Field Decoys for hunkers

[cbrooks]

Looking into buying a blind and some decoys for setting up in corn fields next year. I was wandering if I should buy the bigfoots or the regular shell. I hear the bigfoots are more productive but the problem with them is space in my truck. Are the full bodies really that more productive than the shell. What is your expirence using goose decoys. What have you found that works the best for you and What are you using. Thanks.

I can see where buying decoys can get out of hand like buying fishing lures...you never have too many . I'm gonna end up buying a trailer just to haul everything if I don't watch myself.

[TWebb]

I have had good luck with by using Deadly Decoys mixed in with some Big Foots. The deadly decoys take up less room, than the full bodies.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

If you want a spread that will kill geese effectively, and is easy to transport, look at Real Geese Pro Series or Pro Series 2 silhouettes. If you want to go with shells, select a model that isn't too heavy and has easy head connections. If you want to go with fullbodies, go with "lesser" sized dekes. They are just as effective as their fullsized counterparts and take up less space.

In reality, geese will decoy to pretty much anything on the market. Buy what you can afford taking into consideration transportation, weight, storage, etc. I know plenty of guys that get it done consistently over shells. Personally, I own fullbodies, sillos, and shells. I use the sillos 100% of the time, and the fb and shells when we need numbers or I can toss all my gear into a friends trailer. When I hunt by myself, I have no problem shooting birds over 4 dozen sillos, plus its easy to carry them into a field.

Decoys are only a small part in a much bigger equation. Good scouting and a good hide with entry level decoys will put more birds in your freezer than running a rig of 10 dozen fully flocked fullbodies and just randomly tossing them out in a corn field expecting geese to bomb in.

[Finlander]

+1 carpshooterdeluxe

I use silo's alot as wet fields will prevent you from driving into a field and some farmers won't let you drive into the field either, so I use a deer hauling cart to transport all my gear into the field in one trip! I camo painted it too so I can stash it into some weeds. I can load alot of shells and some fullbodies in the cart too!

Look on the C-list for decoys!

Good Luck!

[BoxMN]

I am not a great goose hunter, but have done it enough to have some thoughts. First, get about 8 flocked/good looking motion full bodies. After that, maybe a dozen good looking shells, or silhouettes. But if you have motion full bodies that is all I will use, and have as many as your truck/wallet can handle.

I have about 4 dozen older shells, 8 bigfoots, and 4 dozen silhouettes. I will probably sell all of them (except the bigfoots) in exchange for a dozen motion fullbodies with nice flocked heads. Maybe keep 6 of the big shells... I am just sick of putting out so darned many. That's a young man's game and I am getting older each trip, ha!

Good luck! ps I also have to work more on concealment, that is big part as everybody knows.

[hunter322]

If space is an issue i would suggest using sillouetes mixed with shells. Saves space, quick setup and take down. I suggest Real geese sillouetes.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

I am not a great goose hunter, but have done it enough to have some thoughts. First, get about 8 flocked/good looking motion full bodies. After that, maybe a dozen good looking shells, or silhouettes. But if you have motion full bodies that is all I will use, and have as many as your truck/wallet can handle.

I have about 4 dozen older shells, 8 bigfoots, and 4 dozen silhouettes. I will probably sell all of them (except the bigfoots) in exchange for a dozen motion fullbodies with nice flocked heads. Maybe keep 6 of the big shells... I am just sick of putting out so darned many. That's a young man's game and I am getting older each trip, ha!

Good luck! ps I also have to work more on concealment, that is big part as everybody knows.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you when it comes to motion. I've run shells that spin like tops on stakes, averys that swing side to side, big foots with no motion, sillos, socks, we've done it all and I'm convinced the only motion a goose needs to see to stay committed is flagging. I'll take 24 shells set in the stubble and a flag over the same amount of fb's swinging in the wind and no flag any day. Of course knowing when and when not to flag comes into play as well, but that is a whole other topic.

[strait-meat]

What is your preferred blind to use Carp? What do you think of the Hunter Specialty "Hitman"

[BoxMN]

Carpshooter, your name says it and I won't disagree with you, I am sure you have done more field hunting than me. But, I am not saying lots of motion, like shells spinning like tops, or god forbid mojos or anything like that. Just those full bodies that move a bit, bobbing a bit are what I like.

I also use the flags, but only to get attention for me, I pretty much leave them alone if they are approaching. But like I said, I ain't no pro, that is for sure! But I would still sell all my shells for fewer but better looking bigfoots or other full bodies or even better but fewer shells. I do need to get out with a good field hunter some time to help me hone skills!

[cbrooks]

Lots of good advice. Thanks for all the replies guys. I almost dare to ask when to flag and not to flag but I better just keep it simple for now. Carpshooter if you have any other advice on decoys to add it will be appreciated.

[tracker x-2]

I would have to agree with Boxmn I think motion plays a very important factor when the geese are deciding to commit. Their checking out that landing zone and that extra movement really helps IMO anytime im watching a flock in the field feeding they are constantly moving their heads. Also I try not to leave the house with out a flag. They are cheap (like $15 dollars) and

easy to carry.

[Maxxed Out]

Hard core full bodies are very affordable, good looking and durable. They don't take up a ton of space and if you watch your sales you can usually find them for around $100 per 6.

Make sure you don't buy too many actives to feeders. A 4 or 5 to 1 mix is usually a good ratio. Silo's are a good way to go, you can have some glare issues on sunny days but you can say that for almost any decoy.

I am a proponent of quantity over quality when it comes to decoys but I also hunt an area where I'm hunting big numbers of birds. Watch C's list a lot of guys will be selling their spreads after the season for cash or to buy something new.

