Advice On Decoying

[minka79 1]

Hi lads I'm looking for some advice on devoting greylags I have recently been given some permission in Cumbria and have never done it before the lad I'm shooting with has shot geese in the past but I would like some help before I set out.

 

Generally time do they fly to and from the fields ?

There are one or two white geese that fly with them what will they be?

Would it be better to set the hide and decoys the evening before shooting?

 

Any help much appreciated

 

Minka

[jclay91 12]

They usually fly to feed at dawn and return to roost at dusk but the moon can affect feeding patterns

I would get there and set deeks well before light, random family groups a few feet apart.

A good caller is usually worth having but practice before you use in the field.

[remi700 99]

Greys generally fly early, with the exceptions of very frosty mornings, mornings with heavy fog or in and around a full moon, they should start to arrive at your feed fields at the first crack of daylight . They are the wariest of all the goose species so make sure your well covered up. They have a habit of flying high so good cover overhead is a must!! As far as calls go dont overdo it. There really easy to overcall. If your not used to blowing a call at them dont try to reproduce the skirls you hear them make as they fly, they make a soft gaggle sound, say ha ha ha ha ha into the call and leave it at that. Allow them to circle the field, just because there flying high away from you dosnt mean you should step it up on the call as you would with canada geese. Let them work, if there interested they will come back around. Most important is to watch your geese, try to observe where there coming from, what time there arriving, are they coming in many small bunches or a few big flocks ( you will find it much easier to pull small groups then big flocks).

 

As for setting up the night before personally i wouldnt, You run the risk of not seeing the geese if there ready to leave for roost and scaring them out of the field. If you do put them out of the field the night before you may not see them the next day at all and if you do they are much more likely to arrive in one big flock. Also pay attention to wind direction. If you set up the night before the wind may change direction and leave your geese nowhere to land. They need good room to work. Like any birds they want to land head to the wind so keep this in mind. Greys will decoy differently to canada geese, where canadas will try to slide along your spread and land in the hole at the front much like diving ducks, greylags will pick a hole in your decoys and fall into it. For this reason you can set your decoys much further out then you would for canadas. Minimum gap between decoys for greylags about 10 to 12 feet with no particular pattern. They will pick out the gaps in the decoys put out there feet and back peddle into your spread. Give them hell!! Good luck, when they work for you there the finest wildfowl of all to hunt! Atb Mark

 

Ohh and the white geese are most likely greylag x domestic geese or pure domestic geese. Get them shot, they eat well!!

Edited October 21, 2013 by remi700

[ANTHONYCHEZ 27]

good advice remi, you wont go far wrong if you do it this way

[stalkerboydy 4]

Greys generally fly early, with the exceptions of very frosty mornings, mornings with heavy fog or in and around a full moon, they should start to arrive at your feed fields at the first crack of daylight . They are the wariest of all the goose species so make sure your well covered up. They have a habit of flying high so good cover overhead is a must!! As far as calls go dont overdo it. There really easy to overcall. If your not used to blowing a call at them dont try to reproduce the skirls you hear them make as they fly, they make a soft gaggle sound, say ha ha ha ha ha into the call and leave it at that. Allow them to circle the field, just because there flying high away from you dosnt mean you should step it up on the call as you would with canada geese. Let them work, if there interested they will come back around. Most important is to watch your geese, try to observe where there coming from, what time there arriving, are they coming in many small bunches or a few big flocks ( you will find it much easier to pull small groups then big flocks).

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for setting up the night before personally i wouldnt, You run the risk of not seeing the geese if there ready to leave for roost and scaring them out of the field. If you do put them out of the field the night before you may not see them the next day at all and if you do they are much more likely to arrive in one big flock. Also pay attention to wind direction. If you set up the night before the wind may change direction and leave your geese nowhere to land. They need good room to work. Like any birds they want to land head to the wind so keep this in mind. Greys will decoy differently to canada geese, where canadas will try to slide along your spread and land in the hole at the front much like diving ducks, greylags will pick a hole in your decoys and fall into it. For this reason you can set your decoys much further out then you would for canadas. Minimum gap between decoys for greylags about 10 to 12 feet with no particular pattern. They will pick out the gaps in the decoys put out there feet and back peddle into your spread. Give them hell!! Good luck, when they work for you there the finest wildfowl of all to hunt! Atb Mark

 

Ohh and the white geese are most likely greylag x domestic geese or pure domestic geese. Get them shot, they eat well!!

 

Good sound advice apart from the White Geese again I would think your right BUT they could also be Snow Geese of which I know are about in Cumbria this are PROTECTED so really be 100% sure before you shoot ANY White Geese. Have fun enjoy yourself and Good Luck.

[remi700 99]

Quite easy to tell the difference. A snow goose is only about half the size of a greylag they have many different plumage phases but an adult will be pure white with black wing tips. 1st year birds are a similar grey to a greylag but have a white head. You would be much more likely to see them in with a flock of pinks then greylags. Domestic geese being originally bred from greylags call like greylags. Snows make a 2 note call similar to whitefronts or pinks.