Avery goose decoys, any other plans?

[Brett Neffendorf]

Hey Tom, Is there any plan of avery designing a Lesser or cackler goose decoys?

[Brett Neffendorf]

Well I was just wondering because like Hardcore Decoys they went out and made Lessers and they sold hot. But yeah it could be tough considering how many sub species there are. But it would be interesting to see some lol. Thanks man.

[Tom Matthews]

Bret and Dick,

You are both right so here's the answer. In the past, there has been a very limited market for full body snows, Lesser Canadas and any other bird that would fit that size, but after some messages I have received over the last few weeks, I believe the consumer that would invest in these birds is a very particular hunter who will not accept bodies and heads that deviate from the real thing (this describes both of you in my opinion). This is why Hard Core decoys have done so well - they make absolutely beautiful decoys and deserve every bit of attention they get. The price on them is the only thing that keeps all of us from buying at least a dozen, right?

So here's our plan right now. For 2004 we want to have a snow/Lesser/speck/blue set of bodies with custom heads for each. I would like to think that we could get as many as three bodies done but it may end up being two with another one added in 2005. So you know, we do have this in the works for 2004 so don't fear!

The best part about it is the price will be in line with the size of the birds so you can expect a noticable price decrease from our very reasonably priced full bodies because freight ends up being the biggest part of the cost of these decoys by far and these would be smaller that our Life-Size Full Body Canadas.

Here's an unofficial reader's poll for you:

WE ARE CONSIDERING SELLING OUR FULL BODY SNOW GOOSE SIX-PACK WITH 3 MATURE SNOWS, 2 IMMATURE BLUES AND 1 EAGLE HEAD SNOW. WHAT IS YOUR DESIRED MIX OF SNOWS TO BLUES TO EAGLE HEADS IN A SIX-PACK CARTON?

I would love to hear this as well as the price you would expect to pay.

Thanks for helping get this one started guys. Let's keep it going and try to solve something here so the consumers can know that they do have a say in what we offer in the decoy line!

Regards,

Tom

[mlhunter]

I'd be very interested in a lessor decoy.

[Ben Waples]

Tom,
I would just sell the Snows and Blues seperate from one another. But definately add a juvi. in with each six, whether it be a snow or a blue.

My reason behind that is that on the East and West coast blue geese are very rare. Most snow flocks in the midwest are close to a 50/50 mix of snows and blues. Less blues the farther west you go. Just my two cents.
Ben

[Gooski]

I agree with Ben, the guys in the East and West Coast may not want the Blues. But the guys in the midwest where it is 50/50 definatly would appreaciate them. .02 please.

[Brett Neffendorf]

I would be so interested in the Lessers and mix in a dozen regular Life size fullbodies with them, You couldnt stop a spread like that! :D

[JEDJR]

in the Mississippi flyway, it does seem like we are seeing more blues as the years go by, ratio close to 1/1 - 2/1 This is great news for us snowgoose hunters and I do agree adding juvies to the line is a great idea!!! And i agree, it would probably just be easier for Avery to sell/package seperate, snows, blues, juvies, etc.. man I am getting pumped !

[duckboy1]

tom with the blue geese i would sell them by them selfs becuse on the west coast we dont see blue's very often. i would put snows with 4 mature and 2 juvie's.

[John Mattos]

Tom they are right we don't have very many Blues out west. I saw maybe fifteen last year but thousands of snows. I would love to see a good full body snow that is reasonablely priced. I might be add a goose pit to my mix and a few of those every year would be a great addition. Nocalhonker

[Tom Matthews]

Okay giys, I'm getting the point loud and clear on what we need to start thinking about for a mixture. We might need to offer these a) seperately, b) in 2-3 different mixtures or c individually. That's no problem, but...

HOW MUCH WOULD YOU EXPECT TO PAY FOR SNOW GOOSE FULL BODIES?

Tom

[duckboy1]

are you talking per 6 pack????? or 4 pack
i would say around 75 for 6 and 55 for 4 only becuse you need so many snow goose decoys to get them to take a look.

[Brett Neffendorf]

Hey Tom, I would also be interested in speck decoys! We see specks here and snows, infact today there were snows shot in our field for the first time ever in my short lifetime lol. It was very interesting to see snows. But yeah specks would be kick butt man! Good luck and thanks for letting us get a word in Tom! smile.gif

[Tom Matthews]

Duckboy1,

I want a brand new Z-71 for $200. Maybe we could trade? Let's try to be a little more reasonable about the price since the freight on these decoys is going to run $8-9 each!!!!

