Hi everyone.
When setting your decoys with the wind at your back, do you setup on the upwind bank or downwind bank of the lake? Just curious. Thanks

. Downwind is across the lake from where you set up.

True, so you're saying to set up on the bank that receives the wind first with the wind to your back?

Charlie you have made the most confusing post.

Lets take an example. Lets say you have a north wind. This means wind is coming out of the north, and is normally cold and we like that, best wind ever, brings in new birds from the north. Ok, so with wind to your back, you must be on the north bank. If you are on the south bank, wind will be in your face. Birds like to land into the wind, so that is why you like the wind to your back. A cross wind is not bad either and something I prefer. When birds are landing and coming strait in, they will be looking right at you, vs a cross wind, they will not.

As a general rule, you do not want wind in your face, but there are times were this might work, and also you might not have a choice, and also might be the X.

Guy I agree with you 100%,even the confusing part. the reason I was asking is there's a couple of lakes I've been going to the past several years where with a north wind there are setups on the north and south end where river enters. The south end hunters do ok but this year the south end hunters out shot the the north end by 2-1. The wind was in their face. I've always set up as you said, so I was trying to see if some new decoy or techniques have been discovered or the ducks just want to be there. Your post is a good one. Thanks

Guy explained pretty well..

Ducks land into the wind. Set up accordingly or they will all be flying away from you.

I also prefer a slight crosswind

A lot has to do with the terrain. Ducks like to land into the wind as said, but as guy stated it is only a general rule. If your hunting say a river delta where the land behind you is basically a big treeless mud flat, it would not be a problem for the ducks to swing around over land to drop into your decoys. Also some of my best setups in high wind have been spots with a cross wind following the bank where I set up behind a small point or within a small cove or indention along the bank. Much like an eddy in trout fishing. Either example perhaps explains why the hunters on the non traditional wind in their face side are doing better than the ones playing it by the book.

Thanks everyone, very valuable information, articulate too! More so than me.

You place your decoys on your side.