# How many duck decoys?



## rafalciemski (May 18, 2018)

I always find a lot valuable info on this forum. Looks like there is a lot of experts that are dedicated for waterfall hunting. I'm just getting started this year. Two weeks ago I took waterfall seminar and I'm a bit overwhelmed . How many duck decoys should I buy for my first year. Can I got away with just dozen of mallards or should I buy some puddle mix(150$ budget). Do i need any motion decoys also?What was your first spread like when you guys started. I really appreciate your help and input.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

If your on a budget and you want decoys, it's hard to beat Flambeaus. You can easily pick up a decent spread for $150 or less. 

I would get a dozen mallards, dozen teal and half dozen pintails. Those will decoy any puddle duck you can think of. You don't need motion decoys, but they help. 

My first duck spread was exactly what I mentioned above. There are still days where I only set out those 3 types of decoys. Worked back then and works today.


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## Luhk (Aug 16, 2017)

The main thing to remember is everyone has mallard decoys. Work to set your spread apart. With 150 bucks you can seriously get an amazing spread. Look at ksl classifieds. They have a ton of spreads people are looking to get rid of. Also look at getting a couple coot or seagulls to add into the spread. I run about 1.5 dozen mallard, 6pigtails, dozen wigeon, and dozen teal, I change up the number depending on what is moving and what time of the season it is.


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## rafalciemski (May 18, 2018)

Thanks guys,what is kls? Did you mean classifies on this forum? Also is it true that foam filled decoys swim better?


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

https://classifieds.ksl.com/


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## quackaddict35 (Sep 25, 2015)

rafalciemski said:


> Thanks guys,what is kls? Did you mean classifies on this forum? Also is it true that foam filled decoys swim better?


Foam filled are heavier and usually cost more so if you're on a budget I'd steer away from those for now.

Check out tanglefree, they had a 12 mallards for $40 and I think the sale is still going on.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Some times less is more as well. If you put yourself in the right spot where the birds want to be, a dozen can be more than enough.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I do most my shoots over 6 decoys total.. I run all mallards but, I'm also targeting mallards.. If I were in your shoes I would buy 1/2 doz mallard and 1/2 dozen pintails and build your decoy spread off of that dozen for years to come.. Some years you might get some wigeon or Teal or more mallards and pintails but, With that budget I would buy mallards and pintails.. and a GOOD decoy bag with padded shoulder straps.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

goosefreak said:


> I do most my shoots over 6 decoys total.. I run all mallards but, I'm also targeting mallards.. If I were in your shoes I would buy 1/2 doz mallard and 1/2 dozen pintails and build your decoy spread off of that dozen for years to come.. Some years you might get some wigeon or Teal or more mallards and pintails but, With that budget I would buy mallards and pintails.. and a GOOD decoy bag with padded shoulder straps.


Don't listen to goosefreak. Get pintail and teal decoys, maybe a couple of canvasback. Friends don't let friends shoot park ducks. But if you choose to do so, take some bread along.;-)


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

paddler said:


> Don't listen to goosefreak. Get pintail and teal decoys, maybe a couple of canvasback. Friends don't let friends shoot park ducks. But if you choose to do so, take some bread along.;-)


Don't listen to paddler.... Get some Gadwall decoys. Gads work to gad decoys well and make for some excellent eating!!!!!!!


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## Whiskey H0und (Aug 26, 2016)

I started hunting with four decoys I could fit in the only pack I had at the time. Some of my best days have been over a dozen or less.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

It all depends on how many you want to carry. When I'm hunting by myself, I usually don't take more than a dozen at a time (I'm strictly a walk-in hunter, and sometimes I walk quite a distance). If my group gets really ambitious, we'll take 2-3 dozen among us all.

That being said, I still own about six dozen. It's a sickness...

My favorite are my teal decoys. They're super portable and look natural just about anywhere.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I've been on a spread with a guy who had 14 dozen. He even had a bunch of 4x8ft goose silhouette 's made out of plywood. He'd start setting up around 3am, be ready to shoot come 7am.


-DallanC


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## Whiskey H0und (Aug 26, 2016)

DallanC said:


> I've been on a spread with a guy who had 14 dozen. He even had a bunch of 4x8ft goose silhouette 's made out of plywood. He'd start setting up around 3am, be ready to shoot come 7am.
> 
> -DallanC


That sounds excessive. But we are water fowl hunters so......maybe not.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

paddler said:


> Don't listen to goosefreak. Get pintail and teal decoys, maybe a couple of canvasback. Friends don't let friends shoot park ducks. But if you choose to do so, take some bread along.;-)


Park ducks?! for being a park duck their sure are a lot of people inquiring how to kill them!!

