Spinning Wing Decoys

[Farley]

What do you guys think, ban them or keep them legal? I can see points of view from both sides. I think they do draw more ducks down than not having one but on the other hand you can only have 12 in the freezer anyway. I've hunted with one for 3 years and have yet to see a limit of ducks for any one day. What is the general consensus?

If they get banned I hope Aqua-Views get banned along with them. And jet skis while were at it.

[superfish2]

I think they used to be more effective then they are now.

As for banning them if they were going to do it they should have done it before everyone had one.

[lumbertick]

To me this is a hunter ethics question and I don't believe it should be addressed by a law. Techonology has been improving our hunting methods ever since we went from throwing rocks to sharpened sticks to kill our game (can you imagine the debate then!). I don't believe it gives anyone an unfair advantage nor is it such a powerful attractant that it makes the "fall out of the sky". In fact the more popular they became the less effective they were.
I still say, pay attention to your set up, don't call too much, and don't shoot 'em till they are in your face!

[outdoor ran]

I'm old school and refuse to try them. I'am surounded by them where I hunt. Everyone has a couple out. At first I thought they were really taking ducks away from me but now it dosen't seem to matter. Maybe the ducks are figuring them out, lol. Just a matter of personal choice, I draw the line there. Man I can't wait till Oct.

[irvingdog]

CAUTION- DRY TINDER AHEAD!!!

I think they're for guys who don't know how/won't learn to call.
That said, I've seen them suck ducks out of the sky!

[This message has been edited by irvingdog (edited 06-23-2004).]

[hanson]

I think this is going to be my first fall using spinning wing decoys. There is a Mojo Mallard in the Prairie Wings catalog with my name on it

Anyway, there is another party that hunts the same slough we hunt, they usually have 1 or 2 of them out. On any given day, it seems that our success rate w/o spinning wing decoys and their success rate w/ spinning wing decoys is about the same. I've seen flocks of mallards circle their decoys 2-3 times only to turn and drop straight down into ours. It doesn't help those guys that they don't conceal themselves very well, they usually stick out like sore thumbs. They've also commented to us that they can never find us on the other shoreline. It helps that we're standing in the water up to our waists.

I think good calling, good camo and concealment, good decoy spread, and being a good shot will help more than anything. I think the spinning wing decoys are just another tool that if used correctly, will bring results. I don't think the decoys alone will do it for you.

I guess I'll see this fall if it works for me.

[jblabsnduck]

I say don't waste your money.
I was on the wagon when they first came out but got rid of the two I had.
I kill just as many ducks without it if not more ducks.
It is all about calling or knowing when or not when to call and putting out a good spread and being where the ducks want to be.
I have hunted some spots where guys have them and I am the first one leaving with a limit in hand.
This may hurt, but just learn how to hunt ducks. Do your time scouting and learn new spreads to put out. You don't need one of those things.

[wooduck26]

I say ban them, I couldnt care less. If they ban them all it will do is allow us guys who can REALLY CALL DUCKS to shoot even more than we already do, because they have allowed these guys who go out put out there spread of 24 **** decoys to decoy birds with no skill what so ever......
Our best hunt this year was on PUBLUC land with some heavy competitiion with everyone around us using spinners we kept ours off and decoyed more ducks than anyone....we litterally put one shell in our guns and the 3 of us rotated guns till we filled out......thats the truth. Ban them and make people learn to blow a call....Dave

[Finlander]

We always get more ducks than the hunters up the lake with mojo's and 24 decoys! We always put out around 75-100+ mallard duck decoys, plus 30+ goose floaters and when there's any wind, those decoys are moving back and forth like crazy.
The mojo's are no match for numbers of decoys and thats a fact!

[Perch Jerker]

Waah, waah, waah...

Whenever this 'debate' comes up it always amazes me as to how petty people get. My observation as to the main reason some hunters want them banned is because they've seen them work well,... in someone elses spread. Not wanting to get one (or more) they hide behind "It's unfair" or "I'm a traditionalist" or "They should learn to call better". When most hunters get on a roll of 'Other hunters are slobs, lazy, etc and their using spinners as a crutch' I feel like putting on my waders for the impending river of **** coming out their mouth.

