Full Curl Mallard decoys

Threemuch · 01-06-2009, 09:33 AM

I have been thinking of buying some nicer mallard dekes for small spreads. Any opinions or advice?

I was thinking about getting a dozen full curl drakes and keeping them in a slotted bag to use with some full bodys on the shore when a small spread was called for.

The other option was some Columbia River decoys for the same thing, but thats twice the price.

Headhunter · 01-06-2009, 10:03 AM

I think SwampPuppy got some Full Curl's this year to test. You might want to send him a note.

Heron · 01-06-2009, 10:23 AM

No question CRD's, money very well spent. I have been hunting over them for 6 years now and would not trade them for anything. Very durable, move with the slightest breeze (inverted keel), and the most realistic fake bird on the market, plus made locally.

RGB · 01-06-2009, 10:25 AM

I'm planing to get some for next season. I like the flocked heads. I bought three dozen Hot Buy's last season to see if duck hunting was something I wanted to do and they're allready getting beat up. I plan on getting the slotted bags to keep them in good shape and maybe go with the Tangle Free weight system.

billc_sbio · 01-06-2009, 11:27 AM

Oh those!

The Aero Outdoor dekes?

Last year I hunted with a kid who was trying to learn Duck Hunting at "full speed".

Somewhere he saw/heard/read about these "Full Curls" and just HAD to have some.

He couldn't afford a lot, and after talking to a gal over at their office came to the conclusion (at her recommendation) just to get the drakes (she telling him that the Hens were "nothing special", that is to get his "money's worth")

So he bought a dozen Drakes.

We took them out and used them.

I got to hunt over them!

So o.k., my impression was "they worked", but so did my G&Hs that were out there pretty much right next to them.

My thinking was (besides that's a LOT of dough to be spending on those) that I wouldn't pay (or even buy those) that much for floater duck decoys.

Flocked heads?!! Wow, around muddy water...the kiss of death!

I'd also stick my neck out far enough to say they're NOT the "DSDs" of the Duck Decoy world.

Looking at the CRDs, and their realism, I think given the choice, I'd go that route. I've only ever seen CRDs in a bag that some guys had while out hunting. I've never seen them in action. (But they sure DO look nice!)

FWIW, and I've only been hunting Ducks since 1959, is that without getting totally "Ritzy", G&H's are some of BEST looking decoys on the water! (That most hunters can afford

)

(But hey, some on here laugh at me cuz I still use Flambeau Supermags sometimes)

I WOULDN'T, if I couldn't KILL Ducks over them!

Dave Smith · 01-06-2009, 01:16 PM

I haven't hunted over full-curls and have barely seen some at a glance so I didn't really get to scrutinize them

, but I will say that the same people that make them also make dropzone goose decoys and they are not only really nice, but definately proven in the field.
Since you brought up Columbia River Decoys, too: I have tried alot of brands of all the newest mallards- I think the best production mallard is still the Cabela's Real Image, but they have their share of problems without a doubt (very good sculpture, though!), I always go back to my Columbia Rivers. They just flat-out work and I feel like they were worth every penny.

Dave

billc_sbio · 01-06-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billc_sbio

Oh those!

without getting totally "Ritzy", G&H's are some of BEST looking decoys on the water! (That most hunters can afford

)

Yes, those CRDs sure do look NICE!

Tar Heel · 01-06-2009, 01:42 PM

I have some of the real image decoys used primarily when boat hunting, ie, when I don't have to toat them. Althought they are suprisingly light for a foamer, they are heavier than most hollow plastics. They also repell shot pretty good--good for divers, and have taken some hard use over the years being tossed around in my boat. To me, the Full Curls look a little goofy--like a mallard in a less natural position, colors a little less life like, eg, the hen's bill. BUT, I too have hunted over them, and they seemed to work. But, the place whree they are used the most, lumps of clay and straw would probably work.The times I have hunted over CRD's, I have really enjoyed watching them ride the waves, which raises the point suggested above: after a point of diminshing returns, the decoy is as much for the hunter as the hunted... but there isn't anythng wrong with that, and in fact is an important part of waterfowl hunting heritage that lives on in modern quality decoy makers.

Threemuch · 01-06-2009, 02:42 PM

I have some G&H M4M. I'd love them if the paint stayed on the drakes. I got all the drakes replaced once, but the paint only lasted a bit longer on the replacements. Peeling off in big chunks. I didn't give them slotted bag treatment, and I guess I should have.

I really want CRDs, I just can't bring myself to part with that much cash.

Threemuch · 01-06-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tar Heel

I have some of the real image decoys used primarily when boat hunting, ie, when I don't have to toat them. Althought they are suprisingly light for a foamer, they are heavier than most hollow plastics.

Cabelas realimage are foamers?

lentz · 01-06-2009, 02:48 PM

I had never heard of the Columbia River Decoys untill i just read this thread. Very nice looking decoys but the price is way out of range for your average Joe.

D3smartie · 01-06-2009, 03:09 PM

The new FA HD gunners are nice as well. If you are looking for a small spread of relaxed looking decoys this is how i would go...
and remember, they are just ducks. hunt with whatever makes YOU happy.

Chesapeake · 01-06-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tar Heel

I have some of the real image decoys used primarily when boat hunting, ie, when I don't have to toat them. Althought they are suprisingly light for a foamer, they are heavier than most hollow plastics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Threemuch

Cabelas realimage are foamers?

