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Most of you are like me, freelance duck hunters who might not know the type of water we’re hunting from day to day.

As I point out in this video, it pays to rig up two different sets of decoys, one for moving water and the other for still-water habitat.

Same decoy types, and same number of dekes. But what’s different is the type of anchor I use for each scenario. In moving-water sets, I like to use a scoop-shaped lead anchor to really dig in and hold the bottom in rivers and streams.

For sloughs, ponds, and lake bays, I go with a flat lead strap anchor. I can either straighten it or bend it into a gentle curve to hold the bottom in windy conditions. And I always add a couple of feeding decoys – sawn-off dabbler butts of mallards and pintails – to serve as confidence dekes in weedy sloughs.

You can rig your decoys with any of dozens of anchor types. What’s your trick?

Andrew McKean
Andrew McKean

Andrew McKean is Outdoor Life’s hunting and conservation editor, drilling into issues that affect wildlife, wildlands, and the people who care about them. He’s also OL’s optics editor, helping readers to make informed buying decisions.

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