Forums46
Topics537,807
Posts9,729,352
Members87,042
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Decoy spread on the bay
#2409820
07/06/11 04:45 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,711
STXHO
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
|
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,711 |
Just wondering what decoys you guys throw in your spread while hunting coastal waters. I mainly use pintail, bluebills, BWT, ringnecks in my spreads.
|
|
|
Re: Decoy spread on the bay
[Re: STXHO]
#2409853
07/06/11 05:08 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,626
Erichugh22
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,626 |
pintails, redheads, ringers, wigeons, BWT, sometimes mallards just to add to the spread
|
|
|
Re: Decoy spread on the bay
[Re: Erichugh22]
#2409863
07/06/11 05:21 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,711
STXHO
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
|
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,711 |
Late season I throw redheads in with some hen mallards.
|
|
|
Re: Decoy spread on the bay
[Re: STXHO]
#2410431
07/06/11 04:25 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,881
TXPride
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,881 |
I use a lot of pintails to add a lot more white, and cause that is what I mostly see. I've also got redhead and shoveler decoys out. Teal are easy to carry a lot of so I always have a couple dozen of those. Also mallard hens.
When I walk in by myself on the bay, I use about a dozen pintail, ~4 redheads, ~4 shovelers, ~4 mallard hens, and about 20 teal. With more people I add more.
When I am hunting open water and want a BIG spread, I have old mallard decoys that I painted to look like bluebill, which work great as fillers and puts out a lot of diver colors out there.
Redheads are pretty easy to decoy, but they really tend to focus on the half dozen GHG redheads I've got out there.
Doesn't really matter in my opinion, but don't think I would use mallard drakes. I also like to seperate out in species groups, cause that's what I have noticed they tend to do naturally.
|
|
|
Re: Decoy spread on the bay
[Re: Johnnyappleseed]
#2410571
07/06/11 05:22 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 4,550
kyotee1
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 4,550 |
When I used to hunt the bay system open marsh, we (dad & I) would put out 10-12 dozen sprig decoys and around 2-4 dozen teal. Now that was back in the early 60's-80's when duck numbers and sprig numbers were still high and were only 10 points on the 100 point bag limit. Those flights of sprigs coming out of the rice fields headed to West Galveston Bay and Bolivar Pennisula were as high as 50-200 birds that would circle and circle and again, until they committed to drop in on the spread. Amazing to watch and not jump up and shoot. Remember those days well and fond memories with my father.
Now, I don't focus on sprigs anymore since I have shot my share when I was younger and have seen the overall numbers decline over the past decades and with new species of decoys, especially balpates, it gives the spread a more realistic appearance. They didn't have those back then, mallards, sprigs and green & blue-winged teal decoys only.
|
|
|
Re: Decoy spread on the bay
[Re: kyotee1]
#2410637
07/06/11 05:54 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,881
TXPride
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,881 |
Oh yeah, I would also use wigeon, but I don't have any of those.
|
|
|
Re: Decoy spread on the bay
[Re: kyotee1]
#2410677
07/06/11 06:11 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,711
STXHO
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
|
OP
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,711 |
When I used to hunt the bay system open marsh, we (dad & I) would put out 10-12 dozen sprig decoys and around 2-4 dozen teal. Now that was back in the early 60's-80's when duck numbers and sprig numbers were still high and were only 10 points on the 100 point bag limit. Those flights of sprigs coming out of the rice fields headed to West Galveston Bay and Bolivar Pennisula were as high as 50-200 birds that would circle and circle and again, until they committed to drop in on the spread. Amazing to watch and not jump up and shoot. Remember those days well and fond memories with my father.
Now, I don't focus on sprigs anymore since I have shot my share when I was younger and have seen the overall numbers decline over the past decades and with new species of decoys, especially balpates, it gives the spread a more realistic appearance. They didn't have those back then, mallards, sprigs and green & blue-winged teal decoys only. I understand what you mean about the 200-500 birds working the dekes. I have been lucky enough to see that, it truly makes one appreciate the art of waterfowling. Those are the memories that are etched in you forever!
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|