Goose Flag Review – Flagging Canada Geese

Whether you are hunting early season resident Canada geese or stubborn late season migrant Canada geese, having every possible advantage in your arsenal is important if you want to increase your success of each hunt.  Whether that is improving your calling skills, scouting harder, or improving decoy spread size and quality, each hunter must adapt to gain an advantage over the birds they are pursuing.

One of the most under utilized, and in many cases, most effective skill a goose hunter can possess is their ability to properly read and flag geese.  This is especially true for Canada geese and can be utilized during any part of the season and in just about any scenario and be very effective.  Let’s take a look at what all goes into properly flagging geese.

Avery Power Goose Flag

Really everything you are looking for in a goose flag.  It breaks down for easy storage, it is durable, has a well known brand name behind it.  Of all the flags I have used over the years, the Avery flags are the only ones that are still functioning after digging them out of the garage years later.  I like the camouflage top for additional concealment.

Pros:

• Durable fiberglass backbone and above quality stitching
• Trusted brand
• Affordable – $30

Cons:

• • ??

Avery Super Goose Flag

Similar to the Avery Power flag, this is everything you are looking for in a goose flag.  It breaks down for easy storage, it is durable, has a well known brand name behind it.  Like stated before, of all the flags I have used over the years, the Avery flags are the only ones that are still functioning after digging them out of the garage years later.  I like the Canada goose print on top for concealment among the decoys.

Pros:

• • • Durable fiberglass backbone and above quality stitching
    • Realistic Canada goose print on top for concealment among decoys.
    • Trusted brand
    • Affordable – $30

Cons:

• • • ??

Rig’Em Right Goose Flag

The Rig’Em Right flag gives hunters what they need in a goose flag for most situations.  Its visible, affordable and comes with a good company name behind it.  Durability is good, not great.  Plenty of flag here to get the job done.  I would have liked to seen a little more “stiffness” for high wind flagging situations.

Pros: 

• • • • Affordable
      • Very visible (all black)

Cons:  

• • • • Average durability
      • Lacks stiffness for flagging in high winds

Using a Goose Flag

• • • • • Use the proper motion.  I have too often seen new or inexperienced hunters move the flag up and down in one continuous motion and can’t help but shake my head.  We have all been there, but I’m here to help you learn the proper technique if you are unsure.  This may be difficult to explain in writing, but I am going to take a shot at it.  The flag is meant to mimic either a bird flapping his wings on the ground or a goose hopping or landing in the spread.  The only way to get this motion is to move the flag forward and back rather quickly, allowing the wings of the flag to flex.  While doing this motion, move your arm up and down to mimic birds jumping off the ground as well as landing back down into the spread.
      • • Hit em on the corners.  What I mean by this is, do not flag geese when they are right in front of you and especially do not flag geese when they are right on top of you.  This brings far too much attention to you and where you are trying to hide.  Instead, flag when the geese are circling or leave.  This can really regain their attention and get them interested again without giving up your location.
      • • Be aggressive.  The whole idea of using a goose flag is to grab the attention of a flock off in the distance or even to entice a wary flock of geese by adding lifelike motion to the decoy spread. Don’t be afraid to be aggressive when flagging.

          

      • • Let them come.  Nothing can frustrate a hunter more than when a flock of birds is working in nice only to bail at the last minute.  It leaves us all scratching our head and brainstorming together what could have possibly gone wrong.  My biggest piece of advice for people choosing to use a goose flag is; if they are coming, let them come.  Keep their attention with the flag and regain their attention when you lose it.  But if they are coming straight at you, let up on the flag.  If you lose their attention or they start to beat their wings a little harder, hit em with the flag.  But, don’t flag when it isn’t necessary.  All this does is give them an opportunity to pick out something unnatural in the spread or even pick you out in your hide because you drew all extra eye balls to your location by continuously flagging.
      • • Try less calling and more flagging.  I often use this strategy both early and late season.  The early season geese do not tend to be very vocal yet as they are in more of their summer family group routine and not socializing a whole lot.  This makes them less responsive to calling.  Try flagging more and calling less.  I also like to use this strategy late season when the geese are patterned and have been pressured for a long period of time.  They have more than likely seen just about every spread, heard every short reed, and been shot at a dozen or so times.  Call less, flag more.

Hope you enjoyed our goose flag review and tips article!  As always, we would love to hear any feedback from you. If you would like to  see a specific product review or even see us add to our current goose flag review, send us an email! Also, be sure to check out our Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Channel for the latest from RYG! Happy hunting and be sure to take lots of pictures and let us know how you are doing!