To decoy or not to decoy?

[lakeside1000]

Last season I was enjoying my first time out as a wildfowler, investing in equipment , a shotgun that could handle magnum cartridges and of course a bag full of sillosock pinkfoot decoys, which I used with some success,

So yesterday , after reports of pinks on the local marshes, I set out with all my gear and full of anticipation, after parking up I went straight to the tag board to to leave my tag where I found a large notice to all shooters, No goose decoys to be used on arable marsh land .

So begrudgingly I set off without the decoys, from 3.30 right up until dark I had both grey lags and pinks all around me, calling to both they were answering my calls but would not come within range, and skein after skein came low over the fields looking for their friends but staying just out of range, without the decoys to signal safe grazing they simply passed by , almost 4 hours of total frustration,

I have no idea who put the sign up, but I will not be going back to that particular marsh, which had been very productive last season, I could shoot them on their way back to the roost but I prefer to decoy .

So something of a disappointment, now I have to find an alternative marsh where decoy's are permitted and hope my luck changes,

And just to rub salt in the wound as the light went I had two large ducks pass right above me, as I turned to take the shot I slipped in the mud and missed by a country mile,

If all else fails it back to the pigeons for me !!

[Penelope]

Sometimes, geese can be just too easy to shoot with decoys; perhaps some excessive bags were taken last season, hence the notice. I would check with you club as it may be a club wide ban on all of their ground.

 

You say the sign said arable land, what about grazing marsh?

[Guest]

Were I shoot u ain't allowed goose deeks at all and nee magnum duck deeks as well!!

[figgy]

Were I shoot u ain't allowed goose deeks at all and nee magnum duck deeks as well!!

 

 

 

Now in English for the people south of the Wear

[marsh man]

Sometimes, geese can be just too easy to shoot with decoys; perhaps some excessive bags were taken last season, hence the notice. I would check with you club as it may be a club wide ban on all of their ground.

 

You say the sign said arable land, what about grazing marsh?

It was the land owners decision Penelope , he didn't want any goose decoying on any of his growing crops which pretty much cover most of his land . right or wrong ? , his decision and we have to honour it .

His way of looking at it is , he is trying to keep them off the growing wheat ect , not encouraging them on to it with decoys . On grazing land there is no problem , you can decoy geese to your hearts content , although you might have to wait till the cattle are off which will be around the beginning of November.

[Penelope]

An odd way of looking at it, but he is the land owner.

 

It was the land owners decision Penelope , he didn't want any goose decoying on any of his growing crops which pretty much cover most of his land . right or wrong ? , his decision and we have to honour it .

His way of looking at it is , he is trying to keep them off the growing wheat ect , not encouraging them on to it with decoys . On grazing land there is no problem , you can decoy geese to your hearts content , although you might have to wait till the cattle are off which will be around the beginning of November.