The "undecoyable" geese of Sauvie Island

Dave Smith · 11-05-2007, 01:14 PM

Been wanting to try this for a long time- it just took time to build up the courage- he he. I've been told so many times by so many different people that SI geese are impossible to decoy. Got the invite to hunt with long-time friend Dennis Larsen (wreckless) and his wife, Diane (keeper) on the the Sauvie Island management area for geese, along with our other young friend, Jake Baker. Dennis drew the historically worse of the two units,

infact, the season total for geese on the unit was one goose. Only one goose total has been successfully killed out there so far this season! Add to that the end of daylight savings robbing us of the first hour of shooting and we knew we had a challenge ahead of us. The result: Turns out geese are geese, good tactics still work and poor tactics still don't. We just basically had a great time and had some beautifully decoying birds, passed up hundreds of cacklers throughout the morning. The funny thing was getting to the check station and the guys there were so excited that "the geese were flying" that one guy dropped everything, grabbed the now available tag and headed out- no decoys, no call, just headed out to "shoot some geese". Don't bother giving us a little credit that maybe we did something right- he he. :tongue:
Thanks for the hunt, Dennis, Diane, and Jake!

DTSportsman · 11-05-2007, 02:11 PM

Dave,

I'm willing to bet you could have decoyed those birds with that new Blacktail Decoy you made. Nice job

.

billc_sbio · 11-05-2007, 02:50 PM

Are you SURE they're really decoyable?!!

Looks to me like they might have just been dazzled and blinded by all that bling around your neck as they passed by and never saw the guns!

Nice work BTW!

raptorschild · 11-05-2007, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Smith

Been wanting to try this for a long time- it just took time to build up the courage- he he. I've been told so many times by so many different people that SI geese are impossible to decoy. Got the invite to hunt with long-time friend Dennis Larsen (wreckless) and his wife, Diane (keeper) on the the Sauvie Island management area for geese, along with our other young friend, Jake Baker. Dennis drew the historically worse of the two units,

infact, the season total for geese on the unit was one goose. Not one goose per hunter, ONE goose total has been successfully killed out there so far this season!:frown: Add to that the end of daylight savings robbing us of the first hour of shooting and we knew we had a challenge ahead of us. The result: Turns out geese are geese, good tactics still work and poor tactics still don't. We just basically had a great time and had some beautifully decoying birds, passed up hundreds of cacklers throughout the morning. The funny thing was getting to the check station and the guys there were so excited that "the geese were flying" that one guy dropped everything, grabbed the now available tag and headed out- no decoys, no call, just headed out to "shoot some geese". Don't bother giving us a little credit that maybe we did something right- he he. :tongue:
Thanks for the hunt, Dennis, Diane, and Jake!

Nice Job!

Some days the geese want in.....

What was your secret??? I bet you sprinkled fairy dust on your goose calls! Works every time on those "un decoyable" geese.

wife&3kids · 11-05-2007, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lor

Hey man, its not that big a deal.
Wasn't trying to be disrepectful.
And no I don't have them figured out, because I have never hunted geese a day in my life. However, its hard to hunt SI without geese coming into decoy range everyday. Maybe its different in the goose hunting areas.
Just my observation.

what is decoy range?

Hunt'nFish · 11-05-2007, 04:00 PM

Show offs.

Shoot.... a spread full of killer DSD's, championship calling.....they never had a chance!
Way to lay the smack down on them.
Diane, hope your shoulder is feeling better.
Hunt'nFish

Keeper · 11-05-2007, 04:09 PM

(In my best french accent) Dave, I am glad you were able to come along and be part of the fun. I have never laughed so hard while watching birds fly right on by...they obviously didn't appreciate your (and Jake's) humor.

It was amazing to be in an open field with a combination of our DSD's and Dave's and watch Cacklers just bomb right in among them. The Tav's were more cautious in their approach and would circle 3-5 times before either landing (yes landing) or flipping us "the wing" and taking off. At one time we had over 100 birds in our decoys.

Even more surprising than the limits of geese was getting Wreckless out of bed at 3am and being in the reservation line by 5:15am. I sure hope Jerry realizes that I can't do that every weekend

Tar Heel · 11-05-2007, 04:09 PM

Grab your gun! Look behind you! There's a bunch of geese right behind you! Shoot them before they fly away!

