Waterfowl seasons can run for several weeks, even months, in some parts of the country. As the season unfolds, the habits of migrating ducks can fluctuate greatly. This may be due to hunting pressure, lack of available habitat and food or the weather.
Successful hunters adapt to meet the changing patterns and habits of ducks.
And they have learned through experience that different types of decoy sets are necessary for hunting the early, middle and late portions of the season. The sunrise of opening day often reveals a textbook-perfect decoy spread. A great deal of effort usually goes into the first spread of the year. New decoys and new or repaired rigging are all part of that first magical morning. Because the ducks are less wary, those first spreads really don't require as much effort.