the power of a shoveler

[Travis Mueller]

Last week as we were heading to the rice field in Arkansas I kept seeing shovelers in the rice fields. I mean you could see those drakes a mile away, and apparently so could those mallards. As we pulled off to watch an incoming flock of mallards, we noticed that they had just pitched and finished into about a group of what looked like 10-14 shovelers. Coincidence or not it was time to experiment. We had sucess that day, and I believe that it was due to the fact that we put out a dozen shovelers around that meat hole. In case you didn't know it Arkansas hasn't exactly been lights out this year. The birds people are shooting, they are having to work real hard for. So little things like this improved are hunt and I think can improve yours as well. "THE BEST TEACHER IS A LIVE DUCK." Good luck http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/travismueller1/Arkansaspictures105.jpg

[JEDJR]

Thats a sweeeet pic Travis.The shovelers look really great out there,that bright white color, the gadwalls look good also. The GHG line of duck decoys are by far in a class by theirself. I have not hunted ducks since our first split, but will this weekend as our west zone duck season closes this sunday.

[Rob Jepson]

Travis,

Very nice photo and even better field observation and hunt stategy!

Rob Jepson
Avery Pro-Staff Relations Manager

[IAsnow goose]

I thought that Gadwall was real when I first scrolled down... :eek:

No doubt those Shoveler AND Gadwall dekes are second to none smile.gif

[Eric Strand]

Travis, Excellent photo. It definitely pays to change things up with wise birds that have been around for a while. Suttle changes can mean the difference between limiting and not.

" Shoot em with their feet down "
Eric Strand
Avery Pro-Staff

[Christian Curtis]

Travis,

I believe you are "dead on!" When the shovelers first came out my partner and I knew we had to have them. In our area (southern Mississippi Flyway) if you see a rice field with ducks, 99% of the time you will see shovelers before you notice any other type of duck. The white is visible from very long distances. I personally believe that adding the shovelers to our spread increased our harvest.

[Wood Duck Wizard]

Nice looking photo and a wise decision to mimick what the live guys are doing :D

[J Kryspin]

Very nice pic Travis.

[Eric Larsgaard]

Awesome photo Travis!

Guys Travis is 100% correct. Mimic what you see. Good hunters make changes, they do not just sit there and wonder why the birds are not decoying like they should. If one thing is not working give another a try, what is it going to hurt.

Eric

[chad belding]

I have been hunting over the new Greenhead Gear Shoveler decoys this entire season and I believe that they have been the key to our success. Ducks in the air can see them from a long ways a way. I have even noticed that a lot of the mallards, widgeon, and gadwalls even try to land in the vicinity of the shoveler drake decoys. I don't know if it has just been a coincedence but these decoys have really evened the score for us.

Good Hunting!

[Travis Mueller]

Yeah Christian you're right. Literally in this spread we had shovelers and Gadwalls on one side of the pit, and teal, gadwalls and very few mallards on the other side. Something different and natural was the answer.(YARD SALE) basically. Snowing and cold in the midwest, Arkansas may get into them the last part of the season!!??!!? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/travismueller1/Arkansaspictures103.jpg

[Christian Curtis]

These dudes stand out and man do they look real!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/ccurtis/IMG_0147.jpg

[Greg Owens]

Great pictures guys.... I agree that giving the birds a different look can really turn the odds in your favor on a tough day.

Greg

[desertducker]

The Shoveler decoy has been one of the best improvements to my decoy spread out here in the desert this season. They are one of the best confidence decoys on the market. The other one (in my oppinion) that is needed is the coot decoy. When we are scouting and find ducks in a natural setting, the coots will be there also. I hope that someday, you will add the coot to the ever growing line of GHG decoys.