Favorite Duck Hunting Accesory?

[wallter]

Could be a certain decoy, call, blind bag, choke, blind, shell, gun, dog gear, warm gear, etc. etc.

1. What is your favorite?

2. What do you want to buy next?

My favorite is my Benelli and I'd like to get some of those GHG full body mallard decoys (nice).

[Scott M]

wallter, some people are lumpers and some people are splitters.

I'm a splitter. I would call some of the gear you listed, like guns or warm gear or waders as essential. But I do understand the spirit of teh post, to see what gear people like and what they want for next year.

Having said that, the non-essential accessory I enjoy the most is my D-ring shell belt for my waders (faster reloads and not so much rummaging around for the shell box) and my fiber optic clip on sights. They are both cheap accessories but I get a lot of enjoyment out of them.

I am planning on getting a layout blind pretty soon from Otter and that could be considered an accessory or a necessity I suppose. I'll be testing it out with any luck, although it may have to wait until next year with my schedule filling up.

[RonZ]

My dog Jafra without a doubt!! She will go through anything to bring my bird back. I don't know how I ever hunted before without a Labrador retriever. The older you get, the more you appreciate a good dog.

[Ufatz]

By importance: #1 1936 Parker 12 guage and, #2 Black Lab. All else not neccessary.

[BoxMN]

My Drake quarter zip fleece pullover. Used it all year, and only last Sunday, in all the wind and getting a bit cooler, did I have to put on a jacket. I might even have it worn out after ice fishing and spring fishing, so I might need a new one

Got a "light-modified" Browning choke after I ruined my Modified choke trapshooting (shot with it too loose... drat) and I like it.

Last, I put a neoprene sling on my Gold for North Dakota hunting, and that sling was the best thing I ever added. It will never come off from now on.

Oh yeah, an Under Armour camo baclava (sp?) that I wear under my baseball caps. Use it ice fishing too, and no longer need stocking caps. Comfy and warm and doubles as a face mask (sort of).

edit: sorry, should have kept it one. But three of the above are relatively cheap.

[HugoBox]

BoxMN forgot the best thing we've added to make life easy - the pop-up decoy bag. they go for about $40 and hold a ton of decoys. They stay open so picking up and bagging decoys is a lot quicker - even when you're alone.

[french_lake_kid]

Hevi-shot "Dead Coyote" 3" T-shot, those geese are dead b4 I even pull the trigger!

[luckycrank]

IS IT AS GOOD AS 2O gA 2 SHOT THAT KILLED THE ONE SUNDAY ?DO YOU REMEMBER HOW PERFECTLY DEAD IT WAS? CAUSE I DO

OH YEAH!! WHERE YOU SHOOTING THAT YELPING COYOTE LOAD AT THAT ONE THAT SWAM A QUARTER MILE OUT OF THRE DECOYS JK

MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK FOR A STRAIGHT BARREL FOR CHRISTMAS!!! JK

[hanson]

I guess my favorite accessory sort of falls into the necessity category as well, that is my Blind Bag.

I have one of the Cabela's bags with the hard plastic bottom and pretty much everything I need for a hunt is in there: calls, shells, chokes, shooting glasses, duckstrap, camera, headlamp, spare batteries, spare gloves, camo ball cap, camo stocking hat, WD40, rags, etc.

[MuleShack]

I have one of those camo bags as well. It keeps your gear dry and together. It doubles as my ice fishing pack as well.

[trailratedtj]

got the same bag also. works freakin awesome!

[Sartell Angler]

A headlamp is a necessity--can't imagine running the boat, setting up dekes, etc w/out one.

I like my coffee in the morning, especially on the cold days so I'd have to put that down as one of my favorites as well.

[magnum mike]

I finally broke down and replaced the lead strap decoy weights (7 dozen) with the ACE weights with the rubber strap. I wish I would have done it years ago. They make wrapping decoys on a cold day a lot less miserable.

[Gator Slayer]

3 new things I like this year

1) Drake stand-up decoy bag.--Wish I'd gotten the XL

2) GHG full motion decoys (split a six pack with 2 other guys)

3) 8 ft teloscoping boat hook for retrieving decoys. Works great for pulling them out of the ice.

Next year for sure: More GHG decoys

Wishful thinking: MUD Motor--Waterpump froze up yesterday--very scary.

[Sartell Angler]

Quote:

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I finally broke down and replaced the lead strap decoy weights (7 dozen) with the ACE weights with the rubber strap. I wish I would have done it years ago. They make wrapping decoys on a cold day a lot less miserable.

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good call...that is going on my list of "To Do's" for next year as well!

[lanyard]

I'm liking the 'scoop' weights on the nose for the Herters, but have used the Ace for about 5 years.

I got a super decoy bag with wicked padded straps that are positioned lower on the bag so you actually carry the weight vs. having your blocks bounce off your heals...

The other is the tobacco pipe. Kind of cool and fitting for that time after the decoys and before the shooting.

[hanson]

Those ACE weights are one of the best things to come along in a long time. All of our decoys have them now.

We used to have the scoop anchors but they have worn the paint off the bills of the dekes we had them on from repeated use.

[Morneau132]

I'D HAVE TO SAY MY FAVORITE ITEM IS GHG KEEL GRABBER DECOY WEIGHTS. THEY ARE SIMPLE AND ALWAYS KEEP THE DECOY LINE AROUND THE KEEL WHILE IN THE DEKE BAG. NO ONE LIKES UNTANGLING DEKES N THE EARLY MORNING...

[smg04]

how bout a reliable outboard that starts on the first pull every time??

[wallter]

Picked up a new Blind Bag. It's much bigger than my old one and I can't wait to put EVERYTHING I need in there. Plus the stuff I MIGHT need...

[Seabass77]

I also love the ace anchors, work great on my g&h decoys. I also love my m2.

[luckycrank]

SECOND THE GHG KEEL GRABBER WEIGHTS\

[BLACKJACK]

They do look pretty slick!!!! I wonder how long the stretch material will last?

[hanson]

Quote:

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They do look pretty slick!!!! I wonder how long the stretch material will last?

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On the Ace Anchors? We've had some Ace Anchors on our decoys for 5 years now. Pretty much good as new.

You can order replacements directly from Ace for about a buck a piece if you ever need to replace them.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

my public lands atlas' for south dakota, minnesota, and north dakota, as well as the 10-12 plat books i have. throw in a good mobile antenna for the cell phone; nothing else matters if you cant get on the birds!

[Michael8129]

1: new this year decoy racks from the keeper site online absolutely the best thing for decoys in a boat

2: telescoping decoy retriever pole

3: Lowrance Explorer GPS never get lost on the big lakes cattail sloughs again

4: Cat eye headlamp

5: my Bandolier for my shells phone cigars and lighter

6:My Avery Blind bag

7: raffia grass bought in bulk

8: LED flashlight

9: Neoprene decoy gloves to the elbow

10: game carrier not just for deer anymore

[ole matty]

1. grizzly mint

2. stoeger 2000 semi gun, to bad i got it 2 week b4 duck season end.

3. my cheap headlamp but it work!

4. my oars.

[Wild Thing]

1. Chocloate lab named Bigsby, he's over 140 retrieves this year.

2. Maybe the Benelli and some shells. Ok, My Carlson for ducks and Straight Meat Honker for geese.

3. Everything else is just extra weight.