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Video: Using the Flag and Call |
Flagging Geese
Q: I do a lot of field hunting and I was wondering if you recommend a flag to get the geese attention? -Kyle Brookhouse
A: Kyle, in my experience, any way to mimic movement in a field spread is critical to decoying geese consistently (especially those late season honkers that have seen any number of tricks!).
Flags have stood the test of time and we use both a short T-Flag design for finishing work, and a pole kite to attract the attention of flocks at a distance. We often hunt with groups (3-4 hunters) and will distribute calling and flagging responsibilities amongst the group with a couple of callers and flaggers.
I would suggest varying your technique to see what produces the best result, because on some days the birds want to be flagged right to the ground and on other days, they seem to just want to see it at a distance.
I hope this helps put some big honkers in your lap!
John Devney
Q: The question of flagging has come up on our trip to the Finger Lakes next week (early January). Being the second season and the birds a bit more wary, should we all be flagging, flagging till the birds are in range, or stopping well short as not to spook them? - Kevin Bodmer
A: Great question and I hope you can put this to use in the field on those late season honkers! From my experience flagging is one of those day in day out techniques that will get geese over your spread. I tend to experiment with flags as I do with calling and find that some days the birds want the flag until they are finishing while on some days it is mainly useful to attract passing flocks. I would suggest that you experiment with flagging each day to determine what is working best. Also, if you have a number of friends in the field, it helps to have some folks flagging and some calling so each can concentrate on their own task. Hope this helps!
Best wishes and good hunting!
John Devney