Alexandra Ramirez
1. Mojo
Best Overall Hunting Decoy
5/5 Product Rating
Studies and experienced hunters alike have discovered that gadwalls, pintails, mallards and others are drawn to faster spinning wings. This decoy is easy to carry with you in your bag thanks to its lightweight design.
The 3-piece support poles feature the MOJO direct drive system that will run the decoy for up to 16 hours at a time on 4 AA batteries.
Batteries will need to be purchased separately. If you’re looking to add a terrific decoy to your hunting gear and are interested in one that has been shown to be really effective, try out this MOJO Outdoors Teal Duck Decoy.
– Jonathan Maxwell
2. Primos B-Mobile
Best Overall Hunting Decoy – Runner Up
4.7/5 Product Rating
This is a full-strut gobbler decoy that is compact so you can carry it easily to wherever you want to set it up.
There is a fan holder that can be used to attach a real fan and set up is super easy. This decoy comes with a fold-up fan made of silk so it flutters in the breeze just like a real turkey’s fan would.
This decoy also includes a carrying bag, a decoy stake made of metal for maximum durability, and an instructional DVD to be sure you know all the benefits this decoy can bring to your hunting excursions.
– Jonathan Maxwell
3. Primos Gobstopper
Best Budget Hunting Decoy
4.4/5 Product Rating
The decoys are soft-sided with beautiful, life-like color and detail that is very appealing to turkeys, even those that are cautious.
This decoy combo comes in a mesh bag with 2 decoy stakes. It is easy to carry in your hunter’s vest while out in the woods and is very affordable too.
– Jonathan Maxwell
Hunting Decoy Buying Guide
There are many kinds of hunting decoys on the market today to choose from. We have listed the most commonly purchased decoys below along with characteristics and information about each. Use this information to sort through the many kinds of decoys so you can choose the one or ones that you are interested in.
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Duck Decoys – This type of decoy has shown to be very effective when duck hunting. Without a duck decoy, you may find that you spend all day waiting and nothing happens. Ducks are very smart so it is important that the duck decoy you choose is very realistic looking. Think about the area you will be hunting in when you consider different duck decoys.
Duck decoys have been crafted by woodcarvers for centuries and some of the older models are considered antiques and worth a lot of money. Because the decoys need to appear as real as possible, craftsmanship is still just as important. Look for duck decoys that are realistic in color. Duck decoys with spinning wings are also very effective. Some decoys are even remote controlled and can be placed on the water and made to swim.
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Fish Decoys – There are many different types of fish decoys on the market to choose from. The concept of a fish decoy is different than the concept of a turkey, duck, or deer decoy. Animal decoys are designed to attract similar animals to the area that look like themselves.
However, fish decoys can come in a variety of species including frogs, mice, snakes, turtles and more. The predator fish are drawn to small rodents which is why these decoys work so well. Fish decoys are used by those interested in spear fishing and they look like another fish.
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Deer Decoys – A doe decoy is a good decoy to put out when you want to attract bucks. Do not put buck decoys out since the real buck can feel threatened and it will have the opposite effect you want the decoy to have. You can also pair a good deer decoy with calls and scents to increase the effectiveness of using the decoy. There are many styles of deer decoys on the market. Some models allow the hunter to add horns or antlers to the decoy. Leave off the antlers if you want the decoy to appear female.
Some models will even have moving tails for added realism. Your deer decoy should be left near the tree stand or blind. If there is a real buck around, he could stay close to challenge the decoy deer. The best combination of decoys is to place a doe and a buck decoy. It can be a little harder to transport two, but this method can attract other males that may be in the area that are willing to try and take the doe decoy away from the decoy buck. -
Turkey Decoys – Turkey hunting is also a popular sport. Using turkey decoys also increase the results of a successful hunt versus trying to hunt without them. Wild turkeys are not very good at seeing or hearing from a distance. This is very beneficial to the hunter since it makes the decoy even more effective because they see it as a real turkey to check out.
Place turkey decoys in clearings that are easily visible. The edges of a wood line or near a field are excellent places to place a decoy. Don’t use more than two hens and one Jake when setting up your turkey decoys. Turkey decoys can do all the work for you since turkeys are not as perceptive as ducks. Use calls and other means to increase your odds.
A Few Considerations Before You Purchase
There are a few things that you will want to consider before spending money on decoys. One of the most important considerations is the type of hunting you engage in and which animals you hunt. With so many decoy choices you have a large variety to choose from. If you are strictly a one-type-of-animal hunter it’s a lot easier to choose decoys that fit your hunting style.
If you like to engage in several types of hunting, you can choose several different animal decoys which can be used whenever you are hunting that particular animal. Don’t forget to add things like scents and calls to round out your hunting supplies and enhance your results.
Be sure to take note of the weight of the decoys when you are shopping. You will be carrying these decoys when you go into the woods so loading yourself down with a lot of heavy decoys could leave you feeling frustrated and tired.
Conclusion
Hunters often use decoys to lure animals to areas where they can get a clean shot. Decoys are available in many different designs including 2D cardboard models to 3D models that can be made of wood, plastic or even inflatable materials. Many of the today’s modern decoys are motorized in some way, either with manually spinning wings or those that can be controlled by remote control. Both moving styles increase the realism of the decoy.
The motorized versions are more expensive than the others but many hunters really enjoy the results they bring. They also feel it is worth the extra cost to have something of great quality with a proven record of bringing results. The objective of purchasing decoys is to improve the results of your hunting trips. With all the available options to choose from, you can easily become carried away and find it difficult to choose just one. Consider buying multiple decoys if you can afford them.
There is no guarantee that decoys will work but experienced hunters who use them regularly swear by them and don’t hunt without them. Use the information in this guide to help narrow down your choices so you can pick the proper decoys for the type of hunting you do. The right decoys can enhance the hunting experience and make it much more enjoyable to be outdoors waiting for that right moment to strike.
Decoys can last a long time if they are taken care of properly. Make sure to jot down or remember where you place your decoys so you can find them once you are done hunting. They can become very expensive if you are constantly needing to replace them. Clean them up when you get them home and store them properly until your next hunting trip. With this care they are sure to last a long while.
Resources
- MOJO – https://www.mojooutdoors.com/
- Primos – http://www.primos.com/
