Other species in your decoys

[CatFan]

When I hunt back water I've always used only mallards and wood ducks. Yesterday, a hunting partner scared up a couple of pintails while coming back to the truck. So, do you guys think there is any benefit to adding other species? I hunt the lakes some as well and throwing in a few more species (also have ringnecks and canvasback for that) would not be bad. Specifically, I'm thinking of adding the Avian-X Pacific Flyway 6-pack that has Pintails and Wigeon.

[black_duck]

Use what's in your area. There is also something to be said for just hunting over mallard decoys as just about every junior duck commander usually has almost all mallard decoys. You gotta do something to make your spread look more realistic than the fifty decoy spreads that they've already seen this duck season. If I put any mallard decoys out at all, its never more than a half dozen in my 100 decoy spread, but I'm also hunting Eastern NC and I very rarely see any mallards. I never try and mix my divers and puddle ducks as you never see a dozen bluebills, and a dozen mallards sitting together naturally. Puddle ducks will come into a diver spread with no hesitation, but a lot of times divers will just scurt the edge of a puddle duck rig and never come in. Hope that helps any.

[CatFan]

Thanks but hunting flooded timber here is different than the coast. Mallards and Woodies are the primary species but I was wondering if adding some spice, if you will, would be of any benefit. I know that some say for the timber using just mallards is fine because the birds really don't have a lot of time to get a good look anyway.

[visco]

I am one of those junior duck commanders hunting the new river and until this past weekend, I only used mallards and woodies. I can say, until this weekend, the divers would do just as stated above, and would pass right on by. I now have 2 dozen puddlers, and 2 dozen bluebills, and now all I have to work on is my shot lets just say I went through a box of shells and only three bluebills and one bufflehead to show for it. either these ducks were bullet proof vests, or I suck worse than I thought in shooting birds.

to answer your question... it would not hurt to add some pintail decoys to your spread. I mainly hunt the swamps of Louisiana, and our normal spread consists of a dozen mallards (max), and a couple of pintail to include 2 specklebells in the late season for when they start to fly through.

good luck

[Dingbatter]

I am one of those junior duck commanders hunting the new river and until this past weekend, I only used mallards and woodies. I can say, until this weekend, the divers would do just as stated above, and would pass right on by. I now have 2 dozen puddlers, and 2 dozen bluebills, and now all I have to work on is my shot lets just say I went through a box of shells and only three bluebills and one bufflehead to show for it. either these ducks were bullet proof vests, or I suck worse than I thought in shooting birds.

to answer your question... it would not hurt to add some pintail decoys to your spread. I mainly hunt the swamps of Louisiana, and our normal spread consists of a dozen mallards (max), and a couple of pintail to include 2 specklebells in the late season for when they start to fly through.

good luck

Leave the mallards and woodies at home, get at least 2 dozen or more bluebills and a half dozen bufflehead. You need a bigger spread on a body of water like that. You can always buy cheap or used mallards in the off season and repaint them to divers. I normally use 4 dozen bluebills, 2 dozen redhead, half dozen bufflehead in my diver spread. Bluebill limit is 2 .

[visco]

I am one of those junior duck commanders hunting the new river and until this past weekend, I only used mallards and woodies. I can say, until this weekend, the divers would do just as stated above, and would pass right on by. I now have 2 dozen puddlers, and 2 dozen bluebills, and now all I have to work on is my shot lets just say I went through a box of shells and only three bluebills and one bufflehead to show for it. either these ducks were bullet proof vests, or I suck worse than I thought in shooting birds.

to answer your question... it would not hurt to add some pintail decoys to your spread. I mainly hunt the swamps of Louisiana, and our normal spread consists of a dozen mallards (max), and a couple of pintail to include 2 specklebells in the late season for when they start to fly through.

good luck

Leave the mallards and woodies at home, get at least 2 dozen or more bluebills and a half dozen bufflehead. You need a bigger spread on a body of water like that. You can always buy cheap or used mallards in the off season and repaint them to divers. I normally use 4 dozen bluebills, 2 dozen redhead, half dozen bufflehead in my diver spread. Bluebill limit is 2 .

I was wondering why you stated the 2 bluebill limit... it made sense in my head when I originally typed it. I started using the additional bluebill decoys on Friday, and hunted Friday, Sat and then again on Monday. I got one bluebill each day to include a bufflehead on Saturday. Just wanted to make sure I cleared that up.