What is the best decoy spread?
 

Im kinda new to duck hunting but have had little bit of success.What are the best decoys setups for diver ducks?Ive heard set up decoys in a j shape and heard c shape.What is the best # and kind of birds also.Ive been using Teal and Bluebills. Thanks Alot for helpin this ROOKIE

RE: What is the best decoy spread?
 

I like to put my dekes in 2 groups. I tried the C, J, X, S, U, etc. patterns, but it can be difficult to get the ducks to land where u want. An easier and more trusting way to get them to land where u want them to is to position the 2 setups so there is an nice open are in the middle of them. Keep your furthest deke no more than 30 yds. or so from you, so if they land 10 yds. past your dekes, they're still in range.

RE: What is the best decoy spread?
 

I myself, like the V. Then put decoys scattered around the V but keep the middle of the V open. Then put 2-5 decoys in the middle of the V like 30 yards. Put ur blind at the tip of the V and see what happens. Wind should be going with u, not againts u.

Good luck and i hope u kill a lot of ducks in the future years;)

RE: What is the best decoy spread?
 

For divers, the best setup usually includes some kind of long line. You have one line extending out a ways and comes back to you. You can hook it at the end or not.

What I like to see is a long line of decoys extending straight out on one side. Whatever side you pick for your long line, the other side of your blind should be decoys in a bunch with the area right in front of you wide open. Look at pictures of divers when they feed. They are bunched up tight. Not like puddlers, who only bunch up when they are going to flush.

Theory is that when divers hit that long line, they'll follow it and then swing in front of you to get to the feeding bunch.

I don't know that I'd be mixing teal and 'bills. You've got a small puddler mixed with a medium sized diver. Those two species of birds are rarely found in the same groups. Well, up here in the NE anyway.

RE: What is the best decoy spread?
 

Thanks for the info j.plate.Ill have to try that next time.

RE: What is the best decoy spread?
 

For divers the key IMO is BLACK and WHITE dekes, and be where they want to be!! You need the black and white to show up we have hammered them in the past with everything from 6 puddler dekes to a well planned spread but havin diver dekes seems to be most key and bein where they naturally want to be!

RE: What is the best decoy spread?
 

I hunt divers alot and have found the hook to be the best for me. I I set a decoy 30 yards in front of the blind this is the point at which I start setting the others The 30 yard decoy is where you want the ducks to want to land make your big pod of decoys inside of it and taper a string up and out sometimes 150 yards about 6 to 10 yards apart in the front set a bend up 10 to 15 yards from the main pod in a hook shape.
[hr]

RE: What is the best decoy spread?
 

You've gotta have white in the spread - bluebills, canvasbacks, bufflehead, - whatever you can get. The more white, the better. If you run them on a gang rig, be very careful if you're hunting with a dog. I've always been wary of hunting my dog around one and sure enough, my buddy almost lost his dog two months ago in one.

RE: What is the best decoy spread?
 

From my experience i have noticed that it kinda depends on which way the wind is blowing.Am i right. Correct me if im not.