Sept. 1 opened the 2023-24 waterfowl season, with early goose season. What has been called the “Early Goose” in the South Zone of New York State — our neck of the waterfowl woods — offers hunters a 25-day season (Sept. 1-25) and a daily limit of 15 geese per day. Regular waterfowl season for ducks — various species, always make sure you check NYSDEC Hunting Guide for final regulations and bag limits — is Oct. 21-Nov. 12 and then again Nov. 25-Dec. 31.

Whether you’re goose or duck hunting, the use of decoys/running/placing is an art form and oftentimes takes some time to get right. Just as soon as you think you got it right, the wind will change on the water or on field repositioning your spread.

Large spreads of decoys are expensive and require transport that usually comes in the form of a boat, which is also not cheap. For a budget hunter, hiking or canoeing into your spot does not allow for large decoy spreads. I have found that small spreads of 12-18 decoys can do the trick, as long as they are used properly. To be effective, you have to be smart and consider certain factors to make the decoys work for you.

For early season goose hunters, it’s important to understand why large decoy spreads work. The whole idea of large spreads is to create a sense of safety. Geese see the large group as a place where they can hang out undisturbed. Another advantage of a large spread is being able to guide incoming birds to land in a specific spot. A pre-planned landing strip is key to making effective shots. Finally, large decoy spreads are simply easier to spot from the air. To make them even more convincing, people often use motion decoys or other movement decoys that create the sense of other geese landing and moving through the decoys.

With that all said, early season geese are generally easy geese, or so they say, but the decoy world is a world of competition. Other hunters are feeling the excitement in the early season and pulling out all the stops, including all of their decoys. One of the things to remember in the early season is that geese are still in smaller family groups as they are starting their migration. They do not need to group up in larger flocks because the weather is still fairly warm for the season. To be effective with decoys, we need to think of why the ducks are moving.

Early season geese are going from roost to feed and back again, assuming that the feed isn’t already in their roosting area. Convincing birds has everything to do with food. Finding a spot that is fairly open will allow space to spread out the decoys and make smaller, looser groups. Put some feeders towards the middle and some sleepers in groups closer to cover to make it look like a good spot to hang out for the day with plenty of food and cover for rest.

As the season continues, smaller decoy spreads can still have a major advantage. Most geese and ducks move with cold fronts; if there is access to food, they will stick around in an area before heading south. This leads to educated geese and ducks. The traditional idea of setting out lots of decoys in the late season can actually work against you, especially in heavily hunted areas. Being unique can make a difference when it comes to fooling these educated ducks. Another advantage of having a small spread in the late season is the ability to be mobile. A smaller set of decoys will allow you to hike into areas that are mostly locked up with ice or otherwise inaccessible by boat.

As the season moves on, it’s important to stack the odds on your side. It’s even more important to set up where birds want to be. Looking for coves or holes is key. When setting up decoys, think of staying warm. Setting up some sleepers close to some swimmer decoys can give the impression of a spot where geese and ducks can help each other stay warm. Feeders tend to work better in the outskirts of those small groups.

It’s important to make your decoys visible, even though this can be the hardest part. Especially with ducks, small groups won’t be out in the middle of the water trying to stay warm, especially on windy days. One of the tricks we have over the years is to set swimmers so that they are facing the group, perhaps even using a couple to make it look like they are swimming towards the group. This adds visibility to the decoys and, when calling birds, it brings attention to your decoys. I usually expect birds to circle an extra time before committing to these decoy spreads.

When it comes to the late season, remember that snow and ice do not build up on real geese and ducks. Both geese and ducks have warm bodies, so it’s important to ensure that you don’t splash water on your decoys when setting them up in freezing conditions. The ice reflects light, so during the late season shake the ice off of your decoys. Depending on the conditions, it’ll be important to walk out and break ice off of your decoys at regular intervals. Just bring your shotgun with you, because you never know when birds are coming in. Ice can also build up on the keel of your decoys, so keep an eye on how they are swimming in the water. If the swim doesn’t look natural, the birds will flare out, too.

Oftentimes when moving locations or rearranging my decoys is all it takes to turn a lousy day into a productive one.

A duck call, if used correctly, you should get ducks to look at your decoys. Once they notice your spread, the decoys should do the rest of the work. While factors differ between early and late season or the weather conditions on any given day, some things are universal. When I was learning how to set up my decoys, I spent a considerable amount of time watching ducks on the lake and small farm ponds in areas that I planned to hunt. This was more than just bird watching. I was studying them to see how they moved in groups and how they were hanging out. The whole point of setting up decoys is to copy the natural behavior of waterfowl. That same concept matters when shopping for decoys, too. A mixture of feeders and sleepers can add confidence to your decoy spread.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many decoys you take on your hunt. The key is to mimic a safe and welcoming spot for incoming ducks. There are no magic numbers or setups that work in every situation. Observe the geese and ducks, always be ready to try something new, and be ready to change as you go to ensure that your small spread of decoys is truly working for you.