Realistic deke spread

[LowerRiver]

I read that you should have different species in your spread. My question is, do you group them together or mix them all up with each other. In other words should I put my mallards off to the right, the teal in the middle and widgeon and pintails to the left or just put them all together all over?

Thanks,

LR

[Yogi]

You can mix stuff in. I mix my mallards and widgeon together and tend to keep my pintails a little further out more toward open water. You can put little clusters of teal anywhere, perhaps near the edge of your pocket to simulate a flock that has landed. I always try to have a large enough pocket for the ducks to land and a clear path for their approach from downwind. I start by pacing off 40 yards and work back toward the blind. I just don't want to risk the birds landing too far out and having an out of range shot.

[duckdown2]

and in this early season use more hens than drakes

[LuckyStrike]

Best thing to do is go look at an off season raft of ducks.

Depending on where you are, the species will be mixed.

In my experience on the columbia, the lower river out on islands you might want to use bluebills, mallards, a couple of pinnys, shoveler or two.

Upper willy or coastal river, mix in a few wood ducks.

It is my opinion that teal do tend to be along the edge or off to one side of the raft. I usually put a pod of half dozen greenies together off to one side. (same with coots)

But upper columbia, we mix, equally, widgeon and mallards, because they are the most common. I always have a couple of teal or pinnys.

LS

[Elkiller]

I agree with the plan to keep them mostly separated. Teal in particular belong on the edge or along a bank/ grass. Set them close to you. Leave a big hole in front of you. If you have a spot of water you don't want birds land in, fill it with mallards. I mix widgeon in. I now use Mallard, widgeon, teal, spoonies, bufflehead and seem to bring in more ducks than I did with just two species out; especially late in the season.

[Duckwheat]

You guys are giving this a lot of thought. I was over east of Boise this past weekend and this guy had his decoys set up looking like a Cabelas display. There were geese (Standing, Shells), mallards (Standing on a log, floaters, shells, coots, teal of some description.

It looked so phony I chuckled. I have been using geese floaters for about 10- years now. Forgot my duck decoys one time and just used the goose decoys. I shot more ducks and have never looked back. It is rare that I bother putting the ducks out.

I am convinced it is the shape and maybe an initial splash of colr that gets them to look. If you are thinking they are getting down to consider wether your mallards are too close to the widgeon and i don't see any teal. I think before they get down to that point they are going to flare off your shiny face peering out of the blind first.

A buddy of mind went duck and goose hunting up on Hudson Bay once. An Indian guide no decoys. The guide went out and made some decoys out of mud and some stick on the beach. You guessed it they worked right in to the impromptu dekes.

My two cents worth, but I think you are over analyzing it.


Duckwheat

[LuckyStrike]

To each his own Duckwheat. We shoot our ducks with feet down hovering over the decoys. We never pass shoot.

I think it is preference. Attention to detail works on the really tough days. Hunting on the big river, the ducks see a lot of spreads.

I have pulled birds away from 120 block spreads less than 200 yards away with no more than 60-70 good decoys. Yes good calling makes a difference, but realism brings birds feet down, no mistakes on id (except for a freak early season gaddy last year).

LS:grin:

[duckboy]

I like a spread of whatever is indigenous to the area,

A trio of teal on the side, and of course, a canvasback or two out on the edge (for visibility).

Going to be running a Pink flamingo in the closest alternate flight paths for birds that are too high to choose my spot or another, when they see the pink flamingo in their other most likey choice, it'll be a no brainer for them to dive into my spot.

Oh yeah, Some mud decoys with a good stick to hold em up.... J/K

But seriously, I do fold up the dead ones and use them as sleepers on the shoreline.

[Rauly]

This guy runs Pinkies all the time.

[Tilla]

Originally Posted by Duckwheat

My two cents worth, but I think you are over analyzing it.


Duckwheat

There are more significant factors such as are you setting up where the ducks want to go or can you talk to them?
Ever look at the closed zone of a refuge, it's one big reunion.