# It kind of worked!!!



## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Since the geese in my area are landing in seperate groups in the field this morning I thought I would try setting my 3 1/2 dz bigfoots in a huge C (the opening on the downwind side) with my blind in the middle. The nearest decoy was over 60 yards away The spread was probably 150 yards across and I put my back to the wind and sun, hiding my blind in an existing straw pile. First 2 geese come in crosswind on my left and land on the edge of 1 group of decoys about 65 yards away. Another small group comes in and joins them. A week ago they would not land within 70-80 yards of another group. They are feeding my way so I just let them come. Next group comes in ,still crosswind but try to set down about 30 yards out between the blind and other group. I drop two and miss two shots as they come back around from behind. Collect my birds and rotate my blind. Next group come in from downwind but off to the right 50 yards ( where I originally had my blind facing) and sets down in the group of decoys 45 yards to my right and behind. I pop out of the blind and try to rotate all the way around, dropping 1 bird. Next 2 hrs not a bird. Have to get to work so i get the truck and just as i'm climbing out a group of birds swings over the edge of the decoys.. Typical day of goose hunting.... when you think you kind of have them figured out they do something totally different.
Sadly my shooting was pretty poor.... I should have had 5-8 birds.............Think I'm gonna go back to my 20 ga...............

FWIW after the first birds that came in, I would peek out the blind to keep track of them and had a heck of a time telling the difference between them and the bigfoots. Coloration and feather detail was nearly identical (at 65 yards and the naked eye). I had one standing right next to a decoy and couldn't tell the difference till the live one moved.. Of course I'm just a geezer with bad eyes..............................................


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## dave young (Jul 17, 2011)

Sounds like a fun hunt none the less.
Seeing some action is the main reason we like being out there..........or....it should be.

I agree with you DS2 on the Foots. Many think they lack in realism, but when I look at 'em, I see the most realsitic looking imitation out there, especially of the mid priced production decoys.


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## xTrMWtRFwLr (Jul 28, 2009)

Great story Dakotashooter. We have been having this same problem down here in NE South Dakota as well. Just seems like the geese just dont really want to commit all that often. Last weekend I tried something that I have never done before. I set my 5 dozen BF's out and put them in 6-8 family groups with landing pockets among most of them. Not having good results with the first few groups. I moved a dozen off of the main spread about 45 yds away on the down wind side and once the first group of 8 came in and committed I knew we had something figured out and it worked well. We ended up getting our 45 birds this past weekend with this spread. Hopefully they decide to work with us again this weekend.
Good Luck with the rest of your season and safe hunting :beer:


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Doing something different and creative is the way to go.


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## water_swater (Sep 19, 2006)

I've got a novel idea to try next. Now that is close to the normal time to hunt geese why don't we try to hunt them normal and see what happens. Maybe game and fish actually knew something and started the season then because they knew geese would not always use flock behavior earlier in the year. A friend of mine shot his limit this morning and had birds landing in the decoys with the truck in the decoys. They were not fresh birds they have been hunted many times. Biology may be swinging the way of the hunter!


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## CrazyWalsh81 (Nov 30, 2011)

I learned alittle bit this weekend hunting back near Red Lake. My buddy has a spot for us to hunt and it turned out to be a roost spot for over night. The morning came and we watched 150 birds leave the field and we went out into the mud hole that had a couple large puddles in the middle of it. Spread out 30 decoys and hid our selves. I noticed that most birds didn't even slow down going over it and then a couple groups would come right in and finish right where they should. The next day was more of the same, we only used a DZ, set up on a diffrent side for sun/wind/water hole and watched groups fly over to the river where mosthung out during the day. The ones that came to the hole came in on a string, minimal calling and feet down in the water hole 25yds out. It was a nice two days for two guys with 10 total birds and a band. 
Those that hunt in Minnesota know you have to hunt where you can and we never forced the birds off the roost either day and each night a 100 would be back on it. we hunted from 7-11 both days.


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