Duck decoys - ratio question

[nj gsp]

OK definitely an off season question, but I'm curious what the duck experts here think.

If you have a dozen and a half mallard dekes to put out, what would be your preferred ratio of hens to drakes, and why?

Thanks!

[marshboy]

Some would say that early in the season, like mid-September through mid-October, place more hens than drakes because the drakes will not be in their nuptial plumage quite yet, then later in the season move to a 1:1 ratio. Some even advocate to use decoys painted flat black later in the year, since a black decoy can be seen from further distances.
I've never noticed any difference...I think it is more important to set the decoys where the ducks want to be, and you'll kill ducks.
marshboy

[Ruffshooter]

Honestly, with mallards I don't think it much matters. But as a duck hunter, I like to look smarter than I am. So I have thought about this many morning sitting watching the ducks come and go as I miss them. I generally put out groups of one to one and then a bachelor group by them selves in the early season. After that One to one.

Wood ducks paired and always alone in hteir group. They don't really like being mixed in with other ducks.

I carve my own ducks and like to put different poses out in the water,feeders, sleepers relaxed swimming etc. All calm and content, so they look like they are interacting comfortable. Here are some wood duck dekes like that.

[PrairieGoat]

I generally like to use about a 3 to 1 ratio (drakes to hens). The drakes are easier to see at a distance....has worked for me in many different parts of the country and at any time in the season. You may also want to invest in one of those mojo decoys. I have seen the mojo turn them out of their "normal" flight path from a mile or more away...and hold their attention to within 20 yards out!

Randy

[stetson82]

when it comes to decoys there is a ton of ideas and preferences and i do think it changes with the time of year the region of the country and the species of duck. i dont believe there is any set manual out there, i think alot of it has to do with your confidence in your spread. i do agree with more hens earlier in the season and for some reason teal decoy to teal dekes way better. i hunt waterfowl atleast half of our 60 day season and i hunt a very pressured area of the mississippi river and have my best luck over 2 hens and a drake. I have 1000s of dekes and 7 mojos but they rarely get used. so as far as ratio i really dont think it matters. i just think i could be a ducks shrink sometimes to get in thier heads. adam

[nj gsp]

Thanks for all the info folks - it's interesting to read about the different methods for decoy setups everyone is suggesting.

[adam.WI]

With out the exact info, and activity of where you're hunting I would say that any advice regardless of the source is not that usefull, but for what it's worth I run a 50/50, with a large spread. My hunting buddies and I have an annual painting day. We touch up any dark spots with matte black paint and the white with flat white. It makes a great deal of difference. At least we like to tell are wifes it does, because it gives us an excuse to drink beer and hang out. Again that works for us here. and maybe it wont there, but I would try the painting.

[nj gsp]

Well, that's a good point. I'm mostly hunting small ponds that sometimes have ducks, and sometimes do not. Some ponds are right next to a river that holds lots of ducks, but generally I don't like to hunt the river.

[adam.WI]

Don't take this the wrong way but being on the "X" doesn't really mean try the "W" or "Y" because there next to the "X", but if you don't hunt it I will assume it's for good reason, and would suggest watch the flocks that you're seeing and try to match.

[Ruffshooter]

NJ, Hunting the small ponds near a river works a few different ways. One if there is a lot of hunting pressure on the river on a particular day, many times the small ponds and streams become (safety spots) and can work to your advantage if you have paid attention to when this happens and where the river birds head after being shot at in the morning. The other is in evenings many river birds will find places to roost for the night, be it in Rice grass or cat tails etc. It is extremely difficult to get to these ducks during daylight.. I have one of those spots that I will scratch down a coupel in an evening, but the 100's that come mostly come after legal shooting time and leave before legal shooting time. I usually sit there for half hour after shooting time and watch all these ducks come in. (Frustrating but neat also) In the early morining you can set up ambushes and get some fly by shoooting. But these ducks know where they want to be and are heading there and no decoys will bring them in. The dekes may keep them flying a little lower, giving you opportunity but it is only for a short period of time. If you sit tight you get a few more shots if patient with birds that come back or are just coming into an area. But it can be wicked slow. Ducks generally have some where specific in mind to head to. Being in the right place at the right time is scouting, and more so luck.

I have similar areas I hunt that sound like yours.

[nj gsp]

The area on the river open to the public for hunting is about 300 yards long, and is closely followed by a road. It is difficult to set up a shore blind because of the road, and the river moves fast enough that dropped birds hit the rapids downstream faster than the dog can swim to them. That's why.