Duck Decoys
Duck decoys here run from 6-pack Higdon floaters for nearly every puddler and diver you will see, through MOJO and Higdon motion decoys, to Zink and Avian X floaters. Start with mallards, since they pull in most other puddle ducks, then add species that match your water. Teal packs cover early season, and motion units do the work on calm days.
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Puddle Ducks and Divers
Higdon sells floaters by species, and most come in 6-packs, with some in 12-packs. On the puddle duck side: mallard, black duck, pintail, gadwall, wigeon, shoveler, wood duck, blue-wing teal and green-wing teal. On the diver side: bluebill, canvasback, redhead, ringneck, goldeneye and bufflehead. Higdon also sells named packs (Puddle Pack, Late Season Puddle Pack, Diver Pack, Powers' Pack) and coot decoys.
Match the spread to the birds that use your water. Marshes and flooded fields want mostly mallards with a few pintail and gadwall. Big open water and rivers that hold divers want bluebill, canvasback and redhead, set in lines and rafts. Divers on deep water need longer line and heavier weights, so look at our decoy rigging before you set them.
Standard, Magnum or Battleship Sizes
Higdon sells many species in Standard, Magnum (including Legacy Magnum) and Battleship lines; the listings give the sizes. The rule of thumb: bigger decoys are visible from farther away, which matters on big water and windy days. Smaller decoys are lighter and stack more compactly in a bag, which matters when you walk in. Many hunters run a few large decoys at the edges and standard sizes in the middle.
Full-body and shell options sit here too, such as the Higdon Magnum Full-Body Mallard and Magnum Full-Form Shell Mallard, for flooded fields and shorelines where a floater would look out of place.
| If your spread needs | Look for on this shelf |
|---|---|
| A starting mallard spread | Higdon Standard Mallard 6 and 12 packs, Zink mallard floaters |
| Early-season teal | Higdon blue-wing and green-wing teal packs, Zink green wing floater |
| Divers on big water | Higdon bluebill, canvasback, redhead, ringneck and goldeneye packs, Diver Pack |
| Motion on calm days | MOJO spinners and ripplers, Higdon Pulsator PRO, Swimmer PRO, Flasher PRO |
| Tip-up feeding look | Higdon Magnum Duck Butt packs, The Ringer, Avian X Power Butt Kicker |
Motion Decoys: Spinners, Swimmers and Ripplers
Still water makes decoys look dead. Motion breaks that up. MOJO brings spinning wing decoys (Mallard Machine, Elite Series, Lite Mallard, Baby MOJO), the Rippler, the Wind Duck and the Dabbler with remote. Higdon adds the Pulsator PRO, Swimmer PRO, Flasher PRO and Motion Machine, plus four-unit Plug N Hunt hardwire systems. Use motion early in the season, then cut back once birds have seen a lot of spinners. Our motion decoys page carries more options from the goose and dove side too.
Teal Decoys and Early Season
Teal come early and fast. A dozen Higdon blue-wing or green-wing teal decoys near the edge of a mallard spread looks natural, and they are light enough to carry a dozen in one hand. Pair them with a teal call from our duck calls page and a set of duck hunting waders for warm-water hunts.
Duck Decoy FAQs
How many duck decoys do I need to start?
A dozen to two dozen is enough for small water and public marsh. Big water and fields need more. Start with mallards, then add species and motion as you learn your spots.
Should I buy 6-packs or 12-packs?
Many Higdon species come in both. Twelve-packs make sense for your core mallards. Six-packs work for adding a few pintail, gadwall or teal to an existing spread.
Do motion decoys really help?
They help most on calm days and early in the season. Once birds see spinners often, many hunters use subtle motion (ripplers, swimmers, jerk strings) instead.
Where are the goose decoys?
In the hunting decoys section, on our goose decoys page, with silhouettes and full-bodies.