The Right Decoy Fools Those Ducks Every Time

The first use of decoys as a means of attractingon the outer edges of your spread limiting your
ducks and geese is credited to the North Americanshooting opportunities.
Aboriginal Indians who used crude decoys to help lureWhether hunting in the field or on the water. Keep
birds within net or spear range. The earliestsome separation between the groups of decoys that
confirmed decoys, found in a Nevada cave, daterepresent different ducks or goose species that
back to more than 2000 years ago. Speculationrepresent different ducks or goose species. While
though among archeologists suggests that decoysreal birds or different species often feed together
may have been used as many as 8,000 years agothey tend to stick to subgroups of their own species.
prior to that.Thought it is generally agreed that you should not
While the materials and manufacturing methods havepoint your decoys into the wind do not overdo it. A
changed and evolved considerably in last couple ofnatural flock on the ground will have birds facing in
millennia, the concepts of duck and bird decoys haveevery conceivable direction. To make sure that your
changed little. And the modern duck decoys andgoose or duck waterfowl decoy spread does not
other waterfowl hunting decoys are every bit asend up looking like a regiment of feathered soldiers
effective today as they were when a bird in the bagadd lots of diversity to the direction that they are
was a matter of survival in the bush and ruggedfacing and the spacing between your shells. At least
outdoors.30 % should face a direction other than upwind.
Generally the more decoys deployed when decoyingDecoys placed under cover of darkness can often
ducks and other waterfowl in big water. Six or eightfrost up as the sun rises. Frost results in your spread
dozen blocks are not too many by any means. Inreflecting light like a hundred prisms flaring many birds
potholes however, when hunting for waterfowl suchthat otherwise might drop in. Use a rag to wipe them
as ducks or Canada Geese it is better to seldom usedown just before legal light, eliminating that hunt
more a dozen decoys. When hunting goose in thedestroying glare. Snow in a confidence destroyer as
field it is best to reduce the size of the spread aswell -so keep your flocks wiped free.
the water bird hunting season progresses. EducatedAdding movement to your spread can make a big
geese will sometimes shy away from large sets ofdifference - a little fatal attraction. Consider using a
bird decoys, so by seasons end it is best to usedozen windsock decoys or flying two or three kite
considerably less decoys used earlier in the waterfowllike decoys on poles. You could also try "flagging: to
hunting season.give birds the impression of movement. Adding
A large spread of decoys can be a cumbersome andconfidence as they make their final approach.
expensive venture. Help fill out your layout in the fieldIf you are hunting diving ducks, high color contrast in
by using silhouette decoys crafted from ¼ inchyour decoys is important. While species specific
plywood painted back, or invest in a few dozenblocks are optimal you can still effective attract
relatively inexpensive commercial silhouettes.divers with any decoy that shows lots of dark/light
If hunting from shore on a large wetland set up socontrast much like their own natural plumage.
that the majority of your decoys are upwind fromIt is no accident that decoys are useful in increasing
your hunting blind location. This will help ensure thatyour hunting bag either a thousand years ago or
incoming birds will have to fly past your blind to settlehunting waterfowl - ducks or geese today or this
whole giving something to focus on besides a waitingcoming fall.
hunter. Without it ducks and geese are likely to land