Decoy spread/Numbers for Flooded Field

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Re: Decoy spread/Numbers for Flooded Field

Postby Rick » Tue Oct 17, 2017 5:37 am

Here in SW Louisiana, it seems like there's a blind in every field, and as a hunter drives down the road, he probably can't help but scan the levee for that blind anytime he sees a flooded field with a single big bunch of "birds" near said levee. My thinking is that ducks that have been around a while just have to be doing the same, and my flooded field tactics eventually evolved to reflect the most obvious difference between fields being hunted and fields the birds are actually using. That being that the real deal can nearly always be seen scattered about the flood, rather than all lumped next a place guns can hide.

My MO was to scatter decoys in mostly ones, twos or threes widely over several acres of water as essentially confidence decoys to lend credence to a much more dense concentration of larger "family groups," presumably taking advantage of the most prime feeding area near the blind.

First time I employed that tactic, I was a bit fearful of looking the fool when birds landed with outlying decoys well beyond range, but decent calling negated nearly all of that.

As for the goose decoys, I strongly suggest not putting out more that you're willing to pick up each trip, as geese seem much quicker to learn decoys are that in your absence than ducks. And I'd make stake extensions of 1/2 metal conduit or some such that allows you to get all but perhaps a couple goose decoys off the levee and out in the pond, where their appearance will lend credence to the appearance of shallow, easy feeding water.
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Re: Decoy spread/Numbers for Flooded Field

Postby aunt betty » Tue Oct 17, 2017 7:28 am

Yrs ago one of the ducks unlimited magazine issues had a pretty big story on decoys. Best part was the aerial photographs of live ducks in marshes and timber holes.
The were scattered around like rick just described.

If you can scout and see what you're trying to shoot take visual notes and mimmick what they're doing especially in fields with Canada geese. They'll either tend to be in pairs, pairs of pairs, or family size groups.
Not sure about other geese. Not enough experience.

Where it gets tricky is when you have to make them land in a certain spot. It's do-able but they'll know you're funneling them into a kill-zone if you're not really good at decoy placement.

Don't hesitate to move stuff around. Observe and see what's not working and what would work and adjust.
Don't think you can walk into the bucket-hole and set it up right the first time. I've seen it set up backwards quite a few times.
I've heard that it's incredibly stupid to fuck around with a crazy man's head.
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Re: Decoy spread/Numbers for Flooded Field

Postby aunt betty » Tue Oct 17, 2017 7:41 am

The blinds and pits I've seen in Arkansas all look alike in general.
Big strip of decoys parallel to a levee with a blind or pit.
Usually around ten dozen with a gap where they want the ducks to land.
Maybe a handful of goose decoys...canada, snow, or speck. Don't matter much what kind.
In Louisiana it's probably a little more complicated because the neAR guys educate em. Never been much south of stuttgart yet.

You're place with trees at the back of the pit is perfect for the Arkansas kind of setup. Use one or two spinners where you want them to land.
Range: put the row 20 yards out in front of the levee with kill-zone 20 (twenty) yards in front of the pit or off to the side a little one way or the other. Make the row of decoys about 10-15 yards wide. 500 decoys is enough for three good spreads.
Try not to shoot the spinners. 8-)

Wind in your back...good. In your face bad. Side to side is aok.
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Re: Decoy spread/Numbers for Flooded Field

Postby Darren » Tue Oct 17, 2017 12:53 pm

Im not a fan of the J's, V's, T's, etc. etc. etc., J's largely geared toward diving ducks. Hell I've had good success over a spread that the ice randomized for us in the process of thawing and drifting and taking dekes with it. Ducks don't sit in a particular shape, so your blocks shouldn't either, for puddlers at least. Like Rick said, scattered is the most realistic, just make sure you've got something to get them in range, be it your calling, a larger wad of dabbling ducks/decoys, or both.
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Re: Decoy spread/Numbers for Flooded Field

Postby Rick » Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:47 pm

Not a "pattern" guy, either. Just "family groups" with big holes between them where I want the birds to land.
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Re: Decoy spread/Numbers for Flooded Field

Postby Rick » Tue Oct 17, 2017 2:59 pm

Give it a go and see what happens. My rice setups were more like maybe five dozen in family clusters near the blind and a couple or three hundred scattered far and wide. But I like to call. What you're thinking of may well provide more decoy draw.
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Re: Decoy spread/Numbers for Flooded Field

Postby aunt betty » Tue Oct 17, 2017 4:23 pm

Or you could try two round spherical bunches, one on each side, with a tall cylindrical shape in the center pointing outwards. :clap:
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