Flapping vs Spinning

[Fsbirdhouse]

As there is so little activity on other threads here, and I'm curious about member's opinions on the subject, I'll go right to it as directly as possible
Are Spinning wing duck decoys or Flapping wing duck decoys more effective?

[Locked&Loaded]

One thing is for certain, both flare geese consistently. A remote is your friend if you're setup for both ducks and geese and shut them down the moment you have geese headed your direction.

Having used both, my opinion is that they are equally effective on ducks. Some days the ducks don't seem to want anything to do with either option and other days, they seem to love em. One thing I have noticed is it seems like some ducks want to land right on top of the spinner, I've not seen that as much with the flapper.

[Boatman]

The goose flapper works great you can flap the goose decoys while the geese are landing. Spinning type deecoy will flare geese every time. And in my opinion this time of year duck spinners or flappers are worthless

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

[Rick Hall]

No one I know who has tried either flying bird flappers, duck or goose, is still using them. Nearly everyone I know is still using duck spinners for some, if not all, applications.

[Rat Creek]

I have become a believer in the remote for ducks. It seems shutting it down when they start to work helps, but then again, we have had them land right on top of the spinner while we are not paying attention.

[HNTFSH]

I'd go spinners too but mine don't seem to work under 30 degrees so I can't go.

[sprigs4days]

Foggy mornings my old spinner sucks em in. Have seen em flare birds too, definitely not a decoy you’d put out every hunt.

[Locked&Loaded]

I'd go spinners too but mine don't seem to work under 30 degrees so I can't go.

If only you had a Sitka parka or waxed cotton canvas coat to wrap them in for the hike out.

[HNTFSH]

I'd go spinners too but mine don't seem to work under 30 degrees so I can't go.

If only you had a Sitka parka or waxed cotton canvas coat to wrap them in for the hike out.

Well that just ended my career.

I tell ya...here, walk ins are mostly little wetland type ponds or farm ponds on public land, the spinners are a PIA. You're not hunting AG because it's public so the mojo on the 4 ft pole in a 6 foot deep pond is a loser. You might be able to stab the pole close to shore but that's a loser too, ducks don't seem to like landing in the cattails. The mojo floater can work but placement is still tough if the bottom is sinking mud but more often the floaters ice up and flip over or catch a few unknown pellets so the next hunt they are taking water unbeknownst to you and start capsizing about the time a bird shows up.

Of course on the reservoir, trying to hunt from shore, the water is wade-able out about 10 feet and then the bottom drops to be 12ft deep. That's bad.

Smart guys hunt deer.

[Fsbirdhouse]

Saturday, we'll be hunting over about seven spinners in a field. Two of those will be only inches above hitting the ground (Wings), but I rather think only about two dozen duck decoys in the spread of at least 12-14 dozen goose silos, in addition to wind sock types and many full body goose decoys. One X flapper goose decoy.
Going to put a former World Champion duck caller thru his paces if ducks are moving, otherwise he'll be called on to back his claim he calls geese better than duck. As I've been seeing 500+ birds in the field at a given time, numbers should be no problem.
Last hunt of my season I think, and we are gonna load up the blinds big time. Family and all the friends I can seat. 8 guns.
These two big blinds plus one more butted up tight. Unless (And I rather think the numbers may justify it) there are thirty bird flocks coming in, I suppose we will take turns shooting.
It will be serious, but geared for lots of banter between flocks. Great way to end the season.

[Rat Creek]

Photoshoppped.

Whoever camouflaged your blind has as many issues with neat and orderly as I do.

This Saturday will be my last duck hunt of the season. Probably only three of us at the wooded pothole. And we will only run one spinner with a remote, and two jerk strings.

My main hope is the ice is minimal as I do not like to work that hard. Hope it ends well.

Then I will try to chase some late season roosters a time or two in Kansas before that closes.

[Locked&Loaded]

I'd go spinners too but mine don't seem to work under 30 degrees so I can't go.

If only you had a Sitka parka or waxed cotton canvas coat to wrap them in for the hike out.

