Cacklers

HokdOnQuack · 11-11-2008, 02:18 PM

Okay, these things are really starting to get on my nerves. Last weekend we had big wave after big wave of cacklers pass us without even acting like they were interested. So far in 2 weekends of hunting these things we have had only one flock work in but they busted someone moving in the pit (got to work on the pit camo). Is there any suggestions to getting these little birds to work?

One would think that with hundreds upon hundreds (if not in the thousands) of them flying around that at least one would get stupid enough. :evil:

Gude · 11-11-2008, 02:33 PM

My tactic is going to be as follows from this point on (concerning cacklers):

Figure out which area the cacklers are using heavily.

Hunt as far away from that area as possible.

coot_shooter · 11-11-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gude

My tactic is going to be as follows from this point on (concerning cacklers):

Figure out which area the cacklers are using heavily.

Hunt as far away from that area as possible.

:lol:

we had a single cackler in a bunch of honkers come in early season and we shot him but i have yet to decoy a big bunch of cacklers

Cody Oberfoell · 11-11-2008, 02:39 PM

i read some where that cacklers have the best eye sight and can pick out decoys really well..?? is this true

AJB · 11-11-2008, 02:39 PM

That is a good tactic Gude going to have to start using it!!!

Gude · 11-11-2008, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cougars88

i read some where that cacklers have the best eye sight and can pick out decoys really well..?? is this true

I doubt their eye sight is any better than honkers. Generally cacklers are in much greater numbers and they're just an uneasy bird in general - much like snows.

I think I've only decoyed 3, maybe 4 FLOCKS of cacklers in my life. Hate those birds...

I don't get 'em - in Canada, they'll drop in from the stratosphere with reckless abandon, but in Iowa, they avoid decoy spreads like the plague.

HokdOnQuack · 11-11-2008, 02:53 PM

Whew, I was thinking it was just me! I am glad to hear I am not the only one!

I have never had the pleasure of hunting these little birds before and they sure have me fit to be tied! The flocks may look like snows and they may sound like snows but at least I have shot snows!

Maybe it was my "guide" on the snows??? :roll: I need to recruit him for these dang cacklers!

Adam, grab your gun and all the decoys you own! :lol:

AJB · 11-11-2008, 03:25 PM

What are you talking about you didn't have a guide for the snow geese. :lol:

McMurder · 11-11-2008, 03:26 PM

Well here's my 2 cents on em, I agree with Gude. haha. What I have learned and it seems to work for me and it works on big birds as well if they are leaving, pick up the calling, like a loud lay down call with a ton of double clucks, It's really hard to explain typing it. It really doesn't even sound like a goose or geese but it works great. an if you slow down or switch up calling you will lose them. Most of the time you have to do it until you pull up to shoot. If I knew how to put a sound file on here i would show you. But here's the only catch, you have to have a reed that can with stand the constant presure, or you can split or bubble your reed. It takes a lillte practice to get it down, but once you have it it's golden.

Oscar · 11-11-2008, 04:42 PM

Usually I just leave the blind to pee and they drop right in for everyone else

orange legs · 11-11-2008, 04:59 PM

We had a flock decoy us this year. It took them 3 or passes before they were in 20 yds when we took them. They tried to set up on the other passes but just wouldn't sit down on the pond. We just went with high pitched fast clucking and that worked great for us.

altrocker1 · 11-11-2008, 05:33 PM

we always manage to shoot a few every year, but there is always a flock that hangs out one of the areas that we hit pretty hard. usually they are in a big flock and with a LOT of calling and circling, they finally come in to about 25-30 yards...if there is more than one flock in the area though, forget about it. it is crazy though, like gude said, they will drop right out of the sky in canada...there were some days we shot more cacklers than snows this year.

HokdOnQuack · 11-11-2008, 07:44 PM

Yup, pretty much how these darn things worked us the past 2 weekends. The one flock we did manage to get within 40 yards was a lone flock. Next time I am going to use snow goose tactics on them, shoot em when you can! The other flocks were coming in waves and nothing would even slide our way.

We were calling our butts off (6 callers) on the flock we got close. I actually have a call that sounds like them, a Grounds Shorty. I pretty much was "barking" the call while the others we straight clucking on theirs.

