09-23-2013, 03:03 PM
I had my dekes out on the lawn last week checking all the lines and such too!
I used to run big spreads like that too, Mallards, Pintails, widgeon and teal with all the spinning wings and magnets. When we had a few people going we'd set out up to 7 dozen dekes! In the last couple years though, I've really shied away from that.
On ponds where you need that many decoys to have a presence the ducks get lots of pressure and wise up really fast. You rely on new dumb birds to get your shots. What I'm really leaning towards now is bringing a dozen pro grade mallard decoys and maybe a dozen teal to small ponds and short reeds. Where I hunt, this is really where the ducks hang out once there's pressure and they decoy in ten times better than hunting a big pond with tall grass at your back!
Boats are fantastic toys to have, but too many guys have them now and the spots you can get to with them are so over-hunted the ducks that have been around for a week avoid the edges and either go sit in the middle of the pond or they fly out to the shallow stuff where I'm waiting for them! Use the boat for transportation and get out and walk a couple hundred yards and you'll find more ducks and less people to compete with!
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I used to run big spreads like that too, Mallards, Pintails, widgeon and teal with all the spinning wings and magnets. When we had a few people going we'd set out up to 7 dozen dekes! In the last couple years though, I've really shied away from that.
On ponds where you need that many decoys to have a presence the ducks get lots of pressure and wise up really fast. You rely on new dumb birds to get your shots. What I'm really leaning towards now is bringing a dozen pro grade mallard decoys and maybe a dozen teal to small ponds and short reeds. Where I hunt, this is really where the ducks hang out once there's pressure and they decoy in ten times better than hunting a big pond with tall grass at your back!
Boats are fantastic toys to have, but too many guys have them now and the spots you can get to with them are so over-hunted the ducks that have been around for a week avoid the edges and either go sit in the middle of the pond or they fly out to the shallow stuff where I'm waiting for them! Use the boat for transportation and get out and walk a couple hundred yards and you'll find more ducks and less people to compete with!
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