Old School Waterfowl Hunting Techniques People Think Are New

Written by M.D. Johnson

Let’s be honest: there are only so many ways to catch a bluegill or outsmart a mallard duck. Sure, the gear we use might range from slightly to radically new, but the fundamental techniques have likely been around for decades. And when it comes to the equipment itself? There’s a good chance it’s not as innovative as it seems.

Take waterfowl hunting, for instance. With a few exceptions—like the 21st-century spinning wing decoy (SWD) and some of the more advanced non-toxic shot options—most so-called new innovations are actually rooted in older methods. There may be a twist or two here and there, but the core principles behind these techniques? Old news. Been there, seen that, used it.

Want examples? I’ve got examples.

Silhouette Decoys

I’ll go out on a limb and say, with almost 100 percent confidence, that thanks to YouTube and Dive Bomb Industries, silhouette decoys are more popular today than ever before. Yes, even more so than when the late Tim Grounds was setting them up by the dozens in southern Illinois to attract migrating Canadas. He referred to his massive spreads as the “Black Hole” for monster geese, and having hunted over it on multiple occasions, I can attest he wasn’t wrong.

But silhouettes aren’t new. In fact, they’re anything but. My dad and I were crafting our own two-dimensional goose decoys out of cardboard, paint stirrer sticks, and spray paint back in the early 1970s. Before that, East Coast waterfowlers targeting shorebirds like plovers and curlews were using silhouettes as far back as the early 1900s, if not earlier. Commercially available silhouettes from companies like Real-Geese started appearing around 1990, but before that, hunters were cutting their own from plywood, countertop scraps, cardboard, and a plasticized corrugated material known as Correx—often repurposed from political signs after the election.

So, why the renewed interest in this old-school decoy? Simply put, they work.

Jump Shooting

Back in the day, we duck hunters were opportunists. If the birds decoyed, we shot them over decoys. If they didn’t pay attention to calling, we adjusted our tactics. We floated down streams and rivers, hunkered in fencerows, and engaged in a bit of pass shooting. We did whatever it took to fill our straps, including jump shooting.

But like fanny packs and Ford Pintos, jump shooting fell out of fashion. I’m not sure why, though it might be tied to today’s mindset that anything short of using decoys is seen as an abomination. Fortunately, for those of us raised on the art of jump shooting, it seems to be making a comeback. I can’t say it’s fully in vogue yet, but there are definitely more 12-minute YouTube segments dedicated to jump shooting ducks and geese in various scenarios.

So, why jump shooting? Why now? Perhaps it’s due to the content creators’ need to present something fresh to retain subscribers and attract new ones. Either way, jump shooting is apparently cool again—and for good reason: it works.

Jerk Cords and Motion Decoys

Years ago, I hunted snow geese with a friend near Port Susan Bay in Washington State. At the time, Tony’s spread was massive—700 or 800 decoys—each a small plastic garbage bag filled with a rock or clump of mud, spun closed, and set open-end down. Yes, garbage bags. Why garbage bags? They were cheap, they were white, and with a little wind, they moved in a way that mimicked real geese. Occasionally, he’d have someone with a can of black spray paint marking an “X” on the bags to represent primary feathers. He called it realistic, and for that time, it worked.

My point here is about motion, something waterfowlers have been experimenting with for decades. Since the advent of the spinning wing decoy (SWD) in the early 1990s, the focus on motion in decoy spreads has exploded. While the electronics, remote control units, timers, and other modern innovations might seem new, the concept of incorporating movement into a decoy spread is anything but.

Take jerk cords, for example. Today’s multi-decoy rigs may include circuitry and batteries reminiscent of SWDs, but jerk cords themselves? We were using them 50 years ago in Wolfe’s Swamp—just a tomato stake with an eye-screw, some black cord, and one of the Old Man’s original Carry-Lite mallards. Bounce it, and hope for the best, whether it’s half a century old or part of today’s cutting-edge gear. It’s not new; it’s just been reimagined.

Smaller Than 12: A Return to the Basics

Honestly, I’m noticing a trend both online—especially on YouTube—and in print, which seems to be gaining traction. Big spreads, particularly for dark geese like Canadas, have become the norm. This shift is partly due to the rising popularity of silhouettes, such as Dive Bombs, and the convenience of setting up and taking down these mega-spreads. By “big,” I mean 15-plus dozen decoys. Duck rigs may not reach those numbers, but it’s common to see dozens upon dozens of duck floaters, often paired with silhouettes.

However, what’s becoming more commonplace—though still a bit out of the ordinary—are minimalist spreads, or micro-spreads. Think six or eight well-placed, good-looking full-body Canadas, or half a dozen flocked duck floaters accompanied by a jerk cord set in a secluded puddle. These setups emphasize scouting and concealment, as well as the ability to consistently hit what you aim at. The theory behind this approach is that it offers the birds something different to look at—something other than the same old 48 mallard floaters and a pair of spinning wing decoys.