[Picardy_in_NC]

Hey there folks, I looked through the posts but have been unsuccessful in locating info (please forgive me if if i missed it.. it is a big forum)

I am somewhat new to duck hunting, having been out only a few times over flooded rice fields when I lived in Texas as a guest of a buddy on his lease. Also, I am new to North Carolina. I don‘t own any decoys at this time but want to get active here, and will likely be a solo hunter on whatever public land I can get to. I’m based in Raleigh if that helps.

What I’m hoping to learn is what decoys you all would get, what quantity, and in what order based on species population coming through. My neighbor gave me a spot last season near Lake Jordan and it was a mile walk in, so I’m guessing 1-3 dozen decoys is about all I can realistically carry at any one time. I have another neighbor that wants to hunt Lake Mattamuskeet also.

My wife tells me I’m on a budget… so I gotta respect that limitation

Any guidance is welcome… and thank you in advance.
Cheers

 

[Billy benderson]

I'd say get a nicest set of 12 or 18 you can afford right now. Maybe a small spinner that runs off of aa batteries if legal and in your budget.

Then purchase more of a different species for next year based on what you are seeing for birds and what you think your back can handle.

If the water is shallow enough I recommend using a Texas rig.

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[cottonstalk]

Depending on where your predominantly hunting. Towards the coast teal, a few mallards a few bluebills. If I was mainly hunting Raleigh area I'd say mallards and maybe a few geese.

 

[Picardy_in_NC]

Thanks to you both for the input..!

Billy- for clarification, can I ask what species decoys you’d get first please?

 

[HNTFSH]

Thanks to you both for the input..!

Billy- for clarification, can I ask what species decoys you’d get first please?

Cottonstalk nailed it.

 

[Billy benderson]

Thanks to you both for the input..!

Billy- for clarification, can I ask what species decoys you’d get first please?

Maybe like a dozen mallard, and then 6 teal.

I've shot pretty much every duck imaginable over mallard decoys.



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[bluesky2012]

If it’s big water in the bays, big blue bill rafts are very common. If it’s pot holes in the marsh, wigeon, pintail and blacks. Everyone through a out mallards, but there really aren’t many mallards in NC. Will having mallard decoys hurt, no, but there are decent options you can pursue based on where you hunt.

“Match the hatch” depending on where you plan to hunt.


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[mudpack]

Because mallards are not the predominate specie where you'll be hunting, take the advice of those who have said to match the species you'll be seeing the most. If you don't know what that specie(s) is, ask the state Fish and Game people; they can give you the best advice.
The default specie might be something like wigeon or Ringnecks.....

 

[noahsark]

Hey there folks, I looked through the posts but have been unsuccessful in locating info (please forgive me if if i missed it.. it is a big forum)

I am somewhat new to duck hunting, having been out only a few times over flooded rice fields when I lived in Texas as a guest of a buddy on his lease. Also, I am new to North Carolina. I don‘t own any decoys at this time but want to get active here, and will likely be a solo hunter on whatever public land I can get to. I’m based in Raleigh if that helps.

What I’m hoping to learn is what decoys you all would get, what quantity, and in what order based on species population coming through. My neighbor gave me a spot last season near Lake Jordan and it was a mile walk in, so I’m guessing 1-3 dozen decoys is about all I can realistically carry at any one time. I have another neighbor that wants to hunt Lake Mattamuskeet also.

My wife tells me I’m on a budget… so I gotta respect that limitation

Any guidance is welcome… and thank you in advance.
Cheers

In central NC, I would focus more on wood ducks and mallards. If hunting beaver ponds and such, about 6 wood duck decoys and a few mallards should be sufficient. If hunting larger bodies of water, you probably want to focus on species like redheads, scaup and bufflehead. Roughly 4 dozen should be sufficient. I absolutely love to hunt pintail but they tend to be hunted in isolated areas on the coast.