# Using a Blue Tarp as water.



## usmarine0352

I read this in a hunting magazine once. It said, when a pond is frozen over, place a blue tarp over it, and the ducks will think it's open water.

Has anyone ever tried this?

Do you think it will work?

I've also heard of using laundry detergent and color dye, to make the ice blue and appear to be water too.


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## Sasha and Abby

I too have heard about this for years... even in a field. Have never done it myself though...


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## Wld Fowl

I have always understood it to be black plastic. I had an old timer who told me if you put bleach on the ice they drop like rocks when they hit it.

Ryan


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## goosehunternd

big blue tarp works on ice and in a field, atleast for me


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## ej4prmc

30 years ago we use to open blue paint can's, paint them, then throw them out on the ice and the birds would drop in, then watch them sliding across the ice, before we shot them. It was frick'n awesome to watch!


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## usmarine0352

ej4prmc said:


> 30 years ago we use to open blue paint can's, paint them, then throw them out on the ice and the birds would drop in, then watch them sliding across the ice, before we shot them. It was frick'n awesome to watch!


How come you haven't done it in 30 yrs?


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## sflem849

idk about on water, but my dad (and others) said they would put out clear plastic in a field or a dry pond and just set the decoys on that. Worked well...if there were ducks!


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## blhunter3

My friends did it last year and they had some luck with it too, plus they were also icefishing. Im planning on trying it this year too.


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## Gillbilly

Need to make sure your using your fullbody dekes and acrylic call none of that getto crap.I have seen this tried,Lmao watching the guys try to set it up.Hope the wind isnt to strong.Never did see if it worked.I guess I cant spend big dollars on dekes etc then try to get them to come into a big blue tarp,but hey if it works.


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## R Buker

Use the tarp.

Think about it. Paint, bleach or other chemicals are not cool to use on water.


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## FlashBoomSplash

R Buker

Good call I cant believe it took this long for somebody to say something. Who dumps chemicals into the water come on you cant be serous.


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## Pitboss

This whole blue tarp thing is B.S. Think about it, you spend hundreds of dollars on the most realistic decoys to fool duck and geese and even then that doesn't work, and your telling me the ducks will think a blue tarp is water :withstupid:


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## dfisher

Pitboss said:


> This whole blue tarp thing is B.S. Think about it, you spend hundreds of dollars on the most realistic decoys to fool duck and geese and even then that doesn't work, and your telling me the ducks will think a blue tarp is water :withstupid:


I think I agree with the Pitboss. I think just shells or full bodies set on the ice or in a field will either do it or not. 
Give it a try and see though.
Good luck,
Dan


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## blhunter3

My friends have the pics to prove that it works. think about it, late season the birds have been flying for a long way. there probly are jsut curuois and are jsut taking a look for a spot to rest. i have shot a ton of birds over shatty dekes so i think that the tarp idea works. Im going to do it and i wil let you guys know how it went.


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## dfisher

blhunter3 said:


> My friends have the pics to prove that it works. think about it, late season the birds have been flying for a long way. there probly are jsut curuois and are jsut taking a look for a spot to rest. i have shot a ton of birds over shatty dekes so i think that the tarp idea works. Im going to do it and i wil let you guys know how it went.


Oh yea? Cool. Love to see those pics. 
Good work,
Dan


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## Leo Porcello

hole in ice, water pump, fresh water on ice will freeze but has that open water shine, ducks in the bag.

I am surprised no one has posted that joke about the two MN, WI, MI, ND (take your pick) hunters using die noooo miteeeee (JJ from Good Times), the dog brings it up, new SUV falls in the drink.


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## Pitboss

blhunter3 said:


> My friends have the pics to prove that it works. think about it, late season the birds have been flying for a long way. there probly are jsut curuois and are jsut taking a look for a spot to rest. i have shot a ton of birds over shatty dekes so i think that the tarp idea works. Im going to do it and i wil let you guys know how it went.


I would like to see those pic also. The next thing your going to tell me is that you don't even take your gun with you when you use the blue tarp cause the ducks just smash into the tarp break their neck and you fold up the four corners and haul your limit home


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## headshot

> I would like to see those pic also. The next thing your going to tell me is that you don't even take your gun with you when you use the blue tarp cause the ducks just smash into the tarp break their neck and you fold up the four corners and haul your limit home


 :withstupid:


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## takem1

We really need to get on a different subject. This doesn't work.


