# GHG shells pro's vs FFD



## whit144 (Feb 1, 2008)

I know the FFD's look amazing but is it really necessary. The pro's look good to and I think they would work just as good. Just wanted to know what everyone else's thoughts are. Thanks


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

IMO the FFD are not nessacary. People can kill geese with sillosocks, sillo's, and shells. GHG needs a new marketing ploy.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I run all FFD's and haven't noticed any difference then how they worked my 'foots.


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## whit144 (Feb 1, 2008)

how does the flocking hold up on the shells


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## Jungda99 (Nov 17, 2006)

I run some FFD full bodies and some FFD shells. The flocking really doesn't hold up that well.

I don't think I would buy the FFD full bodies again unless the price was so good I couldn't pass it up. They look great but after only one early goose season they are starting to wear in some spots. Its not a huge deal because when you walk 20yds away you cant tell but with how expensive they are they should last better than that. I am very particular about caring for my decoys. I was the only one to set-up and take down the FFDs.

I will prolly buy more sleeper FFD shells only because they look good and they are pretty cheap for a dozen.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

Go with the shells, especially if you feel theyll work. I may buy a few dozen for my FB spread, may work to my advantage in the late season.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

I think all FBs do is raise a guys ego,

My advice would just be try it out, if your not seeing the success youd like to, try the FBs


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## harvester (Jan 23, 2008)

blhunter3 said:


> IMO the FFD are not nessacary. People can kill geese with sillosocks, sillo's, and shells. GHG needs a new marketing ploy.


Thats the way I see it to.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

harvester said:


> blhunter3 said:
> 
> 
> > IMO the FFD are not nessacary. People can kill geese with sillosocks, sillo's, and shells. GHG needs a new marketing ploy.
> ...


Sorry but I strongly believe there is a fine line, it starts somewhere around using silosock/windsocks and the Judge decoys to using FF Fbs and shells


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I also think it depends on where you hunt, the hunting pressure, what everybosy else is using too. In my experience the flocking on GHG sucks, so it isn't worth the extra money. Yes there are some days that windsocks will work and there are somedays where nothing will work.


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## justund223 (Aug 28, 2006)

you guys must of got some bad ffds or don't take care of them. we used ares all season aout 40-45 times and two bags even fell out of the truck at 65mph and only bag got a couple small holes. we single bag ours and then put them in the six slots and they still look new except for the blood on them. on some we just put huge socks on the head and then bag them. we have never had a probelm, but as far as the post goes i would get ffd shells and some full bodies there are times to use both.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Whitehorse and I used some Avery FB's 4 times all year and the flocking is $hit. We took great care of them. My Avery shells are the same way taken great of and the flocking is $hit.


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## mnbirdhunter (Sep 15, 2005)

FFD's look nice but I really don't think they are have much of an advantage over a Pro Grade. I only own a few and have never had any problems with the durability, my FFD's are holding up better than any other decoy I own. Maybe I just got a lucky batch.


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## 4EVERHUNTING (Feb 13, 2008)

I have always had great success when using Pro Grade when they were all I had. Got a dozen FFD's for $100 at gander mountain so I thougth I better take them and add them to my Pro Grades. Cant wait to try them


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## Scatterwood (Mar 15, 2004)

You have to love the fact that Frost doesn't make an FFD shine like a prograde that is the best feature. But maybe you guys don't have to set up early enough to deal with frost. :wink:


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## TANATA (Oct 31, 2003)

FFD's is just a way to generate more sales for Avery. It's simply marketing just like when auto companies add new fenders and different seats to basically the exact same vehicle. Just need to generate more $$$$ and I don't think full flocking is necessary at all.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

FFD flocking is crap. I have some elite's and I think they have major glare also. And they are taken care of.
I say BF's work the best. Mix in some silo's and call it good.


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## AV (May 24, 2007)

Shine my friends Pro grades and the hunter series shine and FFDS don't.... but that fine with me if u don'y use them then its better for me :lol:


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## goose0613 (Oct 24, 2003)

Geese that see little or no pressure, like most geese in North Dakota are going to fall for most any decoy regardless of if it is flocked or not. Try hunting geese that see countless decoy spreads the moment they get off the roost -- then you'll start to appreciate the advantages FFDs have over painted decoys.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

goose0613 said:


> Geese that see little or no pressure, like most geese in North Dakota are going to fall for most any decoy regardless of if it is flocked or not. Try hunting geese that see countless decoy spreads the moment they get off the roost -- then you'll start to appreciate the advantages FFDs have over painted decoys.


You should try a weekend hunting our birds out west, I think you'd be surprised by the pressure and how intelligent the birds are becoming. Regardless, we all run FFD's and we aren't noticing ANY difference in how the birds work from when we ran foots. I'm pretty sure I'm letting all my FFD's go this summer so I'll have 9 dozen up for sale if anyone is interested.


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## goose0613 (Oct 24, 2003)

I've hunted the birds around Bismarck and all the way up to Coleharbor if those are the birds you are talking about. I'm sure things could have changed as I haven't been there for several years now, but from my experience those birds were not receiving much decoying pressure at all.

