# Any experienced Diver hunters here?



## Arrow3 (Jul 30, 2010)

Last year I found a good many divers....I was (am) very green at the time and really didn't know what I was doing...I had seen a bunch of coots and ringers (maybe more kinds) in some big open water...There was an island near by....The next weekend me a buddy set up a bunch of mallard decoys and got up on the island....We couldn't get right on the shore because it was to open...At first light a coot barreled in there and I busted him...That was it for the morning....I know now that I had the wrong decoys out....This summer I have acquired 3 dozen ringneck and bluebill decoys...I also have bought a about 20 cheap mallards that I plan on painting like coots.....While sitting there hunting we noticed a bunch of birds just floating in line out 150 yards or so in the open water...We walked around the other side of the small island and there were a pile of birds over there too the same way...

How do I need to set up on these birds? Build a blind right on the shoreline? What about brushing up a popup blind and puting it on the waters edge? Are these birds just landing out in the big water and swimming in for a closer look? Any info would be appreciated....


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## HALOJmpr (Jul 30, 2010)

My experience on the Gulf is that the birds there tend to avoid anything above water level.  BUT if the wind is out of the south where I hunt it pushes those rafts of birds in to where I set up and it's really game on.   Also on big water the more decoys the better.  Wave action and expanse alone may make it harder for birds to see your spread.  I really want  lay out boat for the big water but it's not in my budget right now.


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## Arrow3 (Jul 30, 2010)

HALOJmpr said:


> My experience on the Gulf is that the birds there tend to avoid anything above water level.  BUT if the wind is out of the south where I hunt it pushes those rafts of birds in to where I set up and it's really game on.   Also on big water the more decoys the better.  Wave action and expanse alone may make it harder for birds to see your spread.  I really want  lay out boat for the big water but it's not in my budget right now.



Mine either...Im about spent out with all the decoys and the boat this year....I hope to be able to hunt them without a layout boat....


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## fishndinty (Jul 31, 2010)

Arrow3 said:


> Last year I found a good many divers....I was (am) very green at the time and really didn't know what I was doing...I had seen a bunch of coots and ringers (maybe more kinds) in some big open water...There was an island near by....The next weekend me a buddy set up a bunch of mallard decoys and got up on the island....We couldn't get right on the shore because it was to open...At first light a coot barreled in there and I busted him...That was it for the morning....I know now that I had the wrong decoys out....This summer I have acquired 3 dozen ringneck and bluebill decoys...I also have bought a about 20 cheap mallards that I plan on painting like coots.....While sitting there hunting we noticed a bunch of birds just floating in line out 150 yards or so in the open water...We walked around the other side of the small island and there were a pile of birds over there too the same way...
> 
> How do I need to set up on these birds? Build a blind right on the shoreline? What about brushing up a popup blind and puting it on the waters edge? Are these birds just landing out in the big water and swimming in for a closer look? Any info would be appreciated....



First off, paint those cheap mallards to look like bluebills instead of coots.  Coots will come in to bluebills and so will ringbills, puddlers, cans and redheads.

Second: here is how I would set my decoys:






The 40 yards should be the distance from your blind to the line of bluebill decoys parallel to the wind direction.

If you notice, there is a strong landing zone for puddlers (mini V), divers (curve of the J) and geese (next to either family group).  Also the lone bill out in the landing area should be tied up keel backward so he looks like he is swimming in to the base of the J.

This spread will draw lots of attention, and if the divers are working well they will pour in.  If not, you will get passing shots as they fly over the big line of bluebill decoys.

Let me know how it works for you; similar spreads have worked well for us.


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## jerry russell (Jul 31, 2010)

In most cases BIG diver spreads are the way to go. Just keep building your spread as you can. Fishndinty's diagram is a proven spread (see it in action in the medium photo below) and is a good plan for Georgia because it will attract All Georgia waterfowl. Many Georgia hunters have yet to try divers but with the low duck numbers here, opening up all options will result in much greater opportunities. Some believe that it is difficult to specifically target both puddlers and divers at the same time. Truth is with enough scouting you will find THE spot on most lakes where it can be done quite successfully and not just by chance. You NEVER know what will fly in next!
When your spread gets up to the 12-15 dozen mark you will quickly learn the benefits of rigging with long lines. This will cut deployment and recovery time and efforts by as much as 75%.  PM me if I can help you with rigging questions.
I don't think the pop-up blind will be a good option for you. It will certainly spook you puddlers and geese. Layout blinds are a very strong option you should consider.
Keep in mind Cabelas usually offers GHG bluebills for around $39 per dozen right before the season...

Good luck!


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## fishndinty (Jul 31, 2010)

jerry russell said:


> In most cases BIG diver spreads are the way to go. Just keep building your spread as you can. Fishndinty's diagram is a proven spread (see it in action in the medium photo below) and is a good plan for Georgia because it will attract All Georgia waterfowl. Many Georgia hunters have yet to try divers but with the low duck numbers here, opening up all options will result in much greater opportunities. Some believe that it is difficult to specifically target both puddlers and divers at the same time. Truth is with enough scouting you will find THE spot on most lakes where it can be done quite successfully and not just by chance. You NEVER know what will fly in next!
> When your spread gets up to the 12-15 dozen mark you will quickly learn the benefits of rigging with long lines. This will cut deployment and recovery time and efforts by as much as 75%.  PM me if I can help you with rigging questions.
> I don't think the pop-up blind will be a good option for you. It will certainly spook you puddlers and geese. Layout blinds are a very strong option you should consider.
> Keep in mind Cabelas usually offers GHG bluebills for around $39 per dozen right before the season...
> ...



The thing that amazed me is how often puddlers will run the line just like divers and land in with the divers instead of nearer shore.

Another trick I like that has seemed to work is to put a couple of drake wigeon decoys in with the mess of divers at the bottom of the J.  It's like they are stealing food, an indicator of a strong food source below.  

Can the ducks reason that out?  I dunno, but it makes me feel smart and they don't seem to mind it


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## Arrow3 (Aug 1, 2010)

Thanks for the advice guys...


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## across the river (Aug 2, 2010)

If it was ringers and coots, they were probably rafted up in the middle because people had been shooting at them.  Ringnecks often prefer an area that has fairly shallow water( much like a puddler, so you need to find them in an area in which they are feeding.  The best advice I can give you is to ride around the afternoon before you plan to hunt and try to find a group of birds feeding in a location that is within shooting distance from land, i.e. a cove or blow through.  Don't spook them but figure out where you need to set-up  and come back to that exact spot the next morning.   Not 100 yards on either side , but in that spot.  In that situation you can generally set up a blind on the bank and do pretty well.  With well hidden layout blind you will probably do even better.  It this case you won't typically need a lot of decoys, but throw out enough to mimic what you saw.  If there were 20 in the hole through out a dozen.   If there were more throw out more.    I have spooked birds before by throwing out too many decoys in a spot in which they didn't expect to see that many birds.  In these situations you can expect some good shots as long as  some yahoo doesn't set-up at the mouth of the cove and sky bust everything coming to you.   If all you see is rafted birds in the middle, then you are best to go with  the advice given earlier.  Set up on an island with a big spread and hope a few fly by close enough to shoot at.  Unlike the first scenario these birds will likely be just flying by, so don't wait on them circle around and light.   Most of your shots will be passing shots.


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