Dekes in the rice

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Where I hunt the shore line is surrounded with rice. I have an open spot where my dock and boat where that I use for a landing area.

We usually put some dekes on the side of the opening and leading out to open water with some goose dekes on the outside of the rice.

My question(s) are,

Should we be putting more dekes scattered in the rice?

Should we put some goose dekes closer to the shoreline? They are now about 35 yrds from shore now.

I just want to pull more geese closer as they are my intended target.

Mike

[Scott M]

Great question. I'll be up around Marcell in a few weeks doing the same thing.

I looked at my setup, (I have pictures somewhere actually) and the density of rice plants was low enough where I could still see them pretty good.

Then I did a J hook into the open water with some white-butted diver decoys. It's a pretty visible rig in a lake connected to a river.

So my answer is I guess it depends on how good the visibility is overall (in terms of putting dekes in the rice). I think you have the right setup. I wouldn't change it. The goose decoys are out in the open near the rice and the other dekes are mixed in the open spot.

It's unfortunate that you have to be 35 yards out. That is just shy of about as far out as I'd want to shoot geese. Anyway you could use a portable blind halfway into the rice or something?

[Ely Lake Expert]

We will be hunting a rice pond tommorow as we do for the first couple weeks every year. We don't target geese but they do get shot at if they fly over, though we don't have any goose floaters to put out. We hunt over a small opening just off the shore. We usually put our dekes pretty close to the shoreline and along the edge of the thick rice with a couple sparatically in the open water. My experience is don't clog up the open water too much, especially if there is only a small opening becuase the ducks need a spot to "land" if they are going to decoy in.

[JoeTC]

Just make sure your dekes are visible to the birds. If the rice is going to hide them then I wouldn't put any in the rice. Make sure as well that the ducks aren't coming in right over the geese. Ducks will avoid landing over the heads of geese. I usually put the geese behind the ducks and to the side of me that way even if they don't come in all the way they'll still be in range. 35yds is a long shot especially if the land short or flare.

My 2cents

Joe

[MIKE IN lINO III]

Thanks guys,

I don't think the rice is too thick this year to conceal the dekes. I would love to get my blind half way out to the rice line but I would stick out like a sore thumb.

I was able to get one goose last year, Three came in and landed short then swam to my dekes. I had to ground swat one but it was my first ever so I don't feel too bad about it.

I guess I was just worried/wondering that the ducks wouldn't land in the rice. I'll make sure to keep the open water uncluttered with dekes.

Good Luck, Enjoy the hunt.

Mike