Well that just ended my career.

I tell ya...here, walk ins are mostly little wetland type ponds or farm ponds on public land, the spinners are a PIA. You're not hunting AG because it's public so the mojo on the 4 ft pole in a 6 foot deep pond is a loser. You might be able to stab the pole close to shore but that's a loser too, ducks don't seem to like landing in the cattails. The mojo floater can work but placement is still tough if the bottom is sinking mud but more often the floaters ice up and flip over or catch a few unknown pellets so the next hunt they are taking water unbeknownst to you and start capsizing about the time a bird shows up.

Of course on the reservoir, trying to hunt from shore, the water is wade-able out about 10 feet and then the bottom drops to be 12ft deep. That's bad.

Smart guys hunt deer.

When I was younger and a lot more ambitious, I'd hike about a mile and a half through cattails and muck to my favorite spot with a couple of dozen decoys, food / water, other gear in a pack. I'm certain I'd have a heart attack if I tried that today. The spinner was the biggest pain to carry. Aside from a couple of spots on a river that I like to jump shoot or a few field hunts a year, I hunt almost exclusively out of a boat. We have sizeable marshes out here and accessing most of them, at least the most huntable portions of them, requires a boat or a death march on foot through the cattail / frag jungle. Compared to the way I used to hunt, hunting out of a boat is sooooo much more enjoyable. I've gotten lazy and the boat allows a lazy guy to get into some otherwise unreachable spots.

[HNTFSH]

I'd go spinners too but mine don't seem to work under 30 degrees so I can't go.

If only you had a Sitka parka or waxed cotton canvas coat to wrap them in for the hike out.

Well that just ended my career.

I tell ya...here, walk ins are mostly little wetland type ponds or farm ponds on public land, the spinners are a PIA. You're not hunting AG because it's public so the mojo on the 4 ft pole in a 6 foot deep pond is a loser. You might be able to stab the pole close to shore but that's a loser too, ducks don't seem to like landing in the cattails. The mojo floater can work but placement is still tough if the bottom is sinking mud but more often the floaters ice up and flip over or catch a few unknown pellets so the next hunt they are taking water unbeknownst to you and start capsizing about the time a bird shows up.

Of course on the reservoir, trying to hunt from shore, the water is wade-able out about 10 feet and then the bottom drops to be 12ft deep. That's bad.

Smart guys hunt deer.

When I was younger and a lot more ambitious, I'd hike about a mile and a half through cattails and muck to my favorite spot with a couple of dozen decoys, food / water, other gear in a pack. I'm certain I'd have a heart attack if I tried that today. The spinner was the biggest pain to carry. Aside from a couple of spots on a river that I like to jump shoot or a few field hunts a year, I hunt almost exclusively out of a boat. We have sizeable marshes out here and accessing most of them, at least the most huntable portions of them, requires a boat or a death march on foot through the cattail / frag jungle. Compared to the way I used to hunt, hunting out of a boat is sooooo much more enjoyable. I've gotten lazy and the boat allows a lazy guy to get into some otherwise unreachable spots.

Exactly!!! I'd so have a boat if we so had water worth hunting! At 59 I think I've flirted with "the big one" a few times doing the death march for the hopes of seeing a bird. Those days are over.

[Locked&Loaded]

I'd go spinners too but mine don't seem to work under 30 degrees so I can't go.

If only you had a Sitka parka or waxed cotton canvas coat to wrap them in for the hike out.

Well that just ended my career.

I tell ya...here, walk ins are mostly little wetland type ponds or farm ponds on public land, the spinners are a PIA. You're not hunting AG because it's public so the mojo on the 4 ft pole in a 6 foot deep pond is a loser. You might be able to stab the pole close to shore but that's a loser too, ducks don't seem to like landing in the cattails. The mojo floater can work but placement is still tough if the bottom is sinking mud but more often the floaters ice up and flip over or catch a few unknown pellets so the next hunt they are taking water unbeknownst to you and start capsizing about the time a bird shows up.