Your right though, I'm kinda over the whole greenhead thing, you might see more Teal pictures coming from me this season! I think they taste better anyways..

If I fall hypnoses to the greenhead curse again this year, please someone slap me silly!


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## MallardFlew (Feb 22, 2012)

All these reply's are spot on. I have learned a lot from hunting with many different people. Biggest thing people have taught me is to mimic the birds in the area. Ducks.org has some tried and true strategies for decoy placement as well. Once you have your spread and have it set... DO NOT be afraid to get out and change it if it's not working. 

Another thought... if you are buying motion decoys buy a jerk string! it works best for me most of the time.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

MallardFlew said:


> Another thought... if you are buying motion decoys buy a jerk string! it works best for me most of the time.


BINGO!

I am not as well versed of a waterfowler as others on this forum, but I have found most success with running a smaller spread (i.e. 6-8 decoys). Additionally, I've had Mojos and other motion systems in the past, and sure - they have their place and work, but my go-to is a good ol' fashioned jerk string.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I hate jerk rigs! They work for sure but, I hate jerkin it while i'm trying to pay attentions to birds! :grin: too much to manage for me



The right motion for the right place is often over looked


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## rafalciemski (May 18, 2018)

Thanks guys. I decided to get 6 teal, dozen mallards, 6 wood ducks. They had a sale on mallards at Dicks sporting goods for 35$ and 10% off on top of everything. Most mallards(8) I will paint to make me some coots.I paid 156 $ with mesh bag and two dozens texsas rigs.Thanks again for your input. I wish everybody great season.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

i run one or two mallards. a hen goes right by the caller. if i'm walking in i have a 12-18 decoys, most of which are small teal. i often use a half dozen for further walks. out of the boat i'm running 1-3 dozen depending on the situation. gads, teal, pins and a few divers etc. mine are all from sales at cabelas and ksl. texas rigging works for the boat. simple light weight, plastic line and bungee when hiking.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

rafalciemski said:


> Thanks guys. I decided to get 6 teal, dozen mallards, 6 wood ducks. They had a sale on mallards at Dicks sporting goods for 35$ and 10% off on top of everything. Most mallards(8) I will paint to make me some coots.I paid 156 $ with mesh bag and two dozens texsas rigs.Thanks again for your input. I wish everybody great season.


might want to paint the wood ducks too. that is unless someone will let you in on the secret of where the rest of the 6 wood ducks live around here.


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## king eider (Aug 20, 2009)

DallanC said:


> I've been on a spread with a guy who had 14 dozen. He even had a bunch of 4x8ft goose silhouette 's made out of plywood. He'd start setting up around 3am, be ready to shoot come 7am.
> 
> -DallanC


My canvasback spread is Approx 150 blocks. All canvasbacks. That doesn't include my redheads I add in. All made by me. We waterfowlers are a weird bunch...


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## quackaddict35 (Sep 25, 2015)

APD said:


> might want to paint the wood ducks too. that is unless someone will let you in on the secret of where the rest of the 6 wood ducks live around here.


Ducks go to ducks IMO you could probably throw out an all wood duck spread and be fine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

quackaddict35 said:


> Ducks go to ducks IMO you could probably throw out an all wood duck spread and be fine.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I agree to a certain point, I defiantly wouldn't run all woodies though. I have 6 wood duck decoys for the times I hunt 1 particular spot, thats it.

If I was to start a decoys spread as a first timer, I wouldn't buy wood duck decoys.. or paint 50% of the decoys i just bought black..... Makes me suspicious that we've fell victim to a TROLL.....


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## rafalciemski (May 18, 2018)

We have a decent population of woodies around Carson NV, that's why I bough some. I heard they taste good. And also THEY LOOK PRETTY. 😁😁😁
Does wood ducks only attack wood ducks, don't they attack any ducks?


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Oh, I’m sure you can throw them out and shoot ducks over them but, I wouldn’t buy them as a spread starter unless that’s a prominent species where I live.. I don’t doubt you can shoot ducks over any type of decoy but, if I wanna shoot mallards at a quick pace I use mallard decoys, if I wanna shoot teal at a quick pace, I use teal decoys. Depends on what I am hunting but, I always take some kind of mixed ratio. 

Experience has taught me that if I wanna shoot a certain species of bird, (more abundantly) I get better reaction when using that same species decoy..

But, ones opinion of reaction may differ from mine..

