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Started By
Message
Selecting duck decoys
Posted on 10/29/24 at 9:36 am
Posted on 10/29/24 at 9:36 am
What brand duck decoys are yall running in your spreads? What do yall recommend for a decent quality decoy that is light and wont break the bank? Looking for recommendations/advice before buying.
11
Posted on 10/29/24 at 9:38 am to chazzzz4
GHG Pro Grade last forever. Avian X look really good. Almost all of mine are Pro Grades. I may pick up some of the Avian X grey ducks this year.
Posted on 10/29/24 at 10:00 am to chazzzz4
I promise that I'm not trying to be mean here but good, light and cheap normally don't go together.
GHG are "ugly" but last freaking forever. The ducks don't really care about pretty decoys most of the time. Higdon foam filled look great and last forever....but they are heavy. Avian X is light-ish and good quality but not cheap, same with Dakota
I know ducks don't care as much but I'm a fan of quality decoys and then add numbers later. Over a decade the cost of premium pays for itself in not having to replace as often. If I look at the decoys holding water/sinking most of them are the cheaper ones.
GHG are "ugly" but last freaking forever. The ducks don't really care about pretty decoys most of the time. Higdon foam filled look great and last forever....but they are heavy. Avian X is light-ish and good quality but not cheap, same with Dakota
I know ducks don't care as much but I'm a fan of quality decoys and then add numbers later. Over a decade the cost of premium pays for itself in not having to replace as often. If I look at the decoys holding water/sinking most of them are the cheaper ones.
Posted on 10/29/24 at 10:19 am to chazzzz4
Historically I’ve always bought the cheapest decoys I could find. There’s hardly any deals to be had these days so lately I have spent some money on buying American made with G&H.
Honestly, your duck decoys don’t have to look as good as you think they should.
Honestly, your duck decoys don’t have to look as good as you think they should.
This post was edited on 10/29/24 at 10:20 am
Posted on 10/29/24 at 10:30 am to smoked hog
quote:
The ducks don't really care about pretty decoys most of the time.
Got a buddy who kills a bunch of ducks finishing over a spread of 2 liter bottles he spray painted black/white/brown
Posted on 10/29/24 at 10:32 am to Theduckhunter
Killed more ducks over 1990/2000 model old drake mallard decoys painted black, old hen mallard decoys, and a few new pintail decoys than i ever have with friends who hunt the most expensive nicest decoys.
Couldnt agree with theduckhunter's statement more.
Couldnt agree with theduckhunter's statement more.
Posted on 10/29/24 at 11:09 am to chazzzz4
All depends on what you’re doing.
I run lifetime/heydays duck floaters bc they’re light and customers like to shoot them. They’re on the expensive, side but they last forever as long as you can keep the rats from chewing them.
Goose decoys. Dave smiths, I’ve tried them all over the years and no decoy holds birds better than Dave’s. I keep them single bagged and then put them in 6 slots after that, my current ones just started their 5th season and they look brand new. Again, expensive but they’re worth every penny.
I run lifetime/heydays duck floaters bc they’re light and customers like to shoot them. They’re on the expensive, side but they last forever as long as you can keep the rats from chewing them.
Goose decoys. Dave smiths, I’ve tried them all over the years and no decoy holds birds better than Dave’s. I keep them single bagged and then put them in 6 slots after that, my current ones just started their 5th season and they look brand new. Again, expensive but they’re worth every penny.
Posted on 10/29/24 at 12:12 pm to chazzzz4
[quote]What brand duck decoys are yall running in your spreads? What do yall recommend for a decent quality decoy that is light and wont break the bank? Looking for recommendations/advice before buying.[/quot
I am a decoy junkie and I have some of just about every brand that have been made since the early 80's. I don't think it makes any difference. Whatever you can afford will work if you hide correctly and call as little as possible and not at all if you ain't good at it. I haven' counted them in a while but 4 years ago I sold 300 full body Canada/Speck dekes, various brands but mostly Big Foot, 120 full body snow and blue dekes and 120 mallard field dekes...they were, best I remember, Avian X and were damn near works of art....they did not attract birds any better or worse than my 1980 model flambeau floaters with several coats of various kinds of paint on them. If you throw an empty oil can on the water and ducks want to be where you are they will decoy to it.
