The paint will last maybe a whole season. They are pretty much bottom of my list for decoys.

 

For budget decoys I am a ghg and hardcore guy myself. Pro grades for my good decoys and fill in with hardcores

 

Ok well I am not interested in buying some decoys that will last only one season. So I will probably go with GHG or HardCore. So saying that is it better to have go ahead and get a bunch of mallards. Or would it be better to get a diversity of Teal Wood ducks and mallards? I know some of my friends normally dont use other decoys other than mallards. Would it be a better choice to just get about a dozen mallards or get some diversity?

 

Also are Redhead Brand Decoys any good?

 

I have had some flambeau pintails since the beginning of the season now. The paint is starting to chip around the heads and on the tails. The plastic underneath is a light brown so it's not that noticeable. I'm sure I'll end up touching them up at the end of the season.

Would I buy them again? Probably not.

 

Redhead dekes are even worse. Haha and as far as mallards or mixed, just depends where and what you are hunting. If you have those birds in the area you plan to hunt, then yeah mix it up. the key is to look natural. If you have scouted it prior to hunting and have seen the birds sitting there. Make a mental note and set up to look exactly the same. Then sit back and don't even call. They will come on in.

 

OK well I got one last question are avian x any good?

 

Flambeau storm fronts are not worth $45 a dozen. Check craigslist, you can usually get good deals on used decoys, the old flambeau decoys were made much better than they are now. GHG decoys are pretty good, paint holds up alot better. I love my GHG green-wing teal pro grades.

 

I've never used Flambeau but I bought a dozen Hardcore Promo decoys. First time out three sank. Talked to Hardcore and they sent me a dozen more. First time out with the replacements 5 sank. They leaked through the keel cap and through the hole left from the injection process. They look great and the paint has held up very well. I also really like the whale keels. The keels work as advertised. Too bad they're not properly sealed from the factory.

 

I will probably go with GreenHead Gear due to their prices being reasonable and they have good reviews.

 

hunted over some avian x decoys and they were awesome they are on texas rigs and stay in the boat all the time and was told that was the second season with them and they still look really good with very little paint loose mostly because of the decoy itself it is almost like a rubber and gives when it needs to but returns to its shape.

 

How often do you plan to hunt?
Where? As in are you picking up and carrying every night?

I have the Stormfronts and they are fine. Paint chips...yes. But many of them are three years old.
$44...OUTRAGEOUS!!!! And nit worth it.
Pay attention to Cabelas over the next month when their annual waterfowl sale starts...I usually get them for $19.99

 

Flambeau's work fine...if the birds are close enough to notice some chipped paint, or lack of detail you should be shooting.

 

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/produ ... 7.11936684

Hardcore promo mallards. 12 pack for $34.99.

 

Storm fronts work fine, buy them and slowly add more better ones 6 at a time to your bag.
Had mine for three yrs and use them a decent amount and yes they are scrapped up a bit and chipped, but they still work great and i use them as filler now, no need to pay top dollar for filler decoys.
Just my 2 cents

 

I use Avian X's with some older deeks as filler. Don't want my nice deeks in the kill hole lol

 

FA mallards are pretty good 30 bucks a dozen at cal ranch in a garbage sack :lol3: . Copy of the hot buys.

 

So saying that is it better to have go ahead and get a bunch of mallards. Or would it be better to get a diversity of Teal Wood ducks and mallards? I know some of my friends normally dont use other decoys other than mallards. Would it be a better choice to just get about a dozen mallards or get some diversity?

Get what you can afford for decoys. No, flambeau decoys are defiantly a budget decoy and pretty much any brand of decoy is better In look and quality, but they will get the job done. You had also asked about a diversity of decoys. Most puddlers will decoy into a mallard spread. with that said, if you eventually want to increase your success on each hunt, you should scout where you are hunting and put out the decoys for the species you see. Being flexible and constantly changing things up from hunt to hunt is part of what makes duck hunting fun. It will also allow you to try a lot of different things, and establish experience to know what works when. If all you can afford is a dozen mallards that that is what you have to work with, but adding other decoys to the mix can increase the likelihood of getting that species of duck.

 

no

 

Thank you to everyone that has replied! I was very fortunate this Christmas and got a dozen HardCore Mallard Decoys, 6 Green Winged Teal Decoys, and 2 dozen J Weights for christmas! But I still got one more question Is it worth getting Wood duck Decoys I have heard that they do not decoy too well is this true or just a rumor?

 

Nug-
I know you're already set on decoys, but I do like Flambeaus. We've been running them for 20 years with paint touch up every 2 or 3.
I recently picked up an 8 pack of StormFronts for $20 at Cabelas.
As for wood ducks, they don't decoy that great here in KS, based on my experiences.

007

 

I had storm fronts texas rigged. The paint came off the first season. I still have them, and planning on turning them into diver ducks or something easy to repaint. Are they worth the money? If you only want to get one or two seasons out of your decoys, yes.

 

OK well I got one last question are avian x any good?

I'm using avian x this year. Tx rig and sling them suckers around pretty good. Boat, dirt, concrete and lake bottoms (mud) . Have not noticed any paint or marred areas. Like said above, they seem to be made of rubber with the color blended thru the rubber.

 

From my experience with storm fronts, you only want to use them in a storm when ducks can't see. You could spend a bit more & get something better or possibly a sale post season.

As for wood ducks, I don't think it hurts to throw them out there. Like someone previously mentioned when scouting find out what is around and try to make you spread mimic what you are hunting.