There are lots and lots of sub-topics that can be covered, but I think we are at the point to at least for now, get’r done!

Homework from last time was answered in that post string.

You’ve got the gear, you’ve done your scouting, you’ve been practicing and can hit flying targets, season opens on thanksgiving let tie it in a bow!

So you’ve found a few spots that look good, the only way to know is to hunt them and see. Keep in mind some spots are good, some are bad, and some a good some times.

You need to figure out first and foremost where and how you are going to hide from the birds! Sitting in taller grass is one of the best and easiest. Make sure you don’t create a huge tramped down area, and put your boat a ways off to the side! I’m not a fan of permanent blinds, lots of work, may be hot, may be cold, certainly tells everyone where you are hunting, and unless you are one private property you have no rights to your structure. If you do build a blind make sure it blends in with the surroundings, isn’t taller then the veg around it, and given the choice have some taller trees or shrubs behind you to kill your silhouette.

Remember, movement is what gives you away so your blind is to help hide movement, also remember that the birds are looking down at you, not parallel. Take a walk on a bridge sometime and looking around below and see how much different the view is.

Hunting from a boat can be the way to go, total mobility! BUT, you need to spend some time getting the craft rigged out to hunt out of. Everyone has a different view of what is right, none are wrong, they are just right for different folks. When you’re done, park you boat, take a walk a good ways away and look back at it, anything you see wrong, so do the birds!

There are lots and lots of options to get hidden, those are the 3 most common. Keep in mind with all of them you want to minimize your disturbance, and look as much as possible like everything else around you.

I almost forgot the 2 factors THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED when setting your blind location, 1. wind, 2. Sun

Ducks like to land into the wind, so that means you want wind at your back or side, not in your face! This is very important, ignore this and the ducks will land outside your spread or keep on going. #2 Sun, nothing worse then the sun coming up in your face and blinding you it’s a factor, quite variable with the day, but an important factor.

So you are hidden, now what?

Ahh yes, time to throw some dekes out and time to enter into the unanswerable discussion about what is the right decoy layout!

Read on and you will learn the exact precise guaranteed to kill a limit everytime decoy spread….

Nah, just foolin’

Here’s the principles of decoys, they are universal, find what works for you and go on. There are whole books on spreads and a section in every duckin book going if you need more info.

Principle #1 - Ducks need a place to land!
Folks will throw out a huge spread of birds, leave no place but the edges for birds to land and wonder why they never get any shooting. Think about a landing zone, and make sure it’s within range!

Principle #2 – Ducks will always land outside your spread!
So, make sure that your furthest decoy out is within killing range. This makes a great marker to know when to pull the trigger and when to let em swing again. And if you’re not sure what that distance is, 30-35 yards is about it with steel.

Principle #3 – Ducks need to see the decoys!
Decoys in close to shore, hidden behind veg do you no good! Get the decoys out where the birds can see them, and where they can do their job!

Principle #4 – Look at the live thing!
I’ve heard everything from your dekes have to be 10 feet apart, to they have to touch, oh wait they can never touch. Sleepers are best, sleepers never work. Just drake, no just hens, add a goose, no a heron… Point is? There is not right, nor wrong answer, all are either depending on the day and circumstances. What I do chasing sea ducks is far different then mallards!

90% of the time when hunting puddlers I use the 2 blobs set up, main landing zone right in front, group of birds to the left, another to the right, outside each blob is another landing zone making 3 in total. Another version is the 1 big blob, I usually sit to the wind side and get the birds coming in. There are lots of others, mainly for divers and sea ducks and as best I can tell there aren’t many diver or sea duck hunters around, so we’ll save those for another time.

So there are the basics, it’ll get you hunting, and it’ll get you into the ducks. There is still a ton of stuff I have not covered. Ask away, this forum has some serious waterfowlers on it that’ll give you all the help they can. Remember to the only rule that matters, Willingly help those that are first willing to help themselves!

If this series has been of use to you then say so, if you need help ask, a forum is but the collective of participants and gives back only proportionate to what you put in!