Ducks rest in the lee of banks and the stronger the wind the more they concentrate their numbers. Divers and sea ducks form immense flocks during the roughest weather and these flocks become broken up as groups leave to feed in other waters to get away from the competition.

When flocks of divers are feeding, they are very competitive. Birds in the rear of the flock surface after feeding and find that they are now in the back of the flock. They then leapfrog over the other ducks. It's a constant hopscotch game and that's why bay ducks universally decoy to the head of a spread of decoys.

hese large waters are the place to use classic diver spreads with the bulk of the decoys forming the hook of a "J" in front of the shooter. The shank of the "J" then tails off downwind, 100 yards or more, out to the lanes used by ducks that are usually out of shotgun range from the nearest bank or island.

It takes many decoys to set up this pattern, counted by hundreds, not by dozens. Decoys along the tail of the spread should be set about 5 feet apart and in a perfectly straight line with no gaps. Rigging them on a trotline is the best way to accomplish this, but experienced hunters can set single decoys in a line by allowing the boat to drift with the wind and dropping decoys over the upwind gunwale in a rhythmic routine.

Divers may land at any gap or bend in the straight leg of the "J." Therefore, any wayward decoys must be brought back into line. Even hard-hunted ducks seem hypnotized by a long, straight line of decoys. They lose their fear of objects like boat blinds and cruise to the hook at the head of the decoys, where they drop in front of them or right in among them.

It's easy to shoot decoys when hunting sea ducks and divers because they decoy so low. A gap in the decoys in front of the blind can cause ducks to drop right there. Shortening the hook of the "J" also provides an open shooting area.

Still, decoys are going to get shot. Lee Parsons, a Pamlico guide, showed me his trick for sealing pellet holes. He uses a hot-glue tool to seal shot decoys and it is so easy to do, he doesn't worry about them getting punctured. It's hard enough to hit a fast-flying bay duck without trying to shoot between decoys in the process, so repairing them becomes a prime consideration.

When hunting from a boat blind, smart hunters use fore and aft anchors for stability. Nothing flares ducks more than a boat swinging from side to side. In fact, any movement will scare incoming ducks. If surprised by a shout of "Here they come," you shouldn't reach for a gun or even turn your head. Simply freeze and let the other hunters get some shooting. Parson's words of advice when hunting bay ducks are, "Never let your shotgun leave your hands."