[moosecountry]

Hello all,

This post would probably be better in the products forum but that does not see to get as much attention. I am looking to buy some goose and duck decoys. With $$ in mind, can people please offer suggestions on what brands are recommended, style (floating, shells etc) and what minimum quantity I should consider. I live in New Hampshire, so hunting grounds vary from small marshes, puddles, ponds, lakes, and fields basically the geese and ducks can be found just about anywhere, so I would plan to hunt land and water.

Thanks in advance!

Tim

 

[lablover]

For ducks, G&H decoys have served me well. I have some that are 28 years old and the paint still looks good.

For geese, you cannot beat BIGFOOT goose decoys! Most of mine are the "feeder" style, with 1/2 dozen the standard style. I believe the feeders to be more effective when in large groups.

 

[Dave K]

I went with outlaws. You can get a lot more your money than full bodied dekes. They work great, and move with a breeze.

 

[kjrice]

I have been extremely happy with my GHG (greenhead gear) dekes by Avery. They look great and seem to help pull 'em a little better than other dekes I have used. Also, I keep some FUD's (fold up decoys) in the bag for versatility and effect. They move real nice with the slightest of breeze; stick them in the ground or float and adjustable head positioning.

 

[meleagris]

I agree with Richard...G&H is hard to beat. I also have Herters foam decoys which are great if you don't have to carry them a long way, but I have decided are too heavy for day in day out. We recently purchased some of the Greenhead pintail decoys---probably 50% of the paint had come off in 6-7 hunts and I hate the stupid snap in keels---I reccomend avoiding these (also make sure you avoid the Greenhead rigging kits...the plastic decoy line they have shatters in temps below 20 degrees). We also have used carylite decoys which are acceptable if you are able to paint. They will need touchup every season.

For field goose hunting we used a combination of Silouettes and G&H shells.

John
________
Shemale Dick

 

[kjrice]

Get with GHG and they will replace your dekes. I like to use heavy monofilament line for my dekes.

 

[Driftdude]

The Greenhead gear dekes are hard to beat. G&H were the best for many years, but I think they left the door open on realism, and GHG stroked em' with a venegence.
I hated the keels too, until I understood why????

They are heavier in the front than the back to keep them from rocking & bouncing. They are priced pretty well. Plus they have that slick little groove on them to help shorten up your strings.

If you have diver rigs with long strings they have that series of grooves for wrapping em' These things are pretty well thought out. Put your hands on em'' you'll see.

Give those guys a call, and they'll replace em' if the paint went bad.

JT

 

[Ken Guthrie]

Just sold 125 Flambeau's and replaced them with 4 dozen magnum G&H. I agree that the Avery decoys look good butI don't trust the paint holding up just yet.

G&H definately have a long reputation for being the best out there.

 

[Driftdude]

Ken,
Can't argue with that. G&H were the very best for many years, and if you want a decoy that looks like I carved it.......... get em'!
And if ol' KG wants the second best who am I to tell him differently.

Don't blow me up..I'm jst kiddin. G&H are good dekes...no doubt.

JT

 

[meleagris]

Justin:

I agree the greenheads look nice initially but, every one I have seen has some sort of paint issues (some to the point of almost total paint loss). At the same time I got the pintails (last christmas), I ordered 2 dozen mallards. The paint on some of these was flaking off during the process of trying to get the darned keels to go in. I sent them all back. Realism doesn'tdo any good it it doesn't hold up. For me, I'll be ordering G&H in the future.
________
BODY SCIENCE

 

[Ken Guthrie]

Hey JT,

Was at the Texas State and Gulf Coast Regional this weekend with Andy Barnett and Brent Easley.

Danial Duke won the Regional and I can't remember the guy who won state.

How come you haven't called me about my trip to S.D.?

 

[Mike Perry]

Best I know about but have never used personally come in 50 lb. sacks and are mostly yellow. I hear they don't float well but are really effective.

 

[shootem]

G & H and Bigfoot. Look back over the last three years at all the decoy companies and tell me which one had trouble with paint, heads and feet or foot bases. You will not find G & H or Bigfoot in those names.

 

[Driftdude]

Mel,

Sounds like you got a really bad batch???? Did you let the guys at Avery know about this? I promise you they'd love to know...
I've had over 1000 for 2 years with no noticeable problems. This will be my 3rd year in at our midwest camps, and my 4th year at Arkansas camps without any problems.

I know they had some issues with their first year dekes, but since then I haven't heard that????

Coming from Arkansas will just always believed the more the better not worrying about anything but longevity. When things got tough we had to dig in to keep clients happy. I went to Avery, and said hey I have to do something but I can't afford to buy 100 dozen......in one fail swoop... help me out.

They helped me out, and I've been amazed how much having a realistic looking decoy helps. We hunt 70+ days over them in the ice, and snow with clients shooting them etc. etc. and they hang tight. I have another 25 dozen arriving on the 29th of this month of the dry field deke with the motion bases. These things are crazy.....you guys seen these things yet?

Mel, PM me, and tell me more about your experinces with them...if you got the time....I'd like to hear about where they chipped, and what model they were?



Thanks,

JT

 

[Driftdude]

Randy,

I have quite a few Big foots I have been trying to give away for sometime. If you want to drive over from Aberdeen...I'll just give them to you. I can't get my guides to use them anymore.

I'm over in the NE corner close to Sisseton? PM me,, and I'll tell you when I'll be there.

JT

 

[Franco]

I had 5 dozen G & H's. Let two young teens hunt my blind sevearl years ago and half of them had been shot and taking on water.

Switched to the Herter's (Now Cabela) styrofom decoys. So far so good. They are a little heavier but won't sink!

 

[moosecountry]

Hello,

Thanks for all the suggestions! How about how many of each I should consider, I don't have the $$ or space to store 1000's of decoys, what is a reasonable number that I could be successful with that I could pack into the field by myself without a sled or trailer.

Tim

 

[Rick Hall]

While I understand they went through some initial paint woes, GHG duck decoys have benched the G&Hs that were my favorites for some thirty years. The GHGs are simply more realistic. And I've used them commercially for the past two seasons with next to no paint issues.

And I gave my Big Foots to the grandkids. Much as I wanted that investment to pay off, I found we were better off with standard G&H shells, and I now use Hardcore full-bodies when we need super realism. They're another company that shot itself in the foot early on with poor paint quality, but they're stuff's sure worked for me.

 

[kjrice]

G&H makes a good deke, but the realism in GHG makes a difference. I had the paint on my GWT's not hold up and they offered to replace them. My mallards are on the third year and rock solid. The had a few bad runs with the paint and they acknowledged it. The old "hot buys" had some issues as well as others, but in general it is fixed. GHG backs their product up and that goes along way with me. The snap on keels are fine - not the greatest for straight up water use but god enough. It allows you to take them off and use the them in the field. As Justin pointed out, the keel weighting makes a nice difference. I like to use the water keel, but I can snap in the weighted in a jiffy to combat conditions. Out here in S. Nevada every little bit helps! Also, make sure you get a dozen coot dekes to add to your arsenal...just sayin'.

Oh yeah, Bigfoot goose dekes are yesterday's news. They are a good deke, but you can do better. Hardcores are sweet and if you ever get a chance to see the Dave Smith goose dekes - WOW!

 

[meleagris]

I'm sorry to disagree with everyone about the greenhead decoys. The decoys I purchased were purchased near the end of last season and they had paint issues. I'm glad to hear someone else is having/had better luck than we did. As far as realism, I guess the birds in our area are not as sophisticated as in other areas because they decoy over G&H and Herters just fine.

John
________
The cigar boss