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Looking to start getting a duck spread together and looking for some input. Looking at Avian X Open/Back water, GHG Pro grade and Final Approach Gunners for some of my options. Affordable is good but just looking for something that will hold up paint wise and quality wise and detail is always a bonus. Let me know what you guys are running, pros/cons thanks!
Iam a bit of a GHG diehard I think we have about 6 dozen floater. Nice thing about Avery is the variety all kinds of species and posture possibilities. I will say the paint isn't the best on them have seen some flaking that being said we are still using decoys that were bought 8 years ago and they haven't been treated well. For field duck decoys the old GHG are hard to beat the new ones are a little smaller but still good
I personally like the Dakota mallards, the durability on the paint has been good, another top choice would be the Higdon line, no paint issue's. If you are going to buy blacks, look at the Avian X Fully Flocked.
+1 for the Higdon full body Mallards. They look great and are very durable!. You should look into buying bags for what ever full bodies or floaters you buy. It will definately extend the life of the decoys.
Also picked up a GHG harvester 12pack of floaters for the next season. Haven't used them yet but they look good. It comes with a bunch of body positions that add to the spread.
I have a mixed bag of brands. I like oversized decoys, with a fixed, weighted keel. The FA gunners are nice. I dont run them, but a good buddy of mine has a full spread and they work good. Nice keels, and they're tough. Ive been running a few dozen tangle free foam filled divers for 3 seasons now, and have no complaints, and I also have GHG dekes that ive been running for years and years. They need the odd patch once in a while, but they've held up well. I think they have the most realistic looking decoys, but no hen divers sucks.
S.
check out my decoy page on facebook.Big Lake Decoys.my decoys are the toughest decoys made from eps foam.last a life time,each decoy is hand painted by me.I was a Canadian and North American Top carver in the 90s
Can't go wrong with Higdon, Dakota or the Avian X, I have all three but they are not cheap, I try to buy a few more each year at around $200.00/doz all in.
I have hunted most...
GHG bought 8 or so this year, out of the box paint was an issue and continued to be so
Higdon.. Nothing bad to say, but there heavy if foam filled.
FA, only had the geese... Worst paint ever... EVER...
Dakota, they are the most durable by far... Down fall is they are big...
That's changing this year, life Size Reds, Cans coming out with Hens, also if you call whoever you are buying from they can special order hens for you, doesn't cost more just need to order them well ahead of time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinker
Had a lot of problems with heads breaking off this year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay-Bird
IMO there is no perfect decoy out there. every decoy has it's advantage is disadvantage.
Personally I have found GHG, old Carrylites and Avian X to be my favorites. That's taking cost, durability, look and how they handle in the wind. One thing i will say about Dakota's is they hold up great in the wind and they look good just not a big fan of the broken heads thing.
The old GHG full body goose decoys are brutal for heads breaking, especially when there cold I had a dead goose smash the decoys and brake two at once, the nice thing is you can buy new heads for 3 bucks a piece so you don't really care if they brake I stopped re-flocking the old heads and just trade them in for new ones. The new GHG heads are super solid have a screw on head style lock down tight don't think I will be breaking many of themQuote:
Originally Posted by boilerguy2412
removable heads and keels on floater decoys is a dumb idea anyways. Who thought of that in the first place? I have some older higdon goose floaters that you can't even pick up and the heads fall off, then you try to wind the line and weight in and the freakin keel falls off. They piss me off to no end!!
Can't beat big foot goose decoys IMO. Floaters or full bodies.
S.
Oh great, another new cool thing that's not available from GHG. Don't get me wrong, I like their decoys, just hate trying to get them sometimes. They really need hens. I'd run 50:50 if they would make them, and have them available. I'm not too fussy about the lifesize decoys though, I like them big. I like the FA gunner blue bills, and the tangle frees so far have been trouble free for me. I like the fact you can shoot them and they don't sink lol. Solid keels, and heads that don't fall off too.Quote:
Originally Posted by boilerguy2412
S.
I really like the higdon duck floaters, the paint holds up well and you don't have to baby them in slotted bags... Dakota also makes a good mallard floater, they are also pretty tough !!!
I hope dakota starts making divers!!
S.
I've recently become a big fan of G&H decoys
Tough as nails