11-11-2008, 02:18 PM	#1
HokdOnQuack Canvasback Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Quad Cities, IL Posts: 516 Thanked: 0 times	Cacklers Okay, these things are really starting to get on my nerves. Last weekend we had big wave after big wave of cacklers pass us without even acting like they were interested. So far in 2 weekends of hunting these things we have had only one flock work in but they busted someone moving in the pit (got to work on the pit camo). Is there any suggestions to getting these little birds to work? One would think that with hundreds upon hundreds (if not in the thousands) of them flying around that at least one would get stupid enough. :evil: __________________ Illinois Forum Moderator Committee Member of Ducks Unlimited and a member of Delta Waterfowl

11-11-2008, 02:39 PM	#4
Cody Oberfoell Pintail Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Cedar Rapids Posts: 266 Thanked: 0 times	i read some where that cacklers have the best eye sight and can pick out decoys really well..?? is this true __________________ Cody Oberfoell Avery Youth Field Staff Echo Duck Calls

11-11-2008, 02:39 PM	#5
AJB Administrator Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Greene, IA Posts: 6,279 Thanked: 189 times	That is a good tactic Gude going to have to start using it!!! __________________ Site Admin. Please consider one of our sponsors on your next purchase. TEAM WEBFOOT EXTREME

11-11-2008, 02:53 PM	#7
HokdOnQuack Canvasback Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Quad Cities, IL Posts: 516 Thanked: 0 times	Whew, I was thinking it was just me! I am glad to hear I am not the only one! I have never had the pleasure of hunting these little birds before and they sure have me fit to be tied! The flocks may look like snows and they may sound like snows but at least I have shot snows! Maybe it was my "guide" on the snows??? :roll: I need to recruit him for these dang cacklers! Adam, grab your gun and all the decoys you own! :lol: __________________ Illinois Forum Moderator Committee Member of Ducks Unlimited and a member of Delta Waterfowl

11-11-2008, 03:25 PM	#8
AJB Administrator Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Greene, IA Posts: 6,279 Thanked: 189 times	What are you talking about you didn't have a guide for the snow geese. :lol: __________________ Site Admin. Please consider one of our sponsors on your next purchase. TEAM WEBFOOT EXTREME

11-11-2008, 02:33 PM	#2
Gude IAW Top Shot Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,209 Thanked: 221 times	My tactic is going to be as follows from this point on (concerning cacklers): Figure out which area the cacklers are using heavily. Hunt as far away from that area as possible.

11-11-2008, 03:26 PM	#9
McMurder Widgeon Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 244 Thanked: 6 times	Well here's my 2 cents on em, I agree with Gude. haha. What I have learned and it seems to work for me and it works on big birds as well if they are leaving, pick up the calling, like a loud lay down call with a ton of double clucks, It's really hard to explain typing it. It really doesn't even sound like a goose or geese but it works great. an if you slow down or switch up calling you will lose them. Most of the time you have to do it until you pull up to shoot. If I knew how to put a sound file on here i would show you. But here's the only catch, you have to have a reed that can with stand the constant presure, or you can split or bubble your reed. It takes a lillte practice to get it down, but once you have it it's golden.

11-11-2008, 04:42 PM	#10
Oscar IAW Top Shot Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: hopping for Belles Benelli Posts: 1,691 Thanked: 111 times	Usually I just leave the blind to pee and they drop right in for everyone else

11-11-2008, 04:59 PM	#11
orange legs IAW Top Shot Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Carlisle,Ia Posts: 1,146 Thanked: 11 times	We had a flock decoy us this year. It took them 3 or passes before they were in 20 yds when we took them. They tried to set up on the other passes but just wouldn't sit down on the pond. We just went with high pitched fast clucking and that worked great for us. __________________ There's nothing better than your son's first word being geese!! Buck Gardner Regional Staff Director Co-Owner Dead Leaf'n Guide Service Upper Red Rock DU Chairman Dakota Decoy Staff

11-11-2008, 05:33 PM	#12
altrocker1 IAW Top Shot Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: ankeny Posts: 1,636 Thanked: 153 times	we always manage to shoot a few every year, but there is always a flock that hangs out one of the areas that we hit pretty hard. usually they are in a big flock and with a LOT of calling and circling, they finally come in to about 25-30 yards...if there is more than one flock in the area though, forget about it. it is crazy though, like gude said, they will drop right out of the sky in canada...there were some days we shot more cacklers than snows this year.

11-11-2008, 07:44 PM	#13
HokdOnQuack Canvasback Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Quad Cities, IL Posts: 516 Thanked: 0 times	Yup, pretty much how these darn things worked us the past 2 weekends. The one flock we did manage to get within 40 yards was a lone flock. Next time I am going to use snow goose tactics on them, shoot em when you can! The other flocks were coming in waves and nothing would even slide our way. We were calling our butts off (6 callers) on the flock we got close. I actually have a call that sounds like them, a Grounds Shorty. I pretty much was "barking" the call while the others we straight clucking on theirs. __________________ Illinois Forum Moderator Committee Member of Ducks Unlimited and a member of Delta Waterfowl

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