Decoying brant with non brant decoys?

K

Kevin Puls

Well-known member
What would be better to take on a trip to try to decoy brant with if I don't have brant decoys.....a dozen magnum blue bills or 4 magnum Canada goose decoys?

I don't have room for both. I want to make a brant rig but it didn't happen this year. I have heard that they will decoy to other species?
 
I have shot them as an add on when Bluebill hunting on open water with a large spread of Bluebill decoys and over Eider decoys also. All the brant pulled into the decoys. Remember to hunt the tides with Brant and they were less shy of a 19 ft boat in open water than the Bluebills and as a matter of fact the boat meant nothing to them in the way of danger. The white and black contrast on the bobbing shape seems to get their attention and not the realism or similarity to their own.
 
Kevin~

As others have said, either decoy will probably work. All of my Brant shooting experience is on Long Island's South Shore bays. For many years, I gunned with 10 Black Duck decoys and 10 Canada decoys. Brant came consistently to that rig.

On the other hand, I have hunted Brant that were very trusting and those that were very wary and difficult to stool. Adults are much smarter than young-of-the-year birds - so hunting Brant is tougher in years with little production. As with anything else, the most important thing is to be where they want to be when they want to be there. For hunting Brant over decoys (i.e., not pass shooting), that generally means being on a shoal or bar that will put the bottom in reach of feeding birds once the tide drops. Flagging and calling (just use your Canada call) can turn indecisive flocks, too.

And, as much as I enjoy hunting Brant - for their calling on the wing and the graceful motions of the flocks as they approach - I have found nothing as exciting as Broadbill. It's a nice dilemma to have!

All the best,

SJS
 
Thanks. I figure the goose decoys will be better, but I only have 4 floaters.

We hunted last year in an area with lots of them. In fact my wife's first bird was a brant. We set up in an area where they wanted to be, and will do so again.

My friend that will be here at the same time has a really nice brant rig and we will use his most of the time I am sure, but I will be slipping off a couple of times to take my five year old boy out. He has gone a couple of times here in ohio, but no shots yet.
 
Kevin~

You certainly have my permission! And Goose floaters are the one case where I think oversize is not a big benefit.

Have a great expedition!

SJS
 
Thanks!

Btw, holy cow have goose decoys gotten expensive since I last bought some. I think I'll go with the few that I have!
 
We used to decoy large groups consistently into a single E. Allen brant decoy and some calling. That being said, it has a lot to do with being where they want to be.
 
We see them all the time. Usually have the broadbill lines out. I just wave my hat at them and the turn and come right in...not the smartest bird
 

Were are you hunting would have a lot to do with what you bring. Are you hunting long Island?
Location is everything. Keep in mind when you set up you need to be where they want to be to decoy brant, if your where they want to be it could be a 5 minute hunt meaning 1 flock and the hunt is over.
Hear on the south shore of long Island I would bring the broadbill, this way you have a change of buffies, merg, or after the brant hunt change location then find broadbills.
 
As someone else said use the goose decoys and a flag. The key is to give them something to look at, but more importantly be where they want to be. As the tide falls they feed on oyster rocks and mud flats here. Make sure you hunt a place you can get out of at low tide. Scout the edges of the coastal bays or larger guts/canals on a falling tide. The rest is easy.
 
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