# Decoy Variety?



## Perry Thorvig (Mar 6, 2002)

One noted snow goose expert thinks that most hunters use too many different kinds of decoys in a spread. He seems to go with one uniform kind of decoy - the windsock.

The expert says that when he looks at a flock, he sees a lot of uniformity and tries to copy it with one type of decoy. When I look at a feeding flock, I see a lot of variety and I try to replicate that diversity with different types of decoys.

What do you think? Is this much ado about nothing?


----------



## Decoyer (Mar 2, 2002)

I personally think variety isn't as important as quality. As long as all the decoys you are using look like geese you should do alright. I think it has to do more with brand names. Try to stick with brand names that have relatively similar paint schemes so the coloration still looks similar. This is just my opinion, and everyone will differ on this issue. Seems like everyone has a little different preferences with snows.


----------



## Dave Owens (Nov 11, 2002)

I have had my best luck with windsocks. I also have Quack and GH shells but they are not as effective. Most of my windsocks are home mades without heads and are very effective if there is a breeze. I almost believe that the no heads work better than the store boughts I have with heads. I have a 50/50 mix of dark gray and whites.


----------



## Beneliboy (Sep 10, 2003)

We're trying to switch over too all full bodies and windsocks. Only problem I have with the windsock is what do you do when there is no wind? So I can't see having all windsocks. :sniper:


----------



## Dave Owens (Nov 11, 2002)

Your right, windsocks don't work well with no wind. That is not a problem for me since I don't go after snows if it's not overcast and windy. I just have gotten tired of putting out decoys on still clear mornings, having them dew or frost up and having the geese fly over with out even giving a look. If it clear and calm you will find me about a 1/4 mile from a large wet land in a small slough less than a 1/2 acre in size waiting for ducks. Or if cranes are around I will set up my crane decoys in a grain field. Calm and clear does not seem to effect them.

I had the pleasure to hunt with a group several days last fall that put out 1 large cargo trailer ( big enough to put a pickup in ) of full body snows and 2 pickup topper fulls of full body blacks. We were in corn and peas right at freeze up. The duck hunting over this spread was the best I had ever seen in 30 years of hunting. The sad thing is during those 3 days we shot 3 snows even though thousands were in the area. The snows just flew on by 100 yards high.


----------



## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

Dave,

Try setting up in the fields for the ducks on a cold clear day....it doesn't seem to matter for them. I thinks its better than the sloughs very early. You might only get a hour or so of good shooting and if you don't have your limit by then you can slide down to the slough and throw out a dozen decoys. Works for us.


----------



## Fetch (Mar 1, 2002)

At one time we had several of alot of different kinds of decoys - Then we evolved to mostly Northwinds & ended up with mostly full bodies - The dang things are smart & adapt better than most waterfowl - I even had a super shoot once with all Texas rags (the plastic ones) Most important is get a field they want & hide & stay down - Unless the weather is such to screw them up - & if there are any real ones on the ground anywhere near you forget it - go try to use them as decoys & pass shoot em - Or jump / surround the flock - Leave someone in your decoys to get the young dumb ones that are confused when they real ones all get up


----------

