Help with Pintails

[Colin]

So I went out 4 times this past week. Ended up with a Mallard, Widgeon and two Teals, but on Friday I saw a ton of pintails flying and they seemed to be very decoy wary. They would come in to about 60-70 yrds and flare after looking like they were going to set down and then a Teal or two would zoom right over the spread like 20 feet off the ground.

I was running about a half dozen full body mallards and a dozen mallard floaters in the field and a half dozen in a nearby ditch along with my wind decoy that never stopped spinning all day. I was not calling to them at all once they even looked like they were going to think about coming my way as I'm not a great caller and only have two mallard calls at the moment around my neck.

What do I need to do to get these birds in? Expand my spread to include some Pintail floaters or full bodies seems like it would make sense? Should I pull most of my mallard floaters? Should I get a Pintail call?

I think obviously a more diverse spread will pull better results but how diverse?

Thanks for all the help!!! Happy Holidays!!!

[h2ofowlr]

Pull the spinner!

Pintail whistle is also recommended.  Stay away from setting up on points.  Shallow water areas are a good choice.  Locate any area with plenty of pintail and pintail decoys may definaty help.  Some locations will hunt very well for pintail and others will be fly byes.

[wadu1]

Pull the spinner!

[Colin]

I do want to get it rigged to a pull string, but that day the wind never died down from 6:00Am till 3:30Pm when I called it quits. It snowed most of the morning and rained off and on all day.

So it was spinning all day from just the wind.

[h2ofowlr]

I do want to get it rigged to a pull string, but that day the wind never died down from 6:00Am till 3:30Pm when I called it quits. It snowed most of the morning and rained off and on all day.

So it was spinning all day from just the wind.

If you have wind, you may have all the movement you need in the decoys.  The birds are getting wise to the spinner as every set has a few going.  That is the first change I would make by pulling the spinner first.  Then using a pintail call.

So, no pull string, no spinner.  Decoys in a field and a jerk cord attached to a floater.

[seth30]

Great advice!

[ghosthunter]

I do want to get it rigged to a pull string, but that day the wind never died down from 6:00Am till 3:30Pm when I called it quits. It snowed most of the morning and rained off and on all day.

So it was spinning all day from just the wind.

If you have wind, you may have all the movement you need in the decoys.  The birds are getting wise to the spinner as every set has a few going.  That is the first change I would make by pulling the spinner first.  Then using a pintail call.

So, no pull string, no spinner.  Decoys in a field and a jerk cord attached to a floater.

 

The birds have seen it all and heard it all. Everyone is using a spinner.
Make your spread look different.
It is the time of season to pull out the stops try new things.
No decoys, no spinner, less decoys, more decoys, spinner closer to the ground, mix in swans, no calls,less calls, whistles instead of mallard calls.

It is a crap shoot be flexible.

[Colin]

Sounds like a plan!!! Much appreciated! I will give it a try later this week if I can squeeze in a hunt. Hopefully the weather will cooperate although its not looking good at the moment. I also think I'm getting a 6 pack of full body mallards for Christmas from the GF so that may help a bit more also. Went by Cabela's and they didn't have much selection as far as calls and whistles go so I will probably have to order one online.

[LeftCoastLoren]

Haydel mp90 Pintail whistle is the way to go

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[LeftCoastLoren]

Sportsmans should have it so should cabelas

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[cryfowl]

Pins are usually uncommitted.  They will buzz your spread, circle like they are going to commit, start to leave then come back giving you hope, then they just boogie.  Frustrating birds.  We had a bunch show up this past week.  Throw out Pin and wigeon decoys but lose the Mallards.  Mallards will decoy to anything, but other birds can be more picky.  Agree with losing the spinner.  They will pull birds in, but if it keeps spinning they will bail at 65-70yds from my experience.

[sakoshooter]

Pintails definitely decoy to their own kind better than other birds.

[L-ofalab]

Even early in the season the pintails don't commit but circle and circle.

[Bullkllr]

Pintails are typically wary as has been stated.

If they have just blown into a new area and weather cooperates you have a decent chance pulling in singles or small groups. If they are habituated to an area and are sticking to big flocks, they get VERY tough to pull in.

I haven't found a secret- but some widg/pin decoys seems to help. Sometimes big numbers of decoys seems to make a big difference. Widg/pin/teal calling often works better for us than mallard calling esp. in mixed duck areas late in the season. Give everyone in the blind a whistle- basic instructions- harder to screw up than mallard calling- and make lots of noise- works sometimes. A big flock of pins/wigeons on the ground/water make a lot of noise.

Really, the secret may be in all the little details. Are you where the birds want to be? Spread realistic? Well hidden? From overhead (sometimes neglected)? All "shine" covered? Some decoy movement? Does your set up look just like the last 50 blinds/setups the birds just flew over? Weather etc? Because late-season pintails will test all factors like few other fowl.

Good luck; post some pics!

[Colin]

Thank guys! Great info. that a new guy just has no idea about! Thanks again!

I don't wear much on my face but I normally duck down in the blind as they approach and stay relatively still. I will have to get some Pin/Wid/Teals in my spread for next year. Hopefully spread the cost out over the off season.