# Small Spreads



## huntingmaniac (Mar 22, 2011)

Hey Guys,

I was wondering what you make your spreads look like in the early goose season until opener in ND? If you have any pictures, could you post some pics of your spread. Thanks!


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Around here the geese don't really "flock up" during early season. Most fields I set up in had 4-8 family groups (8-14 birds) often 60-100 yards apart in the field. There really was no defined X. New birds coming in really didn't want to decoy. They would find a spot of their own and set down a little ways from the spread. It was more like hunting traffic and if they swung close enough for a shot you took it. I eventually ran 2 sets my bigfoots first with my shells set 50-60 yards upwind. That seemed to get more birds to pass over.


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## EllendaleND (Dec 25, 2011)

Hey I live in south central ND and we run a V or U shape and let em have it. Some say dont run alot of decoys because that educates em too early. But when the flocks are coming in usually less than 15 we can clean house pretty good. So run as many decoys as you feel nessasary.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Just make a big blog with a small landing hole.


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## lesserhunter (May 9, 2008)

no landing hole, just a big blob of DSDs spaced 8-10ft apart. ever seen live geese sitting in a U or V or J or X or T pattern? gotta keep it looking natural


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## snowgoosekilla (Feb 18, 2012)

how many decoys is enough in the early season?
I have 2 dozen silhouettes and some magnets, will that get the job done?


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## Gunny (Aug 18, 2005)

You'll be fine.

Good luck,

Gunny


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## EllendaleND (Dec 25, 2011)

snowgoosekilla said:


> how many decoys is enough in the early season?
> I have 2 dozen silhouettes and some magnets, will that get the job done?


Ya any decent number of decoys in early season is good. Magnets and those goose trees work extremely well too.


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## snowgoosekilla (Feb 18, 2012)

I now have 4 magnets, 24 silohuets, and 20 shells for the early season.
Hope it can get the job done


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## SkunkNipples (Jul 13, 2012)

Early on we use about 60-75 Decoys, some full bodies but mostly shells and silos. I have hunted over 36 on opening day last year and two of us got our combined limit (16) in an hour. Two weeks later we use 120+.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

Early on, with small bunches, I would not be afraid to use less than 12. It depends on what you see using the field. If only a few family groups are there, set up a family group of decoys with what appears to be a smaller group walking in to join them. That is often all that is needed. I will admit that with such a setup, I will usually put 2-3 decoys down wind and to the side of my hiding spot also, to help steer cautious birds toward the "kill spot".
If there are several hundred birds using the field, more decoys may be needed. It depends on how much feed is in the surrounding area. One harvested field with no others in the immediate area, will tend to concentrated birds.
I have done very well at times with small spreads, sometimes only 3 decoys. The smaller the spread, however, the more important it is to be totally concealed. Without the distraction of a large number of decoys, it won't take much effort from the geese to look things over. I have finally settled on using a ghillie suit. It has worked better than blinds and other methods. One tumble weed is often all that is needed to break up the shadow that is a dead giveaway to geese, that a hunter or blind is down below. A few decoys can do the same.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

kingcanada......where do you lay,in or outside of the decoys?

Which gillie camo do you have?


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

I've used as few as 14 decoys in a picked pee field and still shot my limit in the first 2 hours. I had 10 Bigfoots and 4 old school Canada wind socks. I split them into 3 groups and covered my layout with the tailings in the field. It can be done without all the hoopla like everyone says! If you are in the field they want to be in, there is 3/4 of the battle won.

H2OfowlND


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

Often, I lay right in the decoys. Our stubble is cut disturbingly low to the ground here. Often it is only 3" tall. Makes it real tough. The shadows from a couple decoys can really help. I have 3 ghillie outfits. The first is a set of Natgear bibs I stitched a bunch of strips to. I used what was left of old hunting and cotton duck work pants. True recycling. Works well in corn. The other two are commercial "stringy" types and work real well. One came from Sportsman's Guide and the the other is made by Red Rock. Both were very affordable, especially the Red Rock. I like the color blend of the Red Rock brand better. They both work real well. I ND, where stubble is often taller, I look for a tall strip or depression that the cutters passed over if I can find one. I will set downwind and off to the side of the main spread with a pair of "lookers" just out past me to help steer the geese right on top of my hiding spot. "Close shots".


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