Strategies for Attracting High Flying Geese to Your Location

Improving Your Skills in Attracting High-Flying Geese

Attracting high-flying geese is a skill that requires patience, the right setup, and strategic calling. Geese at high altitudes are often cautious, and convincing them to break formation and descend can be a challenge. However, with the right techniques in decoy arrangement, calling, and concealment, you can attract passing flocks and improve your success in bringing high-flying geese down into shooting range. This guide provides expert tips to help you attract these wary birds.

Understanding High-Flying Geese Behavior

Before diving into strategies, it’s helpful to understand why geese fly high and what attracts them to certain areas.

• Safety Concerns: High-flying geese are often cautious, staying above potential threats. To get them to descend, you need to make the area look inviting and safe.

• Flight Patterns and Feeding Habits: Birds fly high when moving between feeding and roosting sites. Knowing their habits and targeting areas close to these paths increases your chances of attracting them.

• Wind and Weather Conditions: High winds, cold fronts, and open fields can impact their altitude and flight path. Adjust your setup based on weather conditions to draw their attention.

Setting Up an Effective Decoy Spread for High-Flying Geese

Decoy arrangement is one of the most crucial factors in attracting passing flocks of geese. A well-designed decoy spread can mimic the look of a safe landing area, encouraging geese to come down.

Use a Large, Visible Spread

High-flying Canada geese need to see your decoys from a distance, so a large, open spread helps catch their attention.

• Start with 50-100 Decoys: A large spread is often more effective for high-flying geese, as it mimics a safe and active area where birds are already feeding.

• Place Decoys in Clusters: Arrange decoys in small family groups with spacing between them to create a relaxed, natural look.

• Use Full-Body and Silhouette Decoys: Full-body decoys add realism at eye level, while silhouette decoys create a more visible spread from above, which is helpful for geese flying at higher altitudes.

Create an Open Landing Zone

Understanding where geese roost is crucial for creating an effective open landing zone, as it gives geese a safe place to land within your spread.

• “U” or “J” Shape Spread: Position decoys in a U- or J-shaped formation, leaving an open area in the middle or at the downwind side. This guides the geese into the landing zone.

• Align with the Wind: Geese land into the wind, so set up the landing zone downwind of your blind, helping them line up naturally for a landing approach.

Add Movement for Realism

Movement in your decoy spread makes it more attractive to high-flying geese, mimicking live birds and incorporating Canada goose calls.

• Use Flagging for Visibility: Wave a flag periodically to mimic geese flapping their wings as they land. Stop flagging once they show interest to avoid spooking them.

• Incorporate Motion Decoys: Consider a few motion decoys to add realistic movement, but keep it subtle. Too much motion can appear unnatural and deter cautious birds.

Mastering Calling Techniques for High-Flying Geese

Goose hunting is essential for high-flying geese, as they often respond well to vocal cues from birds on the ground.

Start with Loud, Attention-Getting Canada Goose Calls

High-flying geese, such as the Canada goose, may not hear soft calls from a distance, so louder calls help catch their attention.

• Use Hail Calls: Begin with a loud hail call to attract geese from above, signaling to them that there are birds on the ground.

• Clucks and Moans: Once geese start to show interest, switch to softer clucks and moans. These calls mimic contented geese and help reassure birds as they get closer.

• Mimic Large Flocks: If you’re hunting with other callers, use a mix of calls to create the impression of a large group. Vary your calling style to make it sound natural and realistic.

Adjust Calling Based on Bird Reaction

Being responsive to geese behavior can help bring them down when they’re hesitant.

• Observe Body Language: Watch the birds’ wing and head movements. If they’re interested, they may start to circle or lower altitude, which is a sign to reduce calling intensity.

• Tone Down as Geese Approach: As geese start to descend, soften your calls or switch to feeding sounds to create a more relaxed scene. Over-calling as they approach can make them suspicious and cause them to pull away.

Use Calling to Direct Geese to the Landing Zone

Skillful calling can guide geese toward the open landing area in your spread, which is a crucial aspect of a successful goose hunt.

• Directional Calling: Position yourself so that your calls lead geese toward the landing zone. This technique helps create a natural flight path to your decoys.

• Sync Calls with Motion: If using flagging, combine it with loud calls to simulate birds moving and calling at the same time. This combination can grab their attention from a distance.

