Confidence decoys...who uses them and what do you prefer for field and water sets

I've always thought that even a Great Blue Heron isn't the best idea for a confidence decoy. GBHs are pretty ruthless predators, I'm sure they eat their fair share of ducklings.

I have also never noticed them to be all that wary. They might see everything but I'm not sure they really care.

I also never seem to see gulls and ducks close together. I think that might have to do with the gulls propensity to eat anything available. That might include ducklings and eggs.

Tim
 
I have used a Great Blue Heron for years. I usually put it where I don't want the ducks to land. Also, it is great fun, herons decoy really well. I have gotten pretty good at mouth calling herons thru the years. My decoy has been beat up a number of times. Always fun to watch.

We used to field hunt geese at a spot where deer would come out in the field frequently. It seemed like the geese would always work the decoys when there were deer in the field. I always thought I should get a couple deer decoys to put out in the fields when goose hunting.
 
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We had a great blue heron land in the tree over our blind--about 15 feet directly over our heads. Looked for all the world like it landed to take a hungry look at our decoy spread. Unlike the eagle that did the same thing in that spot one day, it did not take a swat at the decoys.

The heron was there maybe 15 minutes before one of us moved and spooked it off, and during that time not a single duck decoyed. Which proves a heron confidence decoy actually scares the ducks away, of course. LOL.

On my late season spots, the best confidence decoy would be a cheap used aluminum boat with two scarecrows bent over, knee deep in the low-tide muck, and holding rakes. Looks like a pair of clam or worm diggers, and the ducks decoy to feed in the dug over mud behind them. I bet it would work.
 
I think you just have to have confidence in your decoys. For me it's all monochrome...

2 full body swans
4 swan Y-board
2 swan body booting sillies
2 dozen coot...another dozen still on the bench, well technically next to the bench

That's a lot of black and white on the water, and black and white stand out better than brown hen deeks for sure.

I'm not sure if coots are better at attracting ducks than just more duck decoys, but they are easy to make and maintain.

Chuck
 
Good morning, Rick, Mc & Tod~

I carved a Herring Gull long ago as a confidence decoy. I used it rarely. So, no scientifically rigorous field testing (like everything else relative to gunning....)

Someone here PMed me for the pattern a couple of years back - so here it is for anyone wanting to make one (or hundreds) now in the thick of carving season. Gulls are buoyant birds and thus the decoys need lots of ballast down low.

View attachment Herring Gull 1981 - small.jpg

View attachment Herring Pattern 1981-2014 - small.jpg


Mc & Tod~

I do think Canada decoys are very useful - but more for visibility than for psychological warfare on puddlers. For many seasons, my standard rig was 10 Blacks (to my right) and 10 Canadas (to my left) on Great South Bay - 'twas very efficient - and pulled in plenty of Brant, too. Although being where the ducks want to be is indeed 90 (99?) % of the "secret", the big birds with lots of white no doubt grab some attention.

All the best,

SJS
 
Chuck

I agree, black & white decoys draw better than taxidermy lifelike decoys, that toll in human customers (nothing wrong with that).

Once ya place the decoys where they should be, it's just simple math, addition, or subtraction.

Gulls are always present and mixed in when flight birds are in most places I have hunted.

GB Herons do take a mighty toll on ducklings. They also are very close by to ducks and geese I have observed the years.

Decoys doon't flare birds, hunters, boats/blinds/footprints, etc. sure do.

As decoy history goes. Confidence decoys have always been part of the mix, like em or not.

Years ago I noticed that Canvasbacks fed in the same area that Avocets did where we hunted. The flights would follow each other, then feed together. It was a helluva hump to the gunning point, and a long way to carry many Canvasback decoys. So I carved a small rig of Avocets, to use with a few Can decoys. Unfortunately, my gunning partner died before we got to use them.
They are ready for the test when I go back, God Willing.
 
Some of the easiest duck and goose shoots I have had were over a spread of sandhill crane decoys set in harvested wheat fields. A bit like Forest Gump's box of chocolates! I never understood why Carry-lite dropped their sandhill crane from production.
 
I like to mimic what I see in the marshes I hunt. Thus I will deploy a Great Blue Heron and one or two gulls. I like to use a gull as a distance marker for the less experienced shooters to say, when they get inside that gull, they are in range. Like Mike said, I do enjoy a heron who thinks a "new" bird is invading his territory and wants to challenge them.

Do they work? It worked for Mack's and Knutson's because they made a sale.

Steve
 
[size 4]I'm with Tod. I set out all all sorts of stuff that makes me happy
[size 4]If doing this ain't making you happy, you may as well quit [;)]

I'm reminded of the account in Hagerbaumer's The Bottoms. At one point, the story of a hunt with Dave is related, describing his elaborate setup, placement, and variety of decoys. It tells how during the day he adjusted the set 3X ... all to no avail. The statement is made that most would have considered the day a bust, but Dave counted it all gain, for he'd hunted correctly.

