# Decoy pattern



## AdamM (Jan 2, 2006)

Hello everyone. I am new to this site and pretty new to decoying Canadian Geese. I live in Arizona and geese are pretty hard to come by. Although there are not many geese here I have found a place that not many people know about that the geese are roosting. Right now I only have one dozen shells. These geese are not wary because they dont get hunted. They are landing in a drained reservoir that is now filling back up. What should I do with these shells to bring them in? Any other suggestions would be great. Thanks,

Adam


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## the Bender (Mar 31, 2005)

Well, if you are going to hunt their roost you should consider that you might send them off to a new locale. You could try to wait until they leave and set up the shells near the waters edge, and maybe put a few on stakes in the shallow water. Then hide and wait. I would suggest getting out of there quickly and quietly to not scare or educate all the Geese.

The best thing to do would be to find the spot where they head off to from the roost and hunt them there. That way the roost is secure and they will have no reason to leave your area. They have to feed???


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## Madison (Mar 1, 2002)

If your hunting the roost, then your gonna want to lay the shells on shore. I would wait till they leave in the morning so you dont scare them off before they head out to feed. Remember you gonna shoot the roost and the birds will most likely not come back after a few volleys at them.. The faster you can get your birds and get out of there the better and will keep some birds around for you to hunt it again.

IF possible:
FInd the field the birds are feeding in, scout them out figure out what times (morning and night) they are using the field.. If you only have a couple dozen shells you should do just fine, Especially if the birds have not been pressured and have been using the same field for awhile.


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## AdamM (Jan 2, 2006)

The geese are spending their day on private property in which I can not hunt. Then in the evenings they are flying onto public land where I want to put up the decoys. I know they are not going to leave where they are spending their day, but they might change where they go to roost if I give them pressure? Is there any specific pattern that I should put these decoys in? Should I put them in small groups? Or just most of them along the waters edge? Should I put them about 3 feet apart from each other?


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## the Bender (Mar 31, 2005)

Try to put the Wind & Sun at your back. At least get the Wind right. Then be sure you can hide well. The pattern or shape of the decoy spread should not be that important with only a dozen dekes. I would suggest one loose group, or a few small ones.


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## baja (Apr 7, 2004)

Canada geese are the easiest to decoy. Put half your decoys about 3-4 feet apart in a loose arc facing into the wind...the rest facing all directions and scatter them around to resemble a family grouping. The most important part of your setup is going to be your blind or camoflage. You are the focal point here...get hidden or disguised. Remember...goose decoying is all about deceit, deception, and demise. Good hunting.


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## bonacker52 (Jan 3, 2006)

Actually there is no real correct way to Position your decoys. What you need to do is watch how the geese are sitting and how they are positioned when they are in the field and keep watching them. Then when you go to hunt them position the decoys the best to your ability to the way they were sitting.

And also make sure that all the decoys are facing into the wind face first. Because the geese always land into the wind


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## bonacker52 (Jan 3, 2006)

there is an amazing way to get the BEST DECOYS! for BASICALLY NOTHING! I dont know if you know about this but I hunt Canada's on the SouthEastern Part of long Island and we use what we like to call STUFFERS. After you kill your geese you sking them out and place them over a styrafoam body that you carve out then you put metal roods through the heads to hold the head up and one through the body to the platform you have and it is basically a live goose. THEY WORK LIKE REAL LIVE GEESE!. And you can still eat the meat of the goose you shot so nothing goes to waste.

Give me a reply back if you have anyother questions


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

If you don't want to hunt their roost and can't get on the private land try to find what land they travel over. Especially with less pressured geese you can call them into a place they don't want to be. They will be so excited to see new geese in Arizona they could dive bomb you with some good calling. Also, when the second or third group flying off the roost sees your decoys they will think that something is wrong at their normal feeding field and assume that the first groups landed where your decoys are set up. This is a really good technique for young birds, singles and doubles. You even could get the whole group in.

Good luck, You better post how the hunt turns out, there's a million people on hear that love to hear hunting stories.


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## Original Goosebuster (Jan 12, 2006)

If you cant get on any posted land, you could try getting in their flight pattern and shoot them from the ditch or another field. This will only work if they have a consistent flight pattern.
GOOD LUCK!


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## quackhead21 (Jan 12, 2006)

set your dekes in 2 or3 little groups 3 to 5 feet of space between each deke canadas like thier space groups about10 to 15ft apart. make sure you know when there leaving and coming back so you dont sit out there all day happy hunting :beer:


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## WingedShooter7 (Oct 28, 2005)

We always use a U,L,or X shape when setting up decoys and it all depends on the wind


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## wmcpartland (Dec 13, 2004)

guys, I read an article on this site and set up a spread with family groups of 6-8 bigfeet with about 60 or so total dekes with a noticable gap between each group. Also, a flappin' deke out there. Unbelievable approaches with great success. Thanks nodak.


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## ndwaterfowler (May 22, 2005)

I find that scouting, above all else, is the key. Go where the geese are and set up like they look. Sometimes "X", sometimes "J", sometimes tear-drop. The biggest thing is to do what they are doing to look as real as possible....and listen. If they are not making much noise when the flocks are coming in to feed, do the same. Just my :2cents:


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## SlipperySam (Jan 17, 2006)

Another thing you can do is not use the decoys at all. It works. If the geese have been using the same fields for a few days and are use to being the only birds there, they may see your decoys and fly right on by. Sometime less is more. If they are coming in groups to the field your chances are better if they are coming far enough apart that if you lose the first flock the second doesn't see them leave and your decoys become the first flock.


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