Decoy Rigs?

[dudlbugr]

Hey Guys,

What kind of decoy rig, and size, do you guys unt with in marsh? In timber?

I'm trying to get back into hunting, and looking for advice.

Oh yeah: Motion yes or no. If yes, What kind?

Thanks,

dudlbugr

[dudlbugr]

I hunt with about 20 dekes, mostly mallards, but with a few teal that belong to my cousin and he left in my spread. 2 Quiver magnets and 1 Lucky Duck (this am will be it's first trip! Am off now!

[mallardhunter]

It just all depends on your specific situation. In general, I use as many and as large as I can. If you're hunting with a boat, weighted keel, super magnums, as many as the boat will haul. If you're carrying 'em on your back, water keel, and cut those strap weights into thirds. I use all mallard decoys, with a male to female ratio of 11 to 1. I don't want to attract wood ducks, and most other species I hunt (gadwwall, widgeon) will decoy to mallards.

In general, the more open the water, the more decoys you will need or want. In timber, I have killed many a duck with no decoys out - call hard and kick your leg, thrashing the water.

Movement is more important than how many or how big your decoys are. Rigging a jerk string is fairly easy. To learn how, search back a few pages for the thread(s).

Good luck and hunt safe!

[dudlbugr]

11 to 1 drake to hen? That sounds kinda strong? I don't know.... Thanks for the help.

[mallardhunter]

:!: 11 to 1 drake to hen?

I hunt mostly in the timber now, and a hen mallard looks pretty much like a stump, clump of brown weeds, etc. We use the drake setup for visibility, which is all you're trying to do in the timber.

YMMV!

[dudlbugr]

Thanks, MH. Gonna go try timber tomorrow pm I think. Have to finish a stand for my dog in the am. Are you having any luck where you are? I saw some guys from Indiana down here today, and they were desperate for some birds! SO AM I!!

[Delta Duck]

Mallardhunter, I agree with you about the ratio. I think when you buy a dozen deke it should be 8 greenheads and 4 hens.

I did a show about 3 weeks ago for Sports Afield. I put out 3 dozen Greenhead dekes. No hens. After the kick ass hunt I asked Jamerson Parker and Jake Markeris of Quaker Boy Game Calls, and the Producer if they noticed anything about the spread. They did not even notice. I said, Ya'll hunt all over the US and don't pay attention to the major details of the hunt. They did not know what to say!

I will be putting spreads out in pairs with acouple singles from now til the end of season. The mallards have really started pairing.

[Wingman]

I agree, go for vis. From the air, I notice mallard drakes (that white back) and bluebills from alot farther away than the other ducks. I can even spot shovelers easily by that white breast.

Also, what I reaaaaaly notice, is ripples from swimming ducks. The glare of the sun gives 'em away long before I can see the bird itself.

I usually put out more drakes than hens. In nature, I think it is in actuality 4:1 drakes to hens. But there are always several drakes chasing one hen....God's way of making sure the eggs are laid, I guess.

Early on, I will put out large "blocks" of dekes to try and make the birds land where I want 'em to. With the scattered birds, and all of them being hunted severely this time of year, I am putting out 1 or 2 here, 1 or 2 there. Make it look natural like DD said.

Wingman

[RedEyed Duck]

Thats interesting Delta, I have never tried no hens. We usually hunt with more hens in the early season and more drakes in the later season. This year it has not seemed to matter what we had out due to the lack of birds. I agree with the make up of the standard dozen (8 to 4 would be nice). I believe that Bass Pro does that with those crappy Red Head dekes of theirs if you dont mind the paint pealing and chipping before the deke comes out of the box. At least they got something right. DLB, all I can tell ya is that you will be scratching your head on this one for years to come. Good luck and hope you shoot plenty of shots.....