Question:

From Kyle Feucht: When hunting on a smaller inland lake, is it bad to use too many different duck species in your decoy spread like mallard, pintail, bluebill, goldeneye and black duck or should you just use like 2 or 3 different species? Does it hurt to put out goose decoys?

Answer:

Great question. I usually use a spread of decoys that closely resembles the species that frequent the area. If on a scouting venture you find mallards, scaup and a few goldeneyes, I would try to replicate that with my decoy spread. If that is not possible I would use mallards and bluebill decoys as blocks that will work for both puddlers and divers. On the issue of goose decoys, I would use them if they are present in the areas you are hunting. As ducks and geese do mingle in some locales, the ducks will be used to seeing some geese in the area and the presence of geese will more accurately portray a natural flock of content birds. And a big plus is when you can add a honker or two to the strap during a duck hunt!

Best wishes and good hunting!

John Devney

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