# Duck Field Decoys, which type is better?



## Ken C (Nov 6, 2003)

There seems to be several types of field decoys to use. Has anyone found better success with a particular type? Also, does the "Robo" duck decoys help or hurt?


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

IMO the best field mallard dekes are flambeau enticers. They're a full body duck decoy that you don't have to stake down...they're the "bigfoots" of duck field decoys. G&H makes a good looking shell deke but I think you might have a problem with the stakes and frozen ground. A spinner is probably the most effective when used in fields.


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## JEDJR (Oct 15, 2003)

I agree with MJ on these. Avery will be coming out with some fullbody Mallards I think for the start of next season. I heard they are going to look really good!


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## PJ (Oct 1, 2002)

I also agree with the MJ on the enticers. They are top of the line and will stay a constant in my field spreads. :lol:


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## shawn114 (Aug 22, 2003)

If money is tight, could a guy get by with just using floater decoys in fields?


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## Dunk221999 (Sep 11, 2002)

You can get by with using water decoys in the fields, however they are very low profile and it can be harder for them to be seen than a regular field shell mallard or a full body. We have used a few of them at times when we wanted to add more decs. to our spread. It worked just fine but like I say they just aren't as visable as decoys designed for fields.


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## Ken C (Nov 6, 2003)

Is it worth adding a spinner decoy to the field spread or does it not add much attraction value? If the spinner does add value; are there particular ones that stand out.


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## MJK (Oct 29, 2003)

I would like to prefice this by saying my mind works in rather odd ways, and I have a tight budget.

I just started waterfowling a few years ago, and would like to start my own spread this year (been hunting with guys with the toys for now).

I bought a couple of dozen water Mallard dekes recently. I was thinking of trying to find a way to use them in field spreads, also. I wonder if a guy could go to a craft store and buy styrofoam blocks, about the size of a brick. Cut a slit into the top, so the keel sits in the foam. Camo paint the foam,and maybe this would make the dekes more visible???

Again, the best choice would be the Enticers (hunted over some this fall), but for the guys that are just starting out ???


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## bigblackfoot (Mar 12, 2003)

The best field duck decoy are goose decoys. Most guys who are buying enticers are guys that already have a goose spread. If I was looking to shoot ducks out of field and was startin from scratch I would first buy a couple dozen goose decoys before buying duck field decoys. I would buy water decoys and just place them in the field if you still need to fill out your water spread. A spinner mixed with a couple dozen goose decoys will draw ducks all day.


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

BBF's right. We always have our duck dekes out with our goose dekes. We've only started to add duck dekes to our goose spread in the last couple seasons. A decent goose spread with a spinner will bring in ducks...a decent goose spread with a spinner and some enticers will work even better though. :beer:

There's so many cheap water dekes out there that if you really wanted to get some good looking field dekes I'd go out and buy some of those $20 econo floaters, drill a hole in the bottom and stick a dowel in them...instant full body field decoy at a much cheaper price than a dozen enticers.


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## Ken C (Nov 6, 2003)

Seems like everyone that makes anything that looks sort of like a duck is coming out with some version of a spinner (from wind blown to motorized & remote controlled to always running). Is/are there any particular spinner(s) that you have found to be more effective.


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## duxnbux (Feb 25, 2002)

I have seen and talked to guys that are using 6 robos or more in a spead, the groups that I am with generally only put out a 1 or 2 robos. The last couple times out, the big flocks of ducks have ignored our spread. They didn't flare...they just didn't really work at all...they were just content landing elsewhere in the field. Yes, we were set up exactly where they were the night before....etc. We had a decent spread of over 4 dozen bigfoots but the ducks just weren't that interested...

I am wondering if more robos would have made a difference. I know guys that put out about 6 robos and only a few goose decoys and seem to have had success as of late...Just curious of other guys thoughts and experiences on putting out more robos and less goose decoys...


