HOW MANY & WHAT
DUCKS OVER FLOODED FIELDS, TIMBER & PONDS
The number of decoys varies from 6 to 50 in a normal spread. The number of hunters, how the hunters get from vehicles to blind. If walking one hunter can carry one decoy bag of 24 decoys. Four hunters can carry 4 bags of 24 decoys plus a few specialty decoys. If using an ATV or boat any number desired can be carried to the blind.
Some permanent blinds will put out 100 to 400 decoys at the first of season and pick them up at the end of the season.
I have hunted on many occasions in the marsh and flooded timber where duck and goose decoys were put out at the beginning of a season and left out all season. The number of opportunities to fill a limit didn’t appear to be reduced.
Leaving decoys out all hunting season in wintering areas doesn’t seem to work very well with puddle ducks but doesn’t appear to have much effect on open water ducks.
During days of heavy hunting pressure or lack of ducks, the placement of decoys is very important, much more so than the number of decoys.
More Hen Decoys - Early in the season the color of the drakes is not in full bloom. On quick glance many drakes have the appearance of hens. The natural spread would be that more hen decoys. Not so, the reason for decoys is to attract passing ducks. Hens are colored to blend in with the surrounding, drakes aren’t. The white on a pintail drake breast can be seen from far away. The black out line of Canada geese decoys can be seen from a far distance and if there are snow geese in the area the large white decoys are an attention getter. Use decoys that are normal in your area, but be sure to use decoys that attract passing ducks.
Color Attracts – Mr. Eli Haydel, Haydel Calls in Louisiana, paints the white area on pintail decoys a little larger and as bright as possible. It is his feeling that this added color attracts more ducks. On bright day the green head of the mallard and shoveler can be seen clearly at a great distance.
Rick Nemecek of Port Clinton, Ohio in the book “Decoys” by Wade Bourne is quoted as saying, “I’ve talked to biologists who fly aerial waterfowl surveys, and they’ve told me the first thing they notice when they see ducks on the water is their black profile. The next thing they see is white”
Rick goes on to say that early in the season he uses 1/3 to 1/2 black duck decoys and later in the season he increases the number to ¾ black ducks. He uses several pintail drakes to obtain a decoy with a lot of white.
In your area of the country black ducks might range from very few to none. In this case pick out another decoy, the coot, or one of the three geese – Canada, Snow or White Front.
The point being that a dark outline, white and bright “natural” color is seen further by passing ducks. Keeping your decoys clean and painted is the very least you can do.
MOVEMENT – Movement and the more the better will attract more flights of ducks. On zero wind days having movement is the difference between a good hunt and full harvest or a bad hunt and stopping at the grocery on the way home.
Types of Movement - Movement can be added to the spread in several ways with several types of decoys. First the old tried method of a Jerk String. Second is the most common today in most decoy spreads – land or water – the spinning wing landing decoy, in either battery driven or wind driven. In the water there are decoys that paddle their legs, flip their wings, swim and make waves by shaking. The swimming decoy and the shaker decoy are designed to add natural movement on zero wind days. There are a other “items” the hockey puck type – the Quiver Magnet H2O and Hot Wings H2O. The Quiver Magnets, when placed among still decoys vibrate, and the water movement moves the decoys.
Ole Days - In the “ole” days hunters would toss a rock or piece of limb into the water to make ways. Shaking a leg in knee-deep water was another method to make water movement and thus move the decoys. It is very seldom that a decoy sitting on the water isn’t moving. To attract waterfowl the decoys need to look like living waterfowl – to the passing ducks.
FLOATING DECOYS
There are 2 basic type decoys - water keel and weighted. Any number of species can be found at most large sporting goods stores. The most purchased are mallard, pintail and teal – blue and green wing. If you don’t know what species are common to your area, contact the state fish and game department. Get the phone number of the game wardens in the area; call them and ask, it’s their job to know.
