Back to basics: duck call, a few decoys, waders, camo jacket, and a shotgun & some steel shotshells.
I started hunting with what I've listed above....I was in high school/college at the time, so I didn't have any extra money for boats, expensive calls, etc. Still blowin' on the $5 yentzen duck call I bought so long ago.....and the ducks still come to it.
I've come full circle....I had the spinners, a plethora of boats, flocks of decoys, etc. I'm slowly whittling down what I have.....one boat will be going on the block next spring, as well as a few decoys. I can only put out so many by myself, anyway.
The spinners: Worked great for a year or two....they everybody and his brother got one. The ducks associated them with gun fire (those that survived....and there were a LOT, as a lot of idiots think that duck hunting HAS to be a long range game, when it really doesn't), and started flaring the moment they saw them.
Calls? Never heard a $200 one that sounded any better than a $20 one, at least to the ducks.....can't say about those fancy callin' contests. I do like a call made out of wood, however.....wood FLOATS!!! Drop your acrylic call in the water some time and see how easy it is to find!!!!
Good luck this fall....keep us posted.
