wildfowler.250 Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Well I can't decide whether to get one or not. Everyone seems to habe great success with pigeon magnets and flappers ect but i haven't seen many people using the duck alternative? Is this purely because its too much to carry to the shore or do they not work well? The americans decoy a lot and they always have one out! Cheers in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 (edited) I thought this post was asking if it was worth shooting duck flappers ( young early season mallard ) Sorry about that , but seriously i know a few guys who use them and some say they will work on their day. But , I used to shoot a lot with a mate on my local saltmarsh. We would split up 3-400 yards apart me using just standard floating decoys and he used to add a spinning wing decoy to his decoys. On average I used to shoot just as many ducks per flight as he did and I have noticed he nolonger bothers to lug it out on the marsh and we still shoot the same number of duck. The Mojo spinning wing decoys are quite heavy and take up a lot of room in your game bag , that might be better used to carry a couple of extra floaters. On that basis I have never bothered to get one , but doubtless others will have other ideas. Edited June 29, 2012 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted June 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Thanks anser2, very helpful reply I have a dozen wigeon decoys and a few teal which will weigh more than enough,(fortunately i can make the younger brother carry some ). I just couldnt decide whether the flashing of the mojo decoy would help direct birds in or not,(but as you say it doesnt make much difference). Out of curiosity, how many decoys do you use on the tide ? I normally use 6 but might stick out some more this year. A side question: does anyone know where i can buy weights to attach to the base of the decoys? Or preferably clips to attach to a sunken line? I think a friend suggested "tidepool" or something but can't remember exactly. Cheers again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xav Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 For a motherline, tidepool sell good anchors. For individual decoys, I like the U shape you can find on sale at http://www.whistlingwings.co.uk/acatalog/Decoy_Anchors.html. A bit pricey, but pratcical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted June 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 (edited) Wildfowler 25 , There is no hard and fast rule as to how many decoys i set out when shooting on the tide. Walking distance is an important factor. As a rule I use about 10 wigeon and 4 teal decoys when shooting the big creeks , but when a big tide floods the whole marsh and i am shooting from the sand ridges i might take 25 decoys and add a few pintail coys if there any about. On the other hand i have decoyed the small creeks with just a handful of coys. The only thing I would say is use the same species of decoy for the species you expect to see if shooting in daylight ( its not so important in the half light )and duck decoys stand out much better against pale water that drakes. I never attach leads to the base of the decoys for tidal work. Just a 8 oz spiked sea fishing lead on the end od 40m of line with a seris of loops along the line to clip the decoys onto. Such a rig will handle 8 decoys in a fairly strong tide. Most of the decoys will have hollow keels , again to save weight , though the first decoy on the line takes a lot of strain in a fast tide and I like this decoy to have a solid keel. Edited June 30, 2012 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted June 29, 2012 Report Share Posted June 29, 2012 me and my mate use a mojo quite a lot. we find it works really well early on in the season, i guess the younger ones are a bit dafter. i know that a lot of you will think that shooting mallard on stubble is not "wildfowling" but we have no foreshore shooting at all here in shetland, so all our shooting is inland and at the start of the season we will take a few mallard off the stubble when we are shooting geese, this is when the mojo is magic. we have had mallard almost landing on top of it, but the geese dont like it so we have it out first thing for a few mallard then take it in when the geese start moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 I dont use any flying or flapping duck, though have been using a flapping goose this season gone in conjunction with a few shells It seems to work well though hard to proove like most of what we do right place at right time takes the biscuit. This is on the saltmarsh BTW. I use motherlines in a tide and like big magnum ducks with suction keels for this as they sit realistically on the dry mud when 1st set without having to sink the keel in. on flashes and lesser flows i use std weighted keel and home made silloutes. anything from 6 teal to a mix of 30 various, depends on were and when. Although i have a strap lead mold i tend to use those i cut and fold from scrap roofing lead (which i wrap around the deek necks) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Aister - Why no foreshore shooting in Shetland. Is that a ban, access, terrain? Presumably you do mean the Shetland Isles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 its the terain, there are a few small voes that you might get some duck in but most of the birds roost on the fresh water lochs, there are no esturies. i have had some good shooting in the sea when we have had a hard freezing and the lochs are frozen up, the birds gather where the fresh water runs into the sea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 I struggle a bit to find a place in Wildfowling for these motorised devices. I have no wish to see them banned or to stop others from using them it's purely a personal thing but fowling for me is as simple as possible. Perhaps I'm getting old and pedantic though I can still remember the dressing down I got from my old man for being unsportsmanlike enough to buy a 3 shot Semi Auto!! When I expressed my view to my lad the other week he was very quick to point out that I have no such qualms with using a pigeon magnet? And I suppose he is right it is a bit hypocritical but it hasn't changed my mind. Each to their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted June 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Thanks for all the replies guys, very helpful I might get a friend to pick one up in Americano as it would only be about £30..depends how much luggage space she has left I dont use any flying or flapping duck, though have been using a flapping goose this season gone in conjunction with a few shells It seems to work well though hard to proove like most of what we do right place at right time takes the biscuit. This is on the saltmarsh BTW. I use motherlines in a tide and like big magnum ducks with suction keels for this as they sit realistically on the dry mud when 1st set without having to sink the keel in. on flashes and lesser flows i use std weighted keel and home made silloutes. anything from 6 teal to a mix of 30 various, depends on were and when. Although i have a strap lead mold i tend to use those i cut and fold from scrap roofing lead (which i wrap around the deek necks) Kent, is the goose flapper the silosock ones? Or are you using something else? cheers again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted June 30, 2012 Report Share Posted June 30, 2012 Thanks for all the replies guys, very helpful I might get a friend to pick one up in Americano as it would only be about £30..depends how much luggage space she has left Kent, is the goose flapper the silosock ones? Or are you using something else? cheers again! I think so. printed cloth wings and tail ,corrogated sign board body, rip off price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted July 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 Well you didn't sell me that item In think I'll save my monies for the normal sillosocks and go for a bigger pattern! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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