Keel - The keel on a decoy is designed to keep the decoy floating naturally in calm or rough water. The weighted decoy (normally the keel is weighted) will right itself when turned up side down while setting out the decoys or rough water. The water decoy does not have this ability. The decoy must be set out not thrown out, or if tossed over half will need to be righted.
Removable Keels - Decoys with removable keels are available. These decoys are designed to be used on land or water.
No Keels - There are decoys without keels. Most have a concave bottom (or base). The design creates a vacuum between the decoy and the water’s surface. These decoys can be used in the field as well as over water.
Size - Decoys can be found in standard, magnum and super magnum. Size can make a difference, lake and river hunters have found that larger decoys are easier for the passing ducks to spot and the harvest rate is higher with magnum and super magnum decoys.
Duck Butts – Designed to resemble feeding puddle ducks. A few of these in any spread adds realism on shallow fields and slews.
REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
The hard body plastic decoys can be washed with cleaner, water and a soft brush. Old dull decoys can be brightened with auto tire cleaner. The best cleaner year after year is Simple Green mixed with water in a bucket. Dip the decoy in the treated water, brush lightly until clean; dip in a bucket of clean water to rinse off.
Have a hole, mostly from SOME hunter shooting the decoy, how do I fix?
1st Drill a ¼-inch hole in the very end of the bill, set the decoy with the bill down to drain the trapped water. Wipe the hole area clean with a damp sponge or damp cloth; allow to dry. Seal the area with a clear silicone caulking. Don’t forget to seal the hole in the bill.
2nd Is used to repair a decoy with multiple holes. Obtain a can of spray foam. Drill a ¼-inch hole in the end of the bill. Drill a second hole in the very end of the tail. The second hole should be the size to allow the nozzle of the spray can. (Read the directions as to the amount of the area the can of foam can fill; using your own judgment spray what you feel is less than enough.) Allow to sit overnight. The excess will squirt out the holes – bill, tail and those holes caused by shot. With a pin knife cut and scrape away the excess foam. The decoy may need to be toughed up with decoy paint.
3rd Fill each hole and crack with a hot glue gun.
TIP: Fix a hole in the decoy in the field – Most shot gun shell hulls are plastic. Wipe dry the area of the hole. With a lighter or match melt the shotgun shell and allow the hot liquid plastic to drip on and seal the hole (or holes).
Decoy is cracked, how do I fix ?
Fill the decoy with foam. Allow to sit overnight. Scrape, then wipe the crack area clean. Seal the crack with a hot glue gun welder.
Decoy Paint is faded, how do I fix?
Wash the decoy clean and allow to dry. Wipe with a spray can of tire cleaner. If still dull, wash cleaner off the decoy with Simple Green. Paint the bright areas of the decoy – head, breast, color in the wing areas. Decoy paint can be obtained from several of the mail order hunting equipment stores.
TIP: Several of the paint stores can match the decoy paint with one that will hold on the plastic decoy. Take the decoy or different species to the store, they can match the paint.
RIGGING (Attaching weights to the decoys)
Polyester decoy string with a weight is the most economical method of attaching a decoy anchor to the decoy. The best method will very with the decoy and its location..
Proper rigging can make the decoys easier to use. Rigging for flooded fields, flooded timber is basically the same, depending on if the decoys are put out at the beginning of the season and picked up at the end or if they are put out each hunt.
Rigging for ponds or reservoirs can be two ways.
Rigging for streams, rivers and large open water requires special rigging for each location. Rivers rise and fall during the season; trash and logs come down the river especially after a storm.
Rigging for bays and other salt water requires clips, cord and weights that can withstand the salt water. The decoys should be rigged for storms and placement each hunt. Rivers, steams, and open water will be discussed in future newsletters. If you have specific questions please email – bfiedler@airmail.net.
WATER KEEL DECOYS & WEIGHTS
On water keel decoys used the THP clear plastic line, connectors and a strap weight. The clear plastic line is stronger than most lines, lighter than most and can’t be seen in clear to muddy water. String or green line doesn’t blend in well in a lot of locations.
