Confidence Decoys for duck hunting | Coots and Herons | Myth or Truth?

On this video Joel discusses the age old question about confidence decoys. Do they work? Which ones work? When should you use them? Get Surviving Duck Season MERCH!! survivingduckseason.com/mercha...
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Many people use coots, herons, egrets, and many other things as confidence decoys for duck hunting. Do you use them? Let us know what you thing in the comments.
Joel Strickland (@mrproducersir) is a lifelong waterfowler, duck hunting guide and producer/director in the film and television industry.
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#DecoySpreads #SurvivingDuckSeason

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

What do you think about confidence decoys?? Let me know!

[@RetrieverTrainingAlone]

Up here in interior Alaska, swan decoys are excellent as confidence decoys. Sometimes I layout shoot in mudflat with a white parka on and that also helps.

[@Dnelson807]

@@RetrieverTrainingAlone I'll second that on the swan dekes. Geese will scoot right over to land next to them.

[@mjuberian]

you are giving ducks and geese way to much credit...most decoys were designed to decoy hunters as much as they are ducks...

[@Dnelson807]

@@mjuberian I totally agree when it comes to most of them. But when you see geese come in over the landing zone and then scoot right over to the swan dekes to land, then there is something to it.

[@jeremyfranks9587]

Honestly, this is my second season. So I’m still learning to basics. Confidence decoys aren’t even on my radar yet. Plus, that’s just another item to buy and to haul into the public land I hunt. It would be interesting to get a bunch of milk jugs and paint them black to use and see what happens. It’d be cheap and easy!

[@swampghost6612]

Hi from Greece Joel. If there are coots in the wetlands you're hunting, coot decoys are the most effective decoys, especially in coastal salt marshes, and territories around deltas of big rivers. Joel, your work with this channel is a gift for the waterfowl hunting community all over the world. Keep it up and a big thank you.

[@woodduck635]

If coots and herons work, then maybe some turtle decoys on the logs and a couple 3D deer targets getting a drink should be added, too. Maybe some of those little styrofoam songbirds from hobby lobby, with the feathers glued on, and a stuffed raccoon eating a crawdad. 😄. All joking aside, if it makes the ducks come to my spread better, I'd put anything legal out there. Seems like some white egret decoys would be very visible from a distance.

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

This is gold! 😂😂😂

[@mikeries8549]

Quick you need to buy an artificial floating island for the illusion

[@Goosemaster1810]

Another informative gem Joel. All my duck decoys are painted flat black.And it works. God Bless Joel keep em coming👍🏻

[@deibert1]

We use coots all the time. When it gets tougher in late season we will toss a couple swan decoys out. It can make a huge difference.

[@kindredspirittv8598]

I just received the pull over in the mail yesterday like the one you are wearing in your video. It is so well worth the money on such a great product. Thank you for offering us the chance to buy one.

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Glad you love it!

[@midwestfresh2234]

I have had serious success and definitely noticed the difference when using a Heron on a River set up across the river from my duck decoys. This was the first time that every duck we saw landed in the spread, or swam in.

[@DaddyDuck365]

I use coot decoys...not so much for confidence but more for the dark color......like using black ducks in my spread.....or painted bottles for divers......

[@jayweir7035]

I’m new to duck hunting and love this channel my son and I have found bufflehead decoys with their white body’s attract a lot of ducks but now I think I’ll paint some milk jugs and make a spread thank you again for all the great content 👍 keep it up

[@T44m45]

I always put a single crow in the tallest tree near my blind. Some old timer told me to do this, and it does indeed seem to work.

[@JM-lz5ld]

Really?!?! Or are you pulling our legs?

[@T44m45]

@@JM-lz5ld Well i am not stating it as fact. But both my friends an i aggree that we call way more birds in. We have only tested it for a single season, but the crow decoy is now a part of my duck decoy bag.

[@paulhennryparrish7751]

Great video again, I have never used confidence decoys, but I've heard a lot about crow decoys set in trees and brush near location works well, ducks and crows have little in common, good point, its probably just the color black

[@travisthompson6543]

Joel, I'm glad you covered this topic. I have put a lot of thought into confindence decoys. But now I'm second guessing them. Your opinion is logical and makes sense. Being more intelligent than a duck I'm not sure how much detail I would pickup on a decoy spread if you flew me past it or even circled it a few times as fast as ducks do. Especially knowing I might get shot at. Lol...

