# How do you set your decoy spread?



## HerbanHunter

*DUCK DECOYS SET UP ON TREE LINED RIVER *

My favorite duck hunting spot is in flooded timber but until the floods come I look for back water dead end fingers to set my duck decoys on rivers no wider than 60 yards with tree lined banks. After feeding in the fields ducks are attracted to these areas for a place to loaf and rest. Duck decoy placement is important to attract ducks on these back water sloughs. I like to put out 2 dozen G&H super magnum mallard duck decoys and place into two or three family groups as this is natural for ducks after they land to group up. As an added enticement I will put out 2 widgeon, 2 pintail and 4 teal just outside the mallard decoys as ducks of different species stay to themselves. I leave a landing hole between the duck decoys for the ducks to land in about 20 to 25 yards away from my shooting area. Now here is the key, motion is what will pull the ducks in. I like to set up one or two HerbanHunter spinning wing duck decoys downwind facing the decoys as if coming in to land. In the landing hole I place another spinning wing decoy close to the water or a swimming decoy or jerk string. The ducks will focus on this movement and come right into the landing hole.

Once they commit to land in the decoys by back peddling and dropping their feet, the only way out is straight up to get out over the trees as they have lost their forward momentum. In this situation we clean the flock of drakes, none get out. Let the hens pass.

This decoy spread is deadly on back water river sloughs but if you want every bird in the sky to come check your spread out you need to master the call along with the placement of duck decoys. 
www.HerbanHunter.com 

How do you set your decoys in your favorite hunting hole???


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## Captain Kevin

I like to set my Green Head Gear Mallard "Hot Buy" decoy's in smallish 3-4 bird groups, in flooded corn stubble. For added Realism I add a dozen Green Head Gear full bodies on motion stakes on the edge of the water. I'll also throw in some Green Head Gear F.F.D.(fully flocked decoys) full body goose decoys, on shore as well for confidence decoy's. I will leave a "landing pocket" in the middle between the 2 groups, of several family groups. Since ducks will tend to fly over each other as they feed, and rest,(in flooded corn they are doing both) I tend to put my Baby Mojo spinners toward the front of the spread in my direction to imitate ducks "leap frogging" each other while on the feed. I then position my Avery Ground Force layout blind at a 45 degree angle to the spread to maximize my swing of my Benelli Super Nova equipped with a Carlson Extended Range choke tube over the killing zone. I of coarse from time to time have to "sweet talk" the birds down with my Zink Money Maker, and Zink P.H.1. Once in range I let the Winchester X-pert Steel fly. Once the limits allowed by law are reached, we will then Pack our stuff into the back of my Ford Ranger, and clean the birds at my house packing the sweet morsels of Aves (not mammal) flesh in Zip Loc brand freezer bags before freezing them in my G.E. refrigerator. I hope this helps.[email protected]!$


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## freyedknot

is the spam cooking? i think i smell spam?


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## guido469

LOL. I'd say a little bit.


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## Captain Kevin

A little spamich samich. I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.


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## JimmyZ

That's funny stuff. One thing I do agree with is putting the decoys in small family groups. Early season we usually only use about 14-18 decoys, families of 3 and 4. 

I also always pay attention to what the birds want. One day last year by myself hunting I just couldn't figure out what they wanted. Finally I moved one spinner decoy after having 2 groups of mallards land well outside the decoys. By the time I sat back down I had a greenhead locked and commited. Shot 2 more 20 minutes later. Bothers me cause why did I put it right where they wanted to be.

So where does everybody like to put their spinners. I definitly have learned closer to the blind or on the upwind side of the blind.


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## Captain Kevin

Just remember that Leap frogging thing. The motion decoy no matter what brand you use should imitate the direction of the feeding ducks. Put the mojo closest to where you want them to land.


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## mack

Birds are not Mammals, they are in a class called Aves.


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## Captain Kevin

I thought all warm blooded creatures were mammals. Are you sure about that?


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## Captain Kevin

I checked and you were right. Birds are not mammals. I stand corrected.


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## HerbanHunter

This season on the river has started off to be a great year with all the local birds. The local birds have been shot up or hiding on closed zones, Can't wait for the Northerns to show up on the river.


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## BaddFish

yummmmy... me like flooded cornfield.


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## ErieAngler

Its nice to see so many greenheads and so little hens! Good shootin! I've never had that much success on a river. Used to hunt by the Ohio a few years back and late, late season we would see quite a few birds but it was very inconsistent. What area of Ohio are you hunting (NW, N, NE, etc.)


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