Tom

[juniorhoss]

Tom, thanks for asking your customers for input, as a businessman myself, asking customers what they *really* want and then providing it to them is what really makes a difference these days..

Now, to put in my .02 for the poll, I would like to see the snows and blues offered seperately becuase as has been mentioned, there is so much diversity in who sees what mix of birds, I think it would be best to offer them as seperate decoys, and a mix of mature/juvy birds in each respective 6 pack.

I can say that I personally am EAGERLY awaiting the FB speck decoys, becuase when I go to Canada, that is what I target and I would rather hunt over several dozen FB speck decoys than anything else, and I would venture to say that I am not the only one who feels that way, especially since there is not currently a good, reasonably priced FB speck decoy on the market and it is a niche that you could easily fill.

Body size/shape is not that different between specks/snows/blues and if you could make bodies for all with species specific heads, you could say, kill the proverbial 3 birds with one stone. As far as the mix between mature/juvy birds in a 6 pack, I personally think a 4/2 mix would be just fine, but if the difference in manufacturing/packaging is cost effective, it may be beneficial to offer both a mix of 6 adult decoys per box, AND a 4/2 mix. If you offer them only snows/blues mixed, you risk turning off potential buyers, but if offered seperately most people who are buying a bunch of snow FB's could grab enough 6 packs of blues to get there desired mix of decoys.

I know you cant please everybody, but there are probably some people out there that would outright refuse to pay for decoys with anything less than 6 mature decoys per box that would otherwise buy them without question.

As far as pricing goes, I would think that 6 packs of either specks/blues that are priced between $175-$200 dz would be reasonable, but people wanting large spreads of FB snows might be inclined to want cheaper decoys.. From a manufacturing standpoint, the snows shoud be the cheapest finshed product (less painting costs/time involved) so like you mentioned earlier smaller decoys, less materials, less labor in finshing plain white (basically)decoys should = cheaper finished product.

Sorry for being so long winded, but I think these are some thoughts to be considered.. Rob

[SwampHunter]

I would have to agree with JuniorHoss. What he says makes alot of sense.

[Brett Neffendorf]

Juniorhoss I agree somewhat, but does Avery want to make a cheaper decoy? They are making some awesome fullbody canadas right now, it wouldnt be totally cheaper im my opinion for snows. Your carving just as much, white paint with black and then the little touch of stuff. I think your pricing is right though. What do you think Tom?

[A. Bachmeier]

$95 per 6

[Hest]

I don't think the price is really going to be able to less than other fullbodies...I mean shoot...look at companies like Avery or Clinton Decoy.....if they could make canadas for 75 a six...don't you think they would have already? instead of 2-300 a dozen or whatever companies charge?? Just a thought there. So...I'd say the same price as any other fullbody...okay make a little less....but unless someone really skimps and crimps....but being a realist...I also realize that good decoys are going to cost money. But they don't loose their value, they don't just fall apart after use, and if they get stolen...the cost covers over your deductible...*only know that from experience* so...that's my answer about how much to charge.

[Rusty Hallock]

Cost shouldn't be much of a issue, as long as it is no more than the current full bodies. The purpose of a full body snow goose decoy is to add realism and cut down on the number of decoys needed. Instead of several hundred cheap decoys (ie - rags), you could gun over several dozen full bodies with success. As far as decoy mixtures, I would like to see blues sold seperately. In the box of 6 white decoys, I would like to see a mixture of 3 to 1 mature and gray immature birds. Tiny's Two Cents (east coast opinion).

[duckboy1]

tom im just wishing there would be full bodys that cheep thats all.

[Allan Stanley]

Tom,

Another East Coast opinion.

I would like to see blues packaged separately, 4 adults and 2 juvies. 1 Sentry, 1 Rester, 2 Feeder adults and 2 Feeder juvies.

I'd rather buy snows in groups of six whites or six juvies, not mixed. With NO juvie sentrys, 5 feeders and 1 rester. Adults, 1 sentry, 1 rester, 4 feeders.

White plastic for snows, light grey for snow juvies, charcoal for blues.

As far as price, I want to spend as little as possible, of course. If it could be done for $95 to $100 per six, that would be great.

Since I would rig these on ice, wheat, bean and cornfields, sand bars and mudflats, I don't know what color to make the bases. How about a medium dark camo with stubble straps?

Well, you asked......!

Allan

[JF Riverin]

Tom, you answered my prayers, in my opinion, you should offer a mixture of 6 mature snows/6 juvies and blues packages separated from the snows