Decoy placement

[ritt14]

Question for the more seasoned hunters. I have tried (and read) a great number of articles on decoy placement on water. The majority of my hunting is done on the old miss, sitting on a nice little island. Now I know this open ended question can bring a thousand different responses, but I am looking for patterns that you have found work well. I normally throw 3 or 4 doz duck and 1 or 2 doz geese. The biggest problem I am having is how to setup the spread with enough close landing zones for each species, and how to mix the species together. Do I keep each seperate, or can you mingle them together. I have been on the local ponds in town trying to watch them in nature, but to many people come down and feed them. Its not to often you see the birds herding like cattle after some shell corn. Any info helps this greenwing.

Thanks

[JEDJR]

Ritt, I would use small groups of decoys at ranges from 5 yards to 30. use same species of duck per group, but you could put 1 mallard in with the pintails or vice versa. Also by using the small groups,you have several landing zones from different directions, which can be helpful on days with wind, no wind, or a variable wind. hope this helps some. Goodluck!

[Tom Matthews]

ritt14,

Any answer you get is going to be from a guy who is as unsure of his answer as you are. You and I both know that there is no "perfect" set up or even one that works 50% of the time. EVERY SINGLE DAY BRINGS A NEW SITUATION AND A NEW SET!

Wind, sun, temperature, water level, pressure and 1,000 other things affect set-ups so just keep doing what you have been doing and try to learn something/anything every time you make a set-up. Over time, you will begin to see a pattern for the spots you hunt - I guarantee it. The one thing that is extremely tough hunting on the MS River (which I have done for the past 17 years) is the fluctuating water level and how it affects the birds from one day to the next.

I used to hunt with an old man who might make me move the decoys 10 times in a three hour hunt - even when I thought the ducks were working perfectly. He was always experimenting and testing the birds. I can't count the times he made me go out and move one decoy 3' in another direction, but he was the best I ever saw so I never argued. What I learned is that there is no answer, only more questions.

Just stay after 'em and put me at the top of the list to call when you find the perfect set-up!!!!

Tom

P.S. Be careful on the big river.