I believe he isnt talking about Cabelas Real Image. What he is talking about is decoys like the Herters Millenniums.

I beleive Cabelas used to sell a similar decoy under thier name, but I'm not sure. It was a foam decoy with a plastic picture shrank on to it. Maybe they were always just Herters decoys.

billc_sbio · 01-06-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Threemuch

I have some G&H M4M. I'd love them if the paint stayed on the drakes. I got all the drakes replaced once, but the paint only lasted a bit longer on the replacements. Peeling off in big chunks. I didn't give them slotted bag treatment, and I guess I should have.

I really want CRDs, I just can't bring myself to part with that much cash.

Hmm...this is kind of strange...

My newest G&Hs are 2 seasons old.

My oldest are from ~1978.

The paint on ALL of them is still really good (although my old G&H Sprig don't make it out very often anymore).

I even have a couple that I've found. It looks like they spent some time out in the water before I came along and even had algae growing on them. Still, the paint's good.

I'm wondering IF your's might have been left with marsh mud drying on them?

That stuff can really do a "number" on almost any kind of paint!

Like the time from Sauvie that we pulled my small boat out of the water and some McNary Unit bottom mud (birdsey doo) dripped off onto the truck's paint...

I got home too late to run over to the car wash..."Oh, I'll do it first thing in the morning".

Next morning at the car wash, two trips through wouldn't get those splotches of mud off.

Looking closer, those splotches WEREN'T Mud (the mud was gone!) That was my truck's primer where the mud had been!

arkansasbasser · 01-06-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lentz

I had never heard of the Columbia River Decoys untill i just read this thread. Very nice looking decoys but the price is way out of range for your average Joe.

Buy a couple a year. BTW, I have a friend that bought the Herters Millenniums and I was not impressed with them and neither were the ducks.

Tar Heel · 01-06-2009, 03:53 PM

yes, maybe I mixed up "milleniums" and "real image". the ones i am talking about is the photo laminated over foam. good for big water spreads, not sure if i have decoyed or offended any otherwise likely targets w/ them...

lentz · 01-06-2009, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D3smartie

The new FA HD gunners are nice as well. If you are looking for a small spread of relaxed looking decoys this is how i would go...
and remember, they are just ducks. hunt with whatever makes YOU happy.

Those FA HD's do look really nice. I didn't relize how many different companys made decoys. Big note to self...wake up and smell the coffee

Threemuch · 01-06-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billc_sbio

I'm wondering IF your's might have been left with marsh mud drying on them?

Nope. This isn't little dots of alkaline based mud corrosion, it's paint flaking off, and it happened right away to all my first set of drakes. I called G&H, and they had me cut the keels off and send them in and they sent me 6 more drake bodies. These lasted a bit longer, but still the paint flaked off 4 of the 6 replacements. It's clearly a paint issue with the drakes, as the heads are fine, and the hens are fine. I will try to contact G&H after this season to see if they can replace my bodies again. I bet they will, they seemed to understand the situation pretty well, and admitted that they had some paint problems.

These don't even really see hard duty, as they are ferried in their bag to the blind and back in a pickup. The GHG dekes in the same bag look much, much better.

SuperVee23 · 01-06-2009, 04:35 PM

I've been hunting over the FA decoys this year and have been very happy with them. They are heavy, but you could make them into a water keel pretty easily if you have to pack in.
Mario makes a great decoy and his CRD's are nice, especially hunting the tidal flats.

Headhunter · 01-06-2009, 04:45 PM

Kurt,

I bought three dozen G&G M4M decoys this year and have 17 hunts on them now. I don't use a slotted bag either and SOME (about 1 doz) of mine are having paint flake off in big chips. It is not accross the board so it must depend on the production run/batch. Another guy (oh ifish too) bought some new this year and he has had the problem lots worse. He has come to calling them his "greenbills" and not greenheads.

After the season I will be testing their customer service skills for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Threemuch

I have some G&H M4M. I'd love them if the paint stayed on the drakes. I got all the drakes replaced once, but the paint only lasted a bit longer on the replacements. Peeling off in big chunks. I didn't give them slotted bag treatment, and I guess I should have.

Threemuch · 01-14-2009, 08:18 AM

Well, I got my full curls, basically 2 days after I ordered. I have many of the same comments that others have had. Fit and finish seems kind of weak for $200 a dozen dekes. I got mine for $160 on sale, and got a slotted bag with a wire frame and sewn in center divider for $40. There are fit issues with the heads, a couple required gluing in place. There are also fit issues with the keels, they don't slide in easy, and slide out too easy. I broke one keel installing it. Easy glue repair, but I will see if I get a new one from Aero. The slotted bag is nice, with non abrasive pockets, but the strap on it is too short in my opinion. I will be lengthening it.

I like them. I think ducks will too. The flocking looks very nice, the paint is realistic, and the colors really seem to "pop" without shine or glare, even when wet. The dozen drakes from full curl will be mixed with a half dozen G&H M4M hens and a dozen GHG fullbodies for my small spread look, which I am going to try to do more of. The circus spread never seems to work for me, and if I spend an hour setting up, I am more reluctant to move, which always seems like a bad decision if things aren't working out. And most of the areas I hunt rarely have 10 dozen ducks in one spot, so the smaller spread is more natural. Another tool for the box.