To Rig A Decoy with THP Clear Plastic Line –
1st Cut the line the depth distance you desire plus 6-inches (the extra length will be taken up with securement through two connectors.
2nd Thread the plastic line through one side of one connector, run the line through the eye at the front or rear of the keel. Run it back through the second side of the connector and squeeze the line in the connector with a pair of scissors or tap closed with a tack hammer.
3rd Run the line through the second connector, then through the weight, back through the other side of the connector; squeeze the connector. Forth, the line can be tapped around the keel then the weight slid into the open keel for storage or transportation. The other method, wraps the line around the neck of the decoy, and wrap the lead weight around the line and neck.
To Rig a Decoy with Tanglefree Line –
Tanglefree green PVC line and crimps. This line is best used with weighted keel decoys and ponds or reservoir spreads.
For weighted keel decoys to be used on a pond, the Tanglefree line, clips and a strip weight.
1st Cut the line the depth required, plus 6-inches.
2nd Tie a square knot in one end of the line (the PVC line is hard to tie and keep tied, but a hair dryer can be used to heat the knot and pull it tighter, it will stay a knot when it cools off.).
3rd Slide the line through one of the eyes – front or rear of the keel. Slide the line through one side of a crimp, through the weight, and then back through the second side of the crimp. Squeeze the crimp with pliers to hold line in place.
4th To store pull line tight, and wrap around the decoys neck; fold weight over line around neck. To put in water – unwrap the weight; pull the line with the knot in your hand and the weight snug against the keel. Throw the decoy, under hand in a flipping motion into the water. The line will slide through the keel hole and catch at the knot.
With the Tanglefree line the decoys can be placed in a decoy bag without wrapping around the neck. The line is designed not to tangle.
Increase the size of a spread more economically – Paint as many as needed two-liter plastic soda pop bottles flat black. Attach a weighted decoy line around the neck of the bottle. These bottles can be mixed among the decoys to increase the number.
TIP: To hold line and weight around 2-liter bottles, attach a heavy-duty rubber band (any office supply store) to the decoy line at the weight. Wrap the line then pull the rubber band over the line around the bottle.
Several years ago on a hunt over a flooded rice field the only decoys used were the black 2-liter plastic bottles (36 bottles laid in a “U” design, with the wind to the back of the opening). The opening was designed to be the Landing Zone. The day was clear, cloudy with a 7 to 10 mph breeze. On over 20 occasions ducks landed in the Landing Zone – mallards, pintails, widgeon, gray ducks and spoonies. Several flights of green-wing teal landed near the spread.
Want to make a weighted keel decoy from a water keel decoy?
1st Slide a strip lead decoy weight into the open water keel.
2nd Drill a ¼-inch hole in the keel around the middle of the keel.
3rd Secure the weight with a ¼-inch bolt and nut (don’t forget the locking washer).
DECOY MOVEMENT
Motion Decoys – Are necessary for any water spread. There are several types of motion decoys that any hunter can obtain and use with confidence.
The Jerk String or Pull String – Is the oldest water movement system. Attach 3 to 4 decoys to decoy line, run from a spot to be determined in the spread and back to the blind or hunter’s spot on the ground. A bungee cord or screen door spring is attached to the spot (post or heavy weight) in the water. When the hunter pulls the cord the spring allows the decoys to move forward, release and the decoys move back. The movement makes waves and moves other decoys in close proximity.
To Make A Jerk String for Flooded Fields or Timber
1st - Hammer a piece of ½-inch conduit into the ground and keep a few inches below the water line.
2nd - Secure a 36-inch bungee cord to the stake.
3rd - Secure decoy line to the bungee cord. Run the decoy line to the blind or spot on dry ground that the hunter will pull the cord.
4th - Tie three or four loops in the line about 4-feet apart (depending on the length of the jerk string).
5th - Secure a clip on the bottom of the 3 or 4 decoys at the forward decoy line attachment hole.
