Teal decoys

[eyepatrol]

I've noticed in about every hunting catalog that blue winged teal decoys have the drake in it's spring colors with the white strip/patch and stuff. When the hunting season rolls around they obviously don't have that kind of color. So my question is...would the drake decoy make the teal flare from the decoys or do they not care? It just seems odd to me that they'd make the drake teal in the color it has during spring and not the color it has during the hunting season....which is basically the same as the hen.

[outdoor ran]

Hunters like the drake decoys. I think thats why they sell them. Hens look so plain. I have some drake blue wing teal and suck teal into them just fine. I know an old timer that hunts with old decoys that are just a dull brown now and he does good. I would be more worried about placement and glare.

[jblabsnduck]

Last hunting season we saw a few drakes that had there spring color(white stripe on the face). we didn't shoot one but we had seen a few. I don't think it would make a difference at all.

[eyepatrol]

Thanks for the replies fellas. I've always wondered about that. I think this year I'm going to buy a 1/2doz or so. Always wanted to get a few to mix in with the rest of the decoys and now I think I will.

Thanks again.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I've had people tell me I'm nuts for throwing teal decoys in with my mallards. Call me what you will, they work.

Look out on the pond and what do you see???? Mallards swimmin around and teal swimmin around with them.

[catman71]

you are not nuts boilerguy. I have a special decoy bag that I use when I hunt in a small opening in the cattails. It has 20 teal and 2 hen mallards in it. It is easy to carry in and everything comes in nice and tight. I even use the teal call and have better luck than the same old mallard call they hear everywhere else. Good luck!

[outdoor ran]

I see alot of small flocks of mallards up high on blue bird days and there will be one little teal trying to hang with them. What a size difference, I always have to chukle when I see that.