Concealment Techniques for Serious Goose Hunters

High-flying geese are watchful, so your concealment must be flawless to avoid detection.

Use Natural Cover and Layout Blinds

Effective concealment begins with choosing the right spot and blending in with the surroundings. Serious goose hunters often bring a lot of equipment, such as decoys and blinds, to enhance their chances in the field.

• Natural Cover: Set up in areas with natural cover, like tall grass, bushes, or fields. Use the natural landscape to break up your outline and blend with the environment.

• Low-Profile Layout Blinds: A low-profile layout blind with local vegetation attached can keep you hidden in open fields. Add extra brush or grass around the edges to make the blind blend seamlessly.

Stay Still and Avoid Excessive Movement

Geese flying high can spot movement easily, so stillness is critical for goose hunters.

• Limit Flagging and Movement: Only flag or call when necessary. Avoid excessive movement when geese are within range, as this can spook them.

• Use Camouflage for Hands and Face: Exposed skin can be visible from above, so wear gloves and face masks or paint to reduce glare and reflections.

Position Downwind for Optimal Shooting

Geese prefer to land into the wind, so set up upwind of the landing zone for the best shooting opportunities.

• Stay Hidden from the Approach Path: Position your blind in a way that keeps it hidden from the geese’s approach path, giving you clear shots as they come downwind.

• Place Blinds Close to Decoys: High-flying geese tend to survey the area before landing, so place blinds within range of the landing zone for optimal shooting positions.

Tips for Adapting to Weather Conditions

Weather conditions can impact snow geese behavior, flight altitude, and visibility, so adjust your setup based on the day’s conditions.

Windy Conditions

Windy weather affects geese flight patterns and often brings birds closer to the ground, which is particularly important in snow goose hunting.

• Increase Decoy Movement: Use flagging and motion decoys sparingly, as natural wind will add movement to your spread.

• Larger Landing Zone: In windy conditions, geese need more space to land safely, so widen your landing zone to accommodate their approach.

Cloudy or Overcast Days

Cloud cover can make high-flying geese more cautious and often brings them lower, as they have limited visibility.

• Use Larger Decoy Spread: Cloudy days call for a larger spread to make your setup more visible from above.

• Soft Calling: Since sound carries farther on overcast days, use softer calls to avoid overwhelming or spooking the geese.

Clear, Sunny Days

On clear days, visibility is excellent, so concealment becomes even more critical.

• Limit Movement: High-flying geese can see any unnatural motion easily, so stay as still as possible.

• Reduce Shiny Surfaces: Bright sunlight can reflect off metal, plastic, or exposed skin. Make sure all shiny surfaces are covered or dulled to avoid catching the geese’s attention.

Conclusion

Attracting high-flying geese requires careful planning, patience, and mastery of decoy placement, calling, and concealment. By setting up an inviting spread with an open landing zone, using loud yet realistic calling techniques, and staying well-hidden, you can improve your chances of success. Adapting to weather conditions and observing geese behavior helps you make strategic adjustments, increasing the likelihood that these wary birds will descend. With practice, you’ll refine your approach and develop the skills needed to bring high-flying geese within range, making each hunt more successful and rewarding.

FAQs

How many decoys should I use for attracting high-flying geese?
For high-flying geese, a large spread of 50-100 decoys is recommended, as it creates a visible, inviting area.

What types of calls work best for high-flying geese?
Start with loud hail calls, then switch to softer clucks and moans as they approach to keep them interested.

How can I improve my concealment when hunting high-flying geese?
Use natural cover, low-profile layout blinds, and camouflage for hands and face to stay hidden from above.

Should I adjust my setup for windy days?
Yes, use less motion decoying as wind creates natural movement, and widen the landing zone for better approach angles.

What’s the best way to position my blind for high-flying geese?
Set up downwind of the decoy spread, as geese prefer landing into the wind. Position close to the landing zone for optimal shooting.

How does weather affect high-flying geese behavior?
Windy days bring geese lower, while overcast days make them more cautious. Clear days increase their visibility, so adjust accordingly.

Is flagging effective for high-flying geese?
Yes, flagging can be very effective for visibility, but limit its use to avoid spooking geese as they approach.