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## Goose Guy350

When you are drying to imitate open water you have to use a material that will reflect UV light the same way water does, wet pavement reflects UV light the same way as water that is why you will sometimes see ducks and geese land on pavement on wet days, aquatic insects will even swarm over pavement after a rain. I was even told of a loon that landed in a walmart parking lot in Marquette MI. I was told viscuine reflects UV light like water but would highly doubt that a blue tarp would but I've never tried either.


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## usmarine0352

Goose Guy350 said:


> When you are drying to imitate open water you have to use a material that will reflect UV light the same way water does, wet pavement reflects UV light the same way as water that is why you will sometimes see ducks and geese land on pavement on wet days, aquatic insects will even swarm over pavement after a rain. I was even told of a loon that landed in a walmart parking lot in Marquette MI. I was told viscuine reflects UV light like water but would highly doubt that a blue tarp would but I've never tried either.


So would:

1.) A clear tarp?

2.) Splashing water over ice? (Frozen pond).

:sniper:


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## djleye

I think I will come up with a paint that could be used to imitate H2O and patent it. I will be rich after next winter!!!! :lol:


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## blhunter3

when i go back for christmas break i can probly get some pics for you guys


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## t341980

I tried this in Colorado. We didn't use the tarp to get them to land on the ice. Just got them a little closer in to check it out then WHAMO!!! But I can not tell you for sure they came that close because of the tarp or just because it was a good spot on a frozen over pond.


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## BowHuntinKid

I heard that u use a black tarp, in a magizine

:sniper:


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## Bloodyblinddoors

:rollin: Blue water in the upper midwest??!! :laugh: Or are you guy's hunting the florida keys?

You know they make brown tarp too right :lol:

Blue water :eyeroll: you guy's crack me up sometimes :biggrin:


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## snow

Dunno about "blue" but regular heavy duty clear poly rolled out over a plowed field,50x25ft works just fine,a dozen resting dekes in the middle,feeders and walkers along the edge,game on during late season before the snow.


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## Bloodyblinddoors

I could see clear, Brown or black..... But blue?


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## Bloodyblinddoors

djleye said:


> I think I will come up with a paint that could be used to imitate H2O and patent it. I will be rich after next winter!!!! :lol:


Sad but true :eyeroll:


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## cflamer

Hey guys....on my way to Canada in the am but I just wanted to lay this to rest.

I live on the east coast, Eastern Shore of Maryland......when it freezes up here (about every 3 yrs) & the birds are coming down.....put out your blue tarp, throw some floaters on it & shells on the edges.....

ducks will be killed. it works.
they come in range to check it out & if they are eager for a rest they will land right in with the floaters.

BELIEVE IT. TRY IT. SEE IT FOR YOURSELF!


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## Commando

Shot geese over black plastic last season. Only problem you have to worry about is dealing with a giant sail on windy days. Make sure you have enough help to handle your "pond". :beer:


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## ReeceCampbell

I have heard of people doin this but I have never tried. Im definately gonna try now. It can't hurt to give it a shot just once, even if does end up being a waste of time.

And bleach on ice? WTF? :eyeroll:


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## Plainsman

I'm surprised no one has become angry about people hunting over tarps yet.    Could be considered an artificial roost.


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## Scott LeDuc

Plainsman said:


> I'm surprised no one has become angry about people hunting over tarps yet.    Could be considered an artificial roost.


If you have a fake roost, do you need a fake boat as well? :lol:


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## Plainsman

Scott LeDuc said:


> Plainsman said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm surprised no one has become angry about people hunting over tarps yet.    Could be considered an artificial roost.
> 
> 
> 
> If you have a fake roost, do you need a fake boat as well? :lol:
Click to expand...

I suppose you could paint a boat on the tarp. Just so it doesn't have a fake Minnesota license. :rollin:


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## blhunter3

Plainsman I see you finally got a sense of humor. 8)


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## Plainsman

:biggrin:


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## PJ

Sometimes I have problems killing birds over water.....I can't even imagine trying to get them to land on plastic.


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## Matt Jones

Leo Porcello said:


> I am surprised no one has posted that joke about the two MN, WI, MI, ND (take your pick) hunters using die noooo miteeeee (JJ from Good Times), the dog brings it up, new SUV falls in the drink.


That's no joke...the Sinner Brothers lost a lab and and SUV by using that method...Twice. The first time was in '04, and then they thought they worked out the kinks in their game plan and tried it again in '07 with the same results. Well, I guess the second time was a used pick-up so it wasn't as bad as a new SUV.


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