Full Body Goose Decoys

[longbeard34]

What do you guys think the best full body goose decoys out there are and the pros and cons of them? Thanks for any info

[guppie]

FFD's.

When you buy these dekes they come with a slotted bag to carry and store which will keep them in better shape much longer, not to say that they don't last, they do. But if you are rough with them they will get beat up. The problem with any full body dekes are storage and hauling. I recommend get a few buddys with the same interests to help out with the finances. Good luck

[Quackaddict9]

I'll second the FFD's if you are in for bagging and baby them a little bit. I have a couple dozen lessers and they work great, $70 cheaper than the life size and easier to carry, less space for storage room, big geese land in them too!

I'll also give the nod for Dakota Decoys, I've hunted over them a couple times, great decoys, you can kick them, beat them around...tough decoys like Big Foot but Dakota Decoys have more realism.

there are many FB's on the market.... like Guppie said, get your friends with same interests to split up on costs and have a couple doz decoys yourself will help out a ton.

[Seabass77]

I have GHG pro grades, hunter series, and bigfoots. The bigfoots are the most durable, but not as realistic as the FFD's. The bigfoots are also the most difficult to store and don't have the motion system. That being said, they are also the easiest to deploy since you simply just put them on the ground and your done.

The progrades are also not quite as realistic as the FFD's but are very close and have all the other qualities of the FFD.

The very best decoy though have to be Dave Smith Decoys but you need to win the lottery. If you are looking to add just a few to a spread, I might consider it but otherwise a decent spread of DSD's would cost a fortune.

[Joe28]

I would say big foots for sure. Not too expensive, very durable, and easy to set up. However, if you are really going to take care of your decoys and you don't mind taking a little while longer to set up, I would go with GHG.

[longbeard34]

Is it true that the GHG paint chips easy and fast?

[Superduty]

I've hunted over GHG, final approach, Big Foots, Higdon's... The Big Foots are hands down the most durable. GHG are the most realistic. If you buy GHG or Final Approach you will have to buy slotted bags or the paint will come off. If I were buying a new spread from scratch and space/storage wasn't an issue, I would get Big Foots. They are much easier to load/unload and set up. Just throw them in the trailer and forget about 'em. It takes a lot of time bagging/unbagging GHG decoys as well as setting up the motion stakes or stands. Mix in a couple dozen motion decoys from either GHG or Big Foot to add some movement if you like.

[brittman]

The over realism is designed to attract hunters not the hunted. IMHO there is no way the geese can tell the difference at 30 yards to 40 yards and further out. Same with the duck decoys. The geese are either dead or have spooked because of movement, etc...

The "perfect" realism decoys I assume are design to closer appoximate stuffers (stuffed geese). But what gives the stuffers a different look is that feathers and plastic have a different shine in the sunlight.

Flocking gives plastic decoys less shine...

Motion is a separate issue ... do not need ultra real decoys .. just movement ...

[Quackaddict9]

Realism is one of the most important thing as season goes on, IMO.

Dakota Decoys are the way to go if you want to beat em around, and they have great paint scheme that looks different from different angles. You can't go wrong with big foots either.

Quote:

It takes a lot of time bagging/unbagging GHG decoys as well as setting up the motion stakes or stands

It doesn't really take that long. But if you have to be at church by 8:30 am, maybe pack up a little earlier. Most days I hunt over GHG's 90% of the time.

Quote:

Is it true that the GHG paint chips easy and fast?

for some they have, but for me the last 4 years my GHG's have held up well, they were not bagged but the FFD's have always been double bagged in 6 slot bags

[Superduty]

I've heard good things about Dakota Decoys also. Havn't hunted over them personally however.

Realism is one of the most important thing as season goes on, IMO.

Realism never hurts, but the boys that get paid to kill 'em late season in Rochester swear by numbers, numbers, and more numbers.

[Quackaddict9]

Yes that is true, later the year goes on...the birds form in larger groups than Sept/early Oct and bigger spreads are better (as I have experienced). I was just stating Realism was one of the most important thing as season goes on, meaning there are other things too!

Concealment

Decoy placement, #'s, feeder:active/looker ratio

good calling

good decoys

movement in the spread

[stretch]

i personally don't like the dakota decoys. i run avery's most of the year and then i will mix my ffd's in with dave smith decoys and i have great success during the late season.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

ive hunted over ghg hunter, prograde, and ffd honker and lessers, hardcores, fa lessers, bigfoots, and dave smiths this fall...my opinion is: buy lessers (any brand). they take up less space and you will still shoot just as many if not more honkers. i really like the fact that the hardcore and fa have motion stakes that can stay with the decoy. that being said, i wasnt impressed with my fa's or the hardcores range of motion. i currently own ghg and fa. the paint is fine on my ghg's, but the heads are starting to crack at the bases. sheet rock screws fix that. the fa's had paint chip because the six slot bags provided with them were too tight and after trying to force the sixth decoy in i said forget it and only run 5 per bag.

[TDomaille]

I have hunted over several different brands of decoys over the years. Bigfoots are by far the toughest and most durable. I still use some that were molded in 1985. I use them most everyday in the fall and throw them in and out of trailers.

GHG and others are nice looking and work great, it is just what you as a hunter want. I personally do not have time to bag and be careful with the decoys.

[Eric Wolf]

All I buy is GHG FFD Lessers. Cant beat them. Lessers are definitely the way to go.

[fish4cats]

I totally agree with the movement thing.

Use whatever fullbodies you want, but add in a few dozen GHG shells on motion stakes and a couple of flags along with good calling and your good to go. Oh and dont forget to be where the birds want to be! lol

[mikey03]

hands down DSD's (dave smith decoys) just switched our spread to them last year! can't beat the realism! If you guys can spend a little more money ..I promise you wont be let down!

[carpshooterdeluxe]

dave smiths might be the cats meow at ten feet; but from 80 yards the only difference you can see between a dsd, hc, fa, or other brand is posture. im not sold on them until i have a chance to hunt over them more and be shown that they are the difference maker. consider me a doubting thomas until then...

[Quackaddict9]

I've heard a couple guys selling their DSD's because it was too easy, they felt like that. I thought that was odd but DSD's are awesome decoys but the price is too high. Buying 4 per month would be ideal for me!

I'll stick to FFD's they kill just fine. I still us GH shells and they kill.

The Texas guys still use black 1/2 tires with white strip marking to look like the tail part, still down their share of geese!

Most decoys will kill, but sometimes Realism is the key come later in the year as it goes on.

[Bryan Tetrick]

The last 2 year i have hunted over GHG shells and did good and this year i started buying dakotas and like them alot but i think you should just pick a decoy that you like a go with it. If you have confidence in your decoys is all that really matter. I know black and white silos kill geese so buy what fits you.

[wakeguy]

After many years blessed by ND geese and coming back to the home state of MN, I would say that motion is the most important part. The majority of my spread is Bigfoots because of the durability but I can tell you that success is far higher with some motion decoys spread through the spread. We often argue what is more important, a flag or a call and I would leave my call at home before I'd ever forget the flag. Anyway if you can't afford a full spread of fully flocked motion decoys I think it is worth getting a few dozen regardless of the brand.