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Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
#8009803
10/14/20 05:20 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 96
Startfireman
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 96 |
Other than the mallards, are there any recommendations on what type of duck decoys to use on a Stephenville area stock tank? We are trying to attract more than what we believe are shovelers.
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8009808
10/14/20 05:27 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 679
Sinkey
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 679 |
Add Gadwalls, and pintails. A few teal and you should be good to go.
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8009811
10/14/20 05:29 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 86
TBS12
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 86 |
Wigeon are popular in your area as well. The white of canvasback decoys can help your spread standout as well.
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8009880
10/14/20 06:07 PM
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 428
PoppinPiggies
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 428 |
Mallard, pintiail, gadwall, and teal will be plenty but adding a few widgeon would be nice as well.
Follow me on instagram @crosstexasoutdoors
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8009896
10/14/20 06:18 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 392
js4242
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 392 |
Depending on the size of your tank you might not need a lot. Maybe look into a puddler pack. In Carbon I typically use some teal and pintail dekes. I've shot mallards, pintails, greys, widgeon, spoonies, woodies, scaup, ringnecks all over those teal and pintail dekes. I don't think it matters much based on my experience. If they want in that tank they are coming in no matter what dekes I have out there. Late season I will even cut way back in my limited "spread". Depending on the rain/weather my main spot can be 2-4 acres.
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8009924
10/14/20 06:34 PM
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,089
2flyfish4
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,089 |
Small tanks I use about a dozen decoys, sometimes only 8-10. Normal mixture for me is ringnecks, gadwall and wigeon. Sometimes I'll also mix a few mallards, pintail and teal. But overall running small mixed specieces spreads.
Instagram - 2flyfish4
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8009948
10/14/20 06:48 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,928
#Hayraker
Chihuahua
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Chihuahua
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 11,928 |
it doesn't matter, the paint is to attract buyers
#sigline
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8009967
10/14/20 07:02 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,281
BradyBuck
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,281 |
I do t even use mallards anymore..
Gaddies, wigeon, pintail and a couple Cans..
HRCH Washita's Kimber Locked N Loaded GRHRCH Firefly's Rally The Troops MH
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8009983
10/14/20 07:10 PM
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 650
booskay
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 650 |
Take some decoys,,, put them out in your front yard ------ get 100 yards away and drive by at 30 MPH. See if you can tell the difference between the mallards or wigeon. (especially the first 30 minutes of hunting when there is little light)
Hayraker said the same thing with different words.
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: #Hayraker]
#8010016
10/14/20 07:28 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 6,695
Cochise
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 6,695 |
it doesn't matter, the paint is to attract buyers Yup. And I'll add - it's either a pond they're coming to or a pond they aren't. Decoys won't change that.
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: js4242]
#8010045
10/14/20 07:55 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038
Greekangler
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,038 |
Depending on the size of your tank you might not need a lot. Maybe look into a puddler pack. In Carbon I typically use some teal and pintail dekes. I've shot mallards, pintails, greys, widgeon, spoonies, woodies, scaup, ringnecks all over those teal and pintail dekes. I don't think it matters much based on my experience. If they want in that tank they are coming in no matter what dekes I have out there. Late season I will even cut way back in my limited "spread". Depending on the rain/weather my main spot can be 2-4 acres. this, and match birds in area lakes/ ponds
Take a kid Huntin
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Cochise]
#8010156
10/14/20 08:54 PM
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,089
2flyfish4
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,089 |
9 it doesn't matter, the paint is to attract buyers Yup. And I'll add - it's either a pond they're coming to or a pond they aren't. Decoys won't change that. True, but when new birds come in on a front you will typically get more lookers that will work the spread.
Instagram - 2flyfish4
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: 2flyfish4]
#8010315
10/14/20 10:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,489
Guy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 35,489 |
I think some ducks prefer their own species of deeks, like pintails. I never shot pintails untill I got pintail deeks, same with canvasback. Ponds/tanks could be different, ducks that hit ponds/tanks will probably land there no matter what deeks you got, even if no deeks. Ponds/tanks you are probably better off putting the deeks where you don't want them to land.
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Guy]
#8011021
10/15/20 02:22 PM
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Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 428
PoppinPiggies
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 428 |
I think some ducks prefer their own species of deeks, like pintails. I never shot pintails untill I got pintail deeks, same with canvasback. Ponds/tanks could be different, ducks that hit ponds/tanks will probably land there no matter what deeks you got, even if no deeks. Ponds/tanks you are probably better off putting the deeks where you don't want them to land. I've had luck doing that on a few smaller tanks, if there is one spot that I can't shoot them I have loaded deeks up there so the only landing room is in my shooting range.
Follow me on instagram @crosstexasoutdoors
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Re: Stock Tank/Pond Decoys
[Re: Startfireman]
#8015745
10/19/20 04:50 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,864
LarryCopper
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,864 |
OP, like others said in different ways... if you are seeing shovelers you will be shooting mostly shovelers. Adding a spread of a lot of other species won't change much. On the other hand, if you're basing that statement on what you've seen so far this season, I'd also say you haven't seen all that you will come November.
IMO based on the area you should get (in order of numbers) gadwall, wigeon, spoonies, teal, ring necks, redheads (through November), pintail, mallards, and occasional cans. We gets mostly wigeon and gadwall NW of you. All those ducks will decoy into any spread as long as it is in a pond they want. Pintail may be the exception since they do tend to like their own kind. Without pintal dekes they'll often land way out of range. With them they'll circle for 5 minutes and commit to the pintail dekes. On a small pond I'd start with some gadwall and wigeon. Add a few pintail on the edge of range and a couple of mallards cuz one in a blue moon you'll get them, too. On a larger pond I'd upscale the numbers and add a couple of cans on the deep edge of the spread at the edge of range, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy any diver dekes at first.
But it bares repeating, ideally you want to match what you are seeing. Match the hatch as is said both in terms of species and numbers. And what you see likely will change week to week. I've personally never had to use blockers. I setup a typical J, V, or something along those lines with a jerk rig right where I want them to land. Has been working well.
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