Waterfowling frustration

I made a quick trip out this morning right after I got off work at 6:30. It was a little chilly on the fingers and face for a change
Anyway, to the frustration part. I just cannot get ducks to decoy I have around a dozen mallard dekes out usually and put them in a semi-circle while leaving a place to land into the wind open. For the life of me, they fly right over me or off to the side just out of range.
The other thing is if I call, it sounds like somebody stepped on one of those yellow rubber bath duckies I practice but it always sounds like crap.
So add those two issues together, and I may as well just be a long distance duck watcher. I see the same birds work other people’s decoys, just not mine.
I REALLY need someone to physically show me how to properly set-up and also listen to otherscall real ducks in, not some tape recorded how-to tape.
As many ducks that I had close enough to call and see the decoys this morning, I should of had at least one duck this morning.
Oh, I did pass on a hen mallard that somehow landed about 10 yards from the boat and I didn’t see until she got up and flew

It sounds like you are in the right place if you are seeing ducks. So are the ducks flaring or just not coming in?? If they are flaring hard they are seeing something they REALLY don’t like. If they are just not coming in you are close to having it right and it might just take some small adjustments.

So here are a couple things to look at as potential problems.

Make sure you are camoed up very well to match the surroundings. If you don’t look natural the ducks figure out something is wrong and they won’t come in. Make sure your face is covered. You would not believe how a face “sticks out” from a long ways off.

Don’t call too much…once the ducks start coming your way put the call down. Even try not calling at all. If you need to call try just saying “whoooot” into the call, you gotta make sure to cut the air off clean at the end to make the quack sound otherwise it just sounds like a kazoo. When I call mallards unless they are a long way off I keep it very simple just a quack here and there and once they are coming I shut up completely, if they start to turn I give them 1 or 2 little quacks just to get them back on track.

What kind of shape are your decoys in? If they are not painted well that could be part of the problem. If the dekes are in good shape, try different layouts if the semi circle isn’t working. Try putting them in small groups leaving space between the groups for ducks to land. A friend of mine swore by putting them out in a “W” pattern. If you are in the right place the layout of your decoy spread isn’t usually critical.

I hope that helps a little, it at least gives you some things to consider.
JB

Are you scouting?

A dozen decoys is enough if you’re where the ducks want to be. If you’re just going where everyone else goes……Well….

Agree, your in the area of ducks (GOOD); amount of decoys (GOOD); small short quacks or drake whistle is plenty….How are you set up windage wise?

Don’t give up AM as it is just a matter of time before you connect. Do something different each time you go out and adventually it will come through.

I was also going to say cover your face. #1 thing I tell guys when they come out to ND with me. Sometimes that’s bothersome, especially if you are calling. And I hate the nets that cover your face, no thanks. All I do is take an extra camo glove and hold it in front of my face with my camo gloved hand.

Also, I suck at calling too. Instead of trying to do the rubber ducky call, I bought one of those shaker calls. The ones you physically shake and they make the chucker or chuckle sound.

Once ducks are in close, that’s all you need. Keep it simple.

Eric

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Are you scouting?

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I don’t go out everyday to find spots, but I know this area starts to hold birds about this time every year. And like the last 2 years, they are indeed in this hard to get to light pressure area
The problem is NOT with bird numbers, it is getting them to respond.
The ducks are not flaring from my set-up they just aren’t committing. I also wear full camo including a face mask and gloves. I have also gone out and not called at all with the same results.
If I get out anymore this season, I will try to change the decoy patern up a little and see what happens.
Since the Refuge opens for trapping on Monday, I may just switch over to trapping completely and put the duck gear away. I know I can have success when trapping

Sounds like you might have trouble with your decoys. If they are old and have paint missing they won’t work. I think brand matters as well. like every thing else get the best you can afford or try to find someone with an artistic bent to repaint your decoys with Herters paints. If the wind isn’t blowing make sure you have some movement in the decoys. Just a couple of jerk lines to the blind from the dekes work just fine or the battery operated outfits. Like others have said, limit your calling and remember no one can call every duck every time.

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I don’t go out everyday to find spots, but I know this area starts to hold birds about this time every year. And like the last 2 years, they are indeed in this hard to get to light pressure area.

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If this is indeed the case, I would suggest making the time for a quick trip out a day or two before you intend to hunt, and find EXACTLY where the birds are sitting. Then hunt there. Just like fishing…..Spot on the Spot

A quote I like when it comes to this sort of thing: “If you keep doing what you’ve always done…..you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got”. If you’re not happy how you’ve been doing, don’t wait for the birds, change something big.

And on the bright side, the birds you’ve been hunting in the last couple weeks have more than likely been around for a while and seen what there is too see. Stale birds can be very finicky. New birds are on their way.

i would say one of the MOST imporant things is that you set up with the wind at your back. if its blowing like it was this weekend, they will always land into the wind, and always want the calm side of the pond, bay or pocket. you can set up with a crosswind also and still have great luck, but whenever possible try to get the wind at your back.

Or 1/4ering off your shoulder, or even 90 degrees to the side if you have to, just NEVER in your face.

Also, any ripples or motion AT ALL on the water in your dekes helps a ton.

Also, and I may be alone on this, as long as you sound pretty much like a duck, WHEN to call and how (feeding, comeback, etc.) and how much you call are more important than sounding competition perfect.

Is decoy paint really still available from Herters ???

I may be wrong but I think Cabelas has Herters paint

AM,

when we are out setting up in the morning, we usually toss 2 bags of decoys, 18 in each bag. we then spread them way out, making small pods in a big pod, tossing 2-4 birds by eachother, making sure to make them matching birds. then when I comes to calling, we usually quack a few times, if they turn their heads, we then hit the hail call or a comback call or even a feeding call. they do make dvd’s and audio cd’s to help you learn how to call. I do believe that buck gardner has a few out. also if you watch any duck hunting videos, watch what they do and when they call. I used to sit down with my calls and practice when the wife and kids where gone, watching and trying to sound like they do. I am not even close to Buck, but I give it a whirl and have made a few come back.

shane