You can usually get a used pack of 6 full bodies for $100. I know there is a guy on the Minneapolis C's list selling 9 bigfoots for $135.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

What is your preferred blind to use Carp? What do you think of the Hunter Specialty "Hitman"

I've never used a hitman blind, but guys I know that use them seem to have good things to say about them.

As far as decoys and advice and whatnot...I just think a guy should buy what he can afford, and not worry about all the latest and greatest. We shot over 20 birds today and the majority of our spread was bigfoots and shells, all probably 5-10 years old. They still get the job done. Guys in the next field had 10 dozen of Fred Zink's new avian x dekes out and they shot 7 birds.

[strait-meat]

Hey Carp

Was most of the water out West still frozen or did some of the smaller potholes open up with the mild weather we had?

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Hey Carp

Was most of the water out West still frozen or did some of the smaller potholes open up with the mild weather we had?

I didn't drive past many sloughs thursday night or friday morning, but the lake that I keyed my scouting on was mostly open except for 1 bay. but the river right next to the lake had a lot of ice on it. Driving through western MN last night back from hunting with some friends further north, most of the sloughs and lakes were covered or only partially open. I think it all depended upon wind/sheltered shorelines, lake depth, and how far north a guy was. Saw a lot of decoy spreads on ice yesterday where we were hunting honkers.

[cbrooks]

Did some early Christmas shopping for myself. Bought a groud blind from Scheels that was on sale for $150, a dozen B2 for on sale for $130 per six, and a dozen greenhead gear oversize model. I'll probably get some motion decoys later in the year when there on sale. Can't wait for next year. Thanks guys

[TylerS]

Here's my honest opinion on the subject: you can't go wrong with shells or silos.

I have three dozen GHG oversized shells, and three dozen Realgeese silos. That's my spread. I've killed limits from early season to nearly the last day with just this. No fullbodies.

I've hunted over fullbodies and don't see a difference. If you scout well, set up where they want to be, conceal well and play the wind, fullbodies are overkill IMO.

As for blinds, you can't go wrong with a Groundforce. Sets up in seconds, packs down just as fast. I like mine.

[BoxMN]

Slightly different subject, but do you guys dig your ground blinds down a little or a lot, or never? I think my main prob is on concealment, especially since one guy I go with thinks all he needs to do is throw his blind out and get in it. (Not you Mike )

[carpshooterdeluxe]

I always try to at least level the ground under my blind. when the field has already been chisel plowed, ripped, or plowed, its a no brainer to have a mudded blind dug down. wheat stubble, it depends on the height of the stubble, and how smart the birds are. Un tilled corn stubble, I usually just chop out whatever corn stalks will be under my blind and make sure that the ground is smooth under the blind. nothing worse than a day laying in the snow goose spread with a frozen lump of dirt under your butt. One day we hunted a navy bean field and we dug 5 blinds down to the doors. One of the best hides I've had in a bare field, but it took a ton of work as we were required to load out all the dirt in otter sleds and replace it when we were done. the benefit was pounding out 25 geese in a field other hunters didn't ask permission for because they didn't think they could hide blinds.

[Roosterslayer05]

Make sure you don't buy too many actives to feeders. A 4 or 5 to 1 mix is usually a good ratio.

Im going to have to disagree with that. I know allot of guys say more feeders than heads up, and it does work. But out of all the real birds iv seen on the ground this year thats not the ratio you see in the field. Im seeing more of a 50-50 on real birds or even 60-40 70-30 heads up ratio more often than a 80-20 feeder ratio. Everyone runs more feeders, try runing more heads up.

Like everyone else has said, sillo's work. Iv shot plenty of geese over sillo's. I personally think the ultra realistic fullbody trend is more for hunters than birds. I usually run 50-50 full body to sillo's but iv shot geese over just sillo's before. Socks also work and dont take up space.

You can ask 5 different guys that are highly successful goose hunters what they do to shoot geese and you can get 5 different awnsers. Try new things until you figure out what works for you in your area.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

You can ask 5 different guys that are highly successful goose hunters what they do to shoot geese and you can get 5 different awnsers. Try new things until you figure out what works for you in your area.

So true. Most successful guys will probably put scouting, location, and weather above what decoy they run in terms of how each item ranks in importance to killing birds.

[Maxxed Out]

I can see why you would think that. It depends on where you are watching them from. If you watch birds from afar with binocs it's typically 70/30 feeders to actives. If you pull up next to them on the road within 1/4 mile then you will typically see 30/70 feeders to actives.

[Maxxed Out]

Slightly different subject, but do you guys dig your ground blinds down a little or a lot, or never? I think my main prob is on concealment, especially since one guy I go with thinks all he needs to do is throw his blind out and get in it. (Not you Mike )

Every layout blind we buy is painted black before it hits the field. Then we mud the heck out of them. If you do that and do a proportionate amount of stubbling to the field you are in, you can disappear pretty easily. We usually use a hoe and clear the top 3-4 inches of loose dirt and then back fill around the blinds. The only time we usually go deeper is if it's a sunny day and we are trying to minimize shadows as much as possible.

FYI when it's dry and hoe a pick axe actually work much better than shovels for digging in.

[PierBridge]

Quote:

a dozen B2 for on sale for $130 per six

Those bigfoot 2's "lessers" looked pretty good. I almost dropped for some of those but decided to grab the "Big C" Cyper Monday special which was GHG full body motion feeder's "4 pack" for $60 normally $119 with motion bases and stakes, bought 8 of them. Still on sale for $79 as we speak.

[Scott M]

Saw that last night, was going to buy, then the web site crashed. Yuck. Might call customer service, but maybe I'll just sit on the money.