I am a decoy junkie and I have some of just about every brand that have been made since the early 80's. I don't think it makes any difference. Whatever you can afford will work if you hide correctly and call as little as possible and not at all if you ain't good at it. I haven' counted them in a while but 4 years ago I sold 300 full body Canada/Speck dekes, various brands but mostly Big Foot, 120 full body snow and blue dekes and 120 mallard field dekes...they were, best I remember, Avian X and were damn near works of art....they did not attract birds any better or worse than my 1980 model flambeau floaters with several coats of various kinds of paint on them. If you throw an empty oil can on the water and ducks want to be where you are they will decoy to it.
Posted on 10/29/24 at 12:38 pm to chazzzz4
This is my 44th duck season, I have decoys that are likely close to 44 years old. I haven't bought a decoy in a good 5-10 years. I have upgraded weights to the "Texas Rig" is about all I have done the last 10 years.
My decoys are muddy, chipped some no paint on them any more and we kill ducks over them. Don't sweat decoys. Get what you like and it will be fine.
DEFINETLY do NOT worry about matching species on ducks maybe don't get all mallards and I like some white in the spread (Pintail, dos gris, or canvasbacks) to help them stand out otherwise just get some and go have fun and hope we have ducks to look at the decoys.
My decoys are muddy, chipped some no paint on them any more and we kill ducks over them. Don't sweat decoys. Get what you like and it will be fine.
DEFINETLY do NOT worry about matching species on ducks maybe don't get all mallards and I like some white in the spread (Pintail, dos gris, or canvasbacks) to help them stand out otherwise just get some and go have fun and hope we have ducks to look at the decoys.
Posted on 10/29/24 at 12:50 pm to chazzzz4
If you haven’t purchased any dekes yet, may I suggest a 6 pack of buffleheads. The black and white contrast really pops at distance and any duck species that happens to lose its way and ends up in Louisiana will crash down into your spread to investigate.
Posted on 10/30/24 at 7:07 am to CouyonRougarou
quote:
Got a buddy who kills a bunch of ducks finishing over a spread of 2 liter bottles he spray painted black/white/brown
Well that is what a pile of corn allows you to do.
Since I do not wash of or repaint any decoys, I go to Puglia’s every year and buy one dozen of the “professional grade” decoys. We shoot more teal than anything, and I believe that the better paint makes a difference in low light. Or that is what I have convinced myself of.
Posted on 10/30/24 at 7:41 am to Screaming Viking
quote:
I go to Puglia’s every year and buy one dozen of the “professional grade” decoys.
You spend ~$100 every year on decoys to shoot mostly teal?
This post was edited on 10/30/24 at 7:55 am
Posted on 10/30/24 at 8:03 am to chazzzz4
Brand doesnt matter much to me on decoys.
Cheapest thing that floats
Lots of outfitters will purge their older stuff from time to time. That's where I usually get mine.
Just keep adding to the collection
Cheapest thing that floats
Lots of outfitters will purge their older stuff from time to time. That's where I usually get mine.
Just keep adding to the collection
This post was edited on 10/30/24 at 8:54 am
Posted on 10/30/24 at 8:31 am to chazzzz4
G&H buy american made products that last a long time
Posted on 10/30/24 at 8:50 am to Koolazzkat
quote:
If you haven’t purchased any dekes yet, may I suggest a 6 pack of buffleheads. The black and white contrast really pops at distance and any duck species that happens to lose its way and ends up in Louisiana will crash down into your spread to investigate.
SECOOND this. I use ringneck decoys for the same purpose....at times I will use 6 ringneck dekes and nothing else. When ducks become decoy shy....which means the entire season in most of the south....I think at times smaller spreads that show up make a big difference....
Posted on 10/30/24 at 11:01 am to Theduckhunter
Ha, yeah. We went from nothing but grays and widgeon to nothing but teal and now the grays are slowly coming back.
Posted on 10/30/24 at 11:13 am to Screaming Viking
Consider yourself lucky… we went from nothing but grays and teal to nothing but dosgris!
Posted on 10/30/24 at 1:01 pm to Park duck
The best answer here. I'm hunting over G&H that are literally over 16 years old. I know lots of people don't like their paint jobs, but the shape of the duck looks just like greys sitting on the water. If they flare form the paint job they're right where I want them.
Posted on 10/30/24 at 1:37 pm to AwgustaDawg
quote:One of the things I don't like seeing is a small group of ducks landing well outside our decoy spread. Once there's 3 ducks out there, every group heads straight to them instead of us
at times I will use 6 ringneck dekes and nothing else
Posted on 10/30/24 at 1:50 pm to Screaming Viking
quote:Im the opposite, I dont think it makes a damn in low light at all, I do think with bright sun, at the end of the season a few nice decoys probably doesnt hurt.
I believe that the better paint makes a difference in low light. Or that is what I have convinced myself of.
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