With waterfowl seasons shifting into full gear across the nation and the NASCAR season speeding into the Chase for the Cup there's an intersection of comparison between the two. Contrary to what casual fans believe  the drivers not in the Chase are still racing to win. No one on the track wants to lose and hunters in the field want to bag a few ducks, why hunt if you don't want to put a few mallard breasts on the stove? And just like NASCAR racing and pit crews, the setup is an integral part of making the finish line and for waterfowlers the decoy spread is as important as a fresh set of tires to competing in the field or on the track.

One of the keys to waterfowl hunting is to know where the birds like to sit. On windy days, puddle ducks often sit in small openings in cattail, bull rush or saw grass sloughs, ponds and lakes. They may also sit in small potholes or stock ponds that are low enough to be out of the wind, or in wooded river backwaters where the current is slower and the trees reduce the wind speed. Because these areas are small they usually contain only a few ducks, but on certain occasions there may be several dozen ducks of more than one species of water. Puddle ducks also like to sit in small areas on windy days, and they often prefer to sit on the downwind side of a hill, woods, or vegetation that further reduces the wind speed.

When you are setting decoys on water you should ask yourself how the birds will approach the water to land, where the birds can find protection from the wind, and where can you setup in a covered location that will still allow you a good position to shoot from. If you are hunting small waters, surrounded by vegetation (grass, rushes, cattails, brush or trees) or higher ground, the birds will usually approach into the wind, and land near the upwind side of the body of water. This will often put them on the downwind side of surrounding cover or higher ground, where they also have protection from the wind. If there is a point or bar extending out from the shore, it can also provide protection from the wind for the birds. Knowing this, you should try to choose a shooting location that is on the upwind side of the body of water; you should also be downwind of vegetation, higher ground, a point or a bar.

If there is vegetation where you plan to setup, you may be able to use it to conceal yourself, your watercraft, or a blind with the vegetation. If there is no vegetation, you may have to make a pit, construct a blind of nearby vegetation, or use a portable blind. When the area is bare of vegetation, and you have to use a blind, make sure it resembles the color and pattern of the surrounding area. You should also place the blind where it is not sky-lined if possible, and keep it as low to the ground as you can. The higher the blind is, and the more it sticks up above the horizon, the more visible it will be to incoming birds, especially if they are coming in low.

The following diagrams show a few common decoy sets for puddle ducks and geese. I usually set my decoys in a "J" or fishhook pattern, with a "hole' for the birds to land in. When I hunt ducks and geese I usually have the longer side or shank of the decoy set on the inside, closest to shore, because ducks and geese often sit close to shore.

You've heard when an unexpected victory exclamation "I'd rather be lucky than good?" Personally when I head out hunting putting in extra time to setup decoys and survey field conditions is more about skill.And the luck? I'll leave that to the boys on the NASCAR circuit.