6th – Tie the decoy on a short 1 to 2 foot line to the corresponding loop on the jerk string line.
Spinning Wing Decoys – Battery Driven: Are designed to attract ducks from a great distance as they fly by. The spinning wings are dark on one side and white on the other. The spinning action creates constant flashing. The spinning wing decoy does not flair incoming ducks. However, for those hunters that aren’t OK with that statement, Mr. Lucky Spinning Wing Decoy is available with a remote control. The decoy can be turned on or off by the hunter from the blind.
Floater Stand – Designed to secure a battery-powered spinning wing about 2-feet on a pole with a spoke design floating arms. Attach a floating decoy to each of the 4 arms. The spinning wing action vibrates the flour floaters and creates waves in the spread.
Swimming Decoys – Designed to resemble a duck swimming. THP Swimming Decoy will run one battery for 8 to 9 hours.
A method of using the swimming decoy is –
1st Screw a 1-1/2 to 2-inch screw into the end of a wood dowel (a broom handle is ideal) leaving a ½-inch unscrewed.
2nd Attach a snap open fishing swivel to 6 to 10-feet of clear THP decoy line at both ends.
3rd Attach one swivel to the open screw area.
4th Attach the other to the front hole in the decoy.
The decoy will “swim” around in circles. The movement will attract passing ducks and the waves move other floating decoys.
Shaker Decoys – Designed to shake and create waves to move other floating decoys. The THP Shaker Decoy shakes enough that one decoy will make enough water movement to move 12 to 24 decoys (depending on placement of decoys).
TIP: Use mallard or pintail hen shaker decoys. A hen resembles most of the puddle duck hens. If placing among Mallard, Pintail, Black Duck, Wigeon, and Gadwall spreads.
Spinning Wing Decoys – Air Driven - Are designed to attract passing ducks to look over the decoy spread. A very economical method of adding “attraction” in 10 plus mph winds. Air Lucky is a full body decoy with air driven wings. The Air Lucky package contains a body with legs, two wings and struts and its own stake in 3 pieces for easy storage and transportation.
Wonderduck Paddle Wheel Decoy – Used over water for ripples and splashing with or without wings. Runs 30 hours with one D-cell battery.
H2O Quiver Magnet – This device runs an unbalanced electric motor on 2 each AA batteries. The size of a hockey puck, dark gray, waterproof, with a connection to attach decoy line and weight. One H2O Quiver Magnet will move enough water to move a dozen teal decoys or 6 standard size big duck decoys.
Hot Wings H2O Quiver Magnet - A H2O Quiver Magnet with small wings secured to top. Moves water and adds flash.
Bilge Pump & Duck Butt – Runs on 12 V battery, throws water 6” in the air, controlled from blind with 50-foot of speaker line. The water splashing moves the decoy up and down and side to side. Need a minimum of 12-inches in water depth (with out mud) to work properly.
TIP: Carry the decoy, motorcycle battery, switch box and cord in a 5-gallon plastic bucket. In shallow water, dig out a spot for the bucket. Sink it and place the decoy in the bucket. Prevents sucking mud and allows for proper water depth.
Mallard Machine – Runs on 12 V battery with 100-foot power cord. A device that uses 3 floating decoys attached to ends of the machine. Churning water movement simulates a feeding frenzy. Remote control can be obtained.
Check with the state fish and game to determine the exact law. There are several states that outlawed battery powered decoys. These are landing battery powered spinning wing and battery powered flapper leg and spinning wing decoys. Some states have taken it a step further and added wind driven spinning wing decoys to the “can’t use” decoy list. This should tell hunters that each spread should one or two of these decoys.
Confidence Decoys – Decoys used near the decoy layout instills confidence to circling ducks that there is no trouble. The Blue Herron decoy is the most common of the Confidence decoys. Place a Blue Herron Decoy near the bank and 10 to 20 yards from the blind. These can be found at large waterfowl decoy stores or mail order stores for around $ 35.00.
