It's been my experience that getting wary Canadas to funnel in between two equal-length arms of decoys can be a hit-or-miss proposition.

When there's no wind, you're going to have to count on your scouting to guide your setup. Use the J formation, but instead of setting up based on the wind, set up facing the direction from which flocks typically approach your field. You want the geese flying right into your open landing zone as soon as they hit the field.

Hide among your decoys, either by using a low-profile coffin blind -- the comfortable way to go -- or simply by lying on the ground in full camouflage. If you choose the latter, pull some decoys up close to you for a little more concealment.

CALLING TACTICS
Most waterfowlers can mimic nearly every sound a goose makes by using a modern short-reed call. But, in my opinion, you really need to know only three calls -- the moan or lay-down call, the cluck and the comeback call.

When you've got flocks flying your way, you should be clucking like crazy. The faster, the better. And by all means, make sure everyone in your party has a call and is doing likewise. When the birds are directly overhead or are gliding in to the landing zone on cupped wings, then have a couple of callers switch to moans -- the long, low-pitched call that geese sometimes make right before they land.

If the birds don't land on their first pass, they'll probably start circling. When they're flying away from you, give them the come-back call.

This is basically a honk, where you hold the high-pitched end of the call for an extended period. If possible, make that extended note change in pitch from low to high as you hold it. This call will sound like you're pleading with the birds to come back to the party. As soon as the geese swing around and face you, hit them with the clucks and moans again.

As the season wears on, learn to modify your calling to match the moods of individual flocks.

Some birds will want you to call to them until their feet touch the ground. Others prefer mostly silence, with a few random clucks and moans occasionally thrown in.

If a flock comes at you and isn't making a sound, that's your cue to tone down your calling. Oftentimes, only one bird in the flock will be calling. If that's the case, then to entice the flock into shotgun range, have one caller imitate whatever sound that goose makes.

SHOTGUNS & LOADS
One of the biggest differences between hunting geese over water, as opposed to hunting them in a field, is in selecting the right shotgun and shotshell. When you're hunting on a river or lake, you're counting on incoming geese landing on the water, with shots ranging from 20 to 40 yards. That means tight chokes and big shot.