Floating Mallard & Goose decoys together?

[Fuzzy]

Any suggestions for a decoy spread that includes both ducks & geese? For opener I used the classic C with the ducks (two groups of 10 mallards with a landing area between them)and put the 10 Canadian goose floaters out in one bunch directly out from there (10 yds beyond the furthest duck). Several ducks and geese took a look but few showed any interest.

Where would you position the floating geese?

One group or more?

In a group or single file line?

Thanks for your suggestions.

[hanson]

I wouldn't put the geese out past the Mallards or you will end up landing them on the outside of the goose decoys, more than likely out of range.

I'll usually put my goose floaters to one side of the blind, leave a small "landing area" in front of the blind, and then put my ducks on the other side. I try to do this setup on a point of some kind so I can still run a line of divers out off the point. My duck decoys still form somewhat of a J, although its more of a cluster of decoys that tapers out into a line of decoys running downwind.

[BoxMN]

We had cans on one side of a point, and geese on the other (long narrow point). Redheads came into both the Cans and the geese, go figure... I like to seperate geese from ducks as much as possible. We have more goose butts in our spread now as well, and don't put out less than about a dozen geese, or nothing. The more the better, but they are a hassle and take up so much room doing 3 dozen... heh.

[livintofish]

I agree with both of these guys basically, small group of geese off to the side from your other deks in close. Watch for when you see ducks and geese mixed in the wild how they group.

[hanson]

All I know is Goose Floaters work.

We've been putting out 20 GHG Oversize Floaters along with 1 dozen Mallards & 1 dozen Bluebills for a couple years now in the earlier part of the year. Early in the year, we're almost hunting with a 50:50 mix of ducks to geese. We increase the duck numbers by a few dozen later in the year.

We've been getting lots more ducks to decoy than if we were just hunting over duck decoys. Opening morning, the mallards wanted to check out the goose decoys and it was an awesome shoot. Divers seam to be completely unaffected that the geese are there.

And as a bonus, we're shooting geese now as well. The singles, pairs, and small flocks don't even have to be called to, they just lock up and come straight in.

[ice-man/vexilar-king]

Sounds like these guys have it. Off to the side and I set them 25 yards form the blind. You will notice allot of singles will land in those honkers vs the duck decoys.

[LABS4ME]

I guess I'm the odd man here then.

My late season spead looks like ducks in a park. 2-3 dozen floater geese with another couple dozen mallards mixed in throughout the geese. I do little lines of geese and groups of 3-5 mallards. Some loafers of both on shore (if hard shore is available) and plenty of butts of both species. I figure the mallards and geese are eating the same thing and try to mimic that they found a food source. I haven't seen any problem with the geese and ducks flaring from such a spread. I figure as the season wears on, they've seen everyones 2 dozen mallards and 6 floaters off to the side spread... but they see a mix of ducks and geese everytime they safely land at a park.

The divers I still keep off in a hook or line to one side with the hook 'bellying up' in front of or slightly to the side of the blind.

Good Luck!

Ken

[paceman]

We have awesome hunts so far this year by doing the following; 25 - 30 yards upwind from the blind put out 4-5 geese in a line, about 15 yards behind the geese and just right of the blind place a j-hook of bills and exstend them out as far as we can walk, leave a 10-15 yard wide landing zone right in front of the blind, then in the calm side of the blind place a dozen and a half mallard clustered with a few exstended out to deeper water, then place a few more geese left of the mallards also in the calm water. The ducks have been working this spread great and most of them cup right into the landing area in front of the blind for pretty easy shooting.This morning three of us limited out on ducks and a goose. We shot mallards, redheads, canvasbacks, bluebills, ringbills, buffaloheads, teal. Awesome time.