Originally Posted by Widgeon6 (Post 811310)

Overestimating duck intelligence. We leave decoys out all season but put out 200-250 in rice fields. I used to think that picking up after each hunt made a difference and quality of decoys and etc.., than I started hunting with people who would limit every hunt. They just threw decoys out randomly left them all season and almost every one was old as dirt in terrible shape. I have since hunted with many other people who consistently limit and tear them up all year. I have learned one thing about duck hunting that is 100% true, location location! When you are in a good spot you will consistently kill no matter what doesn't matter how you call, shoot, or set up decoys. Most of the public in general are at mercy of the weather because their locations aren't good. Rice fields will do good with fronts and winds, doesn't matter if you hunted it 5 days in a row with decoys out and did bad on a frontal day you will typically have good hunts. I guess I could see if you hunting small potholes in marsh that holds duck pick up decoys and hope that those ducks that have been living there a few days don't realize decoys are fake but overall I don't think it will get you more ducks consistently. Your location is the number 1 factor to it all. Anybody who consistently kills limits hunts a good location. You can't kill limit of ducks if you aren't in the right spot no matter if you leave decoys or not. I think we tend to over analyze and over estimate a ducks intelligence and the outdoor tv industry def adds to that on us. I'm sure their are a few instances that would make a difference but if you are leasing a single blind and that's only place you can hunt I say leave them out! Again tho this is subject to someone leasing a single blind. Not a public land hunter or having a big section of property with multiple choices.