in a field.
Kites are for kids.....not goose hunters...


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## dsm16428 (Feb 19, 2009)

WHAT ABOUT THOSE TRU-MOTION DEEKS? THE ONES THAT LOOK LIKE A LANDING/HOVERING BIRD THAT GO ON THE POLE AND SIT BOUT 3-4 FEET OFF THE GROUND? WHERE WOULD YOU PLACE THEM IF YOU USED EM'? WOULD IT BE OUTSIDE THE 'X' OR MAYBE OFF TO THE SIDES OF THE SET? EITHER WAY I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE WHERE YOU DIDN'T WANT THE REAL THING TO GO FEET DOWN...RIGHT?


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## Buck25 (Mar 27, 2008)

> I would rather sit in a field with no decoys than a spread with just one Reelwings decoy. They are the worst decoy on the market IMPO. It takes the pefect wind to keep them up in the air, if you put them to close the tangle, too much wind and they look like geese on crack. I personally have wittnessed more flairs from birds than feet down! Save your money and buy some sillouettes or sillosoc's. Reelwings are the biggest joke I have ever seen in a field.
> Kites are for kids.....not goose hunters...


yeah thats more like what i have heard about reel wings haha


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