[@wescarlson8924]

I personally use coot decoys (rattle canned old Flambeau mallards) but I only run 4 of them. I think it makes the spread more realistic looking especially if you put them in your kill hole (like the inside of a J or U spread). Where I hunt at in eastern Iowa there's always coots somewhere on the water you're hunting and if anything they may attract actual coots which more times than not helps put some motion in your spread which always helps.

[@tylersGBO]

Joel you are a mind reader! I’m glad you posted this video. Quality content. Been thinking about putting a crane decoy out, because I keep seeing them in my hole, but in reality seems like the smallest and least beneficial thing I could do. Spend that money on more motion or better cover.

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Glad it was helpful! Yep, motion or cover!

[@matsjack2]

I just hunted a few days ago in Northern Iowa and our sores had zero coots or black duck decoys in it. However the marsh we were in had rafts of up to 75+ coots swimming around in areas. The migrating mallards would bypass our spread and land right in the middle of the congested coots. This particular marsh made me want to buy a flock of coot decoys and throw them out in a raft type setup and hunt it. We had thousands of birds working coot rafts. My hunting partner doesn’t buy into the coot theory.

[@caelanschuman7334]

Based on what I’ve read, and coupled with historical accounts of old duck and goose hunting using earth mounds, your statement on coots being effective because they’re black is probably pretty spot on. I’m soon to be biology major after I complete my coursework in wildlife outfitting. A ducks vision isn’t binocular, they see colors, and different species see different colors better, mallards green, redheads red, etc. that’s partly what drives their sexual selection. But all ducks see light and dark well. Black isn’t a color that disguises well and the contrast makes them visible. Ducks don’t exactly care about what ducks they see, they don’t register “oh that’s a pintail” or “yep, those are mallards” they just know that ducks are ducks. But like does seem to attract like, if one wants to shoot more pintails, put out some pintail decoys. I believe this is because of the subtle differences in vision by species. Another prime example of this is peacock spiders, most spiders don’t see red, so why would the males have red patches? The females of the species can see red, so it was selected for. I’d also be interested to see if in a dark habitat what some matte finish white colored decoys would do, because they would be providing contrast.

[@etiennescarbinski7890]

Buddy used to put out a pink lawn flamingo. Ducks knew they were safe in FL.

[@schultz3145]

Love your videos Joel, keep it up!

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Thanks, will do!

[@csf.outdoors7933]

My brother got a 12 pack of coots for christmas last year. I like them because we see alot of them on the lakes we hunt. I feel the black color may help with visibility too

[@HighPrairieSportsmen]

Great video Joel! I've been trumpeting the benefits of coot decoys for awhile now. They work!

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Thanks brother... looks like you’ve been Shoot’n a few. I’ll be in Nebraska in a couple weeks. 💪🏻👍🏻👊🏻

[@HighPrairieSportsmen]

@@SurvivingDuckSeason heck yes!

[@TMFS4659]

We take Herold the Heron out all the time...don’t notice a difference really when we have and when we don’t. However we hunt in a heron heavy area

[@gooseflatwaterfowlers]

I think a great confidence decoy is a Canadian Geese decoys mixed in the spread. I used this tactic a few years ago in a flooded rice field in Arkansas and the ducks worked toward the goose decoys since then I mix Canadians in my spread where it’s open water like a field or farm pond. I myself have used heron decoys before in some hot holes but looking back on it the ducks were coming not matter what. I really agree with the dark colored decoys like black ducks they really pop on the water take a drone and fly it over your spread and it’s all black in color.

[@richiecaelwarts7873]

WE USE CRAIN DECOYS WHEN DUCK AND GEESE IN THE CORN FEILDS AND THEY WORK GREAT , WE ALSO USE CANVASBACK DECOYS FOR BIG WATER MALLARDS SEEM TO LIKE THEM TO AND BLACK DUCKS TO .

[@kraigkaatz6858]

I really like your thoughts...

[@codyparker8013]

My Benelli Performance Shop Cordoba with Kicks High flyer Xfull is the only "confidence" booster I need!

[@cfoutdoors243]

Great vid Joel. I don't ever use confidence dekes. I'd rather spend the money on shells or duck dekes. I agree with ya on the black standing out bringing the ducks in and not by them being coot decoys.

