I need new duck decoys

[HNTNBUX]

So last year I lost a bag of G&h magnum mallard decoys with the swivel heads driving home on 169. At least I'm hoping that's what happened and not that someone took them while my kids and I ate breakfast. I would be happier if someone found them rather than stole them.

Anyways is there anything new lately that can compare with the durability of G&H and still look good or better? I don't baby my duck hunting equipment like the rest of my stuff so it needs to be durable. What do you guys suggest?

[dan z]

I'm really impressed with the pro- grade ghg. I do put them in slotted bags but there worth it! Love my g&h swivel heads but these pro grades blow there doors with realism

[HNTNBUX]

Is the durability still questionable with the ghg decoys even in the pro grade? Do they need the slotted bags? I like how ghg looks just concerned how long they will still look good.

[Scott M]

Was curious myself about the durability. Love the pro grade look, also the Avian X's. Going to go texas-rigged on my next set rather than slotted bags, so they need to be able to take some rougher handling.

[dan z]

There a lot tougher than the hot buys IMO

[Shane Z]

Last year I bought a doz Dakota Decoys to texas rig and I can honeslty say that these things are awesome. VERY VERY durable and the realism is unmatched. The flocmed heads on the drakes arent that lime green you see on other brands. Go take a look at them if u can or ask someone who has them.

[Seabass77]

I've heard the Dakota's are durable but the price tag on those are steep. At that point, I'd assume just go with full curl decoys.

I think decoy choice depends on where you hunt. If you hunt competitive public land like in Missouri or Arkansas, go with the dakota's or pro grades. If you hunt the dakota's/Minnesota, the G&H will do just fine.

[Seabass77]

FYI - the big C has dekes on sale on their site right now.

[BoxMN]

I just like the G&H for many reasons - easy to wrap, ride water nice, durable as heck, paints lasts a long time (even though my brother likes changing species by painting himself, haha!). I just hate when I used other brands and their goofy sleeping heads etc are a pain to wrap or grab. I turn those into texas rigged

[bassinboy3]

I only run ghg decoys and have put them through hell and back and they still look great! Thats the only decoy ill ever buy. Slotted bags for floaters is more of an option, I dont use one for floaters but I do for my full bodies.

[mrg]

going to try some 72's next season. rapped and painted these two, and working on 6 more. ordered a slotted bag from canvaswork inc, out of new your mills, mn. making the anchor lines detachable. hope they hold up!

[Seabass77]

I like em!

[Scott M]

I just like the G&H for many reasons - easy to wrap, ride water nice, durable as heck, paints lasts a long time (even though my brother likes changing species by painting himself, haha!). I just hate when I used other brands and their goofy sleeping heads etc are a pain to wrap or grab. I turn those into texas rigged

Box, what do you think about doing a wrapping tutorial? Or a wrapping get together some place? Would be cool to see how its done, I've never done it myself.

[TylerS]

Man, I'd love to see a GHG decoy that didn't look like it had been put through a sandblaster after a single season. Only decoys I know that are darn near indestructible AND look good are Bigfoots, but aside from their fullbody goose decoys, you have a tough time trying to find their duck floaters.

Otherwise, Herters (if you can find them) or G&H all the way. I bought four G&H mallards when I worked at Gander Mountain in my teens (2000-01). I'd still have all four if one didn't get shot, and the another didn't float away when my anchor knot came undone. But the two I have left look darn near brand new! The GHGs they ride next to are only a couple years old, but look ancient. I don't have time or space to single slot my water decoys. Talk about a pain in the rear. Plus, I don't know any single slot bags that allow you to walk in four dozen floaters out to a slough in one trip.

I will say I've heard a lot of good things about Dakotas, too, although I've personally only hunted over their field decoys. So far, durability seems pretty solid (looks don't mean much to me, personally, as I think all decoys look like dog doo compared to Muthagoose's masterpieces!)

[Maxxed Out]

The flocked head dakota floaters (XFD mallards) are a great decoy. Flocking is relatively durable but they include extra non flocked heads.

[BoxMN]

Box, what do you think about doing a wrapping tutorial? Or a wrapping get together some place? Would be cool to see how its done, I've never done it myself.

I might be mis-communicating a bit by wrapping I mean the act of wrapping the decoy line around the block to speed up picking up decoys, not the wrapping of burlap around the whole block.

