Avian X decoy reviews?

[eastmont]

So after years of banging around cheap hot buy mallards I have decided to upgrade. I live in New Mexico with pretty well educated ducks and hunt a area that has lots of ducks but in small concentrations- so I'm looking at getting a hand full of top quality decoys.

I've been looking at Avian X setups, possibly a flyway pack (widgeon and gadwall) and a dozen teal. Plus I'll pick a half dozen of my nicer mallards to throw in. I shot 50% mallards last year and 50% everything else imaginable.

Am I looking in the right place at Avian X? I figure the medley of ducks was better than two dozen mallards everyone else has.

 

[Fink]

I switched to Avians a few years ago, and absolutely love them. Best looking decoy on the market, in my opinion, and they are super durable. They hold up really well to getting shot, getting drug behind atv's run over by the boat, etc..
I run about 15 dozen Avians, when I run my big spread, and they look totally awesome.
I really like them when I run smaller spreads too, with all the different postures.

Maybe just my opinion.. But I don't get gadwall decoys.. They all look like hen mallards or pintails to me, and gaddies will readily decoy into mallard decoys. When I buy decoys that aren't mallards, it's decoys that really look different, either by size or color (teal, pintails, widgeons)

 

[THelms]

Fink,
I totally agree with you! Especially on gaddie dekes... designed to fool hunters I think.

Eastmont,
Fink is totally right, I run 18 mallards, six wigeon, and four pinnies here in Wyoming for my river rig. One trick I've learned after watching feeding wigeon... run them on a spreader rig and run it deep, wigeon seem to feed primarily in the middle of the river by skimming the surface. I decoy more of them when I run that setup. I scatter the mallards all over and hide them along the banks. the Pinnies I set by themselves in a small group. However, the number one game changer for me has been using a couple goose floaters as upstream/upwind blockers, serious bump in bowed up fully committed birds when I run the geese, especially with a dozen sleeper shells on the bank or ice shelf.

Hope this helps man.

 

[eastmont]

That was actually extremely helpful guys, thank you. The reasoning with gadwalls seems legit, I shot a lot of gadwall this year with only mallards, so why would that change?- solid point. Maybe I'll look into a dozen mallards and a couple half dozens of something else flashy. Goose dekes are great idea- I hunt a river as well.

second question- do you all have expierence with cabelas northern flight series? Sounds like you all are sold on the avian X but what makes me second guess is cabelas lifetime warranty . I use that warranty with their boots every couple years and haven't paid a dime beyond the original price of original boots in 8 years. Just keep trading them in when the gore Tex goes out- same with decoys I would imagine.

 

[NDHunter]

Maybe just my opinion.. But I don't get gadwall decoys.. They all look like hen mallards or pintails to me, and gaddies will readily decoy into mallard decoys. When I buy decoys that aren't mallards, it's decoys that really look different, either by size or color (teal, pintails, widgeons)

I don't really hunt gaddies but I think they look great as an early season decoy for mallards and such with their drab color. In late September in ND when the season opens, a fully plumed out mallard decoy looks kind of silly compared to what the birds actually look like at that time of year. I'd say damn near NONE of the birds have even half plumage when our season opens.

Thought I saw a manufacturer awhile ago that started making "early season" decoys for birds with little to no plumage. Can't remember who it was though. For guys farther south though that are hunting more in November and later, decoys like that wouldn't really be useful.

 

[NDHunter]

I use that warranty with their boots every couple years and haven't paid a dime beyond the original price of original boots in 8 years. Just keep trading them in when the gore Tex goes out- same with decoys I would imagine.

So you're wearing out your boots and then pulling the warranty card and trading them back in for new ones?

 

[eastmont]

So you're wearing out your boots and then pulling the warranty card and trading them back in for new ones?

Yep, Cabeals offers a unconditional lifetime warranty on any cabela product. Its a major selling point for them. Gore-tex goes out, thats a manufacture defect. I would imagine paint on a decoy is in the same category

 

[NDHunter]

Yep, Cabeals offers a unconditional lifetime warranty on any cabela product. Its a major selling point for them. Gore-tex goes out, thats a manufacture defect. I would imagine paint on a decoy is in the same category

So is the Gore-Tex actually failing or are you just using and abusing your boots and then looking to get a free pair once they're shot?

 

[eastmont]

So is the Gore-Tex actually failing or are you just using and abusing your boots and then looking to get a free pair once they're shot?

I can see where this is going, and if you want to debate it, start another thread.

 

[ScottR]

Lets get this thread back to the original piece here.

 

[sneakypete]

I know from reading above we're talking about waterfowl decoys, but I have an Avian x turkey hen decoy its impressive.

 

[raspy]

Avian x is hard to beat. I run avian x full body honkers as well as avian pintail and mallard decoys. They hold up well and the nice thing is you don't worry near as much about the paint chipping off like other brands. The full bodies honkers are quick setting up with the base already attached to the decoy plus it beats trying to put stakes in frozen ground late season. Speedy but well worth the money.

 

[480/277]

I am also running Avian X decoys. Both duck and field geese. And agree they are good decoys.

Now, tell me about Wyoming duck hunting?!!!
If I thought the duck hunting was good too, that would throw
Wyoming right in the move to state mix!