HERES MY PROPOSAL...
It would be easier to install a sensor onto every spinner that detects crybabys. Whenever a sensor detects a crybaby in the area (distance determined by DNR, House, and Senate of course because we all need more rules put on our sport) the spinner will automatically shut off. Also an added feature could be the 'fair' sensor. Whenever a group with a spinner has more shooting opportunities than a non-spinner group the sensor will shut off the spinner until everyone in the area has an 'equal opportunity'.

We all know there is a certain best 'spot' on a lake that changes from day to day with wind direction. If someone else is on the spot, you are stuck with the task of finding another place to hunt. Wherever you end up will not be as good as 'the spot'. This is where spinners help draw in the ducks. However we could just ban spinners and allow hunters to set up 20yds downwind of the hunters in 'the spot'. This, I'm sure, would make the anti-spinner crowd happy.

When they let me shoot from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset the ENTIRE season, allow me to use my 8ga SxS, and everyone gets their limit every time out - then I might consider the limitation of spinners.

PJ

[irvingdog]

Um........no Perchjerker, no one here whined about it being "unfair".
To a person, everyone who disparaged them simply alluded to the fact that they are most often used by those who can't call, and that calling skills will outperform a device that the birds are already getting savvy to.

I don't care if they ban them or not. And even if there were people whining about them and being spoiled sports, they are no longer new, and everyone has had a chance to buy one by now. Sometimes for really cheap.
Remember when people were crybaby, whining spoiled sports about compound bows? The only ones not using a compound now are traditionalists, and even they don't really care about compounds.

[wyldewal]

I don't use them and probably never will. A couple of guys around me do use them and some days they work great, other days it seems they flare some ducks. I've never had much trouble decoying, so for the price of them I'll stick with the floaters.
Until October keep dreaming duck dreams.

[Roosterslayer05]

I myself am a decent duck caller but I question the effectivness of duck calls, all you guys say "learn to use a duck call" But were I hunt I dont care if you are as good as Barny Calif you still wont call many ducks at all. Where I hunt you mise well leave the duck call at the truck cause you sure wont turn any ducks, or geese for that matter with your call. My uncle is the best caller I have ever heard in my life and he still cant turn many ducks where we hunt, me and him can turn a few ducks every now and then but not many. I have a flying decoy and have seen how effective they are, I say ban them. I can now turn ducks with a combanation of calling/spining wing decoy together. Its really effective and later in the season seems to be BETTER. Not worse like people say. Certain ducks it doesent attract....like divers it seems to have no effect on. But Mallerd will come right in almost everytime. Ban them now before too many people get them.

[Perch Jerker]

Irvingdog,

My previous quote:
"My observation as to the main reason some hunters want them banned is because..."

I never pointed fingers at anyone here. My observation is over the last 3-4yrs with interaction with other waterfowlers and various electronic and print media. There is even a group (based out of Duluth if I remember) that was in the paper a few months back dedicated to outlawing spinning wing decoys. MY observation from that specific article,... crybabies. MY observation from the last 3-4 years of following those who want to ban spinning wing decoys,... crybabies.

As to calling, I've noticed more times than not that a quiet (not silent) hunter gets more shooting than the best caller on the lake.

MY opinion. If someone wants to use them, let them use them. If someone doesn't want to use them, than don't use them. However, don't ban them just because a spinner isn't planned in your (general, not person specific) spread.

Call if you like or be silent if you like, use spinners if you like or omit them from your spread, and use steel or Bismuth or Hevishot - it's YOUR choice. The main thing is to enjoy the time spent outdoors.

[Caesarfishinguytoo]

Technology is the key here!! We are hunting with better equipment then people did 10, 20 , 30, 50 years ago. But now at this point we start making an arguement, PLEASE. People are saying ban them learn to call and decoy them in. Hey at one time there were no decoys or duck calls or other technologies that we have today. So why all of sudden stop technology at the spinners. Maybe this same conversation was happening back when the first decoy was made or first duck call. Hey get rid of those things called duck calls, I learned to call with my own voice and I did better than the guys that had them new fangled duck call things anyways!! Hey man, it is technology - live with it - or don't use it, but don't tell someone else that theirs should be banned!