I find it hard to believe that you can't see the advantage of a fully flocked decoy if you are in fact hunting around heavily pressured birds. I'm not saying it cannot be done with painted decoys, but why not have access to every tool that is available to you? I think there is certain situations that call for painted decoys, but there is also a definite need for the FFDs.

To each his own I guess, but in my opinion if you are trying to decoy the most heavily pressured birds in an area -- the FFDs offer a better chance at success. Of course many other variables go into a hunt, but I think the guy with the most realistic decoys is bound to have better success.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

I ran Dave Smiths (can't get much better looking than that) on those birds this year and it made no difference! I did better with my Big Foots in previous years. Now I will take quantity over quality anyday.

:2cents:


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## goose0613 (Oct 24, 2003)

Leo Porcello said:


> I ran Dave Smiths (can't get much better looking than that) on those birds this year and it made no difference! I did better with my Big Foots in previous years. Now I will take quantity over quality anyday.
> 
> :2cents:


Then you prove my point. Your birds are falling for the bigger, bulkier decoys rather than the more realistic decoys. From my experience, your birds are not receiving as much decoying pressure as the kind of birds I am talking about. You're doing exactly what I would do if I were in your situation. Why spend the money on the best decoys when the average painted decoy works just fine on your unpressured birds?


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

I have read your first post twice and I don't see how I am proving your point. I was using the most realistic decoy on the market and having crappy results. The birds would not even look most times and I was on the X.

If crappy decoys were working great, a realist decoy "should" work better. I personally believe it is a numbers game. I will prove that this fall.


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## goose0613 (Oct 24, 2003)

Like I said, there are a lot more variables that go into having a successful hunt.

It most definatly is also a numbers game. That's just another variable that goes into decoying geese. Bigfeet are no doubt a bigger bulkier decoy and will look like more geese in a field. However, certain situations will call for more finesse tactics. It sounds like you are having better luck running large spreads of big, bulky decoys and are no doubt killing birds. However, what I am saying is that when that starts to fail because of heavy pressure in an area -- you're going to need to have another trick up your sleeve.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Late season birds and lessers are fine, it's the resident geese I'm referring to. There really isn't too many locals between Bismarck and Coleharbor, at least not many on non-leased land.

I think that we proved that even with the best looking decoys on the market, that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to shoot more birds. I often question who the market is geared at....helping hunters shoot more birds or manufacturers selling more decoys.

FFD's are the not the hype, IMO.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Okay I am now seeing your point. To me the DSDs were a new trick as pretty much everyone in that area is either running Big Foots or Avery's and they are using 10 to 20 doz. (just an average to what I have witnessed) and you can tell the birds are catching on. I figured I would try the high quality, set up less, and kill or land more birds. But the old saying of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" came into play.


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## goose0613 (Oct 24, 2003)

I understand as I have been there before. You should always keep doing what is working best for you. Also, you guys are going to know your birds better than anyone else because you are from the area.

I just thought it was sort of odd to deny the obvious advantages the Avery FFDs have.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

What decoys work best is all a matter of opinion and where you hunt. A person can have the best decoys but if you are not covered enough or you calling is to much or too little then yuo are not going to have success. I think that the FFD where thought to be better but they just have ended up as a marketing ploy just like there "you need 1000 snow/blues fullbodies to kill geese", but who knows, maybe some day FFD will be the better decoy.


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## aveluciferi (Nov 8, 2007)

blhunter3 said:


> IMO the FFD are not nessacary. People can kill geese with sillosocks, sillo's, and shells. GHG needs a new marketing ploy.


My first decoys, was just black plastic bags. killed a few geese with them.
Dont believe its nessesary to have full bodys. This year im gonna sell almost all my shell, and instead im bying 6 dozen sillosocks and 12 dozen deadly decoys. And just for fun im bying 100 windsocks.


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## TANATA (Oct 31, 2003)

Chris Hustad said:


> I often question who the market is geared at....helping hunters shoot more birds or manufacturers selling more decoys.
> 
> FFD's are the not the hype, IMO.


Any business man could tell you the truth to that. I don't think you have to even think twice about what they care about.


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## cmhlop72 (Feb 24, 2007)

leo if you dont like those dsds ill take them off your hands...ill even pay shipping. :lol:


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## Myles J Flaten (Jan 31, 2008)

Its not what you have in the trailer that kills geese! Scouting and blind preparation kills in my opinion! I have used a mix of everything hunters, pros, ffds, bigfoots...etc. I dont think it matters a great deal what type you use when it comes to flocking or not....whatever you do do not throw out pigeon sillo socks!


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## Horker23 (Mar 2, 2006)

What Chris and Leo are trying to say is, they thought the more real looking the decoys the better the result. But not in there case because they are hunting birds that have been hunted the hell out of! I know what they are talking about and i agree with them 100 percent some times its just a numbers game with so-so decoys than 4dz DSD or FFD's. Even if you on the "X!"


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