Report on the "new"Avery decoys

[jebster]

Scott Moates, thanks for your post on the decoy line problem. Unfortunately, I do not have any unused rolls of line as I bought it 3 or 4 years ago to rig 400 or so new decoys that my club bought to use in some new we picked up. I also bought the crimps to connect the weights. I would not expect you realistically to do more than you have already offered to do. But, I am not going to go back to the Avery line. I've already lost a lot of time (much moreso than $) and been aggravated enough. Sometimes things just go wrong, even with the best of intentions.

For sure Avery is expanding it's product line and that's a good thing. However, it is obvious with the recent decoy paint problems and decoy line issues, that perhaps you guys are moving too fast. For example, the Hot Buy decoys were an attractive item. However, there were the paint issues plus the design does not allow for weights to be wrapped around the head. And that negatively effects some of us. I am sure Avery has improved on those things, but unfortuantely for some us, it came a little too late. But, I give you guys credit for making a serious effort to make good on these things, albeit sometimes not practical.

I will continue to use and recommend those Avery products which I have used successfully. You guys are doing most things right.

[webfoot]

Tried the Hot Buy Mallard decoys, Life-Size Series Mallards and Pintails with the weighted keel.

Knowing that the paint could be a problem, put about 5 coats of matte finish polyurethane spray on them, they appear to have held up very well to the extreme use this year.

I generally use about two dozen decoys in most of my hunting areas; this season I prefer to mix the two types of Greenhead Gear mallard decoys with my G & H decoys .

The life-size pintails decoys were some of the best looking pintail decoys that I have used in my years of hunting.

There seemed to be a trick to keeping the weight keels on the life-sizes, some in our camp did not put enough pressure on the keel to “snap” it into place.

The decoy line purchase by us was a real nuisance this year, sorry Scott.