deer_beer11

i have always used my friends deocys when duck hunting. this year i was thinking about getting some of my own.i was wondering what brand i should get, and how many i will need for starters. i am on a limited budget so i cant go all out just yet. i have been looking online and see a lot of packages that have decoys, weights, string, and a bag for a reasonable price. just wondering what i need to start my own collection of dekes.

SwampTHING

couple questions..
1) what species is your primary target puddlers/divers/geese?
2) field or water? if water how deep is it? may sound like a strange question but there are different ways of rigging decoys depending on water depth's.
3) how are you accessing your hunting grounds?
4) what is limitted budget? $50, 100, 150, 200, 500?

deer_beer11

mostly puddlers and geese, i have goose decoys for land already but no duck or goose floaters. most of the water is fairly shallow, most of it is shallow enough to walk in but you would need atleast waist high waters for it, i have an old hunting boat that needs work but until them im walkin and as far as teh budget i want the bare esentials for the best price, i dont know if i need themost expensivedecoys out there or if just having decoys on the water is good enough.

SwampTHING

You dont need the most expensive decoys. Ill tell you what will get you by for less $$ than you may think possible! If I had say $120-150 too spend this is how I would do it.

buy 2-3 dozen ghg hotbuy mallards, cabelas $24.99 a dozen $50-75 total
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0020896225978a&navCount=1&podI d=0020896&parentId=cat20831&masterpathid=& amp;navAction=jump&cmCat=MainCatcat20712-cat20831&catalogCode=QT&rid=&parentTyp e=index&indexId=cat20831&hasJS=true

Line: 100 yards of 400# mono you can buy it for $20 here,, you only need 5-6 feet per decoy. plus crimps another $7. total $27+shipping
http://www.blueoceantackle.com/commercial_fishing_supply.htm

then you need weights: some 4 ounce strap weights, $9 a dozen for 4 ouncers,, personally id go with the 6 oz's. $27 + shipping

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20712-cat20829&id=0005748220066a&navCount=5& podId=0005748&parentId=cat20829&masterpath id=&navAction=push&catalogCode=XG&rid= &parentType=index&indexId=cat20829&has JS=true

Now set them up like this,, if you do all you need now is a $.99 caribeener. you dont need a decoy bag.

http://www.txwaterfowler.com/html_pages/duck_hunting/texas_rigged_decoys/texas_rigged.htm

so for $130 plus shipping (if you cant find this stuff local) you can have a darn good starter spread! as a matter of fact myself and a couple buddies have killed 70 or so ducks in the last 5 days over a spread of 3 dozen hot-buys set-up like this!

lostlab

This is tricky business. If all you want are bodies on the water, go with the cheapest dekes you can find. If you are like everyone else I know, you won't be happy with them after the 1st season. Decoys are like anything else, you get what you pay for. When the Avery dekes came out I had to have some because they look so realistic.
After about 2 hunts that georgeous paint started chipping off of their heads, I should've known for that price they were too good to be true.
Last season my buddy bought the new flambeau's, same thing.
I would recommend G&H's, if you start at the top you won't have anywhere to go and I guarentee you that's what most of us don't do.
As for cord get tangle free any brand it doesn't matter.
For weights your best bet is the mushroom type or the straps.
I've used everything and that's the best way to go, when they came out with the stretchy ones I was smitten, after a season the rubber part wears out and then they suck, that's why in catalogs where they sell them they always offer replacements.
G&H may not be the best out there, I know some would argue, but Blackwater's are like 175.00 for 6.
As far as numbers go, it really depends on the size of the water you are hunting, and believe it or not, hunting pressure.
I would stay away from the package deals because that's the best deal for the MFG. not the buyer.