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## shawn114 (Aug 22, 2003)

I have 2 dozen super magnum goose shell decoy's, will there size hurt or wont it matter when I put duck dek's out with them. I didn't know if the size of canadian dek's would make them flare. I was also planning on 2 robo's to the spread. How many dozen floater duck decoy's would anyone suggest putting out with a canadian mix?


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## Wood Duck (Mar 22, 2002)

I made 3 doz mallard profiles out of 1/4" luan plywood and they work great. Nothin like foolin em with your own hand made decoys.

As far as goose spreads with or without duck decoys I will say from experience that there are times when the ducks come just fine with no duck decoys, but then there are times when using duck decoys really improves the shooting. It helps you bring the birds to the kill zone with thier flaps down vs buzzing the spread.


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

DNB, two weeks ago Friday we had a set very similar to what you describe using, and over the course of 2-3 hours probably had 5k mallards pass within a half mile. Got a sniff from one lone drake - and we fanned on him! I've never experienced a bigger number of more snotty mallards.

These birds had been in the area for better than a week and had been hunted hard. Six groups within 1-2 miles of us, and while we did the least shooting, nobody was having much luck with these devils. Same thing - no flare - just not the least bit interested.

Watched one pile work over a corn field that had no hunters for a half-hour, not one putting a toe down. They were still working it when we pulled out. Hope they eventually changed directions because they must have been getting awefully dizzy.

Bottom line, on those birds on that day I don't think it would have mattered what we put out - they were very wary and very snotty. Maybe you ran into the same sort of deal.

If it was just about killing birds and not about how we like to hunt, I think we could have filled fairly quickly laying out with no dekes. Just don't like to hunt that way.


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## Im4Fishing&amp;Hunting (Mar 19, 2003)

A buddy of mine and I hunted alot this fall and we always used a couple doz. goose decoys and three doz. floaters with the keels cut off, along with all of us in our finisher blinds, as for lucky ducks we used different numbers from 2-7 and 3 was the best number that seemed to work for us. I was just wondering how many everyone else uses???


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## gandergrinder (Mar 10, 2002)

I really don't think robo's are even close to as effective as they used to be. Too many people are using them. Every spread of decoys I saw this fall had a spinner in them. Ducks are getting used to seeing them. The days of mallards peeling out of the stratosphere and coming in are long gone. I haven't seen any ducks do that in a long time. When we first used them you could set up in a field where the ducks had never been and still shoot birds. You sure can't do that anymore. Unless the ducks were planning on going to your location you will not get them in with a spinner anymore.


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## Ken C (Nov 6, 2003)

If everyone seems to be using them now in their spreads; does that mean you need one in your spread to have a chance attracting ducks. Or can you be just as effective with floaters/field decoys and calling alone.


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## duxnbux (Feb 25, 2002)

A few dozen enticers sure look nice out in the spread.....no guarantee for birds..but they are indeed the bigfoot of field duck decoys...


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

Ken C, If you are going to buy a motion decoy consider the Mojo, it is larger, spins a little slower and is a tough decoy. Remote also suggested for control, dont let it run constantly for this is exactly why the ducks are getting used to them.

If the birds are not finishing or not even paying attn., take the old T- flag out.
This is the equalizer and will surprise you with the results.

Last but not least, learn to call them ducks. Their language is not tough and if mastered will put them in your lap. Calling ducks to most NDakotans is a dead art, learn from a duck hunter and you may find you won't need all that fancy stuff.


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## Ken C (Nov 6, 2003)

Thanks for the advice it is greatly appreciated. In the past I hunted as a more passive duck hunter sitting and waiting for ducks to come to me; this worked well when I was a kid. Then if we absolutly had too we would through out a dozen decoys, someone would pull out a call, and blow on it a few times until someone took it away. But that method isn't effective anymore, and now that I have two boys approaching hunting age in the next couple years, I want to be more aggressive on my hunting approach. I am guilty as charged of being one of those North Dakota hunters you described, but I plan on learning the skills NOW so I can pass them on two my boys as part of my outdoor legacy to them. Thanks again, and if you have any more advice please pass it on.


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