Of course on the reservoir, trying to hunt from shore, the water is wade-able out about 10 feet and then the bottom drops to be 12ft deep. That's bad.

Smart guys hunt deer.

When I was younger and a lot more ambitious, I'd hike about a mile and a half through cattails and muck to my favorite spot with a couple of dozen decoys, food / water, other gear in a pack. I'm certain I'd have a heart attack if I tried that today. The spinner was the biggest pain to carry. Aside from a couple of spots on a river that I like to jump shoot or a few field hunts a year, I hunt almost exclusively out of a boat. We have sizeable marshes out here and accessing most of them, at least the most huntable portions of them, requires a boat or a death march on foot through the cattail / frag jungle. Compared to the way I used to hunt, hunting out of a boat is sooooo much more enjoyable. I've gotten lazy and the boat allows a lazy guy to get into some otherwise unreachable spots.

Exactly!!! I'd so have a boat if we so had water worth hunting! At 59 I think I've flirted with "the big one" a few times doing the death march for the hopes of seeing a bird. Those days are over.

In November of this year, was hunting with a buddy who's dog somehow injured her foot on an earlier retrieve. While he was looking her foot over in the boat, we had some teal come in and I knocked one down that sailed maybe 70 yards out. I said no problem, check the dog out and I'll got get that duck. So maybe a 40 yard walk in knee deep mud and a foot of water to the cattails and maybe another 30 or so through the cattails. When I finally found that duck and drug my carcass back to the boat, I literally thought I was going to keel over. Boats (and dogs) are worth their weight in gold in those situations.

[Fsbirdhouse]

Well Magic Mike,
I can sympathize totally with easy, comfortable hunts! At 73, a walk around my large back yard is getting problematic, and being that most of my hunting partners are younger, they always insist now they'll pack me out on a stretcher if that what it takes to get me in the blind. (But I rather suspect they enjoy my hunt spots more than my company).
By the by, I'll have to 'photoshop' all three blinds put out together tomorrow morning (God willing), they will then total 24 foot long.
But as there is a large stack of hay bales that is even longer 150 yards away in front and directly across the field, such objects are rather common in the area.

[Locked&Loaded]

Well Magic Mike,
I can sympathize totally with easy, comfortable hunts! At 73, a walk around my large back yard is getting problematic, and being that most of my hunting partners are younger, they always insist now they'll pack me out on a stretcher if that what it takes to get me in the blind. (But I rather suspect they enjoy my hunt spots more than my company).
By the by, I'll have to 'photoshop' all three blinds put out together tomorrow morning (God willing), they will then total 24 foot long.
But as there is a large stack of hay bales that is even longer 150 yards away in front and directly across the field, such objects are rather common in the area.

I hope at 73 I'm still out killing birds like you are currently!!

[HNTFSH]

I'd go spinners too but mine don't seem to work under 30 degrees so I can't go.

If only you had a Sitka parka or waxed cotton canvas coat to wrap them in for the hike out.

Well that just ended my career.

I tell ya...here, walk ins are mostly little wetland type ponds or farm ponds on public land, the spinners are a PIA. You're not hunting AG because it's public so the mojo on the 4 ft pole in a 6 foot deep pond is a loser. You might be able to stab the pole close to shore but that's a loser too, ducks don't seem to like landing in the cattails. The mojo floater can work but placement is still tough if the bottom is sinking mud but more often the floaters ice up and flip over or catch a few unknown pellets so the next hunt they are taking water unbeknownst to you and start capsizing about the time a bird shows up.

Of course on the reservoir, trying to hunt from shore, the water is wade-able out about 10 feet and then the bottom drops to be 12ft deep. That's bad.

Smart guys hunt deer.

