Higdon decoys make the difference

Higdon is a leading US decoy brand with a very strong New Zealand connection as it operates in partnership with Auckland based Outdoor Outfitters Ltd. Famous for the Terminator (Robo style) spinning wing decoy, Outdoor Outfitters role has been to locate reliable factories and oversee production in China. What’s in this relationship for the NZ hunter is factory direct pricing on some of the most innovative duck attracting devises made. As more and more hunters have invested in the standard pole mount spinning wing decoy, so too have the ducks become educated to them. We asked one of this country’s keenest and most successful duck hunters Chris Scully, to give his considered opinion on the latest creations from Higdon.

Just when I thought I had all the duck hunting secret weapons I could ever need, I have been proved wrong!

THE PULSATOR

This time last year the Higdon decoy company released ‘The Pulsator’, a water movement (duck butt) decoy that soon picked up a nickname - ‘The Gusher’. Basically the Pulsator is a feeding duck decoy with a bilge pump built into it. It is powered by a crafty system where a 7 AMP rechargeable gel battery sealed in a water tight battery pack acts as the anchor and the sealed cable leading to the decoy becomes the decoy ‘string’. The Pulsator has a built-in timer and therefore pulsates water skywards in bursts while all the time bobbing like a feeding duck. At first impression in the conference room environment and being a big water hunter I personally thought the Pulsater was a bit of a gimmick whereas other hunters in our group who shoot more sheltered water liked the concept.

Each year I open the season on the Wairau lagoons in Marlborough then take the first week off and hunt with a group of equally passionate hunters in the wetlands of the Auckland/Waikato area. One of these hunters is Higdon Pro Hunter Craig Sapich. (Pro Hunters test and develop product in the field for the various manufactures). Well I have to say that as soon as I saw that Pulsator decoy in action I was impressed. It was creating duck-like water movement around the pond and in so doing bringing life to all of Craig’s regular decoys. It wasn’t just me that was impressed either, so too were the mallards that fine still morning and I had no doubt that the success we enjoyed was helped considerably by the water movement created by the Pulsator.

THE SWIMMER

For 2010 Higdon has built on the success of the Pulsator by fitting the bilge pump unit to the base of regular magnum floating decoys. Imagine a jet propelled swimming decoy again using the sealed battery box as the anchor and power cable as the decoy string. The hunter sets his or her regular decoys around the Swimmer (it can only swim as far as the power cable allows it - so no tangles with other decoys). The Swimmer, which is on a timer like the Pulsator, swims in bursts and in doing so adds the most realistic ‘life’ to your spread that you can imagine. Naturally we tested all new season Higdon decoys on real ducks before adopting the range, and when it came to the Swimmers, were impressed at how the mallards were intrigued and attracted to the swimming action.

THE SPLASHER FLASHER

Just when you thought you’d seen or heard it all – enter the Splasher Flasher! Picture what a ‘green-head’ looks like when he stretches contentedly on the pond and flaps his wings and you’ve got the Splasher Flasher posture. He’s a floating mallard drake sitting up on his tail spinning his wings in bursts and at the same time squirting up and out a fan of water! This is the ultimate ‘does it all’ decoy, drawing birds in from long distances with the flash from the pulsing wings as with any spinning wing decoy, then once they are in close its the water disturbance and the wake that sets the regular decoys alive which takes over as the main duck attractant.

Up close the Splasher Flasher looks so out-there that you figure the designers have finally gone mad! But step back 20 to 30 meters and he suddenly becomes very lifelike and the combination of wing and water action grabs the attention of the ducks stunningly well - he’s a winner! Another great thing about the Splasher Flasher is that he floats. Therefore you don’t need a pole mount unlike most spinning wing decoys (with the exception of the Wonderduck). As the Splasher Flasher is powered by the same battery anchor system as other Higdon decoys, he can be set easily either by wading or from a boat in water up to the depth of the power cord.

My tip for this coming season is to add water movement to your decoys. Whether this is achieved the traditional way with a homemade string and bungee system or by investing in one of the new hands free secret weapons from Higdon, moving water is the key to fooling educated ducks and the Hunting & Fishing New Zealand stores feature Higdon and other exclusive items that will give you the edge!