Oh yea, just so you know - I don't own a spinner and never have even hunted with one. But that doesn't mean I might not someday own or hunt with one, but that is my right, right now!

Just my .02 cents

[jlm]

I will avoid the debate on this one but I will say this. We all have an equal playing field. It is your choice as to using one or not. I have a question for everyone. The DNR announced a moratorium on spinners a couple of years ago and elected to keep them in place until the research came back as to their overall effectiveness. If I remember correctly, I believe that the research concluded that spinners were found to be more effective...that is, they harvest more ducks. So here is my question, does anyone know what the DNR has decided to do with the spinners?

[Caesarfishinguytoo]

Well Said Perch,

Use what you want to use and shoot what you want to shoot. If it is within the laws and regulations have at it. But don't complain if someone else is using them. Many of the posters here have said they do better than the guy next to them with the spinners anyway. So I don't get the point of banning them? hmmmm???

[tealitup]

I use two spinners on poles 8 and 10 ft. I use one that sits on the water as well. I can say that it brings in certain kinds of ducks and makes some shy away. They are only good for the first couple weeks we are allowed to use them or during the first part of the season when you can have them on private property.

Should they be banned? No! There are limits for a reason. I only shoot my limit and go home. I also am a good caller, however, one must know what calls to make and at what time.

How many times on opening day do you see someone shooting everything they see. Sky busting - not getting cripples - (and hittting you with BB's) this causes more damage to waterfowl then a spinner ever would.

A law could be made stating if you have a spinner decoy then your limit is one less bird then if you do not have one.

Thanks for the discussion

[lumbertick]

Like I said before...it's more of an ethical choice that each of us needs to make. I don't think that it needs to be regulated by a law...what next...we can only wear certain kinds of camo???

lt

[big drift]

Here we go again, I have and use a spining wing. Why ? Because I can legally, ethically and for myself morally. Does It help sometimes yes sometimes no. Leave it alone. As I said in an earlier post Start regulating yourselves and or someone will do it for you. Hey you can only use oars, or only 23/4 " shells, etc. My grandfaher and great uncles used to use live decoys and still did not understand why they were banned. Because for them reading their hunting live deocys did not always work as well as people thought. And they could eat at the end of the season. Pretty soon it is going to be a three ring rule folder and an attorney for a hunting partener to define waterfowling laws. It comes down to this personal choice, does it cause harm to me or the resource, there is no evidence the spinning wing increases success. In fact the success rate with these is down as time goes on, it depends on location, placement, number of birds available, area history for birds, and scores of other information that decide success not one tool. I'm done so start blasting away.

[Guest]

I'm all for the decoys. We have limits for a reason. How many times do we actually reach these limits. There are many a time before and after these decoys came out when we came home with nothing. I know the experience is the main reason most of us go out there but tell that to a 10 year old over and over. The only part I'm opposed to is allowing private property owners to use spinners when others can't. Aren't these ducks we are shooting public property? Don't we all pay the same for licenses and organizations? Everyone complains about North Dakota but the same thing goes on in our own backyard.

My 2 cents

Ron

[fishkid]

i dont under stand why you would ban them. it helps every body else in the duck pond. And it only attracts some kind of ducks like mallards and the bigger ones. It doesnt work well with divers and some of the smaller ducks. Theres limits for a reason so you dont kill all the ducks and they base the limits on how many ducks people shoot so do u really think they will put it too high if they think the spinner works to good. i think if people should complain about people shooting too many ducks they should complain to the southern states because they have higher duck limits and a longer duck hunting season.

[fishkid]

and for kids day hunt i think they should have spiner wings because if a 9 year old goes out his/her first time and they dont see much or shoot do you think they will ever want to hunt again? (maybe) but if they see alot and shoot a couple that would make there day and people always say introduce a kid to hunting well if u do you should do it the right way i remeber one kids hunt we used spinner wing and we had like 50 mallards in are decoys and they kept pouring in and once the shooting began it was the coolest thing to watch them get up and fly

[Mark Christianson]

Keep the spinners and lower the limits.

I enjoy going out and getting a few ducks. I don't need to get 6 per day.

Let me have my spinner, get a couple good cracks and I am happy.

[fishkid]

agree