Alright guys, how did you set your spread up for the opener? What seems to be working and what isnt?

We set up 5 doz opening morning. 18 bluebills off to the side, a doz teal, 2 doz mallards, 6 'randoms' and 6 pintail. Set up big spread to the left in some brush, divers and teal on their own out to the right with the hole in the middle right in front of us. Got 3 birds, 2 of which decoyed. Had a big group of Gads circle and land about 100 yds down. Oh yeah we pulled the mojo early.

2nd day. 3 doz, same spread minus 1 doz mallards and the bluebill. Set them up in a J with the pintail on their own about 20 yds from the little part of the J. 3 Birds again. Had a group of about 20 circle and work for a few minutes, just when I thought they were about to come in they went out and rafted up on the big water. Didnt work. Got 3 that day also. None decoyed, they were all shot passing over our spread but not committed.

When your on the X spread don't matter.

I stand in one spot and trow them all directions till I dont have any more (about 30 deeks) I now have a hole in the middle.

Make sure all are floating right then done!

2 dozen tucked up against the brush in a big semi circle with 3 or 4 in the open.

I don't overthink it anymore, I used to be real particular but spend some time watching live ducks and you will see they aren't sitting in a j or seperated by species most of the time. As long as they are upright and not touching I'm good.

Every situation is different... where you are hunting, time of year etc. I just try to set them where it does not look like a spread of decoys... you know...bunch to the right, bunch to the left with a hole in the middle like every other spread is. i think they have seen that set up before.

+1

How much wind and how close were you set from the decoy spread?

No doubt about the X, typically the closer you are to the X the less particular the ducks will be.

On Saturday, there was zero wind, I mean zero wind, and the ducks would just fly right over without giving us a look. The ducks were in that area the day before. On Sunday, we had a good south wind 10-15mph and the ducks decoyed like crazy.

Really? I prefer the Z with the Y being a close second. Thanks for the help, you're posts are always worth reading.............

First day threw out about a dozen. Most were in a pod to the left a bit including a motion butt and had 2 right out in front. Shot two ducks and a snipe. Birds didn't want to commit.

Noticed on the way out that there were big wads of birds in the area.

Second day threw out pretty much the same but took out the motion butt and added a mojo dove and brought 15 more decoys and threw them out in a pod to the right a lil further for visibility. Shot 10 ducks. Birds came right in.

so hit them w/ more early in season, adn less late? got it

I think the first day we just couldn't compete with the numbers of rafted birds in the area. Sometimes you have to change it up and/or match what you see. However, I do typically like to use smaller spreads throughout the season.