| Duck hunting is not complete without the use of | | | | decoy spread a more natural look. Confidence decoys |
| duck decoys. The purpose of them is to create a | | | | like those consisting of crane decoys, swan decoys, |
| more natural looking hunting environment. In turn, this | | | | heron decoys or curlew decoys can also be used. |
| tricks any ducks flying overhead into thinking it is a | | | | These add variety to the spread and also build |
| safe place to land. | | | | confidence. The decoys should also be spread to |
| Earlier, tamed ducks were used to attract wild ducks | | | | make it a very natural and alluring environment. The |
| towards a patch of water. The pond was | | | | location of the spread is also important. Though some |
| constructed with a wickerwork tunnel that was long | | | | may be placed near the blinds, other should be placed |
| and cone shaped. Barriers were cleverly built to hide a | | | | in the open. The open should be a large area that is |
| "decoy man" from the birds which were in vicinity to | | | | visible from a flying duck’s point of view. There |
| the pond side of the tunnel, while he was being | | | | is no use of a good spread if it is not visible to the |
| revealed to the birds that were closer to the trap | | | | flock. |
| end of the tunnel. The decoy man employed the use | | | | Also, water bodies with high waves do not attract |
| of a trained dog as well as grain to attract the birds | | | | the birds and hence calm waters are to be preferred |
| towards the tunnel. Once they entered the tunnel, | | | | while attracting ducks. |
| the birds moved away from the decoy man towards | | | | It is always better to have a good decoy spread |
| the dog. Then the birds are driven into a small trap | | | | facing different directions to add authenticity to the |
| set up at the end of the tunnel where they were | | | | set up. This is because all duck decoys facing the |
| ultimately killed. | | | | same direction gives the appearance of birds that are |
| Nowadays, duck decoys are toys of ducks, custom | | | | alert and on the look - out for danger. The additional |
| made at home or bought at hunting stores. Different | | | | benefit of having decoys facing different directions is |
| labels as Taylor Decoys, Columbia River, and E. Allen | | | | that, for birds flying above in any direction, the |
| etc sell different duck decoys. Many website also | | | | visibility of different patterns of colours below. Hence |
| offer the sale of a variety of duck decoys for | | | | birds above get a pattern to colours of different |
| reasonable rates. | | | | regions of the birds and assume a natural flock |
| It is always best to know what flock of birds are | | | | below. |
| expected to decide on the type of duck decoys to | | | | Thus having a great decoy is just not enough to add |
| use. But it is not advisable to use ducks of only one | | | | more ducks to the hit-list. The handling and |
| type. A variety of duck breeds like Mallards, Canada | | | | maintenance of duck decoys is also important to |
| geese, Pintails, Drakes, Ringnecks, Gadball give the | | | | create a ‘boom’ing success. |