Motorized duck decoys work and I can prove it. I was told they don’t work and when fellow hunters see me with mine they laugh under their breath or they give me funny looks like I’m nuts. I feel this is mainly because they are old school duck hunters and they have never even seen a motorized duck work.

I feel most of the bad press for any motorized decoy come from all the bull #$%* advertisers out there that claim the best hunt you will ever have but the truth is you still need regular decoys and proper decoy placement to be successful.

What Motorized Duck Decoy To Use?

There are a few options here and every website and their dog claims they have the best and maybe they do but I can tell you which one has worked great for me. Decoy movement in the water is very important to your success mainly because you are after realism in any decoy spread. Live ducks and geese move in the water or waters edge they don’t just sit motionless. Both ducks a geese have great eye sight and they notice if there is movement as other ducks or geese are grooming and cleaning themselves and this is why motorized duck decoys work so well.

Mainly there is one motorized duck that I use called the Lucky Duck. Why is it better than others? First off the remote control motorized duck decoys that swims around takes both your hands to operate and is only good if you are hunting with someone that doesn’t mind running it for you while you get all the great shots. I know, I was that guy once operating the decoy while my buddies took the shots. Also it kept breaking down because it’s cold and wet and soon I was spending more time fixing it than hunting. It is buried in my basement somewhere and never get’s used unless the kids get it out and play with in the pool.

With my Lucky duck motorized duck decoy I let it run on it’s own and now I can enjoy getting in on the shots when they fly into my floating duck decoys.

Motorized Duck Decoys I won’t Use

I have tried a few different new and flashy motion decoys with little to no success. With that being said I’m sure there are a few people that have used them and liked them, I’m just not one of them. The problem with wind powered motion decoys is that there is no in between. If there is too much motion from wings flying in the wind at 20 miles/Hr ducks will not fly into your decoy spread. If there is no wind, what’s the point of having the motion decoy because it’s not moving.

Motorized duck decoys can be controlled which is why I like them. I like having both hands free so I can still get in on the action.

Motorized Duck Decoy Placement

OK I know there is some debate on this subject and I’m open to any comments or suggestion but I will tell you how I set my motorized duck decoy spread because I know this works.

First I like to use the “U” pattern on the water. I place a mixture of different species of duck decoys from one side of the bulrushes to the other. My duck pond allows me to set them up this way. I always put my lucky duck on the inside edge of the “U” on either side of the center, it doesn’t matter which. The splashing draws the attention of the high fliers and I have seen a low passing group not land into my decoys yet. The landing zone in the “U” shape invites them right in.

Also make sure your decoys are nicely painted up each year. See our post for a quick lesson on decoy paint touch ups.

Others use motorized duck decoys on land but I have always stuck to the water, why mess with something that works just fine.