Dry field hunt, decoy question

[redmondandmelvin]

Has anyone had any luck putting floating decoys out in a dry bean field. Just got a report that there are a ton of ducks in the field next to our lease dry feeding. Dont have any full body decoys and really dont want to drop the cash on some. Was thinking about cutting small trenchs for the keals to sit in and putting them out. Any one ever had any luck with this. I know this sounds crazy but it could work???

[QuacknStrut]

We use some old shell Mallards in Canada and field hunt (then again, there are 5 dozen fulls and 4 dozen shells on motion next to them though). If there is much cover, you are gonna need more height. It will definitely work though, just not much motion. how you gonna hide?

[Anatidae]

In my experience - motion (the right kind) is the key to getting ducks to finish. Same applies to geese. Same applies to both when pressure has been a factor in getting them to look at a decoy spread, period.

FB's are not necessary (although the companies that market them want you to think so). Shell decoys or silhouettes are a less-expensive alternative.......shells being preferred because of their ability to provide motion (depending on the make and stake style).

If you happen to have some old floaters that leak, cut the bottom off them and drill a 1/4" hole on the balance point of the decoy (now, a 'shell'). Get some 3/16" rod and cut them to 16" in length and put a faucet washer about an inch down from the top. Set the decoy on that and watch what a 10-knot wind does to it. Trouble is - if you use a conventional head position (found on most floaters) your decoy spread will consist of ducks whose heads are 'up'......every one of them. That's not good.

If you're going to get duck shells, I'd suggest G&H field mallard shells (for next year) as the most versatile and easily transportable ducks shell on the market for field hunting. I don't like the new square 'motion' stake but know a trick to convert the shells for slick round stakes for much improved motion. 8 dozen won't quite hide 2 gunners, though.......gonna take at least 16 dozen duck shells or a combination of goose and duck shells or catch'em feeding next to a ditch. There's 4 dozen ducks shells in the background of this photo.........(to give an idea of how many it would take to hide in)..........



Sometimes ducks will work a rag spread with some duck shells on the down-wind edge - wear white and hide in the goose rags.

Either way - field spreads can be an expensive proposition.

I don't think setting a floater spread in a dry field (little trenches or not) will produce the intended result and may be a frustrating venture. Just my opinion.

[QuacknStrut]

I agree as to the motion. We did what was just suggested this year with some goose decoys and made our own shells with stakes. You can buy fiberglass rods and cut them down to the right size. Add some rubber tubing as a stopper (cheaper than the faucet washer) and you have shells on stakes. You can even buy them orange (for mallard feet). We used grey for the snows.

On our field spreads for ducks, we use some Mojo's too (4 of them), but are quick to shut them off if need be. Sometimes they hurt more than they help, sometimes the ducks try to land on them. This is in Canada though, where the birds are less wary, but we hunt them very late in the season. I think it is real important to not look like a lump in the field, either in a layout or laying flat. Bluebird days are the worst, too many shadows.

[redmondandmelvin]

Ya I figured it would be tough, with lack of movement. We hunt a soybean field that usually floods but no such luck this year. With as many reports as I have heard of birds dry feeding in the past two weeks I am willing to give it a shot, just dont want to make the investment in the deks when I will rarely use them. Thanks for the advice!

[rebelduckaholic]

Just the other day I was dry field hunting. I waited until I saw exactly where they wanted and put out 4 shell decoys and apparently they wanted it bad because those were the easiest ducks I killed all year

[rebelduckaholic]

Also it was the first dry field hunting I have ever done and I will look for that chance again. That was the most fun hunt I have been on in a couple years I know.

[dukhntn]

The first couple of times I hunted a dry field we dug out a "trench" for the keel on each decoy with the heel of our boots. We soon got lazy (since we were putting out several dozen) and just set them on the ground as best we could. Some were cocked at an angle due to the keel, but the ducks didn't seem to mind. Of course the times I hunted a dry field we probably could have been wearing an orange vest and been fine the way we hammered them. They wanted in that field.

[kris Schaumburg]

if it was me, I would run a bunch of goose decoys if you have them and a few duck decoys wherever you want them to land, with as many spinners as you can get your hands on, right behind the duck decoys.

[duckhunterdoc]

a year or 2 back I read an article about how to use a Keeled decoy for Dry Field hunting---wire coat hanger, wrapped totally around the Keel or maybe a tight "U" around it...then 2 points of the wire down (legs)...supposed to be good movement

[QuacknStrut]

Cool idea Doc.

[AndyH]

if it was me, I would run a bunch of goose decoys if you have them and a few duck decoys wherever you want them to land, with as many spinners as you can get your hands on, right behind the duck decoys.

+1 this is the way we do it in Ohio