Help please

[WSU]

When I was in Eugene the local hunting area had hunting hours.  You had to be done hunting at noon and gone by 1.  That really helped the hunting and WDFW should look at doing similar things here.

[BIGDOG253]

What I have noticed lately is that the Mojo's tend to make the birds flare late in the season. Early season, they have a lot more success. Also, I like to call less as the season goes on. I still use a jerk cord late in the season to get some movement in the water and bunch up the decoys a lot more but separate the pintails from the mallards.

[Brad Harshman]

Your movement will be your demise. Use way less decoys maybe one lone hen mallard on string to wiggle her.  Don't call at them. Just feed chatter if anything.  See what happens...

[Come Get Some]

The field I hunt is very fickle. If I have new birds they will decoy well. Birds that have been here a while are very leary. I have hunted it 3 times this year with no decoys. I know they want to land there. The day before I watch to see how they are bunced up to determine whether I will use decoys. I usually start with about a dozen. No flutter wing this time of year. If they fly by a couple of times but will commit I pull the decoys and sit very still. Alot of overhead cover. This weekend I set up 5 DZ decoys. I started them in a U. Getting thicker as they went out. The ducks were flying to the side of the decoys. I kept moving the U wider until they would fly over the decoys. I was surprised how large a landing zone they wanted. It was a great day. Hundreds of birds, Mallards,widgeon and Pintails.

[270Shooter]

It sounds to me that you are just hunting some very educated birds. It happens down here in the Yakima valley as well and generally you just have to take them on what you think is the last pass. You just aren't going to get very many birds to fully commit unless you have new birds in the area. It may sound like sky busting to some guys but I think if they make a pass at the 40 yard mark you had better jump up and start shooting. Make sure you can shoot farther than that and you have a load that patterns well in your gun.

[jason4429]

The field I hunt is very fickle. If I have new birds they will decoy well. Birds that have been here a while are very leary. I have hunted it 3 times this year with no decoys. I know they want to land there. The day before I watch to see how they are bunced up to determine whether I will use decoys. I usually start with about a dozen. No flutter wing this time of year. If they fly by a couple of times but will commit I pull the decoys and sit very still. Alot of overhead cover. This weekend I set up 5 DZ decoys. I started them in a U. Getting thicker as they went out. The ducks were flying to the side of the decoys. I kept moving the U wider until they would fly over the decoys. I was surprised how large a landing zone they wanted. It was a great day. Hundreds of birds, Mallards,widgeon and Pintails.

I know where your blind is I drive past it all the time. I always wondered how the hunting was there.

[Colin]

Usually when they are in bound I just sit still and gently pull my jerk cord.

[/quote]

LOL you got me there.

[Colin]

Based on your diagram, the spot you are hunting always has a rig there.  If your there, there's someone after you after you leave. 

This exact thing happened last Sunday when I was hunting.

[Colin]

Thanks for all the ideas and input guys!!! As a first gen hunter I really appreciate it. I should really be out scouting for new places outside of the QH areas. I'm hoping to get into some new areas next year and invest in a layout blind for the QH areas you can move around in. Seems like I haven't seen too many birds in those fields when I'm scouting though.

[duckmen1]

Great hunt come get some.

Keep it up Colin you will do alright with the effort your putting in.

[moocher97]

Calling too much is no bueno. all you need is a few quacks maybe a chuckle or two and usually around Washington educated birds have seen hundreds of blinds and skybusters mess up alot of birds so mix things up a bit like instead of setting up a blind use camo burlap with just some surrounding bush to break up the pattern or less decoys like Ive never seen a flock of thirty ducks  land with another flock of thirty it just looks weird but you see lots 6-7 birds per flock flying around. If they flared, they saw something, and it wasn't the wind duck I use a wind duck and ducks never flare its usally the calling or something looks funny. to show im not pulling your string we just stood in some reeds along a bank with 8 dekes not even calling ... somebody forgot them  but any way hope you have some luck in the next couple weeks. I know I look thrilled in this picture.

[h2ofowlr]

Based on your diagram, the spot you are hunting always has a rig there.  If your there, there's someone after you after you leave. 

This exact thing happened last Sunday when I was hunting.

Sometimes the most visible QH fields are the most visible and highly used.  Find one of the beaten path and you may do better.  Some of the fields I see the same rig in them each day.  And many of these spots are burned due to over use, so pick days with weather.  Wind over rain.  If it snow's hit it.  As it get's cold, the bird move more.

[BiggLuke]

A lot of the times this late in the year, you can be much more successfull in a well hunted area simply by looking different.
Just try 3-5 decoys. in the wind shaded area.... no wind.

And don't call. This works, because a flock of ducks will fly over, see just a couple birds sitting quietly and think, "hey, that looks like a good spot to rest."
 Try it out.
Also, with the man-made blinds, you should always drag in some branches or vegetation to help brush it out.

[REHJWA]

Maybe just put out your widgeon and hit a whistle to get their attention as they are going away.