texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed, Trappernewt, casyoo
71987 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,413
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,764
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics536,987
Posts9,719,149
Members86,987
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread #7424988 02/05/19 04:33 AM
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,043
B
B Razorback Offline OP
Pro Tracker
OP Offline
Pro Tracker
B
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,043
Has anyone ever tried this and been successful? I always see people throwing out spreads of 500+ decoys, but being a broke college student (especially with a girlfriend) makes it hard to have 100, even with a couple buddies. I know being on the X is everything, but I've never heard of anyone throwing out a spread of just 60-75 wind socks. Any tips on making decoys, spread formations with limited decoys, or stories would be appreciated! We'll be hunting in the Stuttgart area within a month or so! Thanks y'all!


You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas! -Davy Crocket
This is duck hunting...shirts and shoes are optional
Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: B Razorback] #7424989 02/05/19 04:40 AM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,857
S
Simple Searcher Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
S
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,857
I can't help you here as we generally put out acres of wind socks, and it sucks. I am watching for tips, I hope you do well.


[Linked Image]

"Man is still a hunter, still a simple searcher after meat..." Robert C. Ruark
Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: B Razorback] #7424990 02/05/19 04:43 AM
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,043
B
B Razorback Offline OP
Pro Tracker
OP Offline
Pro Tracker
B
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,043
Thank you, I appreciate it! I know 60-75 decoys is not nearly enough, but I'm trying to make due with what we have.


You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas! -Davy Crocket
This is duck hunting...shirts and shoes are optional
Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: B Razorback] #7425018 02/05/19 09:01 AM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 16
3
3up3down Offline
Light Foot
Offline
Light Foot
3
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 16
Just try the small spread if that is the only option. It can happen, just not huge numbers.

Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: B Razorback] #7425033 02/05/19 12:00 PM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,648
thomas_z71 Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,648
I can't really help much, but I did buy a few hundred socks over the years specifically for people that need dekes and would let me hunt. I don't think I could drive all the way there to help, but if you're up there ask around to see if any has some they'd be willing to let you use if they hunted with you.

Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: B Razorback] #7425081 02/05/19 01:17 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 22,686
B
BigPig Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
B
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 22,686
Only advice I can give you is to avoid using wind socks on 40mph wind days. The birds will come, then stall upon approach as they are trying to figure out what kind of drugs the geese on the ground are eating, which eventually leads to them flaring away.


Wade Dews, REALTOR ®
Rendon Realty, LLC
Frontline Real Estate Team
www.RendonRealty.com
WadeDews@gmail.com
214-356-2410
Up to 1% for closing costs for First Responders & Veterans
Proudly partnered with Assist The Officer Foundation https://atodallas.org/
Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: BigPig] #7425115 02/05/19 01:53 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,386
J
john paul Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
J
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,386
If you had a super foggy day and you were right on the X you could kill them. Otherwise you are peeing in the wind.


Originally Posted by garrett
I'm with GK because I like salty old dudes.
Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: B Razorback] #7425211 02/05/19 03:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 106
G
Gulfgoose Offline
Woodsman
Offline
Woodsman
G
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 106
Every big feed starts out small. We've had some good shoots over small spreads but you need to have the best hide you've ever had and good conditions. Typically on a small spread you're going to be shooting them coming over with the spread behind you. Bonus with a small spread is if you don't screw with the main group and let them get over and shoot the smaller groups you can get a few days out a spot if conditions hold.

Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: Gulfgoose] #7425504 02/05/19 09:30 PM
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,043
B
B Razorback Offline OP
Pro Tracker
OP Offline
Pro Tracker
B
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,043
Originally Posted by Gulfgoose
Every big feed starts out small. We've had some good shoots over small spreads but you need to have the best hide you've ever had and good conditions. Typically on a small spread you're going to be shooting them coming over with the spread behind you. Bonus with a small spread is if you don't screw with the main group and let them get over and shoot the smaller groups you can get a few days out a spot if conditions hold.

"Every big feed starts out small" was the same thing I was thinking. Thank you for the tips! Has anyone ever tried to make decoys before?


You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas! -Davy Crocket
This is duck hunting...shirts and shoes are optional
Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: B Razorback] #7425510 02/05/19 09:35 PM
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,043
B
B Razorback Offline OP
Pro Tracker
OP Offline
Pro Tracker
B
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,043
We were going to go this weekend, but I've been seeing a lot of reports of the geese migrating back north with all this warm weather. When we tried this last year we were about a week off from the goose line. I had never hunted snows before, but they seem to move through East Arkansas in a wave eating their way down. A week before we went they were covering my buddies fields, but when we got there they were about 3-4 miles south across the highway. Weird!


You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas! -Davy Crocket
This is duck hunting...shirts and shoes are optional
Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: Gulfgoose] #7425770 02/06/19 03:20 AM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,871
B
brazosboyt Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
B
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,871
Originally Posted by Gulfgoose
Every big feed starts out small. We've had some good shoots over small spreads but you need to have the best hide you've ever had and good conditions. Typically on a small spread you're going to be shooting them coming over with the spread behind you. Bonus with a small spread is if you don't screw with the main group and let them get over and shoot the smaller groups you can get a few days out a spot if conditions hold.

Originally Posted by Gulfgoose
Every big feed starts out small. We've had some good shoots over small spreads but you need to have the best hide you've ever had and good conditions. Typically on a small spread you're going to be shooting them coming over with the spread behind you. Bonus with a small spread is if you don't screw with the main group and let them get over and shoot the smaller groups you can get a few days out a spot if conditions hold.



Agree. Our two best hunts last year and this year happened over 5 floaters and 36 shells. We patterned the birds coming to a mid morning water hole and mashed em. My days of putting out giant goose spreads are over.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


[Linked Image]

Re: Conservation Snow Goose Hunting Over a Small Spread [Re: B Razorback] #7426423 02/06/19 08:30 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42
D
D.D. Offline
Light Foot
Offline
Light Foot
D
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 42
Hunting and knocking off a few is much better than sitting at home. Scout and set up on them. Go for it.

Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3