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Author Topic: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?  (Read 8136 times)

Offline Special T

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2017, 12:24:12 PM »
Thanks, so let me ask this. What would pull more birds in- 2 dozen high quality, flocked decoys, or 6 dozen, cheap plastic decoys? Just not sure how many of the good ones I can afford. Another question, are there any issues with mixing really nice decoys with mediocre to poor decoys? Or in other words, is it better to use nothing but flocked decoys?

This is exactly what I do. Put my couple dozen nice decoys closest to the kill hole or on the jerk string, then scatter the rest of the more mediocre ones on the edge of the spread, amongst any weeds/cattails, and away from where the birds will be landing. Good way to maximize your bucks. Invest in a flappy duck and jerk cord and your spread will start to look really nice really quick.
What kind of hunting are you going to do? Is your partner bringing any decoys?

I like the profile mix of older new, different brands to change things up. If it were me I'd probably just get a dozen or 2 hot buys and mix as appropriate.

If your where the birds want to be what you use won't matter as much.

If you can get some white with titanium oxide in it it shows different UV reflectivity and touch up the white with it on the older decoys. 2c

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Offline Stein

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #16 on: December 11, 2017, 12:25:01 PM »
I'm in the same boat, I manage to get on the X maybe 1-2 times a year through blind luck and the rest of the time is scratching it out on public.

You can use the eBay gift cards at Cabelas and it takes some of the sting away.  If you manage to couple that with a coupon or a sale (or both), you can really save some money.

The paint, plastic and overall construction are night and day between Avian X and the cheap ones.  The only problem is that I now have to carry 12 slot decoy bags instead of throwing banging them all around in a big bag like I do with the cheap ones.

I don't have any experience with the other ones, to me the Avian seemed to be the best quality of the ones I could check out in person at the store.

Offline Special T

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #17 on: December 11, 2017, 12:26:15 PM »
The 3 components are presentation, location, and concealment. If you don't have a great location then you need to do as much as you can in the other 2.

Knowing how to call, what to say, and when to say it is of utter importance.

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Offline Hot Lunch

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #18 on: December 11, 2017, 07:00:20 PM »
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Offline HaydenHunter

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #19 on: December 12, 2017, 06:27:04 AM »
I just bought a dozen off the tangle free full flocked migration decoys. Their nice, and foam filled. I like them compared to the all plastic "cheaper" decoy
I am on my third or fourth season with these and I like them.  They are foam filled and therefore heavy, so I wouldn't use them for walk-in hunts.  But they look good, ride the water very well and as a bonus will still float if fragged with shot when you are swatting a cripple.  Various places have them on sale right now.  Maybe Wing Supply or Rogers?

Online boneaddict

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #20 on: December 12, 2017, 08:31:19 AM »

Offline skidynastar33

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #21 on: December 12, 2017, 10:17:49 PM »
If you want middle ground, get decoys with the flocked drake heads and painted body's and hens. I think you can tell the difference at 40 yards and moving. But you defiantly don't need the best.

And if you are on the x it doesn't matter what decoys you have, the problem is in western Washington the x is always on private land you don't have permission. So to be able to look at visually appealing decoys helps!

Offline skidynastar33

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #22 on: December 12, 2017, 10:19:03 PM »
Look at Rodgers sporting goods. And After Christmas - febuary is going to be the cheapest prices of the year. Plan ahead for next year

Offline Special T

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #23 on: December 13, 2017, 09:44:01 AM »
Look at Rodgers sporting goods. And After Christmas - febuary is going to be the cheapest prices of the year. Plan ahead for next year
Yep this^^^
Hunt with what you got and hit the after season sale... I've also found some awesome ammo deals as well.

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Offline bobcat

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #24 on: December 13, 2017, 09:52:08 AM »
Thanks for the tip on Rogers. I'll definitely wait for the sales. I can't afford to buy the ones I'd really like to buy. But I do want some decent looking decoys.

Between my hunting partner and I we've got probably close to 6 dozen but we've only been using the best 3 dozen of those. These are all 30+ year old decoys, I believe, and some are missing quite a bit of paint.

We also need to pick up some new goose decoys when/if they go on sale.

Offline vandeman17

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #25 on: December 13, 2017, 09:53:40 AM »
I may be cheap but I have always run mediocre decoys. Some of my best hunts have actually been over mixed species, brands, sizes etc that I bought for like $20 off craigslist. Spend your money on gas for scouting first and then bit and piece together a better spread as you go.  :twocents:
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Offline Dan-o

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #26 on: December 13, 2017, 10:57:17 AM »
I hunt over a mixed bag of cheap or free ones that I repainted. 

They work.
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Offline Badhabit

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #27 on: December 13, 2017, 11:53:45 AM »
We actually have 4 doz. coot decoys that for some reason the widgeons really love to land in. Other than that I use my CRD's.

Offline ballstothewaal

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #28 on: December 13, 2017, 12:41:09 PM »
Craigslist is a great option! I used to buy all my decoys second hand. I think GHG does a great job of being a middle ground between quality at a good price. They also have like 5 different lines from hot buys all the way up to fully flocked. I always started out buy having a dozen nicer decoys and 2 or three dozen cheaper decoys. that way if you need numbers you can run traffic or just bring out the dozen nice decoys for a small quality spread.

Offline Mfowl

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Re: Duck Decoys - What are your favorites?
« Reply #29 on: December 13, 2017, 02:30:07 PM »
We actually have 4 doz. coot decoys that for some reason the widgeons really love to land in. Other than that I use my CRD's.

Widgeons are nicknamed "robber ducks" because they actively steal from coots and diving ducks that bring food up to the surface. If you glass the large rafts of coots and divers on the Columbia you can see the widgeons at work.
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