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If going out for 3 or 4 consecutive weekends in the fall to a pond at a swamp on private property, is it wise to keep the decoys in the water for multiple weeks?
Curious if i should put out and pick up every weekend, or leave out till my season is done and focus is on deer.
Will leaving decoys out become more effective since ducks/geese will be comfortable at the spot, or less effective when ducks/geese know decoys aren't real?
Not a waterfowl hunter by no means however my thinking is decoy placement and the design of the spread purpose is to guide incoming waterfowl into a predictable shooting position not necessarily to attracted uncommitted birds. I'd pick them up at the end of the hunt and reset on the next hunt depending on wind direction.
I agree with FINs, I would change them up every time I'm out. I personally think that leaving them there will deter the birds as they will see the same setup each day. I only hunt fields now, but I change it up everytime I go out, numbers position and of course the wind is never exactly the same either,
Am I mistaken or has the law changed. I was always under the impression that it was illegal to leave decoys out overnite...
Never heard about that law. Sure it was a law or was it one of those "laws" passed around by guys to discourage monopolization of a spot?Quote:
Originally Posted by Bo D
it amazing how things become "law" . My buddy told me this year that you could hunt with certain items, I said I didn't think so, but he was sure, so I figured I missed the change. But I always go and check regs to make sure before I start something new. Go figure I was right and called him up and told him he was wrong. He said he heard it was legal and then talked like he knew. Amazing
I would pull them out just so the waterfowl doesn’t get used to them.
It's funny eh... how something with a brain the size of a pea can outwit a hunter ? LoL ! I'm with Tom Gobble; pull them after use. I've watched birds in my spread shy away after a while of not getting a response from the decoys.
I've left decoys in at my small cottage lake (I'm the only cottage, so not holding a spot, just being lazy). Its not as effective as new decoys each time. The local ducks figure it out quickly and shy away. If migrating ducks, I don't think it matters as its the first time they have seen them.
So now I go set them up in the evening with the canoe, hunt to dark. Leave them there and can walk to my spot the next day for a morning hunt. After that I'll go pick them up.