Two Questions on New FB Head Attachement Question...

[Bearman]

I hunt out of a truck with a cap, no trailer. I currently fit 3 Finishers, 2 dozen FB Mallards, 6 FFD Lookers, 6 FFD Actives, 6 FFD Feeders (all in 6-slots) and 5 dozen silly's...and it is a tight fit....I usually leave the lookers behind because it is so tough to make them fit.

I know the current FB Goose head design isn't designed for taking on and off.

Two Questions:
1) Will the new head attachement design be on the 2006 FFDs?
2) Will the new head attachement design be made to hold up to take on and off each hunt?

If you answer yes, then I will probably sell my 2005 FFDs and replace with the 2006 FFDs. I think w/o the heads I will gain a lot of space and will be able to add atleast another 6 FBs. I am also considering selling the FB Mallards and buying the shells to free up more room and be able to up my decoy numbers.

[Rick Frisch]

We are changing the head attachment on the FFD's. I think that there is some misconception out there that the existing heads can't be removed and put back on. There are many times when I take the heads off of mine for transportation and put them on in the field. I am not going to sit here and tell you that they slide right on every time, but they don't fall off that easily either. The tolerances on both of the systems are designed very tight. We put some Lessers with the new head connection together in ND last year. They were not the easiest to get on, but they stayed together.

I have used both systems and the new one will definately be an improvement, but I wouldn't shy away from buying any decoys with the old one.

Thanks,

[Bearman]

I am not talking taking them on and off every once and a while, I would like to take them off every hunt. I'll hunt about 40 days per year.

[chad belding]

You will be able to take them off after each hunt but you are going to have to allow yourself a little more time to get the job done. Our heads are designed to go on and make it difficult to get them off. I understand your position but the bottom line is that you will either have to give yourself a little more time in the field or leave the heads on all of the time. Let us know if this helps at all.

Good Hunting!

Chad Belding
Avery Outdoors

[Tom Matthews]

Bearman,

I know what you are asking, and I know what you want. You will be pleased to know that the new head connections on the full body Canadas will allow you to take them off after each hunt and put them back on each time you go to the field.

We can all go back and forth about the pre-2006 head connections until the cows come home, but the fact is that some people have had really bad experiences with them. Cliff LaForce (THE Flocknocker) finally let me have it one night in January at about 2:00 am after we had debated this subject to death: "Why do you guys want to sell works of art with $hitty head connections? It just don't make no sense to me Tom." I heard him loud and clear and decided right then and there that it was time to make changes.

The changes that we have made have been posted on another thread, but I will show you some photos to give you an idea of what is being done. We have already made the changes to the molds, and we have tested them. The new head connections are absolutely awesome, and anyone who does not like them is just being a pain to be a pain. I swear to you that they are that good!

Also, the 2006 FFD Series Honkers will feature slightly darker flocking and brand new paint schemes that are slightly darker on the backs. There will be five (5) body styles: Active, Feeder, Looker, Rester and Sleeper. This series of decoys just gets better and better and better!

Thanks for the question and for the interest in GHG decoys.

Tom

The Active, Looker and Rester bodies will have a female connection as shown.

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/4412/dsc012443nh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


The Active, Looker and Rester heads will have male parts that fit into the female connection on the bodies as shown.

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/2517/active22kx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


The Feeder body has an open hole with two notched ears, and the Feeder heads have a male part withtwo small studs that fit into the notched ears as shown.

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1478/feeder26sf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Once the studs have been inserted through the notched ears, the head is turned into the correct position which causes the studs to hold the head on no matter how hard you try to get it off. To remove the head, you simply turn it until the studs line up with the notched ears, and it comes right off. The photo below shows the studs gripping the decoy's body from the inside.

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/69/dsc013452dd.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Bearman]

Thanks Tom, exactly the answer I was looking for. BTW...I wasn't complaining about the head attachments, just stating having removable heads would fit my situation better and allow me to carry more GHG. If I had a trailer, I wouldn't even be asking. That said, I could have bought any other brand to get removable heads, but went with GHG for a reason....realism.

Thanks and keep up the great work.

[Rusty Hallock]

Brian,



Thanks for choosing Avery/GHG products. Post up some pictures during this upcoming season.

[NDboy]

That will be a lot better on those cool mornings.