Do you all use all mallards in your duck spread? Does it make it better or worse to mix in some other types of ducks, like woodies, black ducks, etc to your spread? Also how many decoys do you all use?
What type of habitat are you hunting? Marsh? Pond? Flooded timber? Lake? Also where are you hunting? Are there woodies and teal and black ducks around where you hunt? Plus it depends on what time of year.
I try to put out something different then everyone else on public land. I throw out shovelers, woodies, pintails, the more white the better. Most people put out around 3 dozen standard mallards, so I figure its best to show em something different. I really don't think that putting out only species that are in the area makes a difference either. Just the look of ducks, of any type, on the water is what matters.
Chris
That is the million dollar question. There is no right or wrong answer.
The only thing i can say is I use anywhere from 9 decoys to 10dz when hunting ducks.
When hunting puddle ducks I traditionally use a spread of 2 pintail drakes, 2 Black Ducks, and 8 supermag mallards. Thats my go to spread for late season. For migration days I will use as many as I can get to where i am hunting. If there are no Pintails around i will leave them out and just hunt with the mallards and blacks. I personally don't see a need for gadwal or widgeon decoys
If i am diver hunting I use on average 4-6 dz diver decoys mainly Blue Bills and Cans with 4-8 Golden Eyes of to the side.
I tailor my decoy #'s to types and #'s of ducks around.
I usually only throw out 5 mallards and a pair of blacks just for visability. Seems to work well most days but I'm in central KY we don't have thousands migrating by. Butt up on a jerk string is my most important decoy keeping the water moving. Sometimes I throw in a pair of geese to one side of the spread. Most ponds I hunt they share the water so more realism.
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