Decoys

[fish dog]

For the new hunters that can't judge distance. take a life-sized decoy (not a magnum or super-sized one) out to the local high school football field and set it on the goal line. Now back up and see what it looks like at 25, 35, even 40 yards (which is about the furthest you should shoot). Then back up some more and see what it looks like at 50, 60, 70 yards which you shouldn't shoot at. Study it for a while and at least you'll have an idea then.

 

[ilovesprig]

At Montana's Freezeout Lake Wildlife Area, they have a yardage example by there headquarters...Maybe this is something that could be set-up at both Wister & San J.

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[CazadorSuerte]

Balloons with helium and a string is also a way to (attempt to) teach the concept of a bird in range for the duck shooters.

 

[CuppedUp]

What about which side of the dike to setting up on and put the bulk of the decoys? Assuming there’s no blind already there. How do you determine which side you want the ducks to land? @ilovesprig

 

[Hunter527]

What about which side of the dike is for setting up on and the bulk of the decoys?

You should set up your decoys on the side with the most open water, crippled ducks can be lost easily in the reeds. If both sides have a lot of open water, set up on the side that has a better spot to sit and hide.

 

[Mud Pigeon]

What about which side of the dike to setting up on and put the bulk of the decoys? Assuming there’s no blind already there. How do you determine which side you want the ducks to land? @ilovesprig

Wind direction is important in blind location and decoy placement. Stronger the wind more important it is. Truly decoying ducks will finish into the wind.

 

[CuppedUp]

Wind direction is important in blind location and decoy placement. Stronger the wind more important it is. Truly decoying ducks will finish into the wind.

And for this, I’m assuming if you have wind from the west, you want to set up with decoys on the west so they finish coming into the decoys and over the water, instead of passing over the dike?

 

[Aeon]

the holy grail of setups is wind at your back, sun at your back, and ducks feet down facing you coming in. While i have a few spots that produce that outcome its pretty rare. There is not hard rule how to setup in any given spot. The birds will land how they want when they want but most of the time they will land into the wind. try to avoid the wind in your face setup. shooting ducks as they come over your back is less then ideal but you can make it work with disciplined shooting

i cant hunt the refuge but i will say i experiment a lot with decoy placement and the biggest thing i have learned is don't do what everyone does. The birds see a shit ton of J hooks and v's Pro tip.....ducks hang out in groups a lot maybe make your decoys do the same.

motion either mojos or jerk strings either work or super do not work. late in the year they seem to work less and less. if you feel like they are not working stop moving them

 

[Mud Pigeon]

And for this, I’m assuming if you have wind from the west, you want to set up with decoys on the west so they finish coming into the decoys and over the water, instead of passing over the dike?

If you're talking Wister specifically that scenario would have birds coming over the dike as they all run N/S. Birds don't usually have an issue doing that unless it's one of the new moonscaped multi lane highway dikes. In general I don't want birds having to fly over a lot of decoys to get into good range.