Snow Goose Decoys

Question:

Dear Delta,

When snow goose hunting are dozens upon dozens of decoys needed? Why or why not?

-Scott Free

Answer:

Scott, in almost all circumstances huge decoy spreads are the norm for pursuing white geese. And even with all of the best equipment they can make you look down right foolish (I have sworn off hunting them altogether about 20 times in my life but keeping coming back under the allusion that one of these days I will get it right!) Most really good snow goose hunters I know put far more thought into their spreads than even the most big water diver hunters I have associated with, and that is a result of the tremendously large flocks and the cagy personality that these birds have when they get to the primary hunting areas.

While traditionally very large spreads of simple decoys were deployed, today more and more hunters are getting more sophisticated to the spreads they are laying.  More hunters are adding full bodies, silhouettes and shells to their rag spreads and also adding flags, kites, goose magnets, string of wings and others to replicate the amount of activity that is underway with a large flock of snows. From what I have learned motion is the key to making snows really ball up and come in.

Now with all of that being said, Delta’s President Jonathan Scarth and a good friend and former Delta student (who will remain nameless) had wonderful shooting over 18 high quality decoys with great concealment and after a thorough scouting job on October morning this fall in Manitoba.

Scott, I would argue that with snows like every other waterfowling scenario, scout hard learn the birds and keeping adding tricks until you find something that works in your area. Best of luck!

John Devney

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