What's your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

[waterfowler_gal]

I use an open "J" hook or two diamonds.... any other suggestions or preferences?

[waterfowler_gal]

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

LOL... that's ok...I was just curious to see what everyone uses or perfers....

[waterfowler_gal]

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

I thought this would get a lot more responses.....

[dogdoc]

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

i mainly hunt a 4 acre pond so i usually only set up about a dozen to 15 decoys. With the pond I usually just set up a V type formation. When lake hunting we will set up around 100 decoys in no particular pattern---just a good landing opening for shooting.

todd

[Bow Hunter Derek]

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

I mostly hunt very small beaver ponds for mallards and woodies. A dozen decoys (six per side) with a good landing area out in front of me is usually good enough. No particular pattern. I put out the Roto Duck and a couple of those puck looking things to make ripples in the water. Usually draws in ducks good.

I field hunt geese. In that case we kind of form a V and set up in the point. If I'm by myself, I put out my 2 dozen shells and 1 dozen goose socks. If I'm with my buddies, we put anywhere from 6 to 12 dozen (yes 12 dozen) Big Feet, my shells, and up to 3 dozen socks. We can throw down an impressive spread of decoys. At least we impress us ... the geese on the other hand usually have other ideas.

I hunt Lake Erie for divers a couple times a year. We put out some kind of J pattern. I don't really understand it. I let my buddies handle the decoys since they are the resident experts over there. I'm just the dummy that tries to stay out of the way.

[Palssonater]

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

Family groups that make a U or J in the field. (geese)

Ducks on the water a different depeding on the day. Windy, use lee side of the pond. Calm day....Large spread, with groups forming landing strip. Divers and geese to the edge of dabblers in no particular formation.

[total disaster]

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

I have my total diaster set up LOL

[Guest Beehaw]

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

I try to take into consideration how many ducks are usually in a group in the area that I am hunting. Not being in a flyway (West GA) it is unusual to see more than 10-15 ducks in a group, so I try to keep it realistic looking. There were days I would put out 6-8 dozen decoys, but I have better luck with about a dozen in groups of 3-5 each with an opening in the middle of the groups. I also find that some movement in the spread helps. I use a jerk string on one decoy.

[billkay]

Re: What\'s your favorite decoy pattern to set up?

For goose field shoots I like to keep the pattern in the basic form of an "X" with the hunters near the center. It allows us to immediately adjust for wind shifts or bird preferences. On the water for puddlers I'll set the main group of dekes clumped together downwind of the blind. I like to hunt crosswind to allow the birds to be eyebaling the dekes on the water rather than me in the blind. It also causes them to pass in front of the blind completely. For divers I'll use a couple of strings of bluebill, about 20 to a line and anchor them in a line creating a "V" pattern pointing towards the boat and then scatter another dozen or two inside and outide the main strings. The divers will usually fly to the end of the open "V" and turn hard into the guns.