Duck Decoys

• Jan 18, 2005

• #1

dutchman

Senior Member

With the end of the waterfowl season coming up pretty fast, the end of season sales on decoys are getting started.
That being the case, I was interested in what decoy brands you'll be looking to add to your spread and which brands you'll avoid like the plague. I have read in other forums about problems hunters have had with this or that brand of decoy and wondered what your experience has been.

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #2

Nick_T

Banned

I'd stay away from Greenhead Gear Deks for awhile, 'til ya don't hear about folks fussing about the paint problems with them anymore. I've had paint problems on woodduck deks from them, they made it good and sent me some to replace the first set I bought and be durn if the replacements did the same thing, paint chipping/fading. Best plastic dek out there is probably G&H, followed by Flambeau then Carrylites. If ya really are gettin into this bigtime ya might want to look into some custom cork deks but they're gonna be $$$$.

Nick T

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #3

N

Nitro

Banned

G&H have replaced all "other brands" in my shed.

May want to wait on buying decoys. After the dismal Duck season across the country , The USFWS will do "something" next year. Probably limited harvest and a reduction of days.

Probably too little, too late. Ducks as a resource are in dire straits.

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #4

Nick_T

Banned

agarr, the ultimate waterfowling realist. Might wait 'til the beginning of next season before I yard sale some of my equipment, get it when the demand is up a bit ya know. I'm doing my part by pretty much folding shop.

Nick T

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #5

dutchman

Senior Member

USFWS redux

We've seen them work before. 3 duck a day limits, remember? Most of you do. A bunch of folks quit duck hunting back then and started again when the limit went to 6 a day a few years back.

What I hope is that it's a cyclical thing with the duck numbers. But if the wildlife managers nationwide and in Canada don't get a handle on the habitat problems, it may well be as Agarr says, "too little, too late."

But I have friends who talk about how it was back in '99 like that was ancient history. So, I will hold out hope that it can be turned around.

Banning spinners is a start, I think. We'll see what else "they" think will work.

But, I enjoy it way too much to quit.

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #6

N

Nitro

Banned

The number of hunters isn't the issue . Those appear to be down some already.

It's poor recruitment and the changes in the prarie pothole and Canadian prarie regions.

That and overharvest of young birds...........

No matter what cause you believe, the birds are not here..

Nick, don't give up yet. You need to go west or way north with me next year... Don't forget- we have a crow hunt soon. That should get your blood up

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #7

dutchman

Senior Member

Not here to argue with anyone. Didn't mean to start anything with anyone.

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #8

N

Nitro

Banned

Me either................. We can ride to Nick T's yard sale together as an effort towards developing a common bond LOL!!

Or you can join us for a crow hunt. Nick and I may very well be doing a lot more of that next year..

To your original question- buy G&H- made in America...... best plastic dekes there are.

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #9

G

Ga-Spur

Senior Member

I hope all of you are already Ducks Unlimited members . If you are not please join and help us to help the ducks.

 

• Jan 18, 2005

• #10

U

UWGduck

Senior Member

G & H decoys are the only way to go.

 

• Jan 19, 2005

• #11

Nick_T

Banned

Lookin forward to that hunt AG, and this year when the pecan growers start callin you're on the top of the list of folks to call. With this being my first year and having to work through the learning curve I really hated for anyone to drive any distance and be be disappointed, got it a bit better figured out now. dutchman, if you like waterfowling you'd love shooting crows. Less travel, plenty of birds, and low cost. Over 125 birds have fallen over my caller so far this season, most duck hunters around these parts haven't even seen that many targets this year.

Nick T

 

• Jan 19, 2005

• #12

dutchman

Senior Member

eatin' crow

Nick,

That sounds like it would be lots of fun. And at the end of the day, you're not having to clean a bunch of birds. Or are you?

 

• Jan 19, 2005

• #13

Nick_T

Banned

With the West Niles threat in crows I doubt I'll be eatin any of them anytime soon. Got a couple of interesting recipes though. About the only time I got tired cleaning birds was after an early season goose slaughter at a golf course. 14 geese came in front of 3 guns, 2 left, and all but 2 were donated to my freezer. Never thought I'd get done cleaning those things. The crows get put in a trash bag and find the 7/11 dumpster along with the hulls. These landowners are nice enough to allow me to help them with their crow problem so I work with a "0 Evidence" policy. Also I don't think that a 12ga hull would run through a pecan harvester very well either.

Nick T

 

• Jan 19, 2005

• #14

dutchman

Senior Member

Yeah, I never heard of anyone actually eating crows in the physical sense.

Sounds like a good policy of cleaning up after yourself. too bad more folks don't take that view.

 

• Jan 19, 2005

• #15

slimbo

Senior Member

Back to decoys!!! I bought a dozen of the bass pro shop dekes last year for $19.95 and they sat in a bag, in my shed all summer. When I pulled them out they were already chipping. I know that I probably shouldnt leave them in a non-temperature controlled shed, but gimme a break they aint gonna sit in my living room all year. My flambeau hold up fine.