8 ways to fix a duck or goose hunt that’s going sideways

#2  THE BIRDS ARE LANDING ELSEWHERE

You’re set up perfectly, but the first flight has landed somewhere else in the field. And once the first group is down, the next flights are sure to follow. If the birds went straight down, they’re not specifically avoiding you—they’ve just decided they want to be elsewhere. This is particularly common with geese.

THE FIX

Get those birds up immediately, and once they’re up, leave a flag or a coyote decoy where they were and get back into your blind. This tactic often works, but if the next flight doesn’t come to your spread, you have no choice but to grab your blind and as many decoys as you can carry and go where the birds want to be. Even if it’s a rough set-up, at least you’re giving yourself a chance.

If the birds have chosen another field altogether, it’s often a spotting issue that’s to blame. This underscores the importance of watching a field more than once, then putting the birds to bed the night before your hunt. In any case, if they’re flying to a different field, you’re best bet is to pack up, get access permission for where they want to be, then set up again that evening or the following day.