When I was younger and a lot more ambitious, I'd hike about a mile and a half through cattails and muck to my favorite spot with a couple of dozen decoys, food / water, other gear in a pack. I'm certain I'd have a heart attack if I tried that today. The spinner was the biggest pain to carry. Aside from a couple of spots on a river that I like to jump shoot or a few field hunts a year, I hunt almost exclusively out of a boat. We have sizeable marshes out here and accessing most of them, at least the most huntable portions of them, requires a boat or a death march on foot through the cattail / frag jungle. Compared to the way I used to hunt, hunting out of a boat is sooooo much more enjoyable. I've gotten lazy and the boat allows a lazy guy to get into some otherwise unreachable spots.

Exactly!!! I'd so have a boat if we so had water worth hunting! At 59 I think I've flirted with "the big one" a few times doing the death march for the hopes of seeing a bird. Those days are over.

In November of this year, was hunting with a buddy who's dog somehow injured her foot on an earlier retrieve. While he was looking her foot over in the boat, we had some teal come in and I knocked one down that sailed maybe 70 yards out. I said no problem, check the dog out and I'll got get that duck. So maybe a 40 yard walk in knee deep mud and a foot of water to the cattails and maybe another 30 or so through the cattails. When I finally found that duck and drug my carcass back to the boat, I literally thought I was going to keel over. Boats (and dogs) are worth their weight in gold in those situations.

When your Doctor tells that story you seem how feel better.

[Locked&Loaded]

I'd go spinners too but mine don't seem to work under 30 degrees so I can't go.

If only you had a Sitka parka or waxed cotton canvas coat to wrap them in for the hike out.

Well that just ended my career.

I tell ya...here, walk ins are mostly little wetland type ponds or farm ponds on public land, the spinners are a PIA. You're not hunting AG because it's public so the mojo on the 4 ft pole in a 6 foot deep pond is a loser. You might be able to stab the pole close to shore but that's a loser too, ducks don't seem to like landing in the cattails. The mojo floater can work but placement is still tough if the bottom is sinking mud but more often the floaters ice up and flip over or catch a few unknown pellets so the next hunt they are taking water unbeknownst to you and start capsizing about the time a bird shows up.

Of course on the reservoir, trying to hunt from shore, the water is wade-able out about 10 feet and then the bottom drops to be 12ft deep. That's bad.

Smart guys hunt deer.

When I was younger and a lot more ambitious, I'd hike about a mile and a half through cattails and muck to my favorite spot with a couple of dozen decoys, food / water, other gear in a pack. I'm certain I'd have a heart attack if I tried that today. The spinner was the biggest pain to carry. Aside from a couple of spots on a river that I like to jump shoot or a few field hunts a year, I hunt almost exclusively out of a boat. We have sizeable marshes out here and accessing most of them, at least the most huntable portions of them, requires a boat or a death march on foot through the cattail / frag jungle. Compared to the way I used to hunt, hunting out of a boat is sooooo much more enjoyable. I've gotten lazy and the boat allows a lazy guy to get into some otherwise unreachable spots.

Exactly!!! I'd so have a boat if we so had water worth hunting! At 59 I think I've flirted with "the big one" a few times doing the death march for the hopes of seeing a bird. Those days are over.

In November of this year, was hunting with a buddy who's dog somehow injured her foot on an earlier retrieve. While he was looking her foot over in the boat, we had some teal come in and I knocked one down that sailed maybe 70 yards out. I said no problem, check the dog out and I'll got get that duck. So maybe a 40 yard walk in knee deep mud and a foot of water to the cattails and maybe another 30 or so through the cattails. When I finally found that duck and drug my carcass back to the boat, I literally thought I was going to keel over. Boats (and dogs) are worth their weight in gold in those situations.

When your Doctor tells that story you seem how feel better.

Sometimes a little medical knowledge can ruin the day. After dragging myself into the boat, I sat there for 15 minutes waiting for my heart rate and respiratory rate to return to normal and thought about how I probably needed to schedule myself a cardiac stress test to determine my risk for 'the big one.'

[HNTFSH]

Sometimes a little medical knowledge can ruin the day. After dragging myself into the boat, I sat there for 15 minutes waiting for my heart rate and respiratory rate to return to normal and thought about how I probably needed to schedule myself a cardiac stress test to determine my risk for 'the big one.'

