Old Squaw Question

Pat M

Pat M

Active member
My hunting partner finally has a large enough boat and motor to feel a little safer to go out furthure on Lake Michigan this year. We'd really like to get a few Old Squaw. How particular are they about decoys? Will our rig of Blue Bills and Buffies bring them in? I know most of the divers aren't to particluar besides maybe Golden Eyes. Would painting a few old Hot Buys (I know wrong shape) as Old Squam make that big of a difference?

Thanks for the help
 
I have shot them using nothing more than clorox bottles painted black. They aren't too picky, at least here on the east coast.
 
They will come in to Scaup decoys or any diver decoy. I would be happy to bring the layouts over some weekend...
 
I have found that old squaw decoy well to old squaw decoys
you get a lot of fly bye's with any type,they will always skirt the outside, but to get them to commit feet down, you have to have some of them out.

with 20-25 oldsquaw decoys and a layout you can really have some fun.
 
Tom, it may be a location or method issue.... layout boats on Lake Michigan.... and no OS decoys = lots of gunning inside 10 yards and feet down
 
could very well be, I have noticed here that mid way thru the season they become a little land and boat shy.

everywhere they go someone is shooting at them.

after a lot of pressure they will not decoy at all to a boat or land.
 
That's what I did, I painted-up a bunch of Hot Buy mallards to be white-wing, black, and surf scoters. I also used hen mallards as-is (for hen scoters), and a bunch of blue-bills (for the black/white effects). I only went once and got 2 white wings, but that was early in the season, so I can't really attest to anything.
 
If you want to be successful on Oldsquaw, you will need OS decoys. They are very species specific. They're a lot like Buffy & GE.
Lou


My hunting partner finally has a large enough boat and motor to feel a little safer to go out furthure on Lake Michigan this year. We'd really like to get a few Old Squaw. How particular are they about decoys? Will our rig of Blue Bills and Buffies bring them in? I know most of the divers aren't to particluar besides maybe Golden Eyes. Would painting a few old Hot Buys (I know wrong shape) as Old Squam make that big of a difference?

Thanks for the help
Click to expand...
 
Amen on the oldsquaws and their own kind! When you see them early in season, still eclipsed, they may be a bit more biddable, but..........A long time ago, partners and i made the observation that squaws decoy to their own--yep, you might get some passes..................
With the number of table good species, other than wanting a pair for mount or study, they are not high on the list of fowl favorites!
Lou, it as eerie how often we tend to agree.
 
Guys... not be difficult.... but I have been hunting old squaw in the area that I am guessing Pat will be for the last 9 years. Until last year I didn't have squaw decoys. The weatherhas been the determining factor. When it was clear and sunny we took squaw... typically 4-5 limits... no matter the decoys... when it is cloudy and choppy... we have to work to scratch out any.
 
I guess it all boils down to specific areas.Where we hunt them out on the open ocean even with OS dekes they always seem to skirt the outside...with only a few dumping in from time to time.
 
Phil,

You and the other fellas may have a communication problem.

The other guys are referring to ducks,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, not the old Indian women you are hunting for, and are so easy to get. :>) :>)
 
Location has more to do with it than anything else. Where I gun divers, Old Squaws typically won't decoy with bluebills or buffleheads. Every once in awhile we'll get one to come in, but its not consistent. With Old Squaw decoys, they dive bomb. Thats why I carved a little rig for this year and made sure that the Old Squaw "features" really stood out. A nice little rig of these guys set off to the side should bring them in regularly.

DSC0666-L.jpg

 
Thanks gentlemen for all the advice. I'll see if I can get some old hot buys painted up for now but otherwise I wont worry about it too much.
 
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