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Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting #6001740 10/30/15 03:30 PM
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oilag Offline OP
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Looking for some advice...

Over the past few years we've had some opportunities to kill some specs early in the season while duck hunting. This year my group bought 6 spec full bodies to help coax them in. Where would you guys set up the specs? In the water, on the bank, in a field behind? I do have a call and am ok at calling (brought some birds in last year just calling w/out deeks). We normally hunt shallow flooded fields btw. Thanks in advance for the help and good luck to all tomorrow!

-Max

Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: oilag] #6001829 10/30/15 04:29 PM
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It depends on your decoy layout. My go-to for puddlers was about 3.5 dozen dekes. 1/2 the ducks on the right side in family groups, 1/2 on the left, with kill zones on the sides & middle all in range. We never had specks where I grew up (MN & ND) but I always had 1/2 dozen honkers in my spread. They work great as a confidence decoy & can be seen from a mile away. I'd put a couple of the geese closer to the hunters, right in the front of each of the kill zones, and one or two right on the edge of the duck decoys to add visibility to my spread


Cigarettes are like hamsters. Perfectly harmless til you put it in your mouth & light it on fire
Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: oilag] #6001956 10/30/15 05:27 PM
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I haven't used them since we hunt pretty small water but putting geese off to the side & downwind is what I see as the common advise. when I hunted Canadas in Maryland last year I do recall our guide saying geese don't like to land over ducks but I don't know if it works the other way around.

Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: oilag] #6003207 10/31/15 02:36 PM
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I like having a few specs off to the side, ~75-100 yards upwind of the duck decoys.

Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: oilag] #6004525 11/01/15 03:39 PM
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Do specks land in your spread 1971, or are they confidence decoys for ducks?




Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: Matagorda Mud Pig] #6007864 11/03/15 05:54 AM
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Originally Posted By: AndrewOSpencer
Do specks land in your spread 1971, or are they confidence decoys for ducks?


Use of spec decoys as confidence decoys for ducks has never been my intent. But I've always carried a spec call, and singles especially, will typically respond by at least passing over or nearby, typically downwind of the spec decoys.

BTW, I enjoyed your website. All the food looks good except for the possum ... and maybe the scrapple is a little questionable too. The rattler don't look too bad.


Last edited by 1971snipe; 11/03/15 06:10 AM.
Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: 1971snipe] #6008095 11/03/15 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted By: 1971snipe
Originally Posted By: AndrewOSpencer
Do specks land in your spread 1971, or are they confidence decoys for ducks?


Use of spec decoys as confidence decoys for ducks has never been my intent. But I've always carried a spec call, and singles especially, will typically respond by at least passing over or nearby, typically downwind of the spec decoys.

BTW, I enjoyed your website. All the food looks good except for the possum ... and maybe the scrapple is a little questionable too. The rattler don't look too bad.



Thanks Snipe. I'm going to add a couple spec decoys.




Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: Fishuhalik] #6008206 11/03/15 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted By: Fishuhalik
It depends on your decoy layout. My go-to for puddlers was about 3.5 dozen dekes. 1/2 the ducks on the right side in family groups, 1/2 on the left, with kill zones on the sides & middle all in range. We never had specks where I grew up (MN & ND) but I always had 1/2 dozen honkers in my spread. They work great as a confidence decoy & can be seen from a mile away. I'd put a couple of the geese closer to the hunters, right in the front of each of the kill zones, and one or two right on the edge of the duck decoys to add visibility to my spread


I can't speak for specs, but this is the case with canadas. Ducks will land over canadas, but canadas will not land over ducks. So, but your geese on the outside or down-wind edge of the spread.

Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: oilag] #6010573 11/04/15 05:22 PM
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I usually take 1/2 dozen to a full dozen with me every morning to set up with my duck decoys. I typically put them opposite side of which ever way my ducks will be decoying from about 30-40 yards outside my spread. I have pretty good success with this and will average a couple geese per duck hunt.

Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: oilag] #6010782 11/04/15 07:32 PM
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Upwind 30 yds if possible. Otherwise anywhere shallow in the pond a little bit separated from the ducks

Re: Small Spec Spread While Duck Hunting [Re: oilag] #6010951 11/04/15 09:14 PM
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Every now and then I'll put out some specks. Usually off to the side of the duck spread in one little group.

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