In the 15 years since Randy "The Flagman" Bartz first devised flags for decoying waterfowl, the idea and methods of using wing-like motion to attract geese and ducks into shotgun range have become a major part of waterfowl hunting. And although the concept of mounting an artificial set of fabric wings on stiff wire and sticking it onto a wooden dowel seems simple, using flags has become fairly sophisticated.

"In the beginning, I told hunters to simply wave their flags up and down to simulate the image of a goose or duck flying up to and landing in some decoys or just stretching their wings or preening when they were on the ground," Bartz said. "Now after 15 years of experience, with thousands of waterfowl hunters using the flags in thousands of places, some new and very effective flagging techniques have evolved."

Here are 10 flagging strategies devised by goose and duck hunters from all across the country.

Make Major Motion
Be gross -- walk or run through your decoys while waving flags in an exaggerated, bigger-than-life motion to attract geese or ducks at a distance. Gross-motion, waving flags in six-foot-wide arcs while the hunter walks or runs through a decoy spread, can get the attention of birds a mile or more away. Ducks and geese have keen eyesight and they are way up in the air, so they can detect motion from long distances.

"Walking or running through your rig while waving a flag may at first seem a little ridiculous, but that funny feeling will soon disappear as soon as that first flock of honkers turns from pepper specks on the horizon to birds in your face," said Tim Grounds, a practitioner of walking/running-while-waving method of flagging.

Be Subtle to Finish
When geese and ducks get close, be subtle with flagging movements.

Stop flagging just before you pick up your gun to shoot. But when birds are close, make sure you finesse your flagging. Reduce the motion to just minor flutters, characteristic of waterfowl walking on the ground or feeding.

Reduced motion is important because it can bring birds directly over the guns for up-close shots. Geese and ducks look for activity on the ground when they are ready to land, so convincing flag movement will help birds finish. It can keep birds from landing short or swinging to the far side of the spread.

Hide Behind Your Flags
Whether you are well concealed in a goose pit, totally camouflaged in a duck boat, shooting from an A-frame field blind or lying on the ground among decoys, you can use the flag as a shield for your face. You can still peek at the birds to read their progress, and then adjust for more calling, flagging or to shoot.

"Being able to see incoming game is always important and part of the thrill of hunting," Bartz said. "Hiding behind a flag will let you see what's going on and still keep you ready for action."