Spinning Wing Decoys

[Wtrfwlr]

Many people have now had the chance to use these over the past few seasons, often with good results. How have spinning wing decoys worked for you this season? Is anyone noticing birds spooking or avoiding spreads with them? How about water vs. land, are birds reacting differently? Would like to hear some input. Thanks - Glen.

[Brett Neffendorf]

Well I have used them in several hunts with guys that bring them along. Most of the time they seem to work awesome but other times they just add unrealistic images to the birds. You have to read the birds and work with what they want. If it seems to be spookin em, jerk the thing out of there. You have to experiment with them its tough to know when its doing bad and when its doing good.

[Mallyard]

I hunted with one early this season and the ducks absoulutly loved it but as the season progressed and the public wetlands that I was hunting had more pressure with the mojo ducks. They got wise so we stoped the wings and let it just sit and look like a hovering duck. It worked good. I think that a motion decoy that splashes the water will work a whole lot better than a mojo nest year. Too much equipment to haul these days.. when I was a kid my dad and I would haul 1 doz. flambaeu mallard mags and he'd kill ducks .... not no more.

Mallyard

[Bill Cooksey]

Glen,

I can't say much about their performance this year as I have not hunted over them. This is just my way of making a silent protest. I personally feel that they have had a very negative impact on ducks over the last four years.

Nope, I'm not a biologist, and I don't have a bunch of studies to back it up. But, I've been hunting ducks for over thirty years, and the most significant changes in duck habits have occured since their introduction.

I have also witnessed the absolutely deadly effect they have on young ducks in the breeding grounds. I'm not against all things new, but I am against those that are a long term detriment to the sport I love above all others.

The flash of a spinning wing decoy does something to ducks (especially young ducks) that no other device (including bait and live decoys)has ever done.

Again, just my personal opinion based on personal observations. I would be very proud, and it would be a great PR move, if waterfowlers would police themselves and get these devices out of the field.

Bill Cooksey

[JEDJR]

I think you can really kill alot of ducks with them early in the season, but later as the ducks wise up, I think they hurt you more than help you.I bought one the first year they came out and have not used it in 2 years, even though I mostly goose hunt on my lease, I like the idea that I am the only guy in my close area, that does not have one. And I agree with Bill on the fact that it has messed with the ducks habits in the last 4 years, I agree with that totally!!

[LndShrk]

Yes they work they work well. Ducks do wise up to them after a while and they are no longer effective. Try flagging for ducks. It works as well. ;)

[Jeff-Widgnwhacker-Wallis]

I think that they don't work that well , but some people think they are great. It is really a sore subject over at the California Forum at the Refuge :eek:

WW

[Jeff-Widgnwhacker-Wallis]

Well Dick,

You said it all! :D

WW

[J Kryspin]

Funny thing. All these people talk about spinners flaring birds. I must have the magic one. Never have ducks flared from it. Never have I taken 50 yard pass shots.

I dont know what it is. I guess I'm lucky....being able to call also helps greatly!

[Bill Cooksey]

Guys,

This is where everyone is missing the point. The farther south in the flyway you move, the worse your results with the spinning wing decoys. The majority of birds will pull up well before entering shooting range.

We are hunting only old ducks down here. Even in Ohio, many of the younger birds are never making it down to you. You have to experience birds in Canada bombing into a spread that, without the spinner, would have never attracted them.

Most of them are young birds. There is no doubt that a lot of young ducks are being killed that would have made it through in the past. I promise you that I do not have a problem with other folks killing ducks, but this thing has changed the dynamic of the duck harvest.

I am very impressed with how well the hunters up north have kept their mouths shut. Heck of a deal, the guys farther down the flyway aren't against the spinners because they feel it's lost it's effectiveness while the guys up north are smiling and shaking their heads.

Again, it's not about who is killing ducks. I make my living based upon a lot of folks enjoying their days in the field, but the resource is more important. I want my son to have a reason to go to the blind (other than to watch the sunrise). When a single device changes the dynamic of the harvest in a way that no one can predict, or take into account, something has to give.

To demonstrate how strongly I feel, if I had to pick the lesser of two evils, I would rather baiting be legalized and the spinners be dumped. At least baiting takes a little effort, and doesn't focus the harvest specifically on one age group.

Bill Cooksey

[Mark Brendemuehl]

I think I am with Bill on this one. I own a spinning wing decoy... got it as gift, and yes I have used it. I got it a few years ago, and now use it mostly in the spring on photo shoots. I honestly think it has flared birds on me. They seem to work best right at first light, and then sometimes not at all after that. Either way, looking back, I have got just as many ducks daily without one as I have with, so why use it?
Mark

[Brett Beinke]

There has been a study done in MN that concludes that you are 5 time more likely to kill a mallard with one than wothout one. I know you southern boys get excited about this stat coming from a northern state but in response MN DNR is strongly considering further restrictions on the use of electronic devices. They are already restricted in use for the first two weekends and further restrictions are definately coming. No outright Ban yet but...We all know it will happen. So you boys down south can relax, MN won't be educating too many of them. Now if they can get by Big Hess... :D

[J Kryspin]

Well Delaware is certainly not in a mass migration state. Birds are certainly getting hammered before they get here and they get hammered while they are here.

At least in the area I hunt, no duck has flared from my robo.

[Allan Stanley]

Wtrfwlr,

Do they work? Yes.

Can they hurt your hunt? Yes.

Are they worth using to help you kill more ducks? Yes, under the right conditions.

But, like Bill is saying, in the long run I think they will hurt more of your hunts because they CAN BE so effective. Meaning, you will see fewer ducks making it down to you, fewer young ducks especially, and that is not a good trend to get into.

Personally, I would like to see them outlawed, in the US, Canada and Mexico. Make it an ammendment to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or something. If we have to wait for every state and maybe Canada to finally do something, it might be too late.

You want more room in the marsh to hunt? Take everyone's spinners away, and I bet you see some of the people hunt a lot less.

And before anyone asks, yes I do use them, on occassion. That is how I formed my opinion. I KNOW I have killed ducks I wouldn't have killed without them.

Some days here you look around towards all the other blinds and it looks like a disco. Blinking everywhere! I could live without all that.

But, that's just my opinion,

Allan

[Bryan Pate]

i dont know much about the spinning wing decoy how does it work i think i saw one at a shop in tenn how are they really work and are they really that good

[Zach White]

In kansas we hunt alot of public hunting land. By the time most of the mallards are down here i really think that mojo's will get ducks attention but alot of people have a hard time finishing ducks. I dont have a mojo, we would go on hunts and everyone around us was using one or even 2 spinning wing decoys in their spreads and ducks would come in and circle and circle but end up leaving and alot of times ended up dead in our spread. We have had alot of sucess using a mojo on ponds though with out pressure from other hunters but we only used one 2-3 times and we prolly done well without one.

[nitromag]

dick the snow goose thing is a little different there are soo many of the damn things they are destroying there breeding habitats. they need to be killed so use that tape.