Flocked heads or regular heads?

[Killer Miller]

Ok guys, I am just making sure I am not crazy. My uncle is a huge waterfowler and doesn't believe in all of these flocked decoys. He uses Big Foots and is even ordering new style BF's without flocked heads! He throws them around in the back of his F-150 with a topper. Do you think it would be a bad choice for someone with just a truck and a topper to buy dekes with flocked heads because of the quick wear and tear that would occur on the flocked heads? I have an explorer and with the back seats folded down can get about 2 dozen full bodies into it? I own and am planning on buying more flocked full bodies? Will they be ok inside my explorer? Would putting socks on their heads between uses be worth it? I'm kinda rough on gear

Sorry for the multi-chaptered book I just typed! :lol:

[migrator00]

Go no flock...flocking is a pain in the a$$.

[Chris Jones]

I disagree. Flocking is the single most important improvement you can do for your spread. It doesn't really take any special care,especially when it comes to commercial decoys. The flocking that is factory installed is far better then what we did a few years ago.More importantly, You will see a huge diffrence in the way the birds finish. I personally will not own a decoy thats not flocked heads and tails. If the tails aren't flocked then I do.

[SGTSLTR]

This is just something that I heard about the new BF's. That the flocking is very bad. Supposibly you can scrape the flocking off with just you finger nail, and with not alot of pressure.

Just what I heard.

I think that flocking is key. The deeks look more real!!!!!!

[mndiverwacker]

im just throwing socks on the heads. should help but eventually they will show some wear.

[Mark Spence]

Personally....I am ALL FOR flocked heads and tails for that matter. They do make decoy care and maintenance a bit more of a hassle, but the effect shown in the field greatly out weighs the extra work.

Here is something for those of you who do no believe in flocked heads to try....take two of the same decoys (say BF), one with a flocked head and one without flocking. Put them out in the field about 100 or so yards from you.....I GUARANTEE you the flocked head will stick out WAY more than the unflocked head.

When it comes to decoys I am very ANAL about how they are kept....CLEAN, VERY CLEAN!!!! All decoys will be individually bagged and shelved and when taken out into the field, they will not be removed from the bags until they are ready to be set. It takes a lot more time to set a spread and pick up....but if you talk to those who hunt with me...I think you'll hear all of them say....IT'S WORTH IT!!!! If the decoys get muddy...I clean them - warm water and light detergent (if any) wipe them dry and place them back in the bag.

Realism is a key ingredient to success....when do you see a goose whose head is not dark black and whose body is not clean??? Flocking and good decoy care/maintenance address both issues...

Sorry to go off on a tangent....I am bored at work today!!!!

[rushcreekganderlander]

Get the flocked heads. It is a big difference on getting the birds to finish. Of course they will wear, but the socks will help somewhat. Touch up kits are available for a reasonable price as well.

[Killer Miller]

Thanks for all the comments.

Has anyone else heard about the flocking on the new BF's? Because I was wondering about the flocking too since this is their first year flocking them. I was thinking about buying a dozen full bodies with flocked heads. Any info would be great.

[mndiverwacker]

it dosent rub off with your fingernail but other than that i have no other flocked decoys to compair too.

by the way.. does any one know if trader has the bull series in stock or are they still preorder?

[IowaMigr8tor]

The bull wont be out until September 1st, thats what I was told by Clinton Decoy

[Mark Spence]

I just talked to Tim...the bulls are not in stock yet. They won't be out until mid to late August at the earliest...

[migrator00]

You're all a bunch of anal ba$tards :) Been smokin' geese for a long time w/out a bit of flocking. U all should talk to Scott Lovell about bigfoots and no flocking. You can't kill 'em any closer to your face then he does and he doesn't have a bit of flocking in his whole spread. Flock doesn't look bad and i'm not sayin' I won't buy some..but if you are as lazy as I am...I wouldn't mess w/ it. Anyway boys..off to peoria..see ya monday.

[Drake]

Most definitely flocked over non-flocked,worth the little extra care taken with them for me :) .

[takem]

i would go with flocked, all flocking will wear and damage easy if you dont tak ecare of them

[mndiverwacker]

thanks for informing me.

[twitch]

i dont like flockin. we try to set them up in order in the trailerbut it turns into a pain. it comes off and regular works just as good i think. and think when you come in from the rain. trying to get socks on the heads will be a pain in the a_ _.

jake

[Mark Spence]

Fellas...there really is no need for "socking" the flocked heads. And you guys are right...the flocking will wear. But each year, if you take one day out of your summer and spend on decoy-clean up and preparation (including touching up the flocking), I promise, it will make a difference.

The reason I individually bag my decoys and treat them like I do is because they Dave Smith Decoys (DSDs)....the Foiles Sig Series FA decoys that I will be mixing into the spread this year will not be individually bagged, and if was running the new BF dekes, they would not be bagged. Stack them up....I would still try to keep them clean (no mud, etc.).

But as always...to each their own :wink: !!!

[jezzolo]

My $.02 is that flocking is great. Buy them already flocked, and if you half a$$ take care of them you might have a couple that will need touched up, but no big operation to touch them up.

Now if your starting out with 3 or more dozen to flock, Oh hell no I wouldn't get into that mess. To buy them already done is a no brainer.

[Eshorehunter]

I like the flocked heads they are sweet but they take to much care to them I like the big feet cause they look real and they are easy to handle. But it is nice to have a few flocked heads because they do make a difference.

[Killer Miller]

Thanks for all the input guys. I was going to stay with flocked heads anyway, but now I know for sure that they're worth the extra $$ and the extra care.

[kingkilla]

im not going to lie. the flocking looks good but at times its more work than what its worth. i would have to migrator00 i dont think you will kill em any closer with flocked heads

[Chris Jones]

You guys in Iowa...don't hunt pressured geese do you?? :wink:

[ganderlander1]

Early in the season you can get away without flocking on your decoys but late in the season I prefer having decoys with flocked heads. If you hunt in high pesure areas flocking can be the differance in killing geese or just having them circle your spread.

I am not saying you have to have flocking to kill geese but I think it is money well spent to buy decoys with flocking. Me personaly would not buy the flocking and put it on the heads and tails. I flocked some about a year ago and they are all ready looking bad. I would use the flocking to touch up decoys that are looking bad.

[Killer Miller]

Chris Jones, I'm glad you're kidding!! But seriously, it just depends where you are. For example, if you're in an area where there are alot of birds, you're going to be hunting pressured geese because the high numbers of birds attract high or at least some hunters. Vice versa, if you're hunting a relatively small concentration of birds, you generally aren't going to get alot of other hunters in that area. Unless of course you're hunting birds close to a high concentration of people (hunters), take for example my home state's capital Des Moines. Of course I live where alot of other hunters live at. That doesn't mean you can't kill them close to the city though. Me and my boys were killing a good number of honkers during the late season not too far outside of the suburbs. They were pretty hard to decoy though. Good thing we were tooting on Foiles SMH's!! :lol: