There are other ways to create the look of movement in a goose spread, including the use of traditional windsock decoys, the newer hybrid sillosock decoys, kites, and even an old standby, silhouettes.

Yes, silhouettes.

“If used properly, they can simulate movement,” Bartz says. “The new ones don’t have a shiny surface, and they come in different poses. People who have flown around spreads of silhouettes in airplanes say that as they circle, it looks like the silhouette decoys are moving from one place to another because of the different angles. Again, it’s an illusion.”

There are times when decoy motion is not a primary consideration. “When the wind is really blowing, the motion spread is less effective,” Salato says. “Birds are working so hard flying in that heavy wind that your odds of bringing them into typical decoys are good. It is less critical to use motion decoys on windy days. Actually, sleeper shells are really good on windy days.”

But when it’s relatively quiet and the going gets tough, motion in your goose spread can pay big dividends.