| When doing any type of waterfowl hunting you | | | | Ringnecks, Buffleheads, and Teal will often land |
| should pay very close attention to your decoy | | | | and swim into you spread. Be aware how you are |
| spreads. There are several patterns one can use | | | | presenting your decoys. I have seen so many |
| to set your decoy, whether it is on water or land. | | | | people get to a great spot and just start chunking |
| If you are hunting south of the Canadian border, | | | | decoys in the water without any thought of |
| you can expect your birds to be decoy educated. | | | | presentation. The dekes look totally unnatural. |
| I hunt in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas. By the | | | | These goons can't figure out why all the birds are |
| time the fowl have reached me they will have | | | | flaring away from their decoys. Just because |
| seen every decoy spread imaginable, heard every | | | | ducks sees your decoys does not mean they will |
| call a duck call will make and learned to pick up | | | | automatically land in them. Remember, you have |
| movement on the ground quite well. | | | | to give them a reason to land. Mix your decoys |
| That's what makes this sport so exciting. The | | | | types up. I have Mallards, Gadwalls, Pintails, |
| challenge those waterfowl present will get your | | | | Ringnecks and Teals in my spreads. It works out |
| adrenalin pumping fast. All is not lost. We do have | | | | really well. I put the Pintails and a Mallard decoy I |
| a chance to limit out. This isn't as easy as quail | | | | spray painted black in the most visible location for |
| hunting where I let my dog loose in the field and | | | | incoming flocks to see. The white on the Pintail |
| he goes and finds the birds for me to shoot, | | | | and the black duck are much more visible than |
| nope, no way. First that duck has to be convinced | | | | the other decoys. I do my best to get incoming |
| you aren't even there, good concealment on your | | | | birds thinking about landing in my spread as soon |
| part. Second your decoys have to convince the | | | | as possible. |
| waterfowl that it is safe to land and there is | | | | You can start out in the morning using all the |
| something there for them, (food). | | | | decoys in your bags. If you are not getting any |
| Thus, the sculpture of a perfect decoy spread. I | | | | action, and birds are flaring, then it's time to |
| have pulled ducks down with ten dozen decoys | | | | change the dekes around. If the birds are doing |
| and also pulled them in with a single decoy. The | | | | two or three pass by's and flaring, then |
| weather conditions and environment are going to | | | | something is wrong. Make sure you haven't had a |
| dictate what is right for the conditions. Hunting | | | | decoy float off or one upside down. Pull some |
| flooded timbers or open waters will have a lot to | | | | dekes out of the water or field, change the |
| do with your decoy spread. Small ponds are going | | | | pattern. The ducks are seeing something they |
| to take fewer decoys than a large body of | | | | don't like and you've got to determine what that |
| water. You can get by with a dozen decoys on a | | | | is and correct it. If a decoy does not sit right in |
| small body of water. If you are hunting timber | | | | the water, get rid of it. Your spread has got to |
| you will want to find an open body of water and | | | | look as natural as possible. |
| spread your decoys around that opening to | | | | I don't think any new duck hunter needs to be |
| create a landing zone right in front of you. I use | | | | trying to operate a jerk line or motorized decoy |
| three dozen in this case. Ducks are going to react | | | | until after their first full season. Stick to the basics |
| differently in a sunny day than they do in a | | | | during that first year. Get good at the basic |
| constant down pour. You need to be flexible and | | | | decoy patterns before you try a jerk line or |
| change-up your spread if the conditions change | | | | motorized decoy. Add jerk lines and other special |
| during the day. The classic U or J shaped decoy | | | | decoys after you get comfortable with your |
| patterns are the most popular. If you choose | | | | decoy spreads. |
| these patterns, try and set your blind up at the | | | | A good decoy spread will get you quite a ways. |
| closed end of the U or the hook of the J. | | | | |