Ryan Barnes for Split Reed
Recently, we’ve seen an influx of old school waterfowl hunting technology make a resurgence to the field. Silhouettes (though never having completely left the market) are seeming to take over the decoy game right now. Surging beyond people’s desire to fill trailers with 6-slot bags of full-body decoys. Hunting the edges of fields and finding natural hides with large panel blinds has become the only way to go, instead of trying to grass in layout blinds in the middle of a stubble field. And certain call makers are bringing back old school calling techniques to help create those goosey tones that hunters used back in the ’50s and ’60s. But why? Shouldn’t we be creating more modern technology that helps us become even more invisible? Shouldn’t we have left all these old traditions back in the era that they were created? Maybe not. Clearly they worked when they were created, and if they worked back then, there’s no reason they shouldn’t work now. Especially as we take a look into why birds today might be falling for the tricks of yesterday.
The Decoys
Full-body decoys were the hottest commodity on the market when they first came out. With such a realistic-looking and multidimensional decoy, how could you not fool birds? I mean, they literally are a full-size plastic goose or duck. Silhouettes had been used and abused by hunters for the past several decades, but with the new full bodies, you could actually put the closest thing to real birds possible in your spread (unless of course, you were ambitious enough to make stuffers).
With the popularity of full bodies rising to the surface, only the old school hunters kept silos in their spreads. By the mid to late 2000s, hunting with anything but full body decoys seemed to many to be about the equivalent to throwing out orange caution cones. The full bodies worked. They killed geese- and still do. However, recently, it’s become very clear that silhouettes are back on the rise. With silo companies like Dive Bomb Industries creating some of the most realistic looking decoys on the market, it’s little wonder that people are going back to using silos. While they may have been used and tired out by the turn of the 2000s, or even the ’90s, it’s clear to see that they’re getting the job done today. With the ability to put out massive spreads for a fraction of the cost, it makes trafficking geese that much easier. Not to mention, they can take a hit and function as if it never happened!
The Hide
Before the layout blind, you had to hope you could find a ditch bank, an edge, or some sort of thick hide (if you didn’t have a pit) to escape the approaching bird’s view. Then, layout blinds hit the market. Making hunters more versatile and giving them the ability to hunt in new settings. Instead of hiding in a ditch, you could go to the center of the field, right where the birds were feeding the day prior. Layout blinds went from the simple canopy top PowerHunters to some of the more recent style blinds that most people are familiar with today. Swing-open doors, a little more room to work with, and a few other bells and whistles.
Now, we’re seeing a trend of A-frame blinds, panel blinds, and all sorts of hunters getting out of the middle of the field, and heading back to the edges. A tactic that some might think is a deterrent for geese and field ducks. But has proved differently. When hunted right and shots are taken at the appropriate times, hunting the edge is looking to be just as effective now as using layout blinds were when they first came out.
The Calls
Calls today are some of the best performing, most realistic sounding instruments on the planet (depending on who’s using them). With the revolutionization of the short reed, and advances in technology, design, and calling technique, using short reed calls seems like something that will stick around forever. However, the trend of seeing the “old bag of tricks” open up is also showing itself in the world of goose calling as well.
Before short reeds, flutes, or anything like that, you had tube calls. Hard as hell to blow, but as goosey as any call ever made when used right. Call makers like Sean Mann and other Eastern Shore veterans have always had tube calls in production, however, more recently, Bill Saunders brought a new tube call to his line up. Called the “Supernatural”. RJ Dick used it to win an online live goose calling contest that was one of the biggest contests in recent history, speaking to the realistic, goosey sound that you can get from these calls.
Now, these might not be flying off the shelves and onto everyone’s lanyards quite yet, but they are becoming popular again. And there’s evidence from those past and present that they are goose killing machines when used right.
Why the “De-Evolution”?
I don’t claim to know why certain things are coming back into style and other things aren’t. Maybe it’s for the same reason some guys still like hunting in canvas pants and work boots- “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. While some of it may be for nostalgia sakes, I also think that some of it has to do with the birds.
We aren’t hunting the same birds that we were in in the ’90s, 2000s. We’re hunting birds that have all seen full-body decoys in the middle of the field. They’ve all seen layout blinds and heard guys on short reed calls. But they haven’t seen 15 dozen silhouettes on an edge of a field where hunters are sitting in a 2×4 panel blind. They haven’t heard the pure goosey sound of a tube call, so they end up sucking right into the hole because though it has been used for decades before, it’s all stuff that the geese today haven’t seen. My humble opinion is that this “de-evolution” isn’t a “de-evolution” at all. It’s being smart with the waterfowling history we have and using that to kill more birds.
So remember, just because it’s “old school” doesn’t mean it’s worn out. The old school worked for a reason, and for the geese we hunt, they don’t know the difference. And don’t go throwing away your layouts, full bodies, and all the other great stuff that so many amazing waterfowlers have provided us with up to this point. It’s all great stuff, and will all be apart of this “evolution and de-evolution” of waterfowl hunting.
After reading Ryans article, you may start thinking about or re-thinking the tactics you employ. That’s one of the great things about waterfowl hunting. Scenarios change, birds get smarter, and older technologies become relevant again. it can be cyclical. If it worked once, it can work again. Try some of these older tactics mentioned and put them to the test. After all, hunters are always looking for an edge over their game so trying something they haven’t seen much could very well give you a leg up. If you’re the old school type of guy who’s been using the same old tricks to fool birds with success for decades, we’d love to hear from you in the comments about a technology you employ to this day to bring success to your hunts!
For anyone interested in some of the ‘old school’ methods we’ve mentioned, check out the silhouette decoy company that has taken the waterfowl industry by storm by visiting www.divebombindustries.com. If you appreciate the old school in firearms but don’t want to sacrifice field performance, check out the reinvented and forever iconic Browning A5 shotgun. Another great way to discover new techniques in waterfowling is to visit one of our trusted outfitters and learn from the best!
For more of the latest in waterfowl hunting check out our other articles here!
