Best Duck Decoy For Hunting

Everyone can agree that hunting waterfowls are not the easiest thing. Birds, especially ducks, are quite tricky to catch, and as the season progresses, one would find that it is increasingly difficult to do so. One of the reasons for this is that ducks are not the average non-thinking bird. 

They are quite discerning, and with their sharp eyesight, they are fond of carefully selecting the areas in which they land. Check for Best Broadheads for hunting choices. This ability helps them sense predators or potential danger, like hunters lying in wait to catch them. Due to this, it is necessary to fake a sense of security so that the ducks can feel safe enough to land. And the best way to do this is by using duck decoys. Hunting Games are some of the most diverse and fun available.

Since duck decoys have the shape and are similar to regular ducks, placing them on the hunting area to float would attract ducks to swim close. What better way to lure ducks than make them feel as though other ducks are waddling safely in the water? One cannot deny the ingenuity of this trick. There are lots of brands, features, and types of duck decoys that are on the market. 

From floating decoys to butt up decoys and motion decoys, there are many options for you to choose from when making a purchase. Some are more effective than others, and some work better in certain conditions. There is a lot of information on the internet with claims about which decoys are the best, which can be easily misleading. 

So, to keep you safe from lies and misinformation, here is a list of duck decoys that are a safe bet for you to use. They combine great features with good track records and customers who have used these decoys promise that they had a more comfortable and swell time while hunting. You can also check this out for the Best Arrow Rest.

1 - Lifetime Decoys FlexFloat Mallard 6 Pack

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Pros

  • These decoys are very light.
  • The decoys have a great design that allows for easy movement regardless of the wind
  • The decoys have removable weight, such that you can make them even lighter
  • They come in a quality material that makes them very durable
  • They have a foam-like material, which makes them quiet even while moving

Cons

  • They do not work well with excessive sunlight as it makes the color fade quickly
  • There have been reports of an outright absence of customer service
  • The decoys are relatively pricey

These decoys are one of a kind; they are made with an EVA foam, which makes them ultra-light and super quiet. This means that you do not have to worry about these decoys sinking, which is a far cry from first-generation decoys. The foam material would also make it easy for you to retain a quiet environment required for hunting waterfowls like ducks. 

These birds can be easily stunned, which would most likely cause them to panic and fly away. The chances of this happening are lower due to how quietly these decoys sail. The manufacturers take extra care to add a removable keel weight feature, which allows you to remove excess weight and make the decoys even lighter. 

This decoy’s design comes as a dual-keel one, making for good movement no matter the wind conditions. You can also find variety in this decoy set as it contains two standard mallard drakes, two rester mallard drakes, and two mallard hens. 

 

2 - Higdon Outdoors Standard Red Head Duck Decoys

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Pros

  • These decoys have vibrant coloring, which makes it easy for them to look realistic
  • The decoys are premium quality, even for the price
  • They are lightweight, making them easy to float, irrespective of whether the wind conditions are excellent or not
  • These decoys have a high-quality UV paint that guarantees zero peelings or fading
  • These decoys have realistic feathering and an advanced carving method that makes them look real

Cons

  • Customers report that the decoys are not as large as expected
  • It is made of plastic, causing clacking sounds that may be distracting for you or the ducks

 These decoys are a great choice if you are looking at functionality and affordability. The package consists of four upright drakes and two resting hens. This decoy set has a premium design that makes it both life-like and light enough to breeze through the water. 

The coloring of these decoys further makes them realistic. Ranging from natural-looking rusty red tones to earth tones with gold highlights, you can be sure that these decoys would get noticed by ducks. The best part is, perhaps, how they are bulletproof. So, even if your targets hit the decoys and not actual ducks, you can rest assured that your decoys are safe. 

The decoys have a forward-weighted and self-righting keel, which allows them to float appropriately in water, no matter the depth. The keel clip also makes for short-stringing when your hunting arena is shallow.

3 - MOJO Outdoors Elite Series- Mini Mallard Duck Hunting Motion Decoy

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Pros

  • It has a noiseless motor
  • The paint scheme is very realistic
  • It has a solid build that further prevents excessive rattling that could scare ducks
  • It is beginner-friendly and easy to set up
  • It promises a good shelf life

Cons

  • There is no remote control option
  • The attaching poles are relatively short
  • Customers claim that it is quite fragile

The Elite series boasts of an ultra-realistic design with innovative engineering. This decoy design is distinct from most ones on the market. What sets it apart from others is that the magnetically attached wings spin in a flight-like motion. A structural housing safely protects the motor components, and this part of the decoy is attached independently to the decoy’s body. This housing is connected to the support pole, making it stronger and less at risk of getting wrecked. 

The motor operates on regular 4 AA batteries, which are sadly not included in the sales package. But overall, this decoy is standard and serves its purpose. When you need to clean or repair the decoy, you can easily open the parts.