Don't beat yourself up. We with NO medical knowledge experience the same thought.

In fact sometimes going deeper and think about a pizza without DOUBLE cheese.

[Locked&Loaded]

Sometimes a little medical knowledge can ruin the day. After dragging myself into the boat, I sat there for 15 minutes waiting for my heart rate and respiratory rate to return to normal and thought about how I probably needed to schedule myself a cardiac stress test to determine my risk for 'the big one.'

Don't beat yourself up. We with NO medical knowledge experience the same thought.

In fact sometimes going deeper and think about a pizza without DOUBLE cheese.

I was forced to reevaluate my red meat and bacon intake after that day.

[Fsbirdhouse]

I have restarted intermittent fasting again and quit the GTs a year ago.
I want a few more years of this before the Socialists come for my guns.

[Rat Creek]

When I was younger and a lot more ambitious, I'd hike about a mile and a half through cattails and muck to my favorite spot with a couple of dozen decoys, food / water, other gear in a pack. I'm certain I'd have a heart attack if I tried that today.

Ain't that the truth.

My best friend is a good hunter, but man oh man, he always wanted to hump it to the furthest reaches. I be telling him that when I scouted midweek on my way back to town, most of the birds were over there (few hundred yards). And his response would inevitably be - But the wind is more out of the west today, so we need to set up in that corner of C Pool.

And that corner could not be seen with the naked eye, and only spotted from a satellite. And off we would go with all the gear.

[Locked&Loaded]

When I was younger and a lot more ambitious, I'd hike about a mile and a half through cattails and muck to my favorite spot with a couple of dozen decoys, food / water, other gear in a pack. I'm certain I'd have a heart attack if I tried that today.

Ain't that the truth.

My best friend is a good hunter, but man oh man, he always wanted to hump it to the furthest reaches. I be telling him that when I scouted midweek on my way back to town, most of the birds were over there (few hundred yards). And his response would inevitably be - But the wind is more out of the west today, so we need to set up in that corner of C Pool.

And that corner could not be seen with the naked eye, and only spotted from a satellite. And off we would go with all the gear.

I've always been the type of guy who wants to hike over just one more ridge deer hunting, or wade to just one more bend in the river fly fishing. I've gone home from hunts without a deer or fishing trips without fish thinking if only I'd hiked to the next peak or waded upstream just a bit further. In fact those thoughts would linger in my mind for days after returning home. That line of thinking has many times made me push myself to go much, much further than I ever should have. I've mellowed considerably the past couple of years in that regard. The problem is that my son has that same hard driving mindset and it has become a physical chore chasing that damn kid through the mountains ..... so I feel your pain.

[HNTFSH]

When I was younger and a lot more ambitious, I'd hike about a mile and a half through cattails and muck to my favorite spot with a couple of dozen decoys, food / water, other gear in a pack. I'm certain I'd have a heart attack if I tried that today.

Ain't that the truth.

My best friend is a good hunter, but man oh man, he always wanted to hump it to the furthest reaches. I be telling him that when I scouted midweek on my way back to town, most of the birds were over there (few hundred yards). And his response would inevitably be - But the wind is more out of the west today, so we need to set up in that corner of C Pool.

And that corner could not be seen with the naked eye, and only spotted from a satellite. And off we would go with all the gear.

I've always been the type of guy who wants to hike over just one more ridge deer hunting, or wade to just one more bend in the river fly fishing. I've gone home from hunts without a deer or fishing trips without fish thinking if only I'd hiked to the next peak or waded upstream just a bit further. In fact those thoughts would linger in my mind for days after returning home. That line of thinking has many times made me push myself to go much, much further than I ever should have. I've mellowed considerably the past couple of years in that regard. The problem is that my son has that same hard driving mindset and it has become a physical chore chasing that damn kid through the mountains ..... so I feel your pain.

Do yourself a favor and become his Mr. Miyagi.

[Rat Creek]

Wax on, Wax off.