Other decoys are crows, egrets and owls. An owl or crow decoy can be placed on the blind or on the ground in a very visible location near the blind or decoy spread.
Distance Decoys – Place one to 3 goose decoys to the left and right of the spread at the distance you feel is a good Harvest Range (30 to 40 yards for most hunters). The type decoy to be used is determined by the type geese in your area. Distance can be determined one of two ways.
(1) A roll of string that has ribbon tied at 30, 35, 40 and 50 yards
1st Tie the end of the string to the front of the blind and walk in a semi circle from the 40-foot mark at the bank on the left clockwise to the bank on the right. At a spot on the left place a goose decoy, again directly in front of the blind, again on the right at 40 yards.
2nd Have a companion walk out to a spot in front of the blind holding a flashlight, stop him at 40 yards. Place a goose decoy. Move around to the left, place a decoy at 40 yards. Then to the right and place a goose decoy. At one of the 3 locations place 3 to 6 more floating goose decoys.
(2) A Laser Rangefinder
1st Have a fellow hunter walk in the water with a flashlight. If you feel comfortable carrying the range finder in the water, it can be aimed at a light in the blind.
2nd Aim the range finder at the light until you get the distance required.
3rd Place a decoy at this spot.
4th Move to the left and right to give the outline of the spread.
Harvest Range is the distance the hunter can kill (not cripple) a duck with the shotgun and shell being used. This knowledge should be obtained prior to the first hunt. It is valuable in placing the decoys. No decoy should be placed past “harvest” range. If ducks land at the fringe of the decoys, they should still be in “harvest” range.
SPREAD DESIGN
No two long time duck hunters agree on the number of decoys or layout. Most hunters have a very diffident design that they feel is “the best.”
There are three basic things to remember.
(1). Puddle Ducks – which are 90 percent you hunt in flooded fields or ponds/lakes DO NOT like to land over other ducks on the water.
(2). Ducks (like all waterfowl) land into the wind.
(3). Most puddle ducks swim with ducks of there own species.
TIP: Hunting over water will attract almost (at one time or another) every species of duck that migrates through or winters in the flyway. If you do not know for sure the species, do not shoot. In Texas pintail and canvas back can only be taken during a specific few days each season. Other species have a small number (1 or 2) that are legal in any single day. All duck hunters, new or old should have in possession a LeMaster Waterfowl ID booklet. Less than twenty dollars, and there aren’t any fines that cheep.
FLOODED GRAIN FIELD
Decoys needed for a simple spread - Four (4) dozen standard size duck decoys (2 dozen pintails, 1 dozen mallard and 1 dozen teal). 6 to 18 standard size goose decoys. 1 or 2 spinning wing mallard decoys. 1 swimming mallard drake decoy, 1 to 4 shaker hen mallard decoys and several H2O Quiver Magnet wave makers.
Basic spread design - The base design is a “U” with the open end downwind and to the upwind side of the blind. The Landing Zone in the area directly in front of the blind. Place the pintail decoys furtherest from the blind and the mallard closest to the blind. Place the decoys 3-feet apart. The opening in the “U” is about 20 by 20 yards. The teal are set on the downwind side of the blind about 20 yards from the blind. The teal decoys should be 3-feet apart and about 5-yards from bank. Teal stay off to the side of large ducks. Don’t mix teal decoys with large duck decoys. It isn’t natural.
The THP Shaker Decoys should be scattered through out the pintail and mallard decoys.
The H2O Quiver Magnets should be scattered among the teal decoys.
The THP Swimming Decoy placed dead center of the blind and 35-yards from the blind. The length of the swimming decoy line is 6 to 10-feet, giving the swimming circle to be 3 –yards. The swimming duck can be your center most decoy in the spread.
The Mr. Lucky Battery Driven Spinning Wing Decoys should be placed, 1 in the middle of the mallard decoy spread and the second in the middle of the Landing Zone.
