# Early honkers?????



## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

Ok just wondering we have been having problems having geese come in in the early season.. we are running near 150 decoys is that way too many? Plus we find the geese in the field 2 days in a row at night and then go out saturday morning and only shoot a couple, this has happened many of times. So any information would be greatly appreciated what we are doing wrong!! thanks


----------



## goosehunternd (Mar 10, 2006)

Set and realistic looking spread and make sure your hid good and blinds don't stick out and you shouldn't have that problem.


----------



## sd5.0. (Mar 13, 2008)

Try scouting in the morning. You would be suprised how many honkers use 1 field in the morning and a different one in the evening. i had the same problem last year early season. we would set up in fields the birds were useing in the evening only to have them fly the opposite direction when they come off the roost. If there are 150 birds in the field use 150 decoys, if there are 50 use 50.


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I had problems having geese even come into the same field. Just keep at it. I hunted 6 times and shot 1 bird and I was in fields that the birds where using alot and I still don't know what scared them.


----------



## Flight Cancelled (Oct 8, 2008)

sd5.0. said:


> If there are 150 birds in the field use 150 decoys, if there are 50 use 50.


X2!! 
too many guys that have too many decoys, feel that they have to set them all out everytime... spend a little more time puttin fewer decoys in a realistic spread and camo the blinds more...JMO


----------



## xTrMWtRFwLr (Jul 28, 2009)

Flight Cancelled said:


> sd5.0. said:
> 
> 
> > If there are 150 birds in the field use 150 decoys, if there are 50 use 50.
> ...


*AMEN!!!!!TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH*


----------



## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

One word: CONCEALMENT! If you're going hunting and spend all that time, money and miles scouting and planning, why set up half-azzed? Take the time to properly brush your blinds. Even if you get out to the field late and are running short on time, don't skimp on the brushing. I'd rather brush the blinds well and miss the first wave of geese than brush it fast and have them flair at 75 yards.

Just my $0.02 :wink:


----------



## GKBassplayer (Feb 19, 2008)

we had that same problem, its just been rough going for us. your not the only one


----------



## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

we have been taking plenty of extra time and making the blinds concealed but i think we are just gettin a little unlucky... i guess it doesnt help running with 10 guys everytime either :sniper:


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

GKBassplayer said:


> we had that same problem, its just been rough going for us. your not the only one


Amen to that. My best hunt this early season came over 6 dozen fullbodies, 1 dozen shells and 4 dozen realgeese.


----------



## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

teamshakeandbake said:


> i guess it doesnt help running with 10 guys everytime either :sniper:


*Bingo*. Just chopping that number in half should help turn your season around immensely w/ that many decoys at hand. Even w/ 4-6 guys; you won't find me not hoping for clouds, drizzle, fog, and/or heavy winds the next day. They're usually pretty far and in between during the early season though.
It always helps to walk 75-100 yards outside the spread to spot out the eyesores. The first couple flocks will usually tell you if there's unfinished work in your spread. It's all about cutting down all the variables that you can control at the end of the day.
Good luck the rest of the season.


----------



## Travis R. Bullock (Jul 22, 2009)

You got some good advice, about scouting the same time of day you plan to hunt. I have noticed several flocks with morning and evening fields. Also concealment is huge and with ten guys it can be super tough! We have had some tough hunts this year and ended the early honker season with only 79 geese. I am ready for some Migration action!


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Maybe it was because your using Dakota's Travis 8) oke:


----------



## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

bandman said:


> It always helps to walk 75-100 yards outside the spread to spot out the eyesores. The first couple flocks will usually tell you if there's unfinished work in your spread.


Yes, do this from all angles too, not just the into the wind towards the kill zone.


----------



## buckclub (Sep 11, 2009)

http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/.../?action=view&current=0913090818.jpg&newest=1
23 birds, 6 bands, 3 guys an hour and a half in upstate NY


----------



## eye_guysd (Jan 23, 2005)

10 guys... wow. 
you would be better off splitting the 150 deeks in 1/2 and making two groups of guys and go seperate ways. Still, five guys can be hard to hide. Is it 10 because a couple guys have all the gear and the rest are just tag alongs or is _team shake & bake _just that big... Just keep going you see pics of guys stackin the geese but I will tell you everyone has a few bad hunts a year... if not they are lyin. I know I don't limit every time out.


----------

