To fool field-bound ducks and geese, you need just the right decoys. Here’s how to choose

SHELL DECOYS

Shell decoys are half-body plastic mould replicas of ducks and geese. From above and from a distant side view, they look like a real bird. The majority of these decoys have removable heads, which allows hunters to stack the shell bodies in piles and store the heads in bags or boxes when not in use. Available in feeder, active and semi-active poses, the heads are generally easy to install and remove with a simple twist. Some decoy manufacturers now offer fully stackable, one-piece sleeper shell decoys that resemble resting birds with their heads nestled back into their bodies.

Shell decoys can be used throughout the entire hunting season to represent a flock of feeding birds. For years, they were only designed to sit on the ground. In order to make spreads look more alive, however, some shells now come with stakes so they suspend off the ground and wobble in the wind.

If your decoys did not come equipped with stakes, it’s easy to achieve the same effect. Simply find the balancing point on each body, then drill a small hole to accommodate a commercially available stake, or a homemade version. To make your own, weld a washer a few centimetres below the top of a 60-centimetre metal stake to balance the shell in place.

One of the best times to use shell decoys is the late season, when it’s cold and the ducks and geese nestle down on their bellies while feeding. Some of the birds will even tuck their heads into their bodies and have a nap in the field before flying back to their roost. That’s when sleeper shell decoys come into play.

PROS

Shell decoys have a mid-range prince. The bodies are very durable, and they can be stacked in large numbers and carried in a decoy bag. Stacking also makes them easy to store and transport in an SUV or pickup truck. Once the heads are installed, they’re also very easy to set out and move. Shells work equally well in short pea stubble and high corn stubble; they’re ideal when the stubble fields are frozen or packed hard, as they can then be used without motion stakes. The hollow shells can also serve as good hiding places for a water bottle, jacket or shell bag.

CONS

Attaching the heads and removing them can be quite time consuming, especially in the dark. And if you’re in a rush or assembling the decoys in frigid weather, care must be taken not to break the heads or the connections to the body shells. It’s also easy to leave behind a head or two in the field. If the bodies get dirty or dusty, meanwhile, the painted surfaces can get scratched when stacking and transporting the decoys. And in high winds, it’s possible for these decoys to flip over and start tumbling away.