4 - Avian X Topflight Wood Duck Floater Decoy

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Pros

  • The design is realistic and imitates the poise and posture of adult mallards and hens
  • It has an elegant design that makes for easy floating
  • The decoys are sturdy and durable
  • The sales package contains a spread of different duck decoys
  • The paint used is wear-resistant

Cons

  • The decoys are relatively costly
  • They are slightly oversized
  • They come in a lounging pose that may be a little too still to be realistic

With a practical and durable paint pattern known for not chipping easily, the Avianx topflight wood duck floater decoy features the elegance of real ducks and the pose and poise they assume when resting in the water. It has a realistic weight-forward, swim bottom design, and a modern rubbery molding material, making it float easily. 

The sales package features six deluxe wood duck decoys measuring 12.5 inches from breast to tail, consisting of two high head drakes, two low head drakes, and two low head hens. It is an excellent buy that will give you proper value for your money.

5 - RioRand Realistic Plastic Duck Hunting Decoy

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Pros

  • It is lightweight and can float easily
  • It is quite affordable
  • The size is spot-on and perfect for a decoy
  • It is quite sturdy in build
  • Its design allows for multi-functionality as both a hunting tool and a garden or pool decor

Cons

  • Customers claim that it is more plastic than life-like due to the painted colors
  • The keel is too long for shallow waters
  • Questionable durability as the decoy develops holes over time

For a purely plastic decoy, this is a satisfactory product. It is reasonably sized, spanning 18cm in length and 33cm in width. The design is highly detailed, with an appropriate weight that makes it easy to float. With the sturdy build, you can expect that these decoys would be easy to place. 

The decoy set comes with mallard duck pieces and is highly multifunctional. Many customers use it for decorative purposes, too, in their garden ponds, lakes, lawns, or barns. This decoy weighs as little as 0.3 kilograms, and because of this, it is compact enough for you to fit into your hunting bag and carry around. 

 

6 - Flambeau Outdoors 1215GSD Gunning Series Mallard Decoys

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Pros

  • The decoys have a design that makes for easy floating
  • They come at a reasonable price
  • There are a variety of decoys in the set
  • The paint has proven to be high-quality and has no record of fading away
  • These decoys are made of dependable material and are durable

Cons

  • These decoys have a rolling motion because of their keel
  • They are made of a material that is speculated to cause reproductive harm or cancer
  • Certain laws prohibit their use in states like California

This decoy set contains six pieces of decoys, which consists of four mallard drakes and two hens. The Flambeau brand adopts a realistic and life-like design for these decoys such that you can easily mistake them for real ducks. This design serves the decoy purpose to the latter. 

As part of the Gunning series, this set of decoys are unique in that their design adopts a feature that is grossly lacking in most decoys on the market. This gunning or skeg-style keel gives the decoys a rounded bottom, allowing it to move in a life-like manner when floating. And it floats, irrespective of the wind or shallowness of the water. The decoys also come in a patented paint scheme that holds a similarity to the ultraviolet signature of ducks, making the allure completely realistic.

7 - Lucky Duck HDi Spinning Wing Decoy

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Pros

  • This decoy is made from high-quality materials, including EVA foam and plastic
  • You can trust these decoys to be long-lasting
  • The 7.4V lithium-ion battery guarantees you at least eighteen hours of run-time
  • You have no worries of malfunction due to water contact as this decoy is thoroughly waterproof
  • It comes with other accessories, including the batteries, charger, remote kit, and stake that it requires. The manufacturer also throws in a gear bag

Cons

  • The stake on which you would place the decoy is not very long
  • It is more expensive than regular decoys
  • Customers complain about poor customer service experience

When it concerns ultra-realistic decoys, the Lucky Duck spinning wing duck decoy is a winner. Combining the solid EVA foam material with carefully crafted magnetic wings, these decoys guarantee a hyper-realism that would lure in ducks. The most noteworthy feature is the realistic ultraviolet painting and how the wings can spin to create an even more realistic swim pattern if you need it to. 

This function is courtesy of a battery box attached to the decoy, which is completely sealed. It also comes with a stake for balance. This decoy’s build makes for a perfect balance such that even without the wings, it is of ideal weight to float, irrespective of wind conditions.

8 - Avian-X Top Flight Fusion Mallards 8076

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Pros

  • There is a variation of postures in the different decoys
  • The paint scheme is quite detailed and realistic
  • The decoys are lightweight and compact, so you can easily carry them
  • It provides excellent value for money
  • The design allows for easy floating

Cons

  • These decoys are more expensive than most
  • They are relatively more massive than a regular-sized duck
  • Despite the excellent performance, customers report that the paint chips easily

Famous for its weight-forward swim down design, these decoys are rumored to be the definite business when choosing decoys. These decoys are an ideal blend of up-right heads, and feeder ones which gives the impression of a flock of mallards feeding and resting on the water. 

The sales package contains a pack of 6 mallard decoys, each one a common shape of duck that hunters are used to, a drake, a hen, a swimmer and a high head. All of these are reasonably sized at 14.5 inches, breast to tail. The Avianx brand is famous for making standard duck decoys with practical color schemes that are durable. As such, you can be sure that a fusion of both brands would give you a purchase that would be functional and last through all seasons.

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