[@landonhinz1993]

My confidence decoys are spray painted black duck decoys, and it works

[@tyduckert5570]

I have watched a bunch of ducks land with coots. One day I set up 1 dozen coot and 2 mallards and shot mallards and woodies over that spread and I almost always have some coot with my duck spread

[@countryb0y3006]

We always put out a half dozen goose decoys with our duck spread off to the side and we have had more luck since we started using them. I think it is more because of the visibility of them. Most of the ducks we hunt are passing birds on a big river.

[@christopherhull5501]

I use a mix of decoys, mallard, black, wood duck, even a couple teal and gadwall. I find that the different species land among their own kind. A couple of goose deeks, a couple of crow deeks, and the blue heron. Seems to work for me and my clients.

[@jessewatkins1338]

I use coot decoys because we get massive amounts of coots where I live and in surrounding areas. They seem to be really effective to have especially in the public land marshes. Puddlers and divers both seem to like them.

[@tommygray8520]

I use the coots for there’re black in color. And use to give a bigger spread

[@johnstrassner8061]

Blessed assurance 🎶😂

[@ksoutdoorsports]

Have not tried any confidence decoys. How ever, a lot of my decoys are missing paint, and may appear to be coots! LOL

[@russell10x]

I’m not commenting as to if they work or not. But I hunt salt water and always use 2 saddle back seagull decoys just outside my spread

[@jerrymaners4574]

We use killer fillers in our spread. It’s basically a black jug on a rig em right. Your right we really use them for attracting the ducks to our spread. It’s really hard to see hen decoys on muddy water. We also put them in a group.

[@brysonhallman8692]

I use coots on every spread just because I see a ton of them. I have a blue heron decoy and I honestly use to use it but I think it’s only a mind thing, but I could be wrong I use to put it out in the sunlight where the birds could see it, but also using a blue heron where I have seen blue herons and ducks in the same location. But like you said if you find birds and there is a few coots and a blue heron around In that exact area then yeah I guess if you use them then it could possibly help but if you just put a blue heron with your spread in a random location I don’t think it will help

[@keithlohbc]

I put out Canada decoys for visibility. They are big and dark and can be seen from a distance.

[@derrickdennert4363]

I'll have to agree with you by using a black decoy. It doesn't necessarily have to be a coot but just black in general. It sticks out more. Its the same as using black and white silhouettes mixed in with your goose decoys in a field. They just pop and grab the attention.

[@jimrennie9497]

I have tried adding a pair of Canada geese decoys off the edge of the duck decoy spread many times. Not convinced it makes any difference. On the other hand, I agree a contrasting color like black or white in a decoy or two helps long distance visibility. I wonder if the tip up feeder decoys are effective simply because they show a lot of white, not because ducks recognize them as feeders....Jim.

[@tannerking3116]

1st gen Utah duck destroyer here - - - - -my first year not a single duck flew into my spread and i was not a caller. second year i got a little better at calling, turned "a" duck, shot some ducks and did decent. this year i added a couple new methods to my spread with about a dozen deeks on a manual jerk rig, 6 geese off to the side, a group of pins and then i fill the area with my left overs and several black ducks. I hunt every weekend of the season along with after work and this is the only year i have had ducks just land in my spread in areas i would get skunked . my blacks have caught the attention of fly bys, left overs and high flyers. they just add more to my "likely hood" of shooting something and also been working in ALOT of calling. I am calling 75% and have been walking away with ducks in the boat (or sacrificed to the reeds) every time. the jerk rig and black ducks were super helpful hunting starvation reservoir the other week and almost filled my limit there hunting the shore line, dug a nice hole in the sand . what size shot do you use? I shoot a mossberg 500 tactical stock and pistol grip (it was free/my dads, we bought him the nice duck gun since i cant really give back my duck terminator in its current condition) is it worth upgrading?

[@ianboswell8825]

Thanks for the awesome videos! I’m new to waterfowl hunting and was wondering if you could make a video on what you need to start duck hunting. Thanks!

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Thanks for watching, Ian. Got it on my list!!

[@csf.outdoors7933]

waders, 24 decoys, a duck call, and a gun

[@jackjones7504]

@@csf.outdoors7933 And a Dog .

