It was only a matter of time before someone thought of using a kite as a decoy. Kites move as the velocity and direction of the wind shifts, and their very high profile makes them extremely effective at attracting waterfowl; too, several kites can be flown over a large water or land spread, creating the illusion of waterfowl cupping their wings. The several models currently on the market resemble the various waterfowl species.

A hybrid of the kite and the windsock is the wind-powered "flapper." Elevated on a stick, this type of decoy features wings made of fabric stretched on frames that appear to move like those of a real bird when the wind blows.

Several manufacturers have introduced extremely realistic wind-powered spinning-wing decoys that are less prone than are battery-powered models to stop spinning because of malfunctions. It really wasn't a long leap from a child's windmill toy, or the spinning-wing duck seen on many mailboxes across the country, to a decoy with wind-propelled wings. Wind-wing decoys are quieter, lighter and more resistant to damage during transportation to a hunting area than are electric models. The downside: A windless interlude can render them immobile.

Setting a decoy or decoys above the rest of the ground-based spread on a limber fiberglass, reed or wooden rod is a great idea. The illusion of waterfowl rising up and setting down, essentially playing hopscotch during competitive feeding activity, is very realistic when using these.

Limber sticks for raising decoys above the grass or stubble are nothing new; long reeds were used for this purpose with the old primitive garbage-bag balloons. At least one manufacturer makes accessory poles designed specifically for the purpose. Shorter versions inserted into shell decoys make the decoy bodies move up and down as if they're dipping to feed.

For many years, enterprising hunters have cut, shaped, strung and wired hard-bodied decoys onto pivoting or swivel bases to create motion in land and water sets. But some of the newer full-bodied decoys introduced by the top decoy makers have to be seen in action to be appreciated. Equipped with bases made of heavy steel rods bent to provide a stable platform, and so well balanced that they pivot and turn with the slightest of breezes, these decoys feature bodies painted in incredibly lifelike colors and patterns. Especially suitable for shallow water such as is found in flooded rice fields or on sandbars, they impart an air of realism to any spread even when set along the bank of a water spread.

ELECTRICALLY-DRIVEN DECOYS
Although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows the use of electric decoys for hunting waterfowl, several states -- Arkansas, California, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington -- have enacted complete or partial bans on the use of electric decoys for hunting waterfowl. Check with your state game department for regulations regarding the use of electric decoys since they may change at any time.

An effort to ban electric decoys on the Mississippi Flyway failed. Some have argued that the take of waterfowl is too high in the northern states along the flyway, as the birds passing through these have yet to become wary of them, with the educated survivors continuing on into more southerly states. Certain studies have shown that these electric decoys are only effective during the initial portions of the hunting seasons, which may back up the argument. But no documentation of electric decoys detrimentally affecting the overall status of waterfowl populations is known to exist, and hunters can use them in most states.