Decoy Question

[BCMarc]

I'm pretty much brand new to hunting and trying to determine what I might need to get started. From what I have read thus far, a shotgun and some decoys, maybe a call and you'd be off to the races. The shotgun part I've got. A pretty standard 12 gauge, but what im curious about is the decoys.

How many would be a good starting setup? I see there's a huge range in prices, so what should one legitimately expect to pay for something that works? Canadian Tire has their Classic Mallard Decoy 12pack on sale this week. Would these be an adequate starting point or total garbage?

Marc

[Foxton Gundogs]

Yep the storm front $35 a doz will get you started at that price I'd p/U 2 doz. I have a doz or so in my spread nothing wrong with them

[Beard]

Id say it really depends on where your going to be hunting (marsh, field). But shotgun, waders if needed (they are sure nice in the cold 5mm neoprene), and some might disagree but i think a couple mini mojo flapping decoys. I find unless your a really proficient caller it can work against you. I find I am still not the greatest at it so I use it seldom or when they are further away. I have some floaters too but the cheaper ones have tended to peel. I myself hunted waterfowl in highschool but stopped for 4-5 years and mostly fished. Now that I am back at it and no longer go with the same people I had to get my own gear. but the mojos definitely bring them in. What do others think?

[Beard]

Yep the storm front $35 a doz will get you started at that price I'd p/U 2 doz. I have a doz or so in my spread nothing wrong with them

have they held up well? at that price i might get a few!

[BCMarc]

Thanks guys. How many decoys would usually go into a spread? Or is this one of those depends on the situation things?

[Beard]

for where i hunt 12 plus a couple flappers works great. Have done more and less and it depends on where i am. alot of other factors like tide, time of season and conditions come into play. I have kind of just experimented but foxton said he has some of those decoys and they seem good so at that price wouldn't be bad to get some and experiment. i just try position them so they look somewhat realistic in terms of layout. also watch where your hunting and where the ducks like to sit and put your spread accordingly.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Depends on the water you hunt, I use anywhere from 8-5 doz depending on water weather time of year etc. The hold up pretty well and at that price when the do chip and peal I use the shells to repaint in harder to get paterns like ring necks. Cant loose with them really IMO

[Beard]

that sounds like a good idea, what sort of paint did you use?

[Foxton Gundogs]

First of all to be clear in my last post that was 8 deeks to 5 doz not 8 doz to 5 doz lol. I really dont know the brand I picked up a bunch of colors from Sportmans Warehouse in The states quite a while ago they came in packages of 4 colors and the only labeling other than color was on the package which has all gone to garbage by now. There was 2 types spray and brush I got some of each.

[digger dogger]

I started hunting waterfowl last year, A robo duck really helped out on getting attn to the deeks.(24 deeks)
Also the feeding mallard hand shaker seemed to work.
Setting up the deeks in a J pattern worked aswell.

The waterfowl guys on the site were very helpful, The first 3-4 times I went out, I got noda.
I asked a few questions, and birds were dropping. O skunks on ducks, but geese are diff story.
Good luck, and happy blasting...
Dave

[FirePower]

We also have a number of the economy decoys in out bunch. They seem to work as well as any others.

[pnbrock]

I believe the classic and storm front are different. Classic are the smaller floater I believe.

[Foxton Gundogs]

OK I didn't see the flyer myself a friend told me CT had Storm Fronts on for $35 a doz but I really dont think it matters I have everything from Magnums to small cheap Chineese made deeks and they all seem to work I even gave a few $ Store GW teal fish pond orniments, that I paid $12 a dozfor, touched them up a bit and coated with the anti photo radar clear that work well. Cant figure ducks sometimes. Hell we used to use some pretty crude wooden blocks painted with house paint back in the day.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Just picked up 2 doz. they are storm fronts and good as far a cheap deeks go.:shock:

[BCMarc]

Good to hear. I swung by my local Canadian Tire store at lunch today and left with nothing but a rain check. On sale, but not being delivered to most lower mainland stores until mid-September! Anyhow, not really an issue as I don't need them yet, I just thought it weird. And at least I can pick them up at the sale price when they do arrive.

[spreerider]

im going to grab a doz from cdn tire soon, and its my birthday soon so maybe ask for a doz or so more :)

[Beard]

picked up a dozen today

[lorneparker1]

Also the feeding mallard hand shaker seemed to work.

Dave


WOOOO!!!

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQy7XJ0UHRXaYwOP9V2ScAeejkkvRdRp 7JTfZZ2kn527wtiY_RA&t=1

[f350ps]

I think any decoys that cheap are an excellent start, and you can build your set as needed or as cash is available. Personally I would be getting a Mojo before I bought decoys. You'll get many personal opinions on this but you'll figure it out as time goes on but I'm sure LP1 chooses his decoys by which ones you can get flack jackets for. :) K

[Foxton Gundogs]

I think any decoys that cheap are an excellent start, and you can build your set as needed or as cash is available. Personally I would be getting a Mojo before I bought decoys. You'll get many personal opinions on this but you'll figure it out as time goes on but I'm sure LP1 chooses his decoys by which ones you can get flack jackets for. :) K

Cant say I agree with this. Mojos are good no doubt BUT imo only really effective when used in conjunction with a spread in most cases. Deeks on the other hand were used sucessfully for years before the advent of robo ducks. Another consideration is for under $40 you can have a workable spread as opposed to over $100 for a robo. Dont get me wrong I have and use mojos I just feel they are something to add to your basic set not build it around.

[f350ps]

To each his own, hence the word "personally". K

[lorneparker1]

I hate mojos. Way to expensive to replace when you shoot one

[BCMarc]

I did finally manage to pick some up, outside of the lower mainland with my rain check over the long weekend. Had a few out, just playing around with them, see how they float etc.

I was having fun, the dog, she wasn't so sure about them.

http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r528/BCMarc/938e5a35.jpg

[Islandbowhunter]

Try to place the dekes so there's a logical landing area in your shooting zone. They gotta have some room inviting them in. Horseshoe or v-pattern to start. They like to land into the wind if possible.

DON'T take your call until you've practiced a lot. You'll ruin it for everybody.

Better to sit still, camo'd up. Don't flash around looking and moving hands.

Be still, wait for the wings to set. Thirty yards or less, no flak cannons. Drop 'em.

Oh yeah, a dog or a young guy to go for a swim :)

[cbb]

You're gonna want a dog or a boat or you will end up losing and needlessly killing alot of birds. I was out on the foreshore a week or two into the season last year and was sickened by the dozen or so shot but never retrieved ducks I found. The skybusting was rampant as well.