kitchrat Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 No it's not a joke, I really don't know. The reason I ask is that a mate and I recently took a morning Pinkfooted goose flight with a well known outfit in E Anglia. We got there at 6.00 and were escorted to a field “they had been hammering yesterday”, told there was a hide in the hedge and some decoys in the field and left to it. We put the Sillosocks decoys out to the best of our ability (pigeon shooting style) and waited as it got light. About 8.00 pinks began to arrive, fly past nice and high and land in the next field. More followed so I put a shot up to lift them off. Many geese flew high over us in the next hour, all going elsewhere and showed NO interest at all in our decoys. When we had full light I was horrified to see that our decoys were Whitefronted geese. Now I know we were in the wrong field (ours had been grazed a little but not lately and the next field was unharvested volunteer barley the geese much preferred) but my question is, “ If all other things were equal, would Pinks decoy to Whitefronts??” I guess that IF we had been in exactly the right part of the right field, almost any decoys could work but would cross-decoys help in normal situations when you have to persuade geese into range?? Another couple of shooters were out with the same outfit, they never had a shot either and told me their decoys were Canada geese – same question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 Ask yourself this question, do pigeons decoy into a field they aren't feeding on? Will different geese sit in the same field and feed on the same food, they do. The birds just didn't want to be in that field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 I can see absolutely no reason why pinks wouldn't decoy to whitefront decoys. The colours are fairly similar. You were in the wrong field. I hope your guide didn't charge much. I would much rather take my chances on the foreshore than go with a guide like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokersmith Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 The problem was your location, not the decoys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 +1 with smokersmith.....location was the issue not the decoys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted December 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 1 hour ago, motty said: I can see absolutely no reason why pinks wouldn't decoy to whitefront decoys. The colours are fairly similar. You were in the wrong field. I hope your guide didn't charge much. I would much rather take my chances on the foreshore than go with a guide like that. OK, so it was mainly the wrong field. However, being 100 miles from the sea, we have little choice but use a shooting outfit and take a chance. On this occasion, we lucked out, much like the guy posting on the pigeon forum the other week. But it was a very half-hearted attempt by the so-called experts.... Yes it was expensive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guy baxendale Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 Pinks will decoy to greylag or Spec (WF) decoys......as has been said if you're on the wrong field they wont play ball. They are also very tough to pull in once there are real live geese on the ground nearby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 1 hour ago, kitchrat said: OK, so it was mainly the wrong field. However, being 100 miles from the sea, we have little choice but use a shooting outfit and take a chance. On this occasion, we lucked out, much like the guy posting on the pigeon forum the other week. But it was a very half-hearted attempt by the so-called experts.... Yes it was expensive... No one can guarantee you shooting wild birds, they are wild birds and will do what they want. You can go to the right areas but even then they might not like something and be put off. Join a wildfowling club that has Pinks and get out with people there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 1 hour ago, kitchrat said: OK, so it was mainly the wrong field. However, being 100 miles from the sea, we have little choice but use a shooting outfit and take a chance. On this occasion, we lucked out, much like the guy posting on the pigeon forum the other week. But it was a very half-hearted attempt by the so-called experts.... Yes it was expensive... I get what you're saying regarding the distance for you to travel. However, you must have had a reasonable journey for this trip. You could get a season's membership for a club on the wash (Fenland wildfowlers' Association, for example) for the cost of maybe two or three guided days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 Many "guides" will do this, they probably do not have access to the field/s the geese are feeding on? So they put the guns on a field that is close to it.......you the guns and their "clients" will see geese, but probably not get a shot? They know this but they ain't gonna turn your money down! So they put failure down to geese being "wild" and unpredictable...... When you are putting the decoys out, have a trawl around, if you see no fresh goose droppings in the chosen decoy area......that's a fair indication of the degree of success you can expect!....and lack of goose droppings, proves the lie when they claim " they were on here yesterday" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted December 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 3 hours ago, panoma1 said: Many "guides" will do this, they probably do not have access to the field/s the geese are feeding on? So they put the guns on a field that is close to it.......you the guns and their "clients" will see geese, but probably not get a shot? They know this but they ain't gonna turn your money down! So they put failure down to geese being "wild" and unpredictable...... When you are putting the decoys out, have a trawl around, if you see no fresh goose droppings in the chosen decoy area......that's a fair indication of the degree of success you can expect!....and lack of goose droppings, proves the lie when they claim " they were on here yesterday" Yes, once it was fully light I could see that the wheat was lightly grazed in places but the goose footprints and droppings had been washed by rain, then dried out again. Then I knew we were doomed..