So, you pick up the deke by the head (hands not in water) transfer the deke to the other hand which grabs the keel, then "wrap" the line around the body of the decoy in big figure-8 that go from the head to the a$$, over the back, and it ends up perfectly spaced so the strap weight wraps around the neck. Three "wraps" is about 8 or so feet, 4 wraps in about 12 (depending upon decoy size, of course).

It just pains me when I see people who actually wrap the line around the keel, as it is so darn many "Wraps" and you can't even hold the decoy by the keel when you do that. It is just a PITA and when non-regulars wrap around our keels it messed up the next morning something fierce as the line just flows off the decoy when wrapped in figure-8 style.

The decoys that don't have heads sticking up have nothing to allow the figure-8 to wrap around on the head side, and the decoys with the short squatty necks won't allow a strap weight to wrap aorund them.

Hence, why I love the G&H. Sturdy, ride water great, wrap great

Hope that makes some sense.

[mallardnwalleye]

I might be mis-communicating a bit by wrapping I mean the act of wrapping the decoy line around the block to speed up picking up decoys, not the wrapping of burlap around the whole block.

So, you pick up the deke by the head (hands not in water) transfer the deke to the other hand which grabs the keel, then "wrap" the line around the body of the decoy in big figure-8 that go from the head to the a$$, over the back, and it ends up perfectly spaced so the strap weight wraps around the neck. Three "wraps" is about 8 or so feet, 4 wraps in about 12 (depending upon decoy size, of course).

It just pains me when I see people who actually wrap the line around the keel, as it is so darn many "Wraps" and you can't even hold the decoy by the keel when you do that. It is just a PITA and when non-regulars wrap around our keels it messed up the next morning something fierce as the line just flows off the decoy when wrapped in figure-8 style.

The decoys that don't have heads sticking up have nothing to allow the figure-8 to wrap around on the head side, and the decoys with the short squatty necks won't allow a strap weight to wrap aorund them.

Hence, why I love the G&H. Sturdy, ride water great, wrap great

Hope that makes some sense.

Yep That's the Minnesota-Herters Wrap. The fastest way to wrap individually weighted longer lined dekes. It is how you have to wrap Herters because the keel doesn't stick down. What's funny is that it is a superior way to wrap all dekes yet only those who have had herters do it. I think us duck hunters aren't the brightest bulbs. LOL.

G&H's are great, I still have a bunch that are almost 20 yrs old. Shoo goo, epoxy and paint have worked great keeping them floating and looking good over the years.

[BoxMN]

mallard, yep, its from using the old 72's that got use doing that, we learned from the old guys (now I am old!). My prob with the herters 72's is that if the head gets ice covered there is no way to hold the durned things the body is too big and slippery with ice on it for even most big guys to hold securely. No ice, no probs.

We now have our herters on long lines.

BTW the magnum G&H diver dekes with three wraps will cover just about most water depth I have hunted in in MN, but we have these on long lines too these days. Heck two wraps on those guys will cover most, haha!

Caution, if you use parachute cord on goose decoys this way, when it dries it shortens, and all your geese will be "looking up" hahaha!

[HNTNBUX]

So I got a couple dozen Dakota flocked mallards now and am looking for some divers for a MN spread. I have several dozen old mallard decoys that I painted like blue bills but I would like something nicer when I want to run a smaller "nicer" looking set. I am seriously thinking ring necks since I deer hunt pretty hard in November. Also I typically hunt rice lakes. What are your suggestions.

[TylerS]

My theory on diver dekes is high contrast: dark blacks and light wights. If you have that combo, I don't think the make and model matters as much. Get a bunch of cheap garage sale floaters, and two cans of flat spray paint: black and white. Get fancy with the bills if you must, but I bet a nice spread of those puppies would suck in divers like sago pondweed covered in a scud circus.

[BoxMN]

would suck in divers like sago pondweed covered in a scud circus.

hehe! Makes me giddy even thinking about it

[Feathers Rainin]

If you are intersted in neck decoys get the GHG prograde ringnecks if they are in your budget. The paint holds up steller and they look as realistic as they come.

Bluebills, reds, etc. will decoy to necks and viceversa.

Like others have said you do not need anything fancy for divers. I run some decoys that are ancient and the divers don't mind. That being said, it is nice to kill ducks over pretty decs sometimes.