DIFFERENT DECOYS
11-11-2003, 07:23 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: EVANS,COLORADO
Posts: 28
DIFFERENT DECOYS
IS IT GOOD TO USE A VARIETY OF DIFFRENT DUCK SPECIES IN YOUR SPREAD LIKE TEAL AND WIGEON?OR SHOULD I JUST STICK TO MY MALLARD DECOYS?IF YOU SHOULD MIX THEM WHAT DIFFRENT SPECIES DO YOU GUY' S USE
11-11-2003, 07:42 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 213
RE: DIFFERENT DECOYS
Go out and watch the real ducks! They do intermingle but stay in little clusters of their own type. Keep the same birds together in little 4-6 bird groups. I like to use a few small groups of pintail for the white on them on bluebird days.
11-11-2003, 07:45 PM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Flora Vista, New Mexico
Posts: 93
RE: DIFFERENT DECOYS
I usually throw out two to four teal blocks per 24 mallards, and lately have been throwing out bluebill blocks as well. This was working very well until our ducks dissappeared a couple of days ago... (they' ll come back- they always do!).
Not only do I mix in other species, but I try to make a point of buying a dozen of a different style of mallard blocks every year or so. This way I get different head positions and texture/color. My new favorites are the Herter' s Millenium deeks. They are a bit on the spendy side, but seem to be like magnets.
This stuff works for me, but you never know.
Not only do I mix in other species, but I try to make a point of buying a dozen of a different style of mallard blocks every year or so. This way I get different head positions and texture/color. My new favorites are the Herter' s Millenium deeks. They are a bit on the spendy side, but seem to be like magnets.
This stuff works for me, but you never know.
11-13-2003, 11:25 AM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: St. Louis Missouri USA
Posts: 67
RE: DIFFERENT DECOYS
Definitely mix species and different brands of decoys. For one, it becomes more realistic and appealing. As mentioned above, pintails, and especially bluebill decoys add a very helpful amount of white that can be seen from long distances and helps to attract birds. Just set out a few and go a long ways off, you' ll see what I mean. Puddlers intermingle a lot when feeding. On every trip we have mallards, pintails, woodies, teal, and bluebills out on the water. We also use feeder and sleeper dekes to make it more interesting.
Just remember, we often give a duck or goose way to much credit concerning their brain power. Do you think a duck really thinks to itself, " Hey, those species of ducks don' t sit together" or " That duck is much bigger than that other one" . When you think about it its ridiculous. They see decoys on the water, they look at them, mostly to see if they are moving, as ducks are highly aware of movement (both good and bad) and they decide whether they want to join them or not.
Bad camo, movement, and wrong calling scares many more ducks than decoy spreads.
11-19-2003, 10:20 AM
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: East Central Wisconsin
Posts: 162
RE: DIFFERENT DECOYS
I like to use both mallard and bluebill dekes. I usually put out a ball and chain pattern for my bluebills (kind of gives ' em a landing strip) and a grouping of mallards. I leave an opening in between and place my spinner in the opening. Just this am I had a goose land in the ' bills and a few goldeneye land in my mallards. The ' bills seem to be more visable from a distance and the mallards seem to have a calming affect up close.
