Minimalist Duck Hunting: carry less to get on the X
I love George Carlin’s bit on “stuff.” When it comes to ducks, I think we all feel that temptation to amass more of it, so we can set bigger spreads and boost our drawing power. Is it a crazy idea to think you could still kill birds with just a handful of decoys, while keeping your garage clear of too much sh!t?
I’m a public-land guy. For me, getting on the birds happens one of two ways: on foot or by paddle. That limitation in itself is a good reality check whenever the night-before pile starts getting big, or when I start dreaming about adding another half dozen blocks to the spread—for added realism, of course.
Here’s four ways I stick to the keep-it-simple-stupid approach (and put meat on the table):
Eight-slot decoy bags. When six seems too few but a dozen too many, I’ve found that an eight-decoy spread is effective for backwater mallards and luring curious wigeon and divers into range.
Light-weight decoys, such as Divebomb silos and White Rock EVAC full-body mallards, provide the power of presence at a fraction of the burden.
Motion, either with a straight-line jerk cord or Motion Duck spreaders, often beats numbers.
Duck Bag. Shameless self-promotion, yes. For true run-and-gun hunters, I believe our shell carrier is the keystone piece of gear for keeping the rest of the kit simple and contained.
Whether you take the minimalist approach out of necessity, for comfort, or as a challenge, you know there’s a special satisfaction that comes from making it happen. Here’s to the discipline and self-control of getting where the birds want to be without having to chug a Gatorade once you arrive.
Enjoy!
Jordan