[@csf.outdoors7933]

Yeah a dogs nice to have

[@victorsimonsen921]

always like to use coot decoys where there are coots around

[@loganbadgley8298]

I hunt some super pressured water in CA and most ducks (besides spoonys) will swerve my spread and land in the raft of coots 100 yrds away... I went online and bought 4 dozen coots and put them in a tight raft and it changed the game, good birds dumped right in without a second pass. Idk if this is considered a confidence decoy strategy or just mimicry but it works.

[@cayman588]

I use geese decoys because it might turn into a goose hunt. I get coots that swim in.

[@riograndereaper]

My thinking with "confidence" decoys is everyone has mallard decoys, but how many people have coot decoys? I think in the later season these confidence decoys are just there to show the birds something different that adds a little more realism, not so much that they want to land with coots.

[@halfblindbear]

When I started duck hunting I used a blue heron decoy, the only thing that I saw regularly was the decoy being attacked by real herons.

[@finchhaden7016]

The duck has life experience and probably is aware that the presence of a heron means things are more likely than not, safe below them. I use a heron on the pond I hunt because of the hunting pressure it receives. It may not be that it makes a difference to the ducks, but I know it gives me the possibility of an edge in competitive hunting situation. Does it work? I tend to think so.

[@gunguru7020]

I hunt Guntersville and Seminole for divers, mainly canvasbacks. Both locations are slammed with coots, sometimes 10s of thousands and the Cans, more often than not,, are mixed in with the coots. I bought and used 10 dozen coot decoys for 2 seasons mixed in with my divers. Do they work. I am not sure. They didn't hurt. That said, I rarely use them anymore. Instead I rely on extreme natural vegetation on my boat and location.

[@carterreynolds2306]

Coot decoys work if you use them in areas where there are large rafts of coots with ducks that regularly hang out with them. We hunt over an all coot spread and it works perfectly

[@Follower_of_The_Word]

I have a heron, coot, and a rubber duck painted as a seagull for confidence decoys. I believe they give the hunter confidence that their spread looks realistic but only humors waterfowl. Motion in the spread has way more effect than some random actor hanging out with a bunch of ducks.

[@2wheeltommy996]

I agree with the attraction to the black color comment.

[@aaronsnatic2446]

I've always believed the coot decoy was an attractor because of the contrast from the coloring (black against the lighter background). I have hunted where they have had a heron/egret, don't think it helped or hurt.

[@mylesboggs7723]

Here in nebraska we use coots for confidence decoys.

[@tacticalmarshing9548]

I just use a couple goose decoys they ducks trust the geese more then the duck decoys I dont know why but I feel like it helps me pull more birds

[@scottschmitt7681]

I hunt a private pond and the x is on the other side. We are considering swan decoys to deter ducks from lighting in that location any thoughts?

[@zachrogers9374]

I gotta say I hunt big water in MN and live coots bring in ducks of all species. I think there are many reasons why but I have noticed that eagles tend to focus on the coots and ducks get a pass when they are mixed up. Just my 2 cents I have to agree decoy wise use black duck goose or blue bills for the black pop

[@vernonparker2226]

I believe they absolutely work

[@waltweaver7297]

I use swan decoys as a confidence decoy starting about this time of year when the migratory birds start to show up not only as a confidence decoy but to shoot swans also. Swans decoy real well. Do they work as a confidence decoy your guess is as good as mine.

[@garrettrusin3603]

I've considered this tactic, but never got around to buying any. It seems large groups of Canadas will often land in the same field as a small flock of swans. Perhaps just because a giant white swan is easy to spot when flying over a farm field?

[@thomassacco1705]

I have found that Mallards will land next Wigeon Decoys, more so than mallard decoys. I hunt the Atlantic Flyway and Wigeons are few and far between. Thoughts?

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Maybe because of the white on the decoy.

[@lovetogun3611]

Thats it! Im going 100% coot!😆

[@egraham9784]

I don't know if it's a confidence thing with coot. But one thing I can tell you is Coot are very aggressive feeders and if there is no food they will move on.

[@mikeries8549]

If installing a dock and a manican that appears to be feeding ducks candy corn would attract ducks we'd buy it.