Keeper · 11-05-2007, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

Diane, hope your shoulder is feeling better.
Hunt'nFish

Thank heavens it was my left shoulder and I shoot a semi auto!!! I definitely didn't pull any trick shots and Advil was my very best friend

Today I am recovering from the cortisone shot. Those HURT

I am hoping it will be back to normal soon. Thanks for the good wishes!

thehunt · 11-05-2007, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lor

I have never hunted geese a day in my life. .

but yet you have an opionion? Lor, I like you, I really do. But this is a problem. I'll be nice and say that geese flying over your duck decoys out on the public area at 40 yards is not decoying geese at all. Having a goose in range is not decoying geese. Having a 7 month old cackler land in your duck decoys out at race track is not decoying geese. Having flock after flock of albeit new to the area, yet wary tavs do it dirty all morning long is decoying geese. You just don't know what your talking about and I forgive you, it was innocent. :smile:

lor · 11-05-2007, 05:06 PM

I think it was established from the beginning Dave and I were talking about different things.
My post have been deleted.

Dave Smith · 11-05-2007, 05:39 PM

Hey, Lor- sorry to cause a stir- no hard feelings on my end that's for sure. Just had to flick ya as usual

Art Vandeley · 11-05-2007, 05:41 PM

Nice work Dave!! Way to put the smack down on them!

Dave Smith · 11-05-2007, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehunt

but yet you have an opionion? Lor, I like you, I really do. But this is a problem. I'll be nice and say that geese flying over your duck decoys out on the public area at 40 yards is not decoying geese at all. Having a goose in range is not decoying geese. Having a 7 month old cackler land in your duck decoys out at race track is not decoying geese. Having flock after flock of albeit new to the area, yet wary tavs do it dirty all morning long is decoying geese. You just don't know what your talking about and I forgive you, it was innocent. :smile:

Can this go in the archives of one of the best posts ever? Please?

lor · 11-05-2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Smith

Hey, Lor- sorry to cause a stir- no hard feelings on my end that's for sure. Just had to flick ya as usual

No hard feeling taken.
If I had to spend that much money to get some geese.
I guess I'd be happy when they drop in and I shoot a few.

I'll stick to affordable duck hunting, I'll go east of I-5 and shoot them when they land close to my hot buys.
Either way you look at it, its a dead goose.

HuntNFishAddict · 11-05-2007, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lor

No hard feeling taken.
If I had to spend that much money to get some geese.
I guess I'd be happy when they drop in and I shoot a few.

I'll stick to affordable duck hunting, I'll go east of I-5 and shoot them when they land close to my hot buys.
Either way you look at it, its a dead goose.

Chancellor I think you'd be better to sneak up on a goose that has a green collar and shoot it before it gets off the ground. Oh did I say that on a public forum.

Gun Rod Bow · 11-05-2007, 06:51 PM

I'm sure some better than average calling didn't hurt either.

Good job crew.

Looks like you guys had fun.

That's what it's all about.

sprigkiller09 · 11-05-2007, 07:02 PM

Awesome Dave!!! Nothing like doing the "impossible"!!

Thehunt: HAHAHAHA awesome post!!

wife&3kids · 11-06-2007, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HuntNFishAddict

Chancellor I think you'd be better to sneak up on a goose that has a green collar and shoot it before it gets off the ground. Oh did I say that on a public forum.

That was a highly uneducated thing to say.. But I bet you're just another who's jealous..

MarshBum · 11-06-2007, 07:09 AM

:lurk:

This is fun.

(oh, and nice job Dave and crew!)

Geoff

Wreckless · 11-06-2007, 07:35 AM

It was a GREAT hunt!!!

I think what Dave means by "undecoyable" is that a LOT of people justify shooting at Geese at long ranges because they "won't decoy".......They will

We've watched time and again, guys blaze away at flock after flock of Geese at 60 to 100+yds occasionally breaking a wing, crippling a LOT of birds then justifying it by saying things like, "That's as close as they'll get". That's all. We just need to be good sportsman or we will be seen as too wasteful.

Back to the subject at hand Diane shot great!! She doesn't shoot much, but when she does......BAM!!!!!

Jake made the shot of the day on a back hand going away left to right Tav "bugging out fast"

And I well, lets just say the new Benelli did OK!!!!

At one point I was laugh SO HARD at all the "Ricky Bobby" imitations that I couldn't have shot if I wanted too. Tears were streaming down my face, Geese were circling in EASY range and Dave is saying things like....Well I guess ya had to be there.

Someone posted asking, "how close is decoy range". Well, several times you could feel the wind from their wings as they cycloned in and I got p**ped on TWICE!!!

Dave, any time you want to go on a "guided" trip, you can bring your calls & decoys to my blind ANYTIME!!!

Seriously, thanks...It was a GREAT HUNT!!!