Duck Decoys...

[jparrucci]

Ok, I'm looking to purchase some new decoys, as the 2 dozen Remmington Mallards I currently use are pretty generic and I think with the amount of time and effort I put into scouting and hunting I should finally spring for some nicer decoys. From online browsing and looking at stores, I think I am going to go with the Greenhead Gear Life Size series decoys. I like that the keel is weighted and that is has the hook/stop for the line-which is something my current decoys do not and it drives me insane.

I hunt from early to late season, doing some diver hunts up north, and lots of puddle duck hunting south and west of the cities. I see mostly Mallards, with some occasional Green and BWT, Woodies (already have these dekes), and the occasional flock of late season divers. I have only seen on a few rare occassions and Cans or Redheads, not a single pintail or Widgon, and just a few occasional flocks of late season divers (rings/bluebills/buffies)and the occasional Gadwall.

Having a limited budget, what do you think my best plan of attack for buying decoys is? Gander has some of these on sale in the GHG brand online right now, so I was thinking of picking up 6 GWT (not worth buying the BWT as they dont stick around for over a week anyways), at least one dozen Mallards, and then a dozen Bluebills/ringnecks. If you were on a limited budget, would you spring for extra mallards or bluebills? The mallards and Bluebills are the same for a dozen. I can afford to get at least 2 dozen now. Is it even worth buying only a dozen Bluebills? I want to diversify my spread, but if it isn't a useable amount, I'll just stock up on the mallards for now (I even thought of painting the cheap mallards I have now to Bluebills, as those are what I borrow from my dad now.)

Judging from what I see for birds and my budget and current decoys, anyone have an opinion to what I should do? I'm guessing most people like the GHG decoys, just want to make sure those are a quality brand too at a reasonable price.

Thanks!

[quackersmacker]

Is this Jim? In any event, you should buy a reputable brand, so they will be around for a while and you can add decoys as you get the cash. I have always had good success over as many bluebill deocys I can throw out. As for mallards, I believe your location is more important then having lots of decoys out. Just my two cents, good luck!

[Superduty]

Spend money on quality mallard decoys but don't worry about getting spendy diver decoys. Just make sure they have some white on 'em.

[Seabass77]

I might consider spending the extra money on getting some G&H decoys instead of the Green head gear. The Green Head Gear have the best realism but don't hold up unless you individually bag them in slot bags. The G & H dekes are much more durable.

[HNTNBUX]

I was going to get the Green Head Gear decoys this year too, until I opened the box and saw that the paint was rubbing off just from the shipping. I am not that careful with my decoys.

I ended up getting more G&H magnum deocoys with the turnable heads and they are durable. I have had some for over five or six seasons with no paint issues.

I would get all the best mallards you can get and if you want divers you can just paint up the old mallards. I would not buy any teal decoys at all because they are not as visible as the magnum mallards. I would go with quality instead of quantity and build as you can. For mallards if you are not opposed to them the spinning wing decoys are worth their weight in gold, and the same price as a dozen decoys.

[koonie]

G&H all the way!

[Cold_blood]

i on the other hand have had great success with ghg decoys and i just throw them around and abuse them and what not had them the past two years no problem....

i've found if your lookin to increase numbers get the "hot buy" decoys from them a lil smaller but i think it helps simulate real ducks since they aren't all the same size...

[dan z]

g/h all the way. they hold up really well the paint has never chipped off of mine. the old ones I have look just as good as the new ones I have. If your like a normal duck hunter those GHG are going to be toast after the first year. And always remember numbers always beat size. stay with lifesize if you can...

[Eric Wolf]

I have yet to have any problems with my GHG LS or Hot Buys in over 4 seasons of hunting from Canada down to Missouri. They hold up great and the paint schemes are 2nd to none.

[The_Duckslayer]

I have G&H decoys and have been very happy with them. I have used them for about 12 years now. They are a little worse for the wear but they still look dang good. I am not super careful with them but I don't abuse them when putting them in and out of the decoy bag.

One thing that I have found is do not spend a lot of money on Wood Duck decoys. I have some that I always set out early in the season and 98% of the time the woodies land in the mallard decoys anyway. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[BoxMN]

g/h all the way. they hold up really well the paint has never chipped off of mine. the old ones I have look just as good as the new ones I have. If your like a normal duck hunter those GHG are going to be toast after the first year. And always remember numbers always beat size. stay with lifesize if you can...

Agreed with the G&H guys. Also, that line grabber is nice on the GHG, but the "hook" on the G&H works better doing the same thing. You just drop a half-hitch on it and walla, your line is shortened. Also, the GHG line "pincher" will cut tanglefree cord and it occassionally pops loose. The half-hitch will never let go and easy to un-do. We have both brands, and G&H is the one we always use no matter what, and the only ones we buy know.

Good luck with whatever you get. They all will work, and painting them is actually kinda fun - at least when your brother does it all for you, ha!

[jparrucci]

Hey Ryan! Small world huh? I'm going to have to get up your way sometime next fall and chase some birds. I'm think I have decided on a dozen Mallards (brand still yet to be deturmined, and I'm gonna start adding some Bluebills. Thanks for the input!

[goetler]

G&H is the way to go. I bought a couple dozen back in 94 and have had great luck with them, and I am not very nice to my decoys. They get tossed, stepped on and anything else you can think of. I have some GHG and the paint was chipping after the first year. I also have some Biggfoots too and when it is time to buy more I will be sticking with G&H. I do not buy things to baby them. They are going to get abused and they better hold up to it. The only problem I have with G&H is that when you shoot a cripple in the dekes they don't stop the shot I too would stick with the standerd size too.

