Flagging?

[Mallyard]

Yes, I was wondering how do you flag for geese is there any special tactics or ways that you have found out that work better than others? And I have one more question. How does everyone set up a jerk string in their duck spreads? I've tried many things but nothing seems to work...
Thanks for amy help or information...

Mallyard

[mtzgoosestunna05]

Mallyard,

The way that I have always flaged was to give a good flick to it while moving it down to represent a good flaping motion. I also like to get a 10 or 12 ft. pole and rig a flag on there to start hight and work it to the ground. It further up and the geese can see that better. I usually have both kinds running in the spread. W/ the jerker...take a coffee can, use lead it accessable or get a bag or ready mix concrete, fill it to top, use a large size eyelet in set in quick so its sucure. Then jus take it with u and and run your line to blind firstm, then throgh eyelet, tye to decoy, then drop. Its cheap n easy. On my I paint extra whit on the duck for more visibility. Hope This Helps.

[Native NV Ducker]

What MT said is all good. I use a Bank Bag (are you old enough to remember Bank Bags?) that I fill with rocks when I get to my spot. That way I am not lugging around all that extra weight. If you hunt in areas where there are no rocks, you will have to come up with something permanent. I like to think small. A tuna can of lead with an eyelet on top would be enough to move one decoy.

[Chris Jones]

Both tactics you are asking about are very effective in hunting ducks and geese.
I flag when I see geese in the distance to get their attention, they can see a flag farther away then they can hear a call. We use upwards of 4 or 5 flags to really make alot of movement to grab their attention. As the geese turn the flagging is changed up. The closer the geese get the more realistic you try to make it look. As the geese start to get in tight I use a simple flip or flutter low to the ground to keep their attention.I try not to flag when geese are looking directly at me, it draws attention towards your hide,there fore I hit them on the corners when they are qaurtering away or tail to me.If they loose intrest and start to leave often times you can get agressive with the flag and they will turn again. I use G&H flappers for when the geese get in tight to keep the attention off me or the blinds and focus them on the flapper. Definitly a tactic that can be deadly on geese.
For the duck jerk string. I use a T stake basically what it is is a 3 foot piece of 3/8" square tubing with a 1 foot piece welded on to the top to make the T. Than on the leg of the T I have 2 6" piece welded at a 45 degree angle opposite of each other.This is where I wrap the string around these to keep it from getting tangled.I use 100 feet of decoy cord. Then as I simply tie decos every 10 or 15 feet down the string when i get to the end of the string I push the T into the mud and we are ready to hunt um! Good Luck and good question!! :D

[Jeff "Pitboss" Coats]

for open water gunning we would use something like this...

scoter, divers and or brant this is a great attention getter!

http://home.iximd.com/~pitboss/flag.JPG

[Hest]

I think I would much rather leave my calls or my gun at home than my flag! I think it's a must for the geese I hunt. I use two FLAGMAN flags...one on a 25' pole and the other just on a T-pole. Get the big sucker up when they are a ways off, and as they get close use the hand flag. But even when the geese are close you can flop the big pole and they really seem to eat her up!!!

I fortunately can use one hand on the 25 footer, But then again...I'm bigger than most!`

[JEDJR]

I use Randy Bartz flags also, would not go to the goose field without it. I bump mine high to get their attention and once working just small raises /bumping in the flag to represent geese moving aroung the spread. I have grey flags. It covers canadas, specks as well as blues in my ragspreads.They really do work!!!!!!

[Mallyard]

Thanks guys I'll take all Ideas into consideration...

Mallyard

[Scott Threinen]

Mallyard,
The three tips I can give you are one, try not to be like everybody else. Don't pick up the flag and wave it the same way, at the same time, everytime you see a flock coming your way. A lot of guy will just pick it up a way it at everything they see. Geese will come out of the refuge and see the same thing everyday, they will pick up on this very quick. Second, I don't you a flag as much on a cloudy day, because the geese can see a lot better, I might use it a little from a distance, but really never in close. Third, and maybe most important is looking real. If you like to use a flag, then make the flag look like a goose. Take a look from a distance at what it looks like, you will have a better understanding on what the geese see, and you will have a better understanding on what will look more like a goose.