Step 5:  With the other end of your anchor string, repeat the bight loop described in Step 1.  Make sure that your loop is big enough to pass the anchor through it, otherwise you will not be able to complete the knot.  Pass the anchor through the loop as depicted.

Step 6:  Pull the anchor string tight at the pedestal end, passing the knot through the loop.  Shorten any excess string and melt over as described in Step 4.  Your anchor string is now complete, as depicted, and ready for winding up.

Step 7:  Wind up your anchor string starting under the tie-off loop, progressively winding down until all of the string is wound up as shown.  This will ensure that the anchor unwinds properly the next time you use your decoys.  This also allows you to simply unhook your anchor and throw your FUD^® in.  The anchor will automatically unwind to the tie-off point.

Step 8:  Hang the anchor over the top of the pedestal, pulling lightly down into the locking notch.  This locks your anchor string into place, preventing it from unwinding and getting tangled up with other decoys.  If the anchor will not reach the locking notch, simply unwind one loop off the pedestal and try again.  If the anchor hangs too far from the pedestal, then wrap it around the pedestal neck to take up any slack.

Wind and Waves

The FUD^® design evolved in an attempt to address many of the failings of conventional decoys. The solutions found however, do require certain knowledge about decoy positioning, and of FUD^® characteristics.

FUDs^® have been designed to respond to the slightest breeze, giving you a moving set.  The design of the pedestal keel results in far less surface area below the water line than with full length aqua or sand keels on plastic floaters.  In wind and waves, there are two styles of setup used to properly deploy your decoys to combat the elements.  By chaining your decoys into a line or by necking them as single birds, you should be able to present the most realistic appearance to any birds flying past.

Chaining

FUD^® anchors can be used in one manner not seen before with floating decoys.  By simply taking the anchor of one FUD^® and dropping it through the pedestal slot of another, you can daisy chain your FUDs^® into a line of decoys with a single base anchor at the start.  While this practice was developed to combat wind and waves, it is particularly useful when hunting from sneak boats, or over rivers or streams where the water current is an issue.  Chaining can also be used for dry land hunting on swamps when your waders leak or the water is too deep to be waded.  From the windward side of the swamp, run a chain of FUDs^® out with the wind, away from your shooting position.

To enhance your decoy set's appearance, it is recommended that you vary the distance between birds by locking off their anchor strings at different lengths.  Once you have chained 6 to 8 birds together, simply tie off the anchor of the lead bird to a stump, log, or by burying it in the mud.  You will notice that all of your decoys are forced to pull into the wind, allowing the wind and waves to pass through them, thus eliminating the pitch and roll effects seen with full body plastic floaters.  You will also notice that your decoys will still swim from side to side creating a more realistic set from front on or behind.

Necking

The second method used to better set decoys to perform in wind and waves, is that of "necking" the birds into the wind.  Necking must be used in harsh conditions and is recommended in all conditions for best response.  Simply unwind your anchor and pass it over the neck of the decoy before dropping it into the water (see diagram to the left).  This practice brings the effective tie-off point further forward and higher up on the decoy, eliminating the sideward pressure on the FUD^® and greatly reducing the tendency to list in wind.  And to attain the best performance in harsh conditions, "looping" the line around the decoy's neck should be done in addition to the necking procedure.  This is especially true for the Canada Goose magnum decoys.  Create a loop by twisting the line and passing it over the decoy's head and onto the neck.

By necking your birds into the wind, you are positioning them in their best possible form to deal with wind and waves.  Because of the FUD^®'s hollow front section, wind and waves pass through the decoy, thus avoiding the pitch and roll effect seen on all other full fronted decoys.

Necking also introduces a motion effect that can greatly enhance your decoy set appearance.  The vast majority of floater decoys have keels with tie-off positions forward and aft.  These force the decoy to follow the direction of the wind or current.  Necking leaves the effective tie-off point offset to center creating a paravane effect.  The decoy will thus tack to one side until it is once again heading straight into the wind or current.  Once there, it will come about onto the opposite tack and paddle around 180 degrees until it again points into the wind or current.  With each of your decoys independently paddling about in this fashion, in different postures, you can create a very effective moving set of mixed posture birds and the most realistic decoy set to be seen on the swamp!

General Tips

• When using FUDs^®, use their multi-posture capabilities to your advantage.  To achieve a decoy spread that stands out to the bird in the air or from other spreads, adjust your decoy necks and stakes to introduce as much variation as you can.  The built-in pivoting stake can be positioned forward, center, or to the rear of the base to emulate feeders, swimmers, floaters, or birds at rest.  When used in the field, the stake can be hammered or pushed by hand into hard or soft ground, or folded into the decoy for use on solid ground or ice.  Combined with the moveable heads, a large range of land postures such as standing, feeding, preening, and resting, can also be created.  Posture combinations are virtually limitless, so don't be afraid to experiment!
  

• You now have a single decoy that works both in and out of the water, again use this to your advantage.  Unless you are out in open water, use your environment to improve your set.  Along with your swimmers and feeders, place some on logs or stumps as shells, and others as standing or feeding birds waddling along the water's edge.  This will emulate how most ducks are seen in the wild.

• Mix and match your spread to suit your hunting conditions.  If you typically see three or four different species in a location, then set your decoys to match.  Remember that waterfowl will tend to group together with their own kind, so do the same with your decoys.

• Match your calls to your species of decoys.

• Try to set up your decoys down-wind from your hunting position.  FUDs^® will naturally head into the wind, as do most incoming birds when they are looking to land.  If you are hunting in a strong wind, then this is essential.

• Spread your decoys out, leaving an open area in your "hot zone".  This is where you want the birds to pitch in, and it's your decoys' job to make it look like the best place to land.  Frightened birds tend to "bunch up" before taking off, so if your decoys are too close together, your set will signal an alarm to incoming birds.  

• Don't underestimate the power of confidence decoys such as crows, herons and seagulls.  These decoys are valuable assets to attracting game birds to what appears to be a safe environment.

• Get some of our purpose-designed carry hooks (called FUDslingers™) for the transport and storage of your decoys.  These will allow for hands-free carrying, on-the-spot deployment, and easy storage of your FUDs^®.

• Practice your FUD^® deployment and packing up without looking at the decoy.  All FUD^® decoys are right handed, meaning that when you pick up your decoy from the rear, the unfolding tab is on the right hand side.  With a bit of practice, you'll be able to deploy and pack up in a fraction of the time of other decoys, and even be able to do so in the dark or with gloves on!

• Modify your hunting coat for your FUDs^® and FUDslingers™.  You'll find that FUDs^® are best carried under the arms or on the hips, where they will not clatter from your walking motion.

• Set up a FUD^® storage area at home, in your garage or work shed.  This is nothing more than somewhere to hang your FUDslingers™ that are holding your decoys.  You shouldn't need to remove your decoys from the FUDslinger™ at any time other than when they're in use.

• Keep your FUDslinger™ in a secure place when your decoys are deployed.  An empty FUDslinger™ can fall off a belt or D-ring in the field and nothing is harder than trying to carry a dozen individual decoys because you've lost your FUDslinger™!

• Lay your FUDs^® flat when transporting them in your vehicle to prevent them from swinging and rubbing together.

• Write your name and telephone number on the white inner panel with a permanent marker.  This will help to identify your FUDs^® from those of your fellow hunters, and may help locate them in the event they become misplaced.