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted December 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 4 hours ago, motty said: I get what you're saying regarding the distance for you to travel. However, you must have had a reasonable journey for this trip. You could get a season's membership for a club on the wash (Fenland wildfowlers' Association, for example) for the cost of maybe two or three guided days. It was a 2-hour ride to get there, leaving my house at 3.30am to pick my mate up. Arriving at 6.00 was too early but what did I know? I would like to join a club but have neither experience in "true" wildfowling nor a dog, so would feel a bit of a nuisance to other members. Then, I know it's a bit hit and miss and 2 hours each way to see no geese is a bit of a downer (as I found out!). By the way, the charge was a 3-figure number (just over)!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guy baxendale Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 did the guide stay with you and attempt to call the geese or dump you and leave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 25 minutes ago, kitchrat said: It was a 2-hour ride to get there, leaving my house at 3.30am to pick my mate up. Arriving at 6.00 was too early but what did I know? I would like to join a club but have neither experience in "true" wildfowling nor a dog, so would feel a bit of a nuisance to other members. Then, I know it's a bit hit and miss and 2 hours each way to see no geese is a bit of a downer (as I found out!). By the way, the charge was a 3-figure number (just over)!! That doesn't stop plenty of people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 30 minutes ago, guy baxendale said: did the guide stay with you and attempt to call the geese or dump you and leave? Very good question , I have never been into goose decoying so I cant offer any advise , but I would have thought the op paid good money to be dumped into a ditch , left a few goose decoys and expected to get on with it . It might not had made much difference, but if the so called guide had stayed with you and altered the decoys to attract the overhead skeins and used his calls to try to make them alter there course , then at least you would then see he is trying his best even if the end result was the same . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 2 hours ago, kitchrat said: It was a 2-hour ride to get there, leaving my house at 3.30am to pick my mate up. Arriving at 6.00 was too early but what did I know? I would like to join a club but have neither experience in "true" wildfowling nor a dog, so would feel a bit of a nuisance to other members. Then, I know it's a bit hit and miss and 2 hours each way to see no geese is a bit of a downer (as I found out!). By the way, the charge was a 3-figure number (just over)!! All I can say is, people come from much further than you to enjoy sport on the wash. I was out with a couple of chaps from Devon a few weeks back. They come up a couple of times a year and usually shoot a few geese. That is a lot of money to pay to not even have a shot. I would NOT have been happy. That is such shabby service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted December 12, 2017 Report Share Posted December 12, 2017 Kitchrat IF the company is who i think it is they mainly deal with continental clients and I'd not recommend them to my worst enemy. As others have said Decoys species was not the problem. I'm sure a couple ( probably more ) of members off here would back me when I say you Don't need to be on feeding field to have success in fact i very rarely shoot a field Geese are feeding on unless it's a growing cereal crops. Unfortunately you was given no update information Because had you knowen ( 1 ) which direction the Geese came/come from. ( 2 ) direction of Wind also a factor where to position hide and Decoys. ( 3 ) time which the first geese arrive to feed So had you had been given the right information set your hide decoys close to the feeding field with the wind blowing on your back keeping still a little bit of calling ( definitely NOT like the Pied Piper of Hamlin ) you should have had good opportunity's especially in the half light with the early Geese. I'd have to agree with Motty join eg Fenland do your homework put the effort in and reap the rewards unfortunately i believe your found to your cost unlike pheasant shooting to many out there where Geese are concerned there main aim is lineing there Pocket. I'm very lucky and shoot Geese almost daily definitely weekly BUT i work my socks off costs me a small fortune and I DON'T relie on others information. Good luck with any future Goose flights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted December 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2017 15 hours ago, guy baxendale said: did the guide stay with you and attempt to call the geese or dump you and leave? He lent us a call (which we didn't know how to use) then left, returning briefly a couple of hours later (spooking some incoming geese which MAY have come in - but probably not) It was a classic case of take the cash, dump them and hide behind the "wild birds" escape clause 13 hours ago, motty said: All I can say is, people come from much further than you to enjoy sport on the wash. I was out with a couple of chaps from Devon a few weeks back. They come up a couple of times a year and usually shoot a few geese. That is a lot of money to pay to not even have a shot. I would NOT have been happy. That is such shabby service. Yes, the other two guys, who had a similar failure to fire a shot, had come from South Wales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted December 13, 2017 Report Share Posted December 13, 2017 PM for you kitchrat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitchrat Posted December 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2017 15 hours ago, marsh man said: Very good question , I have never been into goose decoying so I cant offer any advise , but I would have thought the op paid good money to be dumped into a ditch , left a few goose decoys and expected to get on with it . It might not had made much difference, but if the so called guide had stayed with you and altered the decoys to attract the overhead skeins and used his calls to try to make them alter there course , then at least you would then see he is trying his best even if the end result was the same . Yes, it was blatently half-hearted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted December 13, 2017 Report Share Posted December 13, 2017 let me know if your ever in the west lancs area... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted December 13, 2017 Report Share Posted December 13, 2017 1 hour ago, misser said: let me know if your ever in the west lancs area... That would be worth the drive alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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