But for goose dekes I would stick witht he Bigfoots. By far the best for durability hands down. Enough said.

[Tyler23]

yea i agree. spending a few more bucks is well worth it if you use your decoys alot like i do. i have a few dozen g&h magnum mallards and i would never get anything else they are the strongest ones you can get. the ghg ones look nice but they never last half as long as g&h...

[quackersmacker]

It is a small world! I have G&H, and like everyone else says, they are the best. The paint lasts longer, they float great, even in rough water, and they are durable. They are a bit spendier, but worth it! Give me a buzz or stop by on your way to/from the cabin, we will wack some ducks next fall!!

[Roosterslayer05]

Yep, G&H are def. the most durable, my buddy has a dozen and they are great.

[Junkyard Dog]

Don't tell anybody that secret.

[BucksnDucks]

What about Herters? Has everybody forgot about these or what? I've noticed alot of ppl like G&H, and I think there a good plastic decoy, but compared to a herters there nothing. No plastic decoy out there will take a spray of pellets and still float not only the rest of the day but the rest of the season like a herters. If you want to see a decoy ride a 3 ft. wave and not roll over, get urself some herters.

[Tyler23]

What about Herters? Has everybody forgot about these or what? I've noticed alot of ppl like G&H, and I think there a good plastic decoy, but compared to a herters there nothing. No plastic decoy out there will take a spray of pellets and still float not only the rest of the day but the rest of the season like a herters. If you want to see a decoy ride a 3 ft. wave and not roll over, get urself some herters.

yea but they dont look half as realistic. my uncle has a doz of them and i hate using them! not only are the ones he has look weird they also dont have a keel to wrap the weight around so you gotta try and wrap it around the whole body? personally ill stick with my g&h

[BucksnDucks]

There is a certain way that they need to be wrapped yes. That I do agree on, but once you've got it figured out its a breeze. I wrap my from the chest around the neck back around the tail. Tanglefree line makes it much easier compared to the regular string. I think that to many ppl are caught up in the whole "realism" scheme. Ducks have good eyes yes, but when there that close to pick up minor feather detail, well boys they should have already had the hammer put down on em!

[BoxMN]

Bucks, we do have Herters as well, and used to have lots of them. They are nice, they ride waves nice, but honestly they are a PITA to wrap when it is freezing ice. The 7200s are just too big when iced up to wrap and the only thing you have to a hand can grip is the head with a quarter inch of ice on it (and we wrap figure 8 style on all our dekes, goes quicker and comes off easier, as you mention). The other thing is the heads come loose easier and kind of spin. Of course you can tighten them.

I agree with you on the paint and realism. Placement and wind is much more important in my eyes. I like Herters, but if I got them again I would get the msaller size. Nothing gets a guys swearing like trying to wrap a frozen 7200 bluebill deke while rowing in whitecaps! ha!

We changed from Herters to G&H, with some forays into GHG and even cheap flambeaus, and now all our herters go on the string, so we don't have to wrap them ...but, we have never sank a Herters, that is one good thing The GHG are either paint free or pretty close, the flambeaus are all broke and the Herters and G&H remain.

[Tyler23]

yes the herters are pretty much unsinkable just my personal opinion that i like g&h better im not saying im right i just like using those better for my situations. they may work better for other people though and thats fine by me.

[The_Duckslayer]

What about Herters? Has everybody forgot about these or what? I've noticed alot of ppl like G&H, and I think there a good plastic decoy, but compared to a herters there nothing. No plastic decoy out there will take a spray of pellets and still float not only the rest of the day but the rest of the season like a herters. If you want to see a decoy ride a 3 ft. wave and not roll over, get urself some herters.

If there are 3 foot waves out there I am not taking my duck boat on the water anyway! I have G&H and I like them a lot. It's kind of like if you have them and they work then they are a good deke for you. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Roosterslayer05]

Originally Posted By: BucksnDucks

What about Herters? Has everybody forgot about these or what? I've noticed alot of ppl like G&H, and I think there a good plastic decoy, but compared to a herters there nothing. No plastic decoy out there will take a spray of pellets and still float not only the rest of the day but the rest of the season like a herters. If you want to see a decoy ride a 3 ft. wave and not roll over, get urself some herters.

yea but they dont look half as realistic. my uncle has a doz of them and i hate using them! not only are the ones he has look weird they also dont have a keel to wrap the weight around so you gotta try and wrap it around the whole body? personally ill stick with my g&h

Does realism really matter that much? I hunt ducks over 30 days of the season and I shoot plenty of ducks over my decoys; Carry lite mallards that are about 40 years old. I honestly think people are too concerned about realism. I have had fantastic days in a spot I hunt that has about 15 stumps sticking out of the water that are approx the size of ducks and geese. Put a wind spinner/mojo in with the stumps and ducks are in your face! I have set up decoy spreads in the past a hundred yards from these stumps just too watch all the ducks that fly by commit to the stumps, they get about ten yards over the stumps, realize they arnt ducks, and fly away. I dont even bring decoys down to that spot anymore because the stumps are all you need. No way those stumps are more realistic than decoys! Just my two cents on the realism subject.

[Musky Buck]

You could probably put an ad out as many such as myself have decoys that have collected dust for the past 10 years or so. Many have given up the duck hunt.