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I'm plannin on gettin one of dem things this year. Based on some posts I just read, there appears to be a right and wrong way to use them.


Thoughts and comments from you guys that have used them would be greatly appreciated.

Hambone had one of the first "Mallard Machines" I had ever seen. He got it for Christmas as a joke from a friend who knows Hambone hates crap like that.

We had nearly finished an awesome morning of shooting when Hambone remembered that he had the new toy.

Once we figured out how to turn it on, I headed out to the center of the hole we were hunting to set it up.

I had turned the damn thing on before I started walking out and on the way out, the water was deep so I was holding it over my head.

The damn Mallards started landing all around me while I was holding it over my head.....It was amazing.

After I made it back to the blind, we sat and watched ducks land around it all morning while we ate breakfast.

Hambone and I knew at that point that these puppies were going to be VERY popular and controversial.....

I have a lot less problem with the mallard machine than I do a spinner.
Water movement does not attract birds from miles away like a spinner. Water movement will enhance a spread of regular dekes and only give birds already looking over the spread a false sence of security just as the decoy's them selves do. Big difference in drawing birds for miles and keeping the attention of birds already working a spread.
Still too much to carry through long walks in the marsh to justify having one. If you hunt out of a boat it may be of more use but you'll have to figure that out on your own.
I have seen a lot of reports on the device and they all have negative remakes with minimal positive results.
IMHO

Has anyone ever built a homemade mallard machine, they cost to much at the store. Looks like all it is a trolling motor and some plastic. If anyone has built a homemade one, please let me know, want to build one before season starts.


[img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] LazyDrake [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

I've built 2 and bought 2. I would not make it out of plastic. You really need to make a frame out of iron.
I got one rigged with about 6 dekes tied to it that I use on low speed and 75' of cord and just let it swim around.