[@UnorthodoxHunter]

I will use a feeder deer decoy from time to time. Set it up 50 yards away like its getting a drink. I wouldn't recommend using during gun season on public land tho

[@shawnfarris8908]

My confidence decoys are what ever I see out in the water. I try to copy what i see, if its mallard, wood ducks, gadwall that's what I put in my spread. I think you are correct when ducks are in the air the see the black or coots better, but I have hunting in a spot where there was coots and the ducks would just fly on over. Everyone has there own opinions and what works for one my not work for someone else. That's just my 2 sense.

[@mollybaumann415]

Ducks can see well, but I think people give their eyes too much credit. I've hunted over 2 liter bottles, chunks of foam, and cardboard cutouts before. I also had some downright ugly commercial decoys that looked more like an old boot floating on the water than a duck. By the time they realized something was off it was already too late. In my opinion, the color gets their attention, the placement puts the ducks where you want them, and being vaguely bird shaped seals the deal. Anything beyond that just gets the decoys off store shelves.

[@koontzoutdoors1555]

I’m confident mine don’t work! I’ve done everything except putting on 2 piece bathing suits on the hens

[@jasoncampbell4723]

I haven’t been duck hunting for very long but I have a theory. Where I hunt there is 1000s of coots. Coots are kind of stupid, I mean they aren’t that sharp, they get ridiculously close to the blind without realizing people are in it. I also feel their like the locals in the pond, always there hanging out, maybe when other ducks land close to them they think it’s a safe zone since no one is shooting the coots. We rarely shoot a coot as they don’t taste very good. I do like your black duck idea and have taken all my damaged decoys and painted them black.

[@csf.outdoors7933]

I like the idea of coots more than Black ducls because ive never seen a live black duck in north texas and i see coots all them time

[@jakevermillion]

Great advice, but especially appreciated your comment about God creating us to create in His image- well said

[@levibruce8322]

I had two swans land in my spread today and flared every single duck that was coming my way. Oddest thing I've seen. 35 yards from them and maybe 100 from me they would bank hard every time. I think like anything there's a time and a place for confidence decoys.

[@nickb8618]

Crows for field hunting off to the side work. Maybe cause they are black? Idk but I rarely see ducks in a ag field that don’t have a flock of crows feeding in it also. When water hunting I use a pair of black duck decoys right in the kill hole. I diver hunt a lot in wi when it turns cold and mallards def like the blue bill and canvas back dekes often ignoring other guys mallards spreads in the marsh off the lake to dump in to my block of 7 doz divers. I’ll run a doz mallards mixed in for attraction when they get close

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

I've honestly never noticed crows always being around. I do see them, but haven't paid that much attention. I'll certainly be on the lookout during our upcoming season. Thanks for the comments!

[@cayman588]

Hell when I was poor as shit. We used paint black milk jugs and spark plugs for weight.

[@brianhaines3931]

Right on the money with regards to costs and black ducks. We just had our opener here in central Illinois. I put a six pack of Avian X fully flocked black ducks where I wanted the birds to land and I killed all but one right over the top of those black ducks. I pass shot a wigeon as the lone exception. I really think coots work and I believe they work because they are black.

[@thaddeusmedvedich]

This is two years late but u should do a hunt with two party’s with black duck decoys with everyday ducks people shoot and coots on the other party with the everyday duck people shoot

[@knasasduckkiller]

I live in Kansas and I when hunting Cheyenne Bottoms (worlds largest public wetland and attracts major hunting pressure) I will use coot decoys like you say not as a confidence decoy but to be very visible and to stand out. We don’t have black ducks so no one has black duck decoys and let’s face it black duck decoys for the most part are a brown more than a true black

[@jeremybreeden77]

Thanks for another great video Joel. I do not use confidence decoys because I have the same reasoning you do. A duck will land with other ducks whether there is a Great Blue Heron around or not. I don't use coot decoys either but at my local National Wildlife Refuge I do a lot of bird watching and have noticed puddle ducks hanging out with rafts of coots and stealing vegetation they bring to the surface, especially if the edges freeze and there is limited access to shallow water. So I guess an all coot spread could be useful for more than just color, but I'm not going to invest in one. I never even thought to look closely at coot rafts (not the prettiest bird lol) until I read the description section of the link below. I've observed different puddle ducks doing this also, not just gadwall. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gadwall/lifehistory

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Thanks for the comments- very interesting! I'll have to look into this further.

[@pastp3805]

I agree with you on if it really makes a difference. I think movement is way more effective. Coot are constantly moving and jumping and that is the magnet to other ducks. Great video! Side note: I read a book where the old timers were using real ducks as decoys !

