# how many decoys do you need?



## gingerhunter (Jan 5, 2012)

how many decoys do you need to set up a successful spread? do you want an even mix of shells and full bodies?


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## hwdeuce (Apr 6, 2010)

Only use fullbodys 
Shells are out dated unless your setting up on 
The ice


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

It is getting to be a numbers game even for honkers. I would buy as many as you can if you can get a deal on shells buy them. But 80% of your spread should be full bodys or sillouhettes.


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## gingerhunter (Jan 5, 2012)

i have been looking at big foot full bodies. do you think they are a good decoy?


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## papabearsr (Dec 26, 2011)

I have all shells [can't aford full bodys]and I get the geese coming in as long as you have movment in your spred you should beable to get them in
papabear


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

I like to use 6 doz plus. I mix fb's with sillosocks. Works well.


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## WingedShooter7 (Oct 28, 2005)

hwdeuce said:


> Only use fullbodys
> Shells are out dated unless your setting up on
> The ice


That's a pretty inaccurate statement. Ever seen geese when its cold or there is snow on the ground? 9 times out of 10 there going to land and immediately lay down to eat or melt the snow below them so they can try and find food. Shells aren't only for water/ice set ups.

Full bodies are what most people run, realistic and effective but a little more pricey. Mixing silhouettes into full bodies works too, in my opinion FFD decoys and Real geese blend perfectly.


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## BodyCount (Jun 11, 2010)

Put more time into scouting than you do worrying about the decoys. Full bodies are best but that means driving a truck or trailer into the field, If you can do that go with bigfoots, then shells. Silohouttes, I would say no. As far as numbers? , if you can get out to where the birds want to land, 3 dozen is all you really need. If you can do 10 dozen that is even better.


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## gingerhunter (Jan 5, 2012)

thank you guys so much for the tips. i have hunted ducks pretty much my entire life and i am just getting into decoy hunting this year so thank you for all of the helpful tips!


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## Buck25 (Mar 27, 2008)

40 dozen


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## CrazyWalsh81 (Nov 30, 2011)

gingerhunter said:


> i have been looking at big foot full bodies. do you think they are a good decoy?


Yes, they are a great decoy and have been around a long time. Mixing in silo's, shells, and full bodies is a good thing. I still keep 18 shells just for quick fill ins. Keep in mind that you need to be able to transport everything some how. If you ever have to pack in decoys you will want to go with shells, silo's, or GHG. They are the lightest. Big Foot's will hold up over time. Look to buy them used and save some money. Good Luck.


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## gingerhunter (Jan 5, 2012)

i have a 9 foot box on my pickup transporting decoys is no problem. but thank you for the tips it really helps!


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## Buck25 (Mar 27, 2008)

I have ten dozen deeks a mixture of bigfoots and dakotas with 5 power hunters in there. when i pack up some one has to hold the door shut to get them all in the 6x12 trailer. long story short a 9 foot pickup box isn't gonna hold that many deeks. If i was gonna hunt out the back of a truck i'd lean more towards sillos.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

It depends on the situation and how you set them. I had two excellent hunts lately with a harvester 6 pack of ghg ffd's and a 4 pack of the ffd lookers. That's it. When I go set up on the ice soon, I will be putting out around 200 fb's and shells. It boils down to how much attracting power you need (traffic birds), the quality of the deeks, and how you set them. Most guys do not set their decoys wide enough. I recently set out 64 full bodies and covered over and acre of land. Only had one flock go wide. I made one hole even bigger after that. Realize how much room a flock of geese takes when they land and it all starts to fall into place. There are many other tricks too. One more thing about #'s, Try setting out 2-6 lookers only. Works quite well. It looks like the first birds have just set down. I have killed some easy limits doing this. It is also something that the birds don't often see from hunters. :wink:


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## gingerhunter (Jan 5, 2012)

Thank you for the tips!


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