Dave's words: "If my only desire was to shoot ducks, my interest would have waned, but I've added new dimensions to the sport that keep it fresh - decoy carving, duck boats, old-time guns & black powder loads, photography, painting. As much as I love a good duck shoot, I don't care whether I kill two ducks or ten.The preparation and anticipation that go into a hunt are enough to make it all worthwhile. I'm just starting to get serious about this." (He was 67 at the time).

When Dave passed away, his good friend Tom Newell wrote: "He loved decoys, duck boats, shotguns and gun dogs. After a good hunt, or a day of carving in the shop, Dave would say: 'Days like this make a man want to live forever'. "


Confidence decoys are all part of the fun. They just mimic what you see in your area.

I have a frond pickleweed heron and a heron silly I made that usually get deployed whenever the area is right.


View attachment Open6.JPG



View attachment GBsilly19.JPG
 
Good morning, Bob~

I really appreciate you including Hagerbaumer's thoughts and words. Sure feels familiar to me.

I love both of your Great Blues - but that silhouette is just spectacular!

All the best,

SJS

 
My in-laws lived on a wide section of the Cheboygan River just above its confluence with the Black; lots of shallow open water off-channel with some large stump fields. The mute swans used to pound the canadas that attempted to nest on a continual basis. Sunrise on their back deck, facing the water, with a big cup of coffee in hand was a wonderful day starter in all seasons but winter.
 
MLBob Furia said:
[size 4]I'm with Tod. I set out all all sorts of stuff that makes me happy
[size 4]If doing this ain't making you happy, you may as well quit [;)]

I'm reminded of the account in Hagerbaumer's The Bottoms. At one point, the story of a hunt with Dave is related, describing his elaborate setup, placement, and variety of decoys. It tells how during the day he adjusted the set 3X ... all to no avail. The statement is made that most would have considered the day a bust, but Dave counted it all gain, for he'd hunted correctly.

Dave's words: "If my only desire was to shoot ducks, my interest would have waned, but I've added new dimensions to the sport that keep it fresh - decoy carving, duck boats, old-time guns & black powder loads, photography, painting. As much as I love a good duck shoot, I don't care whether I kill two ducks or ten.The preparation and anticipation that go into a hunt are enough to make it all worthwhile. I'm just starting to get serious about this." (He was 67 at the time).

When Dave passed away, his good friend Tom Newell wrote: "He loved decoys, duck boats, shotguns and gun dogs. After a good hunt, or a day of carving in the shop, Dave would say: 'Days like this make a man want to live forever'. "


Confidence decoys are all part of the fun. They just mimic what you see in your area.

I have a frond pickleweed heron and a heron silly I made that usually get deployed whenever the area is right.






Click to expand...

That heron pickleweed is sweet!
 
I hold the perspective that ducks are social animals, aggregating for protection and ready or easy access to a food source. The greater the aggregation or the broader the species array present the better the depiction becomes that the food source is ample and absent of immediate predators. Hence the term: confidence decoys.
 
I use to use a Heron deke , it finally faded into an Egret which was fine on my pond ( Egret rookery). Since then I have used a pair of Canada's or a single Canada with 3 Canada feeder butts. Sometimes I'll mix them right in with my other feeder butts.
In the cold ,full body Black's resting on the shore are effective
 
there's some funny stuff here,
seagulls are duck predators i have witnessed it wouldn't use em on the bay,
bunch of geese will work on the water, witnessed it.
swans so so much, seen birds flair.
we try lot of stuff, if birds flair we pull.
lot of coots, on bay of green bay marsh areas there are always cans, bills, etc sitting with the coots.
i second the motions that adjusting decoys, coffee, potty breaks, sandwiches, phone calls, tex, all serve to bring in birds unnoticed. !!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Around my area is swan wintering central and I have seen almost every time that ducks intermingle with swan. Cans, bluebills, bufflehead really get in the mix of them; ruddy ducks I have not seen get too close.

On one hunt this year I saw gadwalls, mallards, and widgeon all in with the swan and Canada geese eating the grass with bottoms up from the river bottom.

Gonna work on a addition to the rig with more swan, a few Canada’s and then butt up ducks and missing head ducks, since that is what I’m seeing that will be what I mimick.
 
yes, my observations have showed me a big difference in what will work in a field vs over open water. my comments were directed at water hunting. robo ducks, spinners, are marginally effective and often flair birds over water here on the bay, in the corn fields spinners seem to be magic! not sure why, but over water is usually more divers, over fields mallards, teal, and wood ducks, seems corn makes ducks more gullible!!!!!!!!!!
 
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