The Jerk String, run from the middle of the pintail decoys to the blind with pintail decoys in the pintail spread. Run the line through the downwind mallard decoys, use mallard decoys and end at the blind.
The Goose Decoys are placed in all three directions (Two directions – both sides - when a swimming decoy is used). Three on the right, three on the left and the remainder in the front left of the blind at 30 to 40-yards from the blind.
More decoys can be added, and they can be placed a yard or two further apart, but the base design is a good start. All decoy spreads require (1) Landing Zone (2) Number of decoys (3) Type of decoys (4) placement of decoys.
When you see decoys on the water, check the number, type, distance apart and movement. What did you see first? What you saw is what passing ducks see.
FLOODED TIMBER SPREAD
Decoys needed for a simple spread - 24 to 36 standard or magnum size mallard duck decoys. 1 or 2 Mr. Lucky Mallard Drake Spinning Wing Decoys, 1 to 3 THP Shaker Mallard Hen Decoys and a half dozen H2O Quiver Magnetwave makers.
Place decoys in groups of 2 or 3 around the edges of the hole. NOT in the flooded trees but highly visible along the edge. It gives the appearance that the decoys are swimming into the timber.
The THP Shaker Hen Mallard Decoys and H2O Quiver Magnets should be scattered on all four sides of the hole among decoys.
The Mr. Lucky Mallard Drake Decoys should be placed close to the center of the hole. The most visible location.
Tip: Flooded Timer Hunting spots – For many years my main hunting area was a blind on 800 acres of flooded oak timber. An approximate 50 x 30 yard hole kept clean of brush and water was flooded to about knee deep. Losing cripples was a problem that was solved with out a dog. Standing in the middle of the opening, strings were stretched 40 yards in every direction and attached to the closest tree. Chicken wire was stapled to these trees in a loose circle around the opening. At the rear an opening between two trees, about 6 feet wide “door” was made with bent nails along one tree so it could be opened and closed. Cripple ducks will swim to the chicken wire, put there head through a hole and paddle trying to push down the fence. When you feel you are close to the limit, have two hunters start at the “door”, one walk clockwise the other counter clockwise and pick up the cripples.
PONDS & RESERVOIRS
Decoys needed for a simple spread - 3 dozen standard to magnum size, (2 dozen pintail, 1 dozen mallard) duck decoys, half dozen White Front or Canada goose decoys and 2 THP shaker hen mallard decoys.
NOTE: A Floater Stand with a battery operated spinning wing decoy, works great. If you do not have a boat and still want to use the Floater Stand, (1) tie a line to one spoke. (2) Attach the floating decoys and spinning wing decoy to the Floater Stand. (3) Sit the weight and decoy string on one of the spokes. (4) Push the rig out with a pole. (5) Push the weight off the spoke.
TIP: Use 2 each 10-foot pieces of ½-inch metal conduit. Hold together with a Conduit Coupler and duct tape. (1) Drill a ¼-inch hole about 2-inches from one end of one piece of conduit. (2) Place a 4-inch ¼-by-4-inch bolt through the hole. (3) Secure with locking washer and nut. This is the “hook” to pull the Fowl Floater back to the bank after the hunt. (4) Hold the two pieces of conduit together with the Conduit Coupler. (5) Secure the poles to the coupler with duct tape. Conduit can be cut into 4 each 5-foot pieces and 3 Conduit Couplers.
Set up with the wind coming from the left or right and the sun to the backs of the hunters. The decoy spread design is a “V” going out from the center of the blind. Place the mallard decoys about 6-feet apart on the left side of the blind starting 5-yards from the blind.
Place the goose decoys on the outside of the mallard decoys.
Place the pintail decoys about 6-feet apart and starting 5-yards from the blind moving to the right.
Place one of the THP Hen Mallard Shaker decoys in the middle of the mallard decoys, the second in the middle of the pintail decoys.
The Landing Zone is the open “V” is 35 to 40 yards wide at a point 40 yards from the blind. |
