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How do you arrange your decoys?
When I'm in the center of a rice field in a pit surrounded by water I'll use a big X with the pit at the center. That way they work for you no matter which way the wind's blowing. (in theory)
It works but sometimes the ducks will fool you and come in from the back.

If I'm in a field and have a levee in front of me with trees to the rear...I'll use a very short, spread out W shape.
I like this setup the best unless you got a wind-in-your-face day.

In the woods you have to figure out where they want to land and AVOID that spot while putting decoys around it while at the same time leaving lanes open that the ducks tend to use. This is tricky and requires hunting a hole many days under different wind conditions to find all the "lanes". Sometimes it's one or two and others it may be 5-6 different slots the ducks can pass through. You don't see a lane until ducks use it. Sometimes it's obvious but usually not.

What I mean by a lane...the path the ducks take to get down into the hole. There might be a branch missing off a tree...something that subtle.

Ducks don't like flying right over the top of other ducks that are on the water. The reason is because if the water duck takes off at the right time he can T-BONE the ones that are landing. They probably bump into each other sometimes and try like heck to avoid that. Keep this in mind when you set up your decoys in the morning. A lane is like a gate-way into the hole.

There are other situations I don't know much about. DIVERS!
I have targeted them on big water by using diver decoys in a long J off to the side of my regular spread for puddle ducks.
I believe that the diver spread also attracted curious puddlers to take a look. Many will fly down that line taking a look.

Don't be afraid to try something new or different. Make adjustments.
The ducks will show you what not to do real quick.

I usually set mine in a diagonal. I claim this set-up as proprietary to me. Usually start from my right front, about 10 yards out, and go to my left front, about 30 yards away. Allows them to land close no matter which way the wind is coming from. I got tired of setting up with a "kill hole", because of where I hunt. On the ocean, the wind shifts about every 15 minutes, and the "perfect" set-up won't be perfect for long. So I went with the diagonal, which seem to work well.

Usually too drunk to care. Just through them around like a hurricane.

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Flooded corn crosswind--
Put a doz or so along the edge of the standing corn right in front of me then another doz upwind 30 yards in the cut corn in an arc patten to push them into the deeks in front of me.

Flooded corn back wind--
Couple deeks tight to the standing corn in front of me then 8-12 deeks in a group to my left in the cut corn and 8-12 to my right in the cut corn. Depends on the time of year as to how big of a gap in the middle. Early season local ducks about 15 yards and late season migrators 20-30 yards depending on the size if groups that are working. Will also add a few more deeks if there are big numbers of ducks in the area.

Big water shoreline--
Always setup with the wind hitting the front of the boat. 2-3 doz deeks upwind about 35 yards and 25 yards out to the nearest decoy. Then a doz or so in a tail leading up towards the boat about 15 yards in front. Then 2 doz or so divers out in front about 40 yards.


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I'm not telling! It's super secret.

When I use live decoys, I just let them do what they want. Thats only on private properties though.

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J hook. Always the J hook

But sometimes with small spreads I'll use the baby j

Redbeard wrote:J hook. Always the J hook

The j hook is strong.

Spider web. Works everytime.

usually like this

Fowlplay wrote:usually like this

Ain't nobody got time for that


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Sometimes I will use a big C or U, depending on the wind.

Tomkat wrote:Sometimes I will use a big C or U, depending on the wind.

That's funny, I use an N or a T depending on the wind.

Bootlipkiller wrote:

Tomkat wrote:Sometimes I will use a big C or U, depending on the wind.

That's funny, I use an N or a T depending on the wind.

Prove it!

Read an article about this just before I posted this thread. As a joke at the end they said to use decoys to spell out
D U C K.

aunt betty wrote:Read an article about this just before I posted this thread. As a joke at the end they said to use decoys to spell out
D U C K.

I bet you would kill just as many ducks!

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Close em and pitch.

Eric Haynes wrote:

aunt betty wrote:Read an article about this just before I posted this thread. As a joke at the end they said to use decoys to spell out
D U C K.

I bet you would kill just as many ducks!

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it's got a lot of pockets in it...


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I just throw out my decoys. Then make sure they dont touch.

JGUN wrote:Spider web. Works everytime.

The squidworth is good to

jehler wrote:

JGUN wrote:Spider web. Works everytime.

The squidworth is good to

Squidworth? or do you mean Squidward?

I use like 3-6 dekes so I just throw em near me in the edge of the woods right outta the hole. Early season I go ape shit and chunk out as many as my boat will hold everywhere.

Eric Haynes wrote:

jehler wrote:

JGUN wrote:Spider web. Works everytime.

The squidworth is good to

Squidworth? or do you mean Squidward?

depends what kind if birds we are hunting

My decoys are carefully arranged on a shelf in the garage.
Not to be touched until duck season...

aunt betty wrote:My decoys are carefully arranged on a shelf in the garage.
Not to be touched until duck season...

Very nice wrap-up to a thread AB. (sorry if I ruined it).

Mornin Beef wrote:

aunt betty wrote:My decoys are carefully arranged on a shelf in the garage.
Not to be touched until duck season...

Very nice wrap-up to a thread AB. (sorry if I ruined it).

You did.

aunt betty wrote:My decoys are carefully arranged on a shelf in the garage.
Not to be touched until duck season...

I just toss all my decoys into my shed at the end of season not to be looked at till the night before the opening day of the next season.

MB, no sweat on anything. There are no "thread rules".
If one stays on topic for three posts...major accomplishment.
No worries

Tomkat wrote:Sometimes I will use a big C or U, depending on the wind.

Seems to me that if either end of the C or U is too long or too short, Redbeard is right