Canada Goose decoys

[Soiler]

Its time to redo my Canada full body spread again. I know lots of guys like the silhouettes. I use them to so that’s not the question and I’m looking for opinions/reviews between the Dakota full bodies and Dave Smiths. I know DSD are more expensive but I’m wondering if they’re worth the extra $$ or if they’re comparable to the flocked full bodies that Dakota is putting out. Who’s using what for flocked full bodies?

[trigger7mm]

We use Dakotas in our spread. We mix them in with silhouettes, makes for a very good spread.

[Soiler]

More or less wondering which is the better decoy… DSD or Dakota

[anthony5]

Don't think any one brand is better than the other, all depends on your location and setup, fully flocked may work better at times and sometimes not, being where they want to be works every time. Pulling birds from the X with a pristine decoy setup may work, maybe not. Hope you find the right answer and get them coming in.

[Esox]

If you can afford them, the DSD are the best, but oh my are they pricey. Where they will be better than dakota's is those late season, educated birds as well as the cold mornings where frost buildup is an issue. If I had the cash, Id have a trailer full. That being said, for 85-90% of the hunting here, the dakotas will work extremely well.

[sns2]

You know, not trying to be coy, but my guess is the same Chinese manufacturer does 90% of them.

Flocked is flocked. Obviously the best you can get. Don’t stress over your decision.

You know this already, but being on the X is a helluva lot more important than the manufacturer of your dekes.

Good luck!

[elkhunter11]

`I have been watching enough videos where the geese pretty much tried to land on clones, to think that it might be worth trying a couple of clones this fall.

[trigger7mm]

$600 for two Clones. That’s a lot of cash. In my opinion, after hunting geese for close to 40 years, is there are two very important things to remember. Hunting the X as much as possible, and be very anal about your hide. Take the extra time to make your blind as perfect as possible. Pay attention to detail. Also, don’t over call when hunting big Canadas. Wear something to conceal your face, and keep movement to a minimum. Big spreads are not necessary. I run 13 dozen tops, and I don’t think we normally need that many. We’ve killed alot of geese over 3 dozen decoys. Another thing I see often, is guys that have a nice looking spread, but don’t hide their truck properly. Walk a little further, and hide that truck so that the birds don’t get to see it at all. Why go through all the effort to get a great set up, only to have the birds flare because they see something out of the ordinary like a vehicle?

[ganderblaster]

Originally Posted by trigger7mm

$600 for two Clones. That’s a lot of cash. In my opinion, after hunting geese for close to 40 years, is there are two very important things to remember. Hunting the X as much as possible, and be very anal about your hide. Take the extra time to make your blind as perfect as possible. Pay attention to detail. Also, don’t over call when hunting big Canadas. Wear something to conceal your face, and keep movement to a minimum. Big spreads are not necessary. I run 13 dozen tops, and I don’t think we normally need that many. We’ve killed alot of geese over 3 dozen decoys. Another thing I see often, is guys that have a nice looking spread, but don’t hide their truck properly. Walk a little further, and hide that truck so that the birds don’t get to see it at all. Why go through all the effort to get a great set up, only to have the birds flare because they see something out of the ordinary like a vehicle?

By the time I got my $265USD clones here with shipping duty and exchange it was about $400CAD/clone. Not sure honks would like them or not for honks I would be tempted to try the lucky duck flapper. I use mine for snows but specks don’t love em seems like.

I think the biggest thing to consider between Dakota and DSD is if you like bases or not? The last dakotas I put out had bases and they were very bulky to store and bent easily. The Dakota’s seem bigger and have more drawing power. I am not in the ultra realistic decoy camp. To me hide, decoy glare, calling and location are way more important then carving and colour scheme. Some of my best shoots have been over 20 year old storm front flambeaus all chipped and worn out. Take what I say with a grain of salt because I’m not much of a honker guy except for the opener I don’t hunt them once the specks and snows show up.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by ganderblaster

By the time I got my $265USD clones here with shipping duty and exchange it was about $400CAD/clone. Not sure honks would like them or not for honks I would be tempted to try the lucky duck flapper. I use mine for snows but specks don’t love em seems like.

I think the biggest thing to consider between Dakota and DSD is if you like bases or not? The last dakotas I put out had bases and they were very bulky to store and bent easily. The Dakota’s seem bigger and have more drawing power. I am not in the ultra realistic decoy camp. To me hide, decoy glare, calling and location are way more important then carving and colour scheme. Some of my best shoots have been over 20 year old storm front flambeaus all chipped and worn out. Take what I say with a grain of salt because I’m not much of a honker guy except for the opener I don’t hunt them once the specks and snows show up.

I was watching a show where several flocks of Canada geese came in and tried to land pretty much right on the clones, just the opposite of how they typically react to motion duck decoys.

[ganderblaster]

Thats great info those clones are very realistic.

[Tabers Best]

If the Dakota's are fully flocked go with them. I have some DSD and they look unreal have great flocked heads and the size is quite large. But flocking is a difference maker. I hade some of the painted first series Dakotas and I sold them.

Avery FFD'S finish geese the best for full bodies in all conditions. Saying that you will still get geese with the other types, I still have some of the original Big foots and i use them but only when the sun is not out.

Fine detail is over rated it is meant to sell decoys and will not help you finish birds, I have hunted with multiple decoy company owners over my 30 years of bird hunting and the say the same thing.
. Fully flocked full body decoys do not have glare and will finish birds better during the whole season.

Just like Real geese silos will always finish birds better than Big Al's. You can still get birds with Al's but they are not as effective.

[ganderblaster]

Originally Posted by Tabers Best

If the Dakota's are fully flocked go with them. I have some DSD and they look unreal have great flocked heads and the size is quite large. But flocking is a difference maker. I hade some of the painted first series Dakotas and I sold them.

Avery FFD'S finish geese the best for full bodies in all conditions. Saying that you will still get geese with the other types, I still have some of the original Big foots and i use them but only when the sun is not out.

Fine detail is over rated it is meant to sell decoys and will not help you finish birds, I have hunted with multiple decoy company owners over my 30 years of bird hunting and the say the same thing.
. Fully flocked full body decoys do not have glare and will finish birds better during the whole season.

Just like Real geese silos will always finish birds better than Big Al's. You can still get birds with Al's but they are not as effective.

Flocked are nice but man do they ever have to be handled with white gloves to be take care of properly. I have actually come to the conclusion that side glare isn’t to bad but the glare of anything horizontal it’s over. Those dakotas have that wing elbow crease or whatever up front and I feel that traps light and can create a glare with un flocked Dakotas. Real birds have some glare too but definitely something to be aware of.