Snow goose decoy set-ups?

[mr wizard]

This is my first year hunting over decoys. I have 350 shells, 1/3 blues, 10 flyers and 50 wind socks, 1/2 blues. What are some winning set-ups? So far I have the "tear-drop", "W" and "V" sets. How far from roosts do you set-up?

[huntingmaxima]

I have hunted Sask. Albert, Mant. ND SD, have tried them all i think that the "V" or "C" is the best, but the bottom line is if you do not have alot of wind you are screwed. The wind is the diference between shooting 6 birds or shooting 60 birds. we always put or best looking deeks out front. and wherever the first couple of birds or flocks come in from move your blind there as quick as you can.

[IceHawk]

Good tips Maxima. By the way you last name isn't Curtis is it? I think my buddy borrows some decoys from you each spring.

We use the V set most but we have been experimanting with different looks and sets. I like to watch the geese in the fields to see how they are sitting then we try to set up to resemble the flocks as close as possible. As stated set your best stuff up front and use the other decoys as fillers. The tip with the wind is a big one! The more wind the better. The geese come in real low when she's really blowing.

[mr wizard]

Icehawk, Have you ever seen ariel pics of snows in the field? When setting up the "V", is it pointed into the wind? How far from the point do you set your lay-outs?

[wooduck26]

Wind is good, but if you really wanna pile 'em up....FOG is what you need!

I think a tear drop tapering to a point on the downwind edge is a good set up..........If your using flyers be aware you WILL get them oddball birds that will hook into the middle of the spread and hover over your flyers.....and 99% of the time you wont see them till its too late to get a shot at 'em....just an FYI

[koutdoors]

With FOG, it's not even fair!!!!

[wooduck26]

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With FOG, it's not even fair!!!!

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I know......so I've heard....

[IceHawk]

Wizard- If we are hideing in the open we usally set out in front of our decoys about 10-20 yds in front of the V. If we are in our Lay-downs or goose chairs we lay in the tails of the V to hide easier. We always leave them a opening to land but as you will find out alot of snows will do what they call a Tornado. Snow geese tend to spin around a set gradually loseing altitude and eventually comeing over hopefully low enough to shoot. Getting under a white tornado and seeing hundreds of birds dropping is what keeps me going back. Snows decoy a little differently than Canadas once you hunt them you will see what I'm talking about.

Don't get frustrated when decoying you will lose more than you will win at the game, but when everything falls into place and things (weather,wind,fog etc)work out it's definately satisfying. Snows are getting smarter every year and it's getting harder but that will never stop me from playing the game!

As far as fog I have had a few hunts for snows in it. I will tell you they become suicideal if you find a field they were in and want back in, truely amazeing!!

[huntingmaxima]

Hawk Thats me!

Wizard Sometime you may want to take your lay out blind even out as far as 50 to 100 yards, if they a decoy shy.

With the fog just sit on the tailgate, and turn up the jonny stewart.

[Big Country]

Good words of wisdom Hawk. Heres the kicker though, what to do when there is no wind Lots of $$ and vacation time are spent on trips like this where six bird days are unacceptable. We hunt Saskatchewan from MooseJaw to Quill Lakes and have found that fresh water near feeding fields is a killer combo. But often these two components are hard to find. Don't get me wrong, memories and camaraderie are the ultimate, but meat is a priority when we go that far from home. Wind two years ago proved to be short of incredible for us, but 9 out of 10 it's dead calm. BC

[wooduck26]

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Heres the kicker though, what to do when there is no wind

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A floater spread with Mallard Machines!

[IceHawk]

BC- As far as the wind it's a definate bonus that can make a hunt incredible but just because it's calm doesn't mean you can't kill geese. Snows are getting tougher every year and being sharp in the game equals success. Makeing very little mistakes will allow everyone to have more success. We as hunters have to remeber these birds have seen every spread and setup from Texas up to Canada. The snow goose population hasn't grown from them being dumb and they are getting wiser every year.

My opinion is that when its calm and sunny you can kill geese it's just odds are the numbers won't be as great. I find that when you hit these situations to be successfull you have to have a perfect set-up meaning good decoys set-ups and definately a prime location. We have found that when hunting this scenerio we opt to shy away from hunting out of our laydown blinds. I have taken pictures all around my decoy spreads and I have seen where layout blinds will at times cast shadows on very sunny days. I feel at times this may scare the geese.(my personal opinion only) We like to lay right in the decoys in these situatuions as we feel concealment is our greatest issue.

Finding a area with water and a field combo is a definate plus. I feel a quality setup is what count's on sunny days. When calm useing more shells and full bodies has helped our group windsocks look pretty lifeless when there is no wind. The number one thing I feel is concealment remeber there are a bunch of eyes peering down on you and the older more mature birds will pick out any flaws in your setup, especially when it's calm and sunny.

[TeamStraightMeat]

I don't have enough decoys to make a pattern. I have 2 dozen Greenehead shells and 10 FowlHabit Flyers...any other suggestions on how to set them up?

Always looking for new ideas. Last year we just put them in a blob and smoked the geese like you couldn't believe. We don't have blinds so we just lay there on the ground...are blinds worth it?

[TeamStraightMeat]

What's up with fog? Never hunted in the fog and am looking ot do this. Any good places to try it out?

[TeamStraightMeat]

Why do you guys say it's not even fair when it's foggy?

[huntingmaxima]

The reason that I like the fog is that the birds cannot see you until it is to late. With a low fog they will come to the noise of the recorder, so that by the time they see you it is to late. So sit on your tailgate and enjoy some easy hunting.