Spinners

[Darren]

Knowing this thread could burn forever, thought I'd move discussion here instead of clogging up Eric's log, as I do want to keep it going.

Few points from what others have said in there and my recent input from neighboring blinds:

1.) "they've seen them all the way down flyway and know it's bad"......but in mid-January, multiple blinds by me, at end of the flyway were wrecking GROUPS of decoying birds with up to 4 spinners rolling. You'd think, yea, they know by now, but apparently can still be effective into the late season under right lighting conditions. You can bet Rick's got his rolling this morning at the Mudhole with but a few days to go in the season...help more than hurt, know when to turn them off.

2.) Neighbor blind said he just turns his off with remote when the big wads of pintails break, something I think Rick largely practices with most all big ducks, and with effectiveness largely right up to the closing bell.

3.) Three weeks ago I pulled mine altogether, after trying with them on, then off via remote when we were playing hell getting birds to finish....no result by pulling them.....so I may as well leave them.



That idea of putting them in a box to hide from all but the ducks gave me a laugh......the ingenuity of hunters.

[Anotherone]

If I had a spinner, I’d be running it. It couldn’t hurt my spot anymore than anything else at this point. I wish I had a whole damn flock of spinners to try.

[SpinnerMan]

You all need to add a vortex machine.

Some guys about a half mile from us earlier in the season had one. That a half dozen spinners and about 400 decoys too. It was really beautiful and very frustrating to watch the big flocks of mallards working their spread.

In the dry fields I'd put out every one I can get my hands on. I'm actually seriously thinking about getting a vortex machine. If I knew we were going to get weather to bring the ducks and I'd actually be able to get out when the ducks were here, I would definitely. My timing and the weather has been shit the last few years. When the birds are here, I am not. They showed up the week my wife and I relocated to Florida. I would have got on a plane and flew back, but her sister and family came to visit. I had to choose between going back home and killing ducks or being killed by my wife. It was a tough call.

Over water, my much more limited experience that some days if you ain't got them and the neighbor does, you are screwed. Other days, the mallards will be repelled by them. Back when I actually used to see fair numbers of mallards where I hunt over the water. That's how it was for us.

[Ricky Spanish]

You all need to add a vortex machine.

Some guys about a half mile from us earlier in the season had one. That a half dozen spinners and about 400 decoys too. It was really beautiful and very frustrating to watch the big flocks of mallards working their spread.

In the dry fields I'd put out every one I can get my hands on. I'm actually seriously thinking about getting a vortex machine. If I knew we were going to get weather to bring the ducks and I'd actually be able to get out when the ducks were here, I would definitely. My timing and the weather has been shit the last few years. When the birds are here, I am not. They showed up the week my wife and I relocated to Florida. I would have got on a plane and flew back, but her sister and family came to visit. I had to choose between going back home and killing ducks or being killed by my wife. It was a tough call.

Over water, my much more limited experience that some days if you ain't got them and the neighbor does, you are screwed. Other days, the mallards will be repelled by them. Back when I actually used to see fair numbers of mallards where I hunt over the water. That's how it was for us.

I know guys that had a club in semo. They had more ducks than you can imagine and their club was 'wired for sound' so to speak.
They had three vortex, 14 spinners and an assortment of water splashing decoys all rigged to a control center.
The logistics of keeping it all charged and operating was a PITA. They finally gave it up and went back to freelancing on public.
Times are tough for everyone not just the jet set.