Location will play a huge role in what type of birds you shoot as well, were I hunt it is prominently mallards and teal, if I wanna shoot pintails more regularly, I need to relocate, same with divers etc.. using the right decoy spread in the right location




And if I wanna shoot Gadwall, I just ask paddler where his honey hole is!!


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

goosefreak said:


> Oh, I'm sure you can throw them out and shoot ducks over them but, I wouldn't buy them as a spread starter unless that's a prominent species where I live.. I don't doubt you can shoot ducks over any type of decoy but, if I wanna shoot mallards at a quick pace I use mallard decoys, if I wanna shoot teal at a quick pace, I use teal decoys. Depends on what I am hunting but, I always take some kind of mixed ratio.
> 
> Experience has taught me that if I wanna shoot a certain species of bird, (more abundantly) I get better reaction when using that same species decoy..
> 
> ...


Here's a really good article on duck behavior, including how they respond to decoy spreads. This month's DU magazine. Makes a lot of sense:

http://www.ducks.org/conservation/w...rfowl-waterfowl-behavior-and-hunting?poe=SO18

My personal experience is that teal will decoy to just about anything, and canvasback really key on canvasback decoys. I run mostly pintails. I have a dozen mallards, but don't use them much.

Goose, gads hang out on Unit 1 at FB and HC, but they're edge shy. They're a pretty duck, and the way they maple leaf is cool. Too bad they're more appropriately called gagwall.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Oh, your gonna make me read now?? Ugh.. 

I might shoot a gaggy this year, depends on how the mallards play..


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

goosefreak said:


> *Oh, your gonna make me read now?? Ugh..
> *
> I might shoot a gaggy this year, depends on how the mallards play..


Go ahead, read the article. It won't hurt. Actually, it's very interesting as to why birds decoy and why they don't based on species, time of year, situation, etc. A couple of years ago I had some canvasbacks plop down with a half dozen can decoys that were between pintail decoys on one side and mallards on the other, without circling or anything. I didn't even see them until they landed. I was thinking that they decoyed so well because there aren't very many of them. The article said that because they're divers and can't see their food from the air, they decoy with abandon to canvasback decoys.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

paddler said:


> goosefreak said:
> 
> 
> > *Oh, your gonna make me read now?? Ugh..
> ...


I skim read it.. sounded to me that they were talking about how smart the mallard is and how hard they are to decoys......(rolling my eyes) I can see that but, I don't let them get smart!!

On the other hand, I'm just going off my personal experience. I never said yes I can't decoys other birds with different decoys... I mean, people say I can't shoot geese over shillos but, evidence suggests otherwise


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

goosefreak said:


> I skim read it.. sounded to me that they were talking about how smart the mallard is and how hard they are to decoys......


I guess I missed that part.;-)


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

paddler said:


> goosefreak said:
> 
> 
> > I skim read it.. sounded to me that they were talking about how smart the mallard is and how hard they are to decoys......
> ...


Something about a particular behavior a mallard has.. they said something along the lines that mallards associate danger with a particular area where they were once shot at and never revisit the area again, and mallards have adapted to looking for decoys with hunters lurking in the cover.. I do believe it but, doesn't effect me any, other than sometimes I think some of those mallards swing after swing after swing because they are looking for that Greenhead killin fool that took out their buddies the week before..


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

goosefreak said:


> Something about a particular behavior a mallard has.. they said something along the lines that mallards associate danger with a particular area where they were once shot at and never revisit the area again, and mallards have adapted to looking for decoys with hunters lurking in the cover.. I do believe it but, doesn't effect me any, other than sometimes I think some of those mallards swing after swing after swing because they are looking for that Greenhead killin fool that took out their buddies the week before..


I think in general ducks avoid situations in which they have been shot at before. In Canada, for instance, geese will shy away from your spread on sunny days, I think because they see shadows from the layout blinds. By the time I go up in November they've been gunned over the same basic setups since September. A northwest wind with short stubble and no cloud cover is really tough.

Mallards aren't cover or edge shy like pintails and gadwall. As for avoiding specific place where they've been shot before, I suppose that may be true. But I see them working outside the Turpin about every time I'm out, so I think if your setup is good you'll be successful.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

paddler said:


> [.


Mallards aren't cover or edge shy like pintails and gadwall. [/QUOTE]

I don't know, iv had a lot of gaddys work my decoys so good in the thick cover I could have been dressed up as BoBo the clown and they still would have worked.

I think hunting mallards over big water, they tend to shy away from the edge but, hunting them in those tight pockets, they don't have any choice..


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I am hoping to shoot my first greenhead and pintail this year. These ducks are so hard to come by.:grin: Where do you go to get these?


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