Snow Goose Spreads

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Chuck's post got me thinking about snow goose hunting.

What size spreads is everybody running and with what type of decoy? (sillosocks, full bodies, shells etc.,.)

I'm looking at starting a full body snow goose spread some time and looking to see what everyone else is running for numbers? 10 dozen too little?

[tornadochaser]

Shot a lot of mallards over 10 dozen snow fb this fall. Had some decent snow shoots over 250 fb too. Plan this spring is during the lead edge and main migration is to set the fb in a doughnut type spread and set/move 500 socks downwind. Pick a field in a flight corridor and hunt after work a few days a week until the juvies start roosting/feeding in our area. No idea if we'll shoot more birds, but being able to leave fb out without worrying about the wind shredding them is nice.

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Shot a lot of mallards over 10 dozen snow fb this fall. Had some decent snow shoots over 250 fb too. Plan this spring is during the lead edge and main migration is to set the fb in a doughnut type spread and set/move 500 socks downwind. Pick a field in a flight corridor and hunt after work a few days a week until the juvies start roosting/feeding in our area. No idea if we'll shoot more birds, but being able to leave fb out without worrying about the wind shredding them is nice.

The last sentence is kind of what I'm thinking too. Right now I hunt over all sillosocks and would like to change it up from the guys I hunt with.

How many do you typically run (fbs) in the spring?

[cstemig]

I've been hunting over 600 Silo-socks, 9-Silo-sockflyers, and 3-Ultra Light Reel Wings. I'm considering adding either some shells or full bodies near the blinds. I would think that 3-4 dozen would be a good number to start with. I like to travel light, so I'm considering the additional bulk that shells and full bodies bring.

[tornadochaser]

I've been hunting over 600 Silo-socks, 9-Silo-sockflyers, and 3-Ultra Light Reel Wings. I'm considering adding either some shells or full bodies near the blinds. I would think that 3-4 dozen would be a good number to start with. I like to travel light, so I'm considering the additional bulk that shells and full bodies bring.

The birds won't even notice the difference between 3 dozen shells and the 600 socks around them in my opinion.

I'm far from an expert on snows, and honestly, I never get to hunt as much in the spring as I always initially plan.

I don't think we'll buy any more than the 250. Trailer is packed the way it is. Three main reasons we decided to add them: frozen ground in the early spring, pasture pond shallow water, and not having to re arrange them all for a wind switch. Dakotas with the ring bases attached, we can fit 250 in a 6x12, along with 4 layouts, 2 sillosock cubes, 4 rotaries, etc.

[cstemig]

Does anyone throw in some floaters for the sheet water?

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Does anyone throw in some floaters for the sheet water?

Typically it's shallow enough that we will just use socks. Have about 3 dozen on extended poles too so deeper water isn't such an issue.

I don't think we'll buy any more than the 250. Trailer is packed the way it is. Three main reasons we decided to add them: frozen ground in the early spring, pasture pond shallow water, and not having to re arrange them all for a wind switch. Dakotas with the ring bases attached, we can fit 250 in a 6x12, along with 4 layouts, 2 sillosock cubes, 4 rotaries, etc.

Good to know! I plan to throw them into mini bulk seed bags so we're able to haul a bag with each 4 wheeler load if able to use it. Do you bag them at all or just throw in trailer?

[tornadochaser]

Just used the trailer this fall, but we'll bag them in sees bags this spring. Got another buddy with a 800 Polaris with tracks and we have the biggest otter sled available.

[greatwhitehunter3!]

Now I wish I was getting a spread going soon.

[maplelakeduckslayer]

We have 700 SS but need to figure out how to set a spread and hide better. We had good luck our first two years but has been pretty crappy the last few