Ducks in North Texas?

[McPatrickClan]

I was about to buy some duck decoys on sale at Academy this evening (new to duck hunting) and lo & behold, they had about 4-5 different types of decoys! Some were Game Winner brand, others were Flambeau (sp?). Also, they had Green Ting (or something like that), Teals, everything except for mallards. What brands are good for duck decoys & what kinds of ducks should I buy for duck hunting here in North/Central Texas?

[Smart]

green wing teal is what you saw. Honestly most people buy mallards and get by with it since most use a mallard hen call to call ducks. You can get it done with teal dekes but they are very small and do not stand out as well as the larger mallard ....Some also (especially on the coast) add or use pintail dekes exclusively due to their visibility and size. .

[McPatrickClan]

They had some blue teal from Flambeau on sale. Would those work? Does it really matter that much? Does your call have to match the decoy or are the ducks not that smart?

[Smart]

No.......the call does not have to match the decoy but I'd use a mallard hen call in the area you are hunting..........Blue wing teal are the same size as GW teal dekes. Honestly if you are hunting a pond they'll all work.

[texag93]

I like the inflatable deeks. They are light and easy to store. Mallard is the standard for most duck hunting in TX in open type water. They are big deeks and stand out well from a distance. Alot of times we just use Mallard hen deeks. As Smart said, hen Mallard feeding and come back calls are the standard for calling ducks. They will get just about any duck's attention.
Flambeau is a decent deek. Game Winners will work but the paint won't last long. They will look bad in a yr. or so.

If I had to buy only 1 doz. It would be magnum Mallards.

[Birddog]

Wally world at Waxahachie put Duck Decoys on sale today...........

[bzzboyz]

Game Winner or Flambeau will work for a beginner. You'd better hurry though. Only 16 days left in the season.

P.S. "Smart" knows some great public land spots you can check out.

[justhrowit]

My spread consists (usually) of 2 dozen mallard decoys, a dozen green wings, 8 widgeons, 6 gadwals and 6 pinnies! It's to combine deeks. Mae sure the decoys you combine are all the same "type" of duck. I only combine Puddlers with puddlers and divers with divers. I wont mix puddlers and divers.

I hunt North Texas...DFW area!

[Smart]

Hey McPatrick........how many dekes do you need and when?

[texag93]

My spread consists (usually) of 2 dozen mallard decoys, a dozen green wings, 8 widgeons, 6 gadwals and 6 pinnies! It's to combine deeks. Mae sure the decoys you combine are all the same "type" of duck. I only combine Puddlers with puddlers and divers with divers. I wont mix puddlers and divers.

I hunt North Texas...DFW area!

I shot a limit this morning over two inflatable Mallard hens!!!!:

[bzzboyz]

I shot a limit this morning over two inflatable Mallard hens!!!!:

[ATTACH]8938[/ATTACH]

Good point. If there's ducks, it sometimes don't take much to get em' in. Actually some are of the theory that later in the season, "less is more"

[Smart]

I shot a limit this morning over two inflatable Mallard hens!!!!:

If you are on the "X" you can decoy them with coke bottles sprayed with black spray paint.

Be careful water swattin' with those inflatables...you'll end your hunt quick...

[Birddog]

You only need one. You get a large Goose decoy make it so it will fit over your head. Cut eye holes so you can see. Put it on and slip in the water squak a time or two and when the ducks land and get close. You just grab there feet and pull them under.

Saw an Indian on a movie do it with a pumkin on his head. Bound to work.. Let me know how it turns out....

[medic911]

Come on guys we dont need and buddy cornbreading over here at TBH

Year before last when I had water I killed 196 birds off one pond. I never even used decoys and call birds were killed with their landing gear down.

I'm not a big fan of high end decoys. If the paint chips I dont care. The way I see it is if they get close enuff to tell. I'm dropping the hammer.

[william]

My spread consists (usually) of 2 dozen mallard decoys, a dozen green wings, 8 widgeons, 6 gadwals and 6 pinnies! It's to combine deeks. Mae sure the decoys you combine are all the same "type" of duck. I only combine Puddlers with puddlers and divers with divers. I wont mix puddlers and divers.

I hunt North Texas...DFW area!

This is a real duck hunter. My spread use to consist of 8 dozen pintail and 2 dozen mallards depending or where I was hunting.