Duck Decoys?

[mdunc8]

A buddy of mine took me out duck hunting for the first time a few days ago. It's official. I'm hooked. I'd like to pick up a few mallard decoys while they're on sale, but I'm not sure what to buy. I found 12 Avery GHG decoys for $41. They look good, but they're only 13 1/2 x 6 1/2. Would I be better off just buying 6 larger decoys instead? Something like the Final Approach Gunner HD decoys? They're 17 x 8 1/4 and look pretty good too. They're $56 for six on Cabelas website. I'll probably be hunting smaller rivers and ponds, so I don't imagine I'd need a big spread most of the year.

Any advice of specific decoys and where I might be able to get the best price for them would be much appreciated.

 

[tarheel]

Small water, small spread has always worked for me. Placement has the most impact, and that takes some study and experience.

 

[Big Fin]

Any advice of specific decoys and where I might be able to get the best price for them would be much appreciated.

Probably at 6341 Johnson Road, Bozeman, Montana. Got more than I ever use and you still have a beaver skull in my freezer.

 

[MThuntr]

Small water, small spread has always worked for me. Placement has the most impact, and that takes some study and experience.

If you don't jump on BigFins offer; buy a good looking midpriced decoy. I have some el cheapo mallard dekes that work but I always wished I would have spent $20 more some something a little more realistic.

Consider buying six pack of puddle ducks too (teal, wigeon, gadwall). It seemed to help my setups by adding a few "bonus ducks" to the spread

 

[DHaffner]

If I were just getting into duck hunting I would buy 24 GHG mallard floaters for water and 3 Mojo's and 24 Goose decoys for corn. Your best $ will be on gas finding where the birds want to be. The x is far more important than the type of decoy you are using.

 

[cornfed]

You got good advice fron DHaffner.I kill them with less but if I was halfway serious that is what I would do.

 

[Summitthunting]

Wholesale Sports in Bozeman has 25% off all waterfowl gear. Called them and bought a dozen GHG for my nephew. It's not the size of your decoy, but how you use it!

 

[mdunc8]

I was surprised at what my buddy tossed out. I had imagined tossing a ton of decoys and spending much of the morning calling. I think we put out four decoys and he only put the call to his mouth once. We were covered in ducks all morning. I guessing it's typically more difficult than what I sat through as I'm fairly confident there would be no ducks left in the US if it were always that easy.

 

[Nemont]

Having had a decoy fetish for many years now here is my advice. 1 to 2 dozen of what ever decoy you choose, it really doesn't matter. I would take Big Fin up on his offer but go down to the nearest sporting good store and purchase a 12 slot decoy bag for your deeks. It will make your life so much easier keeping your deeks seperated and not in a tangled mess.

We have pounded the snot out of the ducks and these late season birds do not want to see a big spread,, any kind of mojo and calling is kept down to soft quacks and a drake whistle. You don't need a bunch of decoys if you are where the birds want to be.

Nemont

 

[choc dogs]

Take Randy up on his offer. Remember beer is legal tender for all debts between men. That said, buying decoys is something you're going to do for the rest of your life. If you're not hunting large lakes or impoundments, I'd try to find some water keel, they move better with less wind, and weigh less if you're packing them, along with your gun, coffee, cigars, calls, shells, little debbies, dog leash, sunglasses, gps, camera, more shells, jerk cord, and the list goes on and on. Brand is a matter of personal choice or budget, I've got a mix of 3 manufacturers in the 9 mallards I carry most days. I'm in agreement on the puddler pack, some white from widgeons or pintails is visible from a long ways away.12 slot bag like Nemont mentioned is high on the list, and when you start running lines on them, Texas rigging is the way to go, there's a ton of info online, and it sure speeds up setup and pickup, I set mine up that way 10 years ago, and will never go back. As for motion decoys, in small ponds I've done better with jerk strings than with spinning wing decoys, but if you're competing for birds with other hunters who are using them, you can be sunk without one. All of this is my opinion, and it's worth exactly what you paid for it.

 

[jerrym]

these are great for the money- Rogers has free shipping a lot- http://www.rogerssportinggoods.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1091
can't go wrong for 40 bucks

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

Macks Prairie Wings has a sell on ratnow for good decoys. Check'em on line.

But if you want free decoys, I have some in a farmers shed in SK....around 15 doz Snows, 3 doz Canadas and three doz duks....you drive up and get them, meet me in KC and I will give you a doz of each.

We always have a few Widgeon, Sprig and Can (if right area) in our spread to add that great white visibility.
BTW, I hunt over from three to 300 decoys for ducks....just "depends"...

 

[StrutNut]

Finally a topic I can really help on. Duck hunting. I used to do a tone of it. I prostaffed for Avery for 7 years. They do have a solid decoy. I would say find a good used decoy first. Take the advice given. Location is the key and if you are in the right spot, you wont need many. If you are not in the right spot you will want to be close and then the larger spreads will come into play. On a budget the GHG hotbuys can be on sale at $25 - $18 a dozen new. They are heavy. I would use a water keel if you are packing them in. They can be easily made into water keels with a drill. PM me if you have any questions. I too agree with the goose decoys. Mallards come into geese really well, geese will come into mallards but not near as common as the other way around. Big decoys (Magnum size or Super Magnum Size) are a huge help in big water. If you are hunting small water or small rivers they are not needed.

 

[jlmatthew]

GHG makes a good looking decoy, but the paint is crap and I own planty of them, you just have to baby them a liitle, but their "Hot Buys" are a good cheap starter decoy and their light as can be if you have to hump them in somewhere

I knew I would never run more than a dozen decoys where I hunt so I recently went with Dakota Decoys. Look great and you can get them at Rogers pretty cheap

 

[Zach]

I knew I would never run more than a dozen decoys where I hunt so I recently went with Dakota Decoys. Look great and you can get them at Rogers pretty cheap

You bought some Dakota's?:hump:

 

[jlmatthew]

Yes Sir! Their Purdy