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Must Have Duck Hunting Gear

So are we settled on 1 dozen decoys here? A half dozen?

I have some spots that are permanent blinds with big spreads available, but I'm talking about those backwoods holes, woody spots, and run 'n gun farm ponds.
 
BackSpasm said:
So are we settled on 1 dozen decoys here? A half dozen?

I have some spots that are permanent blinds with big spreads available, but I'm talking about those backwoods holes, woody spots, and run 'n gun farm ponds.
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I would say if I'm throwing decoys out I'm throwing at least a dozen. I have 2 dozen woodies and about 4 dozen "causeway ducks." Mainly gadwall with some mallard, teal, and pintail. Bigger water, bigger spreads in my mind. BUT...

I think a lot of times you need more decoys than you think in a woodie hole. Theyre flying fast and high, and you're in a hole with a lot of cover. I think a lot of people say wood ducks can't be decoyed because the birds never see the decoys because folks don't have enough out there, or they put them too close to cover. Half a dozen birds tucked up next to a fallen down tree is realistic, but how are they supposed to see that? That's why I built up to 2 dozen birds and use jerk rigs and spinners. I set bigger spreads than most folks in small water, and get rewarded with lots of 20 yard chip shots over decoys.
 
BackSpasm said:
So are we settled on 1 dozen decoys here? A half dozen?

I have some spots that are permanent blinds with big spreads available, but I'm talking about those backwoods holes, woody spots, and run 'n gun farm ponds.
Click to expand...
I'd say at least a dozen depending on how you haul them. You're gonna have weights on them too. Weighted keel will be heavier than water keel to carry. You can always buy a dozen and not take them all depending on what you need. Ive personally never spent more than $50 on a dozen so shop around. I typically put out five dozen or so but I hunt mostly open water.
 
Great info fellas! Thanks for the pointers. What about species? Do you really need to be specific our can I get away with one species of decoy for woodies, teal and mallards. Again, just looking to kill some ducks not have lights out amazing mississippi flood plain duck hunts
 
BackSpasm said:
Great info fellas! Thanks for the pointers. What about species? Do you really need to be specific our can I get away with one species of decoy for woodies, teal and mallards. Again, just looking to kill some ducks not have lights out amazing mississippi flood plain duck hunts
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I can only speak for my area. Your area may be completely different.

Mallards are useless to me. They make up only like 2% of our harvest, but every Tom, Rick, and Harry throws out a dozen. I like gadwall as my bread-n-butter decoy because they make up like 60% of our harvest, but nobody sets them out. Also, they're quite drab and could really be anything from a distance. I will only use mallards if I can get a bulk pack really cheap, and then I'll paint the drakes black and use them in my coot raft.

Wood ducks will come to gadwall decoys, but I do prefer to have wood duck decoys when targeting wood ducks. They have a lot of color to them, and stwnd out well. Also, I call a fair amount of woodies across the water like turkeys. I have called many lonely drakes 100 yards across the swamp with subtle tugs on the jerk rig and a few hen calls.
 
I like to have at least 3-4 decoys of the duck I’m targeting. My typical spread has 6 wood ducks, 6 teal, 2 mallards, and 4 gadwall. My area sounds similar to what @Nutterbuster hunts. Very little of my harvest consists of mallards, with mostly wood ducks and teal with gadwalls mixed in
 
I'm 90% mallards in my spread with some teal and ringnecks mixed in. I also throw out some goose floaters too. Like @Nutterbuster said, i will paint two or three solid black. I don't ever see wood ducks so I don't carry any. I hunt big water so ducks cruising the lake will key in on the divers and when they swing in to check them out they'll see my mallards. I have a few mallard hen decoys I painted to look like gadwalls but I don't think it matters in my set up. SCOUT! find out what ducks are in the area you are hunting and buy decoys accordingly. If I've discovered one constant about duck hunting it is to be adaptable. It doesn't hurt to have a mixed bag of decoys but don't buy a bunch until you key in on what you are hunting. Keep the wind at your back, don't call in their face, and let the ducks tell you what they want. Be patient as you learn. For every limit day I've had, I've had 10 no bird days. Keep asking questions! AND SCOUT!!
 
Nutterbuster said:
I would say look at your state's harvest reports, and buy whatever is the most prominent duck in your area. Or buy whatever you see the most of.
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Looks like we kill about 43% mallards. Which is what I have mostly shot in the past. I see all kinds of ducks it seems like. Maybe I should try a mixed spread.
 
@BackSpasm I hunt west Tennessee every few years or so when I get an invite. We typically hunt flooded corn and run mostly mallards. I'm not sure how much different it is where you are at ( I think I saw you are in middle Tennessee).
 
BackSpasm said:
Looks like we kill about 43% mallards. Which is what I have mostly shot in the past. I see all kinds of ducks it seems like. Maybe I should try a mixed spread.
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You're in luck then, because mallard decoys are cheap. I'd buy 2 dozen mallards, a jerk rig, and a DC mallard call or a Haydel DR85 and go to town.
 
Nutterbuster said:
You're in luck then, because mallard decoys are cheap. I'd buy 2 dozen mallards, a jerk rig, and a DC mallard call or a Haydel DR85 and go to town.
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I met Kelly Hadel once. I also met Butch Richenback. Butch and I talked about the Andy Griffith show.
 
My wife says I have a decoy problem. I don't think I have nearly enough.
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Flock of flickers may be the best spinning decoys I've used. Land or water, doesn't matter. The internal timer sets them off at different times.

Crushed doves over them the other day as well.

Skeet choke tube. Yea, they're open....but I put one in my 1187 20 gauge and all the sudden I'm crushing birds. I think too many people over choke.
 
Nutterbuster said:
In order, you need

A shotgun (standard IC or mod choke is fine)
Waders
Decoys
Jerk rig
Call
Spinner/other junk

If you can't walk in then you need a boat. I started killing ducks with a single shot 20 gage and rubber boots. Decoys and calls are fun and can be useful, but they complicate things.
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Yep, only thing you have to have is a shotgun and some shells! Rubber boots or waders next. Sit where the ducks want to be and you don't need anything else but to stay hidden (so good camouflage)
 
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