Opinions on attracting waterfowl on public land

[GOcougsHunter]

Quite a few years ago, we were hunting from a small island in the middle of a decent sized lake in EWA.  We were setting up at o'dark thirty on a cloudy early morning.  We set up our blinds and such and as we were throwing out decoys, another group came up in their boat and explained that they had intended to hunt that very spot and that they had left all of their blind making materials and decoys in an area about 150 feet from where we set up, the day before.  Needless to say, they were pissed, but I explained that there is no way we could have seen their gear and that we had already been setting our 100+ decoys.  They grabbed their gear/decoys and  set up about 200 yds away on another point and they shot at most of the ducks coming into our spread.   It was a learning experience for my then 9 yr old son on ethics and hunter behavior.  And to answer the OP question, we always seem to do better when we have the maximum amount of decoys out.  >150 seems to at least keep public land ducks interested.  Might be overkill, but it seems to work for us.

[300rum]

The joys of duck hunting!!  Been going on for years.  That's why I don't hunt public land.

It's always "the other guy" who sets up close to someone and sky busts ruining an innocent guys day. 

Proverbs 17:1 

[Kola16]

Arrogant, because you let somone set up close by, did not make positive they knew you were quietly hiding there first, and expected them to know? Grow some and announce your stand.

Arrogant because you assumed literally everything when all you have to go on is two short sentences on a forum board. You assumed I had no light, but I always have a strobe light when I set out decoys. You assumed they couldn't hear my voice, but they most certainly could since I was out giving commands to my dog retrieving ducks, and when I told them they shot me, they said, "sorry didn't know you were there" and B-lined it for their vehicle, leaving their crappy inflatable decoys. When they walked in, I heard them say something along the lines of, "We'll just put our decoys here. Somebody is right down there." They knew I was there, they just didn't want to find their own spot. I didn't care that they were hunting so close to me, I can share birds. That is not the issue.

When you pull the trigger, you are responsible for what comes out of your gun. Why don't you tell all the families that were killed by hunters that it was their dead relatives fault for not making themselves aware to the perfectly ethical hunters who shoot other people? Metlhead is a very fitting name.

[hdshot]

Arrogant, because you let somone set up close by, did not make positive they knew you were quietly hiding there first, and expected them to know? Grow some and announce your stand.

Arrogant because you assumed literally everything when all you have to go on is two short sentences on a forum board. You assumed I had no light, but I always have a strobe light when I set out decoys. You assumed they couldn't hear my voice, but they most certainly could since I was out giving commands to my dog retrieving ducks, and when I told them they shot me, they said, "sorry didn't know you were there" and B-lined it for their vehicle, leaving their crappy inflatable decoys. When they walked in, I heard them say something along the lines of, "We'll just put our decoys here. Somebody is right down there." They knew I was there, they just didn't want to find their own spot. I didn't care that they were hunting so close to me, I can share birds. That is not the issue.

When you pull the trigger, you are responsible for what comes out of your gun. Why don't you tell all the families that were killed by hunters that it was their dead relatives fault for not making themselves aware to the perfectly ethical hunters who shoot other people? Metlhead is a very fitting name.

Let’s just calm down and remember a triple 7 is still missing out there with now a f 35! Lol

[GWP]

Since non tox shot happened, I am VERY hesitant about possession of a bird unless I know I am the one that shot it.
Same with the groups of people I have hunted with. I will provide them with premium non tox if need be. Had one fellow say “I still use lead shot”.
Not if you are hunting with me!
That kind of trouble and time taken away from hunting because of dealing with the mess caused by it if you get checked? Yeah, do not need that, even if it isn’t me using it.