# Cow decoy??



## ryckmanm (Sep 7, 2009)

has anyone heard of using a cow decoys to stalk on a flock of snow geese?


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## the professor (Oct 13, 2006)

i know a crew that comes out to sodak a few times a spring to cowboard. i think their best shoot ever on 1 stalk was about 95 birds for 8 guys...but they will go all weekend trying to find one good stalk. personally, after watching some sneaks, i dont think the cowboard is as effective as it used to be 7-8 years ago.


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## SlickNick (Feb 17, 2009)

Me and my buddies went to canada this year and we had one of those decoys and we did a sneek on some and we got around 10ft away from them and shot about 20 some with around three guys.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

The problem with cow boarding is getting permission. Sometimes the time to strike on a sneak is a short amount of time. But in Canada and SD you need permission to get on land. So the time it takes to track down a farmer is a very small window. Just make sure you get a hold of the farmer before you go humping out through field. In canada especially I think you would kill more birds with 300 to 400 sillo socks and sitting in the decoys and being on the X.


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## ValleyCityHunter2008 (Jan 13, 2008)

You can give it a try but for the most part the geese are to jumpy in the spring to sneek up with any thing that is noticable. On a small flock it would work but on a large flock you better of just blening in to the environment and sneeking in. It's impossible to get up on a large flock of geese sticking out like like any thing or even a cow. I'v tried simular things and they just don't work, not during the spring light goose hunt. With my experience with simular techinques your better of pass shooting or sneeking up on a down hill side those will make great shoots. :thumb: 
Yes, sneeking is hunting. Just like people sneek up on pheasants and shoot them when the flush, you can sneek up on snow geese and shoot them as well. Good luck.


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## ryckmanm (Sep 7, 2009)

thanks guys, i might have to try it.
thanks
mason


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## grizzly204 (Feb 17, 2008)

We snuck up on 2 groups of snows last spring with a cow decoy. There were 30 or so birds in the first flock. The second flock had well over a thousand birds. We got within 30yds each time. They didn't seem to mind that we were there(until we dropped the decoy).


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## mudhunter (Dec 10, 2007)

On Youtube, Arkansas Spring Snow Goose Hunt 2009. Dave


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

the only time i used a cow, it was on canadas, and they are harder to sneak on. it worked like a charm, repeatedly. however, if many guys are doing it, the geese will wise up fast. i have belly crawled snows successfully for years. even across stubble. the key is time and patience. and the willingness to put your body through the hell that only a navy seal would appreciate. wears out a lot of pants too. you have to move just like a cat. some guys reading this have probably watched me do it in north dakota. that said, as my budget allows, i continue to build my decoy spread! this spring won't see me after the snows (darn it again! :******: ), but after this year i should be able to fully transition to decoying.  anyway, the lesson here is to be patient with the cow. stop and "feed" or change directions when the geese get nervous. be patient and wait. also, always sneak from upwind. the geese will feed into the wind, and that tips the odds in your favor. they move fairly fast too. i often would crawl within 100-200 yards and just wait. 10 minutes later, they are close. other times i would get right into range and not wait, but that is 10 times harder. get your cow in position and try not to pee your pants in anticipation! let 'em get real close. any way we can thin out these white demons is fine by me. we need to knock 'em back so we can start getting some better juvy numbers again.:beer:


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## INhonker1 (Feb 24, 2009)

Make damn sure you get the new ffd (FULLY FLOCKED DECOY) cow. Its WAY better then the painted cardboard one. Makes a HUGE difference!! It s complete with swivel hooves and real milking utters!! You want to REALLY geek em? Get the new calf decoy and have your shortest guy follow you around with it. Just adds to the realism!!! Good luck! :thumb:

INhonker1


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## gander_lander34 (Jan 22, 2009)

Well, I am in the Army and have done my fair share of crawling. I learned to do it really well sneaking snow geese in ND when I was younger. My drill sergeants used to ask me in basic training if i'd done that before, and my reply was, "once or twice". I do both decoying and sneaking, and anyone who says that's it's no sportsmanlike is sadly mistaken. Low crawling through mud, getting corn stalks shoved in places where the sun don't shine, trying to keep your gun out of the dirt, and just plain trying to sneak in on 30,000 eyes watching for one wrong move is a little harder and requires quite a bit more work than people realize. Just my opinion.


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