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Totally agree!

[@CentralFLOutdoors]

Here where I hunt on the Columbia river duck pour into rafts of coots. But like you said I don’t think it’s because they are coots I think it’s because they feel safe in a raft. They also pour into a raft of mallards or widgeon or any duck because they are safer in a raft.

[@dickidydoodah]

Just a personal opinion here but, I believe confidence decoys work better in most cases for people who can't call very well. It makes a bad situation better if one's calling doesn't seem realistic.

[@jeremymatlock2049]

We have so many coots i dont even use decoys half thw time ,and get the same results with or without decoys or coots ..

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Thats great!

[@jeremymatlock2049]

@@SurvivingDuckSeason im with you on the coot decoys. Dont think they work any better than regular decoys

[@TheDecoyDude]

Where I hunt in Louisiana many guys use 90% coot decoys and it’s one of the most effective decoy spreads out there. I use a 20% coot spread but am out hunted often by the large water coot spreads. Especially diving ducks. We get rafts of coots that number in the thousands and ducks trust landing with them over real ducks (due to intense hunting pressure I’d imagine). I have also used geese as confidence decoys. I figure that we don’t get geese where I hunt but ducks recognize them and they are large. I’d think a swan decoy where appropriate could be useful. Using seagulls, herons, egrets, etc. is less likely to help. Ducks don’t naturally land by those birds. They are actually enemies of baby ducks. I’d think putting a peregrine falcon or bald eagle decoy would not help either haha And ducks certainly can recognize them.

[@cmiller504]

So the thing that separates coots from regular decoys is that they are not in every spread. Ducks might not be as smart as humans, but ducks aren’t stupid. In high pressured areas they get smart about decoys and mojos. They see decoys spreads all the time of your typical duck spread. Mallards, gadwall, teal, pintail, etc. you throw a dozen or 2 coot decoys out there and now you are different than every decoy spread of other hunters around you. Also, ducks don’t just see them as a black blob, yea maybe from a distance it stands out better, but once a duck recognizes the coots, they automatically relate coot rafts to feed. That alone attacks ducks more than anything.

[@codyfritz3439]

You should do a video with Colton kerr

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

I shot some things with him over the weekend for a future video... also, we will be doing several video together during duck season this year!

[@codyfritz3439]

Awesome

[@westpac6954]

I said before duck hunting is very regionalized. Hunting in southern Louisiana you're hunting birds that have been shot at down the entire flyway. They have seen every decoy and blind, and heard every call. When a duck is flying over, it's not that it is looking for the heron, not seeing it and thinking "danger danger", its that it probably remembers being shot at every time it tries to land somewhere for hundreds of miles. When they are circling over, looking down and seeing the exact same picture of decoys in a pond which resulted them in being shot at, this is where confidence decoys are an asset. It's presenting a different picture to the birds as they are circling over staring at you, your blind and your spread. Also, specific to southern LA we're talking mostly teal, gadwall, scaup, widgeon etc, not so much mallards. Is this as effective further up the flyway? Probably not.

[@bmead4262]

Confident decoys it’s not really confident decoys it’s more of like match the hatch give the birds same thing that they’re seeing in the Area

[@honkerh8r564]

Ducks don't sit, feed, and roost with herons. They do sit with coots. Plus coots are jet black and therefore very visible. I use coots, but not as a confidence decoy. I just use them as a decoy.

[@heathstuckey965]

y'll should make a decal of you logo. I'll buy it one y'all come out with it.

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

what size would you be most interested in?

[@heathstuckey965]

@@SurvivingDuckSeason If you do just the log then a 5x5 4x4, or 6x6 i think would be the best. Whatever you make I'll get. Then one with the logo with the name I don't know what would work best for that one but that'll look cool too.

[@2birddogsandawolfdog945]

Best confidence decoy is plain clothes while fishing. And throw out some fake bread in the decoys. 🤣

[@DrDuckMD]

I just use black decoys, it works the same

[@Blue_Collar_Hunter]

I think ducks are just attracted to other decoys that are out of harm's way. And the whole raft of ducks idea works because its safety in numbers. In my opinion.

[@gd_gnz]

Herons no, coots yes, in certain areas. You have to know your ground. You might put a heron on the far end of a big pond to push the ducks to you.

