DECOY QUESTIONS

[huntinhick]

what kind of spinning wing decoy do you have?  I know they are picky about them here however I looked at a bunch that use the wind to make movement even some that you put on strings like kites, some of them looked so cheezy it was not funny.  I have read over and over again that motion in the decoy is great so I was defiantly thinking about the jerk string.  sounds like I should get a sampling of several types and brands of decoys.  In the midwest they go with hundreds sometimes I am happy to hear that most here don't use that many.  that takes to long to set up and pack up!

thanks for all the inputs

[WSU]

http://www.aerooutdoors.com/products/action_decoys/duck_string.html

I have also seen the wind-duck kind slay them.  If you want, get a hold of me when the season comes around and we can setup a hunt so you can check it out.  I live in Oly, so I'm just down the road.

[General Disarray]

www.knottyduck.com

[h2ofowlr]

I have a few of the Knotty duck decoys.  I don't use them to often.

[Dustin07]

Here you go, almost everything you need in WA for $150. Add a motion decoy and you're good to go.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/spo/1896040900.html

I've hunted over spreads of only 6 decoys with motion, and spreads of over 120 decoys (ducks. with Snows I've hunted anything from 1 doz to 900). Different things work at different times and places. But my biggest consistency I've noticed is the success that comes with motion deeks. (wing flappers)

[AWS]

I hunt places that are hammerred on the weekend, durring the week, I run 5 pintails and 2 teal decoys if I'm carrying in.  If in a boat a dozen goose floaters, half dozen mallards a few teal and if it's moving water a pair of Goldeneye out in mid stream.  There are times that I'll place 5 or six dozen widgeon, pintail and mallards in tidal grass fields, they may only float an hour or two but the action can be crazy for that time.

AWS

[Whitenuckles]

I am fortunate to be able to live in the middle of the flyway and I am able to hunt 3-4 days a week. I have noticed the #1 thing is location, if the birds are not sittin there they are probably not going to be there the next day, u might be able to pull a few, but if can find out were the birds are sitting the day before and they did not get pressured, you will find success. We sit 1 dozen decoys to 15 dozen decoys at times and have had awsome success with both spreads. The other factor is presentation. There have been times that we were not pulling in any birds, so we head and do a decoy shuffle and the light gets switched on and we bang em. It might be as simple as pulling a few mallard decoys or throwing a diver or 2 out as a blocker for the swing out. Its an art that wreally never gets perfected, cause when you think you have it figured out they will throw in a curve ball and you get to start over on the next swing of mig. birds that come in.

Nothing beats pre-scouting. If your on the "X", it doesnt matter what decoys you have.