I think it all depends on your situation. Every spot is different. I could tell you what works for me, but it's going to be completely different at your spot, or the next guys spot, and so on. Just because you've been killing ducks for years over the same spread out of your hole, doesn't mean that this set up is the holy grail of spreads. Do the birds want to feed in your hole, or is it just a loafing spot? What do the other people that you are competing with spreads look like that hunt around you? Physically, how many decoys are you willing to pick up/put out on a daily basis? Do you feel that you are in an area they feed and would come into regardless if you had decoys or not, or are you in between where they are and where they want to go and have to "run traffic"? The flight paths differ from every spot also obviously. If you're right smack in the middle of a flyway then you can get away with using less decoys, as opposed to the main flyway being 300 yds away where you would need a ton of decoys and motion just for them to even realize you are there. Being flexible and willing to tweak your spread is the ticket most times. Although, sometimes you might hit the nail on the head the first try and can hunt without making any changes. I believe it needs to start with
1) understanding your situation.
2) Developing a starting point
3) Not being too stubborn to realize that this isn't working and develop a new plan.
4) Don't solely listen to an old persons theory on decoys. Develop your own. S**t has changed from the past, lets face it
5) Brush, brush, and brush. You're absolutely wasting your time if they can see you. If you're in the marsh what kind of shadow does your blind cast?
6) Start troubleshooting
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