# Goose Decoy patterns



## Rocks (Apr 12, 2009)

Can anyone point me to some good resources for learning how to layout goose decoys in a field?

Going to be heading out soon for the first time and would like some direction. 

Right now the plan is to make an X pattern with the blinds in the middle of the X, but I'm not sure where to place each type of decoy. Where doese the eating decoy go compared to the sleeping, compared to the look out? How does the wind affect the pattern? Or does it really matter?

Any other advice is welcome.

Thanks


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

I giggle a little everytime I see in F&S or Outdoor Life these neat lil diagrams they have which show you where to put your lookers, actives, feeders, resters etc etc As well as categorize them as shells, silos and FBs. 


IMO the Letter shapes look somewhat un natural. The best advice I can give is when scouting the birds you intend to hunt look at how they are positioned. Are the clustered on a food source, are they spread out, in a line etc etc. The next day, do your best to mimic how they were utilizing a few family groups to center the geese to your spread. 

As for where to put specific postured geese. You have to realize you are capturing a moment in time to the geese. The sentry one minute maybe the feeder or rester the next minute with real live geese. The craziest I get with this, is tend to cluster some feeders and sometimes put a line of actives in the kill whole as to say we landed here this is where you need to land. 

IME the first flock is going to tell you everything you need to know. If they light long, left, right utilize the small groups of blockers to get what you need. 

Most importantly remember to hide the blinds as well as possible, the blinds are the key to killing geese. WIth todays lifelike decoys, if the blinds are hid you most likely are going to have good shooting. 

Good Luck


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## Ieatantlers (Oct 7, 2008)

As long as you have a landing pocket with plenty of space, its hard to go wrong. We usually run a big U or J. The strong side of the J helps them from jumping over the pocket. Just make sure your U is facing so the geese land into the wind, and there is plenty of room for them to land. If you don't give them a clear area, they will jump over your dekes. Camo on your blinds and not moving is far more important than how your dekes are set. Brush em in as much as possible, and use decoys to break up your blind's outline. As far as sentry/feeder placement, I agree with the above it doesn't matter a whole ton.


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## Duckman Racing (Oct 11, 2004)

Agree with what has been posted above. We usually run a J or a U pattern, but have also used an X pattern before. The idea with is to leave enough of an opening in the U, or in the hook of the J to allow the geese to land there. They will always land into the wind, so keep that in mind when you are setting the decoys.

As an example, last weekend we could not set-up with the wind at our backs due to a house that was on the downwind side of the field we were in. We set up our J with the bottom of the hook upwind, and then put our blinds in the decoys on the "leg" of the J. When the geese came into the pocket they were crossing right in front of us.


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## Quakstakr (Nov 3, 2009)

Here's a scenario I actually prefer, instead of having the wind at my back. 

A half harvested field (corn is nice for both comfort and concealment (hide in the unharvested crops), the wind is in your face or quartering, set your decoys in any of the "letter" patterns that fit the wind and/or terrain.

You have to visualize the birds landing. Geese are like jumbo jets. They need lots of room to land and leave. You don't want tree lines or anything like that behind you at least for a good ways. This is critical to allow the birds a low approach.

Here's the kicker. Place your decoys out of shooting range in chosen pattern in front of you. You still want the arch of the C or J or whatever pointing into the wind.

If and when the birds decoy, they will be locked up or flying directly over you...VITALS EXPOSED.

Can't always do this, but I love hunting that way. 

You can apply this to water also, but usually birds will just land over the decoys unless it's a small pond and you fill the other side with decoys.

Good Luck-Happy Hunting


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## Ieatantlers (Oct 7, 2008)

Quakstakr said:


> Here's a scenario I actually prefer, instead of having the wind at my back.
> 
> A half harvested field (corn is nice for both comfort and concealment (hide in the unharvested crops), the wind is in your face or quartering, set your decoys in any of the "letter" patterns that fit the wind and/or terrain.
> 
> ...


Shooting straight up sucks though. And seasoned geese know not to go near standing corn or tree rows. Too many guys hunt from them from lack of layout blinds. I'm sure it works, but shooting straight up is a p.i.t.a.


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## Quakstakr (Nov 3, 2009)

Your critique is well noted.

I was just coming back to point out that, by wind in your face I meant, the direction your decoys are. I guess you could shoot straight up, or do as I do and face the birds as they approach.

Say what you will about standing corn/crops, sounds like stereotyping to me.This is actually a technique I have used well after birds have been shot at. If those crops have just been harvested, birds will come if they've picked the other fields clean. My farmer friend has them circling his combine at harvest time. Not always mind you (that would again be stereotyping).

Sorry if I stepped on your toes, I'll allow you to field future requests for advice.


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## gomer (Dec 30, 2000)

> I guess you could shoot straight up, or do as I do and face the birds as they approach.


How would their vitals be any more "exposed" if they approach you like you described or if you shot them as they approached your layout blind positioned upwind of the pocket on your U or J? Both ways you are shooting birds approaching you generally head on and if you are in a blind positioned in/near your dekes then you are going to be shooting birds that are flying a lot slower, because they should have their landing gear down. 

Sure, hunting from standing crops is nice because you don't have to worry about hauling blinds out in the field and brushing them up, but it is just flat out not practical a lot of the time.


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## Ieatantlers (Oct 7, 2008)

Quakstakr said:


> Your critique is well noted.
> 
> I was just coming back to point out that, by wind in your face I meant, the direction your decoys are. I guess you could shoot straight up, or do as I do and face the birds as they approach.
> 
> ...


Didn't mean to offend you, field as many questions as you like. We can all have differences of opinion. Welcome to the site by the way.


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## Quakstakr (Nov 3, 2009)

Unfortunately we've strayed way too far from subject as often happens here. 

*Rocks*, let me be the first to appologize for that.
*
Gomer*, when birds are landing towards you with gear down, they do offer their vitals just before landing. 

Just my opinion. They are not open for as long, breast exposed, wings open. This also allows time for birds coming and going if you spin on them. A goose going away can be stoned alot farther going against their feathers and no ribs. Again my opinion.

Also in one paragraph/sentence I stated...

"Can't always do this, but I love hunting that way."
*
Antlers*, apology accepted, hope you accept mine.

*Rocks* once again, I'm sorry for interrupting your thread I post no further on this subject. 

(He shudders waiting for the wolves to trounce again).


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## warrenwaterfowler (Aug 31, 2007)

In all my field hunts we've made two big groups facing into the wind with a 40 yard gap between them. We hide in the gap in field blinds or hide in a nearby hedgerow, ditch, standing corn, or whatevers available. Never seemed to have a problem stacking them up that way.


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