Banning Spinning decoys?

[Crazy_Farmer]

Many states have started to ban battery powered spinning decoys becuase of many reasons, Washington, Orgeon, Arkansas the ones that come to mind but I know theres alot more. Just wondering what some other guys thoughts on these are.

I know the first season we used one it was absolutely great, pulled in a lot of really high up birds, we had a couple weekends in a row where the migration really picked up and we saw multiple flocks of easily 300+ mallards come into the decoys. I have noticed a huge difference in how the birds react differently now to them, infact we have had much better success when we have a large canada goose spread out without a robo. Infact the days when we just go for ducks the its about half and half, birds that dont want anything to do and half that dont want to fully commit but just give a flyby, where as last year it was more like 75-25.

There is actually many reasons why states have started to ban them, things like

- the immature ducks are more drawn to the wings( I can account for that, of the 30 mallard wings I sent in last year, they mailed back that 24 were immature and 6 were mature ones) Guys down south are complaining that all the young ones get killed up north now and they get the tougher smarter mature ones

- What used to take guys years to learn to call right and set up decoys right now is replaced with weekend warriors who go out and just buy a spinner and a couple decoys, this thought has made states believe that after many years of above average harvesting, duck numbers would deplete.

-The other thought is its a mechanical device, not wind or human powered, ethics are in question by it being electronic.

- Field hunting for ducks was something very few did before spinners came along, you'd need to find a good little honey hole or some open water, now you could just pull off any farm road and get permission on the field and hunt it with great results.

Now personally, I could care less to see them stay or go, if you use one I got no problems with that at all, and if you dont more power to you. One thing I hate to see though, guys hunting, and instead of doing all the little things right good location and set up, they throw out 3 spinners and a couple goose shells and it can be like drawing a moth to a flame. When it comes to that, thats not really hunting anymore thats just shooting. I know last year was great with it, I truely believe the ducks are starting to put two and two together and they are seeing the spinning decoys up and down the flyway now since most everyone using them, With only one good weekend on duck hunting left, I'm having a hard decision on whether or not to use ours. Sorry for boring you guys just my .02

[Dirty]

The price of Robo Ducks have dropped enormously. I noticed that Ducks Unlimited was selling Flambeau Robo Ducks for $75.00. I am a firm believer that they are trying to flood the market with these decoys to make them less effective. If more birds associate them with danger they will be spooked by them. Over the last 3 years it seems that they have become less and less effective. I think this is a clever ploy to make them ineffective without placing a ban on them. Just my two cents.

[BoomBoom]

I've used them since 2000. Used 1 the first year, then got another Mojo for 2 in my spreads. I'm with you, I could care less if they ban them.

It seemed that for the first 3 years or so they were very effective. For the past couple of years, they don't seem to make a difference.

There are not many duck hunters here in the Okanagan, and the guys I know all have spin wings. I think this has alot to do with lack of attraction by the ducks.

If someone asked me if they are worth it, I would say not any more and invest the $150 in GHG full bodies!...oh yeah...forget I said that...invest your extra cash in those shiny Crappy Tire painted pelicans!!

...or better yet, find the fields/ponds where the ducks want to be and invest the money in a nice gift for the landowner.

...boom....

[Buck]

I'm new to the game and have hunted with spinning decoys my observation as a guest is that good calling makes all the differance with a good decoy spread.It would be interesting to see how many ducks would come in without calling and just to the dekes and spinner.My guess would be 60 to 40 with calling.We need some seasoned guys with experience to chime in.I think good calling to ducks that are lookin for a place to land is deadly.

[Tanya]

Tanya's hubby John here;

We used one for the first time this year.(It was a gift) Some days it was awesome other days I wondered if it even spooked birds. One thing it does for sure is pinpoint a spot where incoming ducks will try to land. To me this makes it worthwhile as you can set up your shots accordingly. As we hunt a lot of field edges it also brings the birds the 10 yards closer to the edge for clean kills, so I would have to say I'm in favor of it.

[SHAKER]

Under the the new alloctation policy, the Govt. is trying to make less restrictions for resident hunters???? So I doubt this will get much talk unless resident hunters push for it to banned.

[Bow Walker]

Trail a wire down into the water - used a battery pack that's on steroids. When they touch down in the decoys.......ZAP!

Saves a lot of steel shot and gun cleaning. If you do it right the feathers should fall off as well.

[craigchaplin]

I really don't care one way or the other either.....although i do use it now and do find it helps me......still workin on my callin. Although i do think the calling is the key fer sure. I know i have scared birds away from my robo with my "at times" bad calling. They work and i don't believe its any different than decoys. In the older days guys made stuff that did the same thing just weren't electronic. Its more of a convienience thing fer me and it does bring em in that little bit closer fer the kill shot. my two cents.

[rudar]

Well, I'm very new at the game, and bought an air-powered spinner. I can attest that you still need to set up other decoys and/or create a good blind, and/or call, and/or something else that I'm not doing right Because just throwing a dozen decoys and a spinner out there definitely isn't pulling in ducks like moths to a flame. I suspect my blinds have been a bit too close to the water/ too far away from other things sticking up from the marsh, so have been more visible than they should.

[NEEHAMA]

i say use all the goodies, that is why we have the bag limits. ya only get your 8 ducks.