When I first started duck hunting the old timers that took me out rolled with 2-3 dozen decoys, all magnums. With 3-5 canvasbacks mixed in to have the bright white for visibility. The canvasbacks they just had mixed throughout the rest of the mallard decoys.
When I started getting a variety of decoys I did the same. I have 1 dozen pintail, 1/2 dozen widgeon, 2 goose floaters (always set just off to the side of the spread), 3 dozen standard mallard & 9 magnums.
After experimenting and doing some research I decided to try segregating the decoys.
The picture is my setup from this morning. The blue dots are goose floaters, red is mallard, yellow is widgeon, and pink are pintail. The farthest decoy from the blind is 25-30 yards. On the south side of the blind is open lake, north side is a slough.
A few things I have noticed since setting up like this.
The pintails seem to come in much easier than with just mallard decoys or with the different decoys mixed together. The pintails and widgeon have ONLY come into the section of the decoys with the pintail and widgeon decoys. Also, what I find interesting is all the shovlers that come in also only come into the pintail side of the spread.
The mallards and teal suck right into the mallard side of the spread only.
I also noticed since I started segregating my decoys, the birds seem to be more willing to come in and seem less decoy shy.
Thinking about getting some shovler or diver decoys too to bring some more bright visibility to the spread and just cause I personally like having a mixed spread if it will produce.
What is everyone's thoughts, observations, and whatnot about mixed spreads and such like this?
