Thoughts on Cork Goose Decoys

D

David Stern

Active member
Are they just too heavy to handle? The ones I have seen look great. They are big and visible. Heavy though.
If you were to get some, how many would you get for a LI salt marsh spread? I was thinking of keeping 3-6 in the boat.
I have a Devlin Snowgoose so I have the room to keep them in the boat for the season.
Stern
 
I have five cork Canada's that I hunt. Four L.L. Beans that are fairly light, given their size; of course they are BSC, without self righting keels... My fifth decoy is a tan cork by Pat Gregory. It's my favorite, but it'll never come on a walk-in hunt with me.

Like anything it's a give/take situation.
 
I have not done great with just a few. I want them so see a flock but do better with a couple of dozen floater mixed with a couple of dozen field at the edge of the marsh.
As for cork, they get heavy quick. I would rather have more plastic, most of the time they are not looking to decoy in the bay but they will fly over and check out decoys.
 
Black cork birds, well sealed, will knock the weight issue down. They also look better on slow days!!!
 
During the regular season a few cork geese (3-6) set off to the side of your duck rig aught to bring in a single or pair looking for a place to land without adding too much weight.Once the season closes and its goose shooting only I like to add numbers and will load up the boat with my plastic rig which is 24 floating G&H birds and if we get any snow goose reports I have 18 Herter foam birds in excellent shape.That would be alot of weight if it was an all cork rig.
 
I have a dozen black-cork brant that I made which I am considering repainting to Canada paint scheme. Although they a much smaller than the giants, they are good cackler size. But my main concern is will they bring in birds. I think they will.
 
I hope not, I'm about to carve my first ever goose instead of continuing to talk about it. I will be using tan cork and tupelo and plan on hollowing it as much as I feel comfortable with. My target weight is no more than 4lbs keeled. We'll see what happens.
 
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If you want four pounds, you will need to go smaller. A low head would also help-less keel weight needed keep it upright.
 
I have a dozen black-cork brant that I made which I am considering repainting to Canada paint scheme. Although they a much smaller than the giants, they are good cackler size. But my main concern is will they bring in birds. I think they will.
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Andy, a lot of field hunters are buying lessers to maximize how many birds they can put out in a spread. I have neverhad geese get picky over the size of the individual decoys they were keying in on...
 
Though my duck rig is 95% wood/cork, I recently sold off my black cork geese and went to the smaller Avian X plastic geese.

Because the goose decoys are handled by the neck, I pillar blocked the breast of my cork so the neck to decoy connection was wood to wood. Unfortunately, this added to the weight, and most my goose hunting is done using my small skiff, so I opted for the smaller, lighter plastic geese.

And yes, they don't look as nice on the water when the hunting is slow.
 
Though my duck rig is 95% wood/cork, I recently sold off my black cork geese and went to the smaller Avian X plastic geese.

Because the goose decoys are handled by the neck, I pillar blocked the breast of my cork so the neck to decoy connection was wood to wood. Unfortunately, this added to the weight, and most my goose hunting is done using my small skiff, so I opted for the smaller, lighter plastic geese.

And yes, they don't look as nice on the water when the hunting is slow.
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Mike, Mike, Mike.."Life's too short to hunt over plastic decoys..."

As for the rest of you, you're barking up the wrong tree...

PICT0244.jpg

 
Chuck~

Having spent most of last week at my sewing machine, I have been waiting for you to weigh in here.....

All the best,

SJS
 
Chuck~

Having spent most of last week at my sewing machine, I have been waiting for you to weigh in here.....

All the best,

SJS
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Steve

Weigh in...you're pun-ny

I'd like to see the Sanford version of a canvas goose someday, especially seeing as you are not afraid to admit to doing seamstress duties. I'd be honored to induct you into The Disparaged Brotherhood of Decoy Seamstresses.

Best
Chuck
 
I have a dozen black-cork brant that I made which I am considering repainting to Canada paint scheme. Although they a much smaller than the giants, they are good cackler size. But my main concern is will they bring in birds. I think they will.
Click to expand...
Andy, a lot of field hunters are buying lessers to maximize how many birds they can put out in a spread. I have neverhad geese get picky over the size of the individual decoys they were keying in on...
Click to expand...

Also you don't incoming geese being possibly scared off by your big bruiser decoys as well. ;)
 
Matt~

That's one Gorgeous Gander. I really like the way that neck sits back within those big shoulders. Well done!

SJS
 
Thanks Steve, should have some paint on it soon.

Phil, I did...I screwed together two pieces of 3in cork, carved, removed the screws and hollowed, walls are 3/4in and bottom is 1 1/4. Didn't hollow the front shelf area. Got it just over 3 1/4lbs at the moment. Body is 20 1/2in x 10 1/2in x 5 1/2in to give you an idea.
 
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