[@kitchencreekoutdoors6298]

We hunt a few lakes with domestic ducks. I wouldn't call this confidence but we take some old mallard decoys and pain the to look like Alflac. We would add just a couple to the spreads on a specific lake and have good success. It could be the fact that they are all white and stand out more idk. Ducks wouldn't land right next to the white decoys but did seem to like our spreads a little more than others. Maybe just dumb luck.

[@teekay1785]

We have real coots and diapers in our spread quite often. Though the waves by coots and visibility of black may get ducks attention just like any wave making decoy I NEVER see ducks land near or next to them. They land nearer or in the decoy spread. That to me coupled with my other almost 60 years of duck hunting experience tells me they do little to nothing to directly influence ducks and what they do can be better done by other means.

[@mattcrook7263]

All decoysare confidence decoys. Without them we would have NO confidence we would get birds to come and land! I use them.thi kin just the mix of different looks helps.gets thier curious nature over load.they have to land and check it out they might miss out on something.2 cents

[@mattcrook7263]

Just like why do ducks land in goose decoys?

[@OutdoorsHunter]

God Gave us, dolphins, and elephants minds

[@highbeamoffroad1716]

Stop telling everybody about the painted black milk jug secret! 😂

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

🤫🤷🏻‍♂️😂

[@SuperBoomer95]

I don't really think a duck can tell what is in your spread until it's far too late. Just think about how their eyes work (and their brains like you mentioned). We have binocular (camera) vision, like you drone, and can see great detail at a distance, but only in a single spot. And even the drone footage wasn't very detailed to make out a black duck from a coot. Ducks (and other prey animals) have eyes on the sides of their heads, for almost 360 deg vision. The pros are that they can spot a predator behind or to the side of them, but don't have as good of detail (relative) Proof is look at old hunting techniques. Alot of "decoys" were simple black and/or white painted blocks of wood in the basic shape of a duck/goose.

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

Yeah, once they get in there, it's too late. I think ducks probably have a wider field of view rather than binocular, otherwise they wouldn't be able to take advantage of their peripheral vision.

[@SuperBoomer95]

@@SurvivingDuckSeason exactly. I would think they see similar to a 360 camera (the shots were it looks like a globe) I'm sure they can see detail but not near as clearly as us with bino vision. And certainly not for distance. Again that drone probably wasn't more than a 100 yards or soon and everything just looked like black specs. That being said, detail in decoys doesn't hurt as they may be able to see better than I give them credit for lol

[@SurvivingDuckSeason]

@@SuperBoomer95 yep, the drone shot you were talking about was about 40 yards.

[@randym7961]

Joel, while I won't compare the intelligence of a duck to that of a Raven if you want some insight into what birds can think and what they observe look at some of the research and test done with corvids IE Raven Crows etc.. Can you say smarter than a 5th grader.. One thing birds are is way way better than we are at is looking at something and seeing it all instantly and comparing it to their past experiences faster than we could notice a tiny fraction of what is in our view.. So the ducks are not saying oh there is a Heron it must be safe they are noticing it and that in their past experience having a Heron close by was safe .. Now if everyone started using them soon Herons would mean Danger just like you standing in the open holding your gun!! Ducks have not always seen us as dangerous ... I never used confidence decoys much in the past,, I have picked up some for future hunts . I started hunting ducks and geese in the 70s in northern North Dakota and eastern Montana , lots fewer hunters -less pressure and ducks that hadn't heard a shot in anger yet. I could toss out a few dekes and seldom needed to call . If nothing else having them couldn't hurt and may put the ducks attention on them and not notice our blind with the danger in it.. Their lives depend on what they see and don't see..

[@lovetogun3611]

You dont need confidence decoys when you live in an area that is covered up with ducks. I believe the ducks know that the coots know where the food is. I do disagree with you about coots. I think maybe a lot of people UNDERESTIMATE the ducks ability to differentiate between species, after all, they have different colors between species so that they can tell themselves apart. Also, crows, parrots and many other species of birds are pretty darn intelligent for having such a small brain. As duck hunters we spend lots of money and time hiding from ducks so they cant see us in order to fool them. Sometimes they seem dumb because they are driven to feed and to be on water and just follow their instincts. Why use any species of decoy to target that species if they cant tell them apart? Maybe the ducks think black soda bottles are coots🤔