# decoying snows?



## slsbury1 (Jan 9, 2004)

looking for any advice on decoying snows. recently went hunting using mainly rags around 800. approx. 6 dozen shells and about 150 rags w/ heads. every bunch of geese would begin to sail and drop. they would come within approx. 150 to 200 yards then turn and go the other way. tried using e callers. then tried w/out. didnt seem to make any difference. also used flags on 10' poles.not sure if that was a bad idea. they definately could see something that wasnt right. any advice would be appreciated. thanks kevin


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

slsbury1 If you hid 150 yds downwind of your decoys were the birds low enough to kill? You can drop snows at much longer distances than canadas. Its the only thing I can think of for your situation. They drive me crazy too! good luck


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## slsbury1 (Jan 9, 2004)

the birds would never go to far down wind. they pretty much would hang over top the decoys and drop looking at the spread the whole time. im not sure just how good there vision is. but it must be pretty damn good, that and and they have seen many decoy spreads.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Welcome to the world of decoying snows.  Seriously, some days are like that it seems you can change everything or nothing and they just stay clear. I end up pulling out whats left of my hair some days! :lol:


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## duckslayer15 (Feb 11, 2004)

that happend to me this weekend too...a few birds out of every group would start sailing down from about 300 yrds up and then come down to about 50yrds and act like they were looking for a place to land? we tried to make a V pattern in our decoys but diddnt seem to help? we diddnt have any calls so that might have been it. also we were using mostly all rags. were they seeing that they wernt really snow geese? maybe im not sure...please respond with help!!!!!!


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## Blackeagle (Feb 24, 2004)

This was commonplace for our team when we hunted over rags. We switched to hunting over full bodies and floaters when possible. We only have 8 dozen full bodies and 9 dozen floaters, and we shoot WAY more geese than we ever did over rags.

Use the e-call to get them into range, no need for a 1000+ decoy spread. Plus they suck to put out. The fun factor goes way down putting up that many decoys.

You most likely would not consider hunting dark geese over glorified hefty bags, so why would you expect a snow to decoy to a rag?

Realism kills, be it bigfeet and custom deeks for dark geese and full bodies and floaters where possible.

For movement use flags, motion bases, and bobble heads.

And remember to have 400 or so custom windsocks for when the feilds are to muddy to drive into with a trailer.

Just another 2 cents


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

Hahaha, in ND every field is wet...so are always running over 1000 northwinds. :wink:


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## duckslayer15 (Feb 11, 2004)

Blackeagle it aint exactly as easy as it sounds "switch over to all full bodies" heh


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

:sniper:


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## slsbury1 (Jan 9, 2004)

I only have 6 dozen shells, 2 dozen silos and about 150 rags which i made styrofoam heads for. u guys think not putting out the rest of the rags which is around 800 would make any difference. I agree that realism anymore is key, but will snows come into realism which for me is going to be less decoys.or numbers (rags). The little bastards are driving me crazy!!!!!!!!!! but i am not giving up!!!!!!!!!!!! also thought about using some kites, but im not sure if they are the answer. My wife wont let me spend to much more $$$. my dog is getting bored w/ me not shooting something. :******: :******: :******:


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## duckslayer15 (Feb 11, 2004)

duckslayer15 said:


> that happend to me this weekend too...a few birds out of every group would start sailing down from about 300 yrds up and then come down to about 50yrds and act like they were looking for a place to land? we tried to make a V pattern in our decoys but diddnt seem to help? we diddnt have any calls so that might have been it. also we were using mostly all rags. were they seeing that they wernt really snow geese? maybe im not sure...please respond with help!!!!!!


so anyone have any suggestoins on what i should do different this weekend?


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## Scraper (Apr 1, 2002)

Shoot them right in the face when they get to 50 yds.


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

I like to get the birds when they straight up, 45-55 yards you really dont have to leed them all you have to do is put the bead on there head and let it rip. Snow come down really easy, so just try to get a pellet in them.


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

I am no expert,but judging from what I heard last year,everyone has a hard time with adult snow geese decoying.I had better luck myself pass shooting them.The decoying really works when you can find pockets of juvinells(sp.) later in the migration.Good luck mallard


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## jolle (Feb 18, 2004)

Hunted SWMO this weekend on an irrigation pond over a few dozen silos and shells and about 100 rags. Had a few local groups that were already low that came and just circled and circled, no commital, and some actually got a bit higher each pass although they didn't seem scared. Then, we got numerous small groups of migrators that would lock up and just float down, almost vertical, VERY slow, near the bottom of our spread. Then, like mentioned above, they would just veer off at about 150-200 yds and head on their way. We rearranged and changed every time a group would leave. I was frustrated to say the least. No more rags for me.


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## greenheadcase (Mar 1, 2004)

Don't give up on the rags. They work! You just have to rty different things with the spread. We had to adjust a few times on the 25th of feb. We were successful. Keep at it, they are difficult birds to decoy to say the least. Good Luck


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

I hate rags, they make to much noise and they blow up in high winds. But thats my .02


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