Western Hunting Journal, Premiere Issue whj001_premiere | Page 79

This well hidden blind accomplishes everything a goose hunter needs . It has a low profile , it ’ s well hidden and there are no shadows .
dave smith photo
how the blinds are angled to give shooters a wider shooting angle . The ideal cover would be roughly the same height as the blinds ( roughly 18 inches ). The row of cover doesn ’ t have to be as wide as the blinds are long , but that is ideal . You really want to avoid a spot that has tall trees behind you or very nearby . This will ensure the geese are comfortable and allow them to see behind you or even circle behind you occasionally . If the cover is taller than 18 inches , this would be an ideal situation for a panel blind . With all blinds , it goes without saying they should be
grassed-up completely . You can permanently zip-tie in bunches of dyed raffia grass product such as Final Approach ’ s Whoopgrass , but still add some surrounding local vegetation to finish the job . If your blind doesn ’ t have enough stubble straps , or enough in the right locations , add some in or cut and cauterize holes to add zip ties and bunches of Whoopgrass . I nearly always have to add extra zip ties and Whoopgrass around the head / face opening of any layout blind . I like Whoopgrass because the colors are natural — browns , greens , yellows . Avoid at all
cost , brands that dye burgundies , reddish-browns , purple or blueish hues .
Now for real world goose hunting . If the cover is less than 18 inches , or there ’ s no cover at all . This is what starts separating average goose hunters from really good goose hunters comes down to your willingness to do the work , and how creative you can be . Having an eye for what looks natural and blends-in to the surroundings is a huge plus , too .
My first rule is to get as low as you can . No matter how good the cover on your blind is , it still produces a shadow , which can
be a dead giveaway to geese . The lowest-profile system is a ghillie suit or camo ’ d blanket and no blind . Next comes a low layout blind that allows you to detach the front and lay the front of the blind right on top of your legs . Some blinds allow this and others don ’ t so choose carefully . Even with no grassy or rough edges , a field edge or field seam is still the best option to set-up compared to the middle of the field with no color or pattern change . Yes , geese would slightly prefer to land in the middle , but your hide will be compromised and as stated earlier , a good hide trumps ev-
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