Decoy spreads and rigging

C

coyotebuster

New member
I also picked up some decoy tangle proof chord on sale at walmart today. I got 100' of this chord that appears to be part rubber and part plastic. It said it was made for decoys on it. Can I just fasten this around the keel on my decoys(flambou water keels)or is there a special trick? Also, how much chord should each decoy get, and what should I use for a weight. I was thinking of getting some heavy tire weights and crimping them on nice and tight. All the weights I have seen so far seem to be part lead or a similar substance. Also, what is the best way to place decoys on halfway still water , do I do anything special with the wind or just toss them out? Again I will be hunting mallards, I have 6 drakes and 6 hens.
 
That is pretty good cord and will make life easier for you - nothing worse than trying to untangle a mess of cords in pitch black morning with frozen hands. My experience with it is that it can come untied if not knotted properly.

The weight has to hit bottom and must allow the decoy to move freely in the water to make the whole thing work - mine are about 30 - 36 inches long as I do not hunt in deep water situations. I don't recommend tire weights - I bought lead weights that can be bent around the decoy's head in order to minimize tangling lines (there are other styles too) - it is a nominal cost and you'll be a happier hunter with a weight designed specifically for its intended purpose.

The decoy is going to drift with the wind so make sure you tie the cord to the keel at the front of the decoy, thereby putting its face into the wind like the real things do. When you put them in the water, leave a space between two groups of decoys for the ducks to land. They are social creatures but need a 'runway' to glide into. Ducks land into the wind so position your decoys and yourself accordingly. ( I usually get all set up and then the wind direction changes - durn it.)

Noted your other post concerning the fact that you had bought a dozen decoys - suggest you get at least two dozen more. I usually hunt with four or five dozen dekes this time of the season and then cut back to about two dozen late in the season (and call much less aggressively) as the ducks become more and more decoy and call shy. Here in S Texas we get several different kinds so I have pintail, teal (both blue and green wing) and mallard (even though we don't get too many green heads down here) decoys.

You may want to hunt with someone who has hunted ducks successfully before you go it alone - there is a lot to be learned - as with any type of hunt...... But beware - it is HIGHLY addictive - you get to boomboom a lot. You have just scratched the surface with expenditures to date.

Good luck with it..
 
I agree with ICMCumin.
Use three to six feet of cord depending on pond depth. If hunting rivers you can get real long. You can buy some crimps for that cord at Wal-Mart, along with decoy weights. They all work well together, and you will be happier with the set up! Hook the cord to the front of the decoy (front eyelet).
Ducks land head first in the wind so put your spread in a j or u shape leaving a spot for them to come in. If the wind comes from the left they will come in from the right. I hunt over seven dozen mixed duck decoys to give realism. Next year I will have ten dozen, and 1 dozen goose floaters.
You can make a jerk string for 1 or 2 decoys to add realism. Once you get started you will have a garage full of fowl hunting stuff just like me, and every other fowl hunter!
If you are serious about duck hunting, don't waist your money on cheap calls, because that's what they are. Spend good money to get a Taylor Talker, or RNT. You will notice the difference believe me.

Good Luck
Wade
 
Elkmaster- Good advice. Right up to the part about "cheap calls". Duck Commander calls are as good as any. You may not see them in any calling contest, but I have never heard anybody in a calling contest that sounded like ducks in the field. Contest calling and field calling are not the same. I would be willing to say that of all the factors that come into play when duck hunting, calling is the least important. Short of overcalling or just plain bad calling. If you are where the ducks want to be (the most important) you need to call very little if at all. If you are not where the ducks want to be, you are not going to call them in how good you are, or how expensive your call is. Most of the more expensive calls tend to be single reed calls that are difficult for me at least, not to mention a novice.
 
You are correct, thank you. I don't call much at all. I use a few hails, a feeder and a whistle. I am careful not to use them too much. I always call ducks in, even when they are shy. I didn't intend on picking on your call, or other favorites of yours. I have twenty 15 to 30 dollar calls, and I never use but 2 of them. They don't sound right. You can get a high-end call that’s not made for contests. Some calls just sound ducky, and Taylor Talkers do just that. I still recommend them to hunters. They sound more like a duck than any call I have heard.
 
ELEVEN DOZEN DEKES????!!!!! Whew boy - that is a lot of dekes..... It must take a couple of hours to set those out, but boy if that won't bring them in, nothing will.

I agree with Elkhunter about less calling being more - if they see they see the decoys and are heading for them, why mess it up by trying to talk with them again. A good hail call will sometimes work if they are basically ignoring the spread. If they are headed 'out of town' hit it with the come back call.

I bought a robo duck last year and that thing is a duck magnet for me. Does anyone have any experience with them outside S Texas? ( I guess if they work in S Texas the same ducks have been flying down the flyways and would be just as interested in them as in S Texas, but thought I would ask the question anyway.)

Good hunting this holiday everybody.
 
ICMCumin,
I have a Lucky Duck, and it works great. The local ducks get educated real fast, but it helps allot. Oregon has outlawed them, so I wont be able to use it next year. It will be up for sale, or trade at the end of the season.
I made a jerk string set up that you can hook up to a dozen or so decoys to. When the birds get real spooky I use that jerk string set up with about 8 decoys on it, and nothing else. Works like a charm!
 
We've used a roto duck for the last 2 years. Some ducks act like they are on a string, and the rest don't seem to pay it any attention. But the duck hunting ( number of ducks) has been so poor for about the last 3 years it's hard to tell. There has not been a lot of ducks to do the looking.
 
Had the good fortune of hunting the Texas coast down near Rockport a couple of weeks ago for my first hunt down that way. We had heard that the hunting down there was primo, but the guide said it was the worst season he had seen since he started hunting the area 17 years ago.

We were shooting out of a blind along the coast of one of the barrier islands with about 5 dozen decoys - redheads, pintails, teal and gadwalls.

On Sunday evening, the shooting was kind of light and the two of us only downed 4 ducks. Monday AM the weather was pretty rough - rainy, windy, cold (in other words goo-oo-ood duck hunting weather) - and the shooting was about as good as it gets. We limited on redheads and also shot buffelheads, gadwalls, widgeon, squealers and my first golden eye.

Saw a bunch of teal but they would not decoy for anything. The second pintail season had not started yet - we could have taken several shots at them but couldn't. (the limit is only one this season in S Texas.)

The pair of buffelheads (drake and hen) and one large redhead drake are at the taxidermist now being mounted. Plan on going back out between Christmas and New Years.

We are having some cold weather in the Houston area right now and hopefully that will puch some more ducks down toward the S Texas coast.
 
What we do is this.....

We use the tangle free line, we put about 3 to 4 feet on it because we dont hunt huge waters.
When its windy the weights just hold them down no matter what around here.

I would say go order some mushroom weights or strap weight... with the strap weights just cut them in half if your not gonna hunt huge waters cause you done need a whole 6 ounces or 5 ounces in a tiny decoy.

What I do to put the cord on is tie a knot with the cord into the hole of the keel or the ring thats in the front of the keel, and then wrap the cord around the keel to store and carry the decoys in the bag.
 


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