A concern about the full body goose decoys

[Mossy]

I set my new Avery full body feeders amongst my Big Foot decoys and there is no comparing the two. Avery's win by far, so these are not comments made by an unsatisfied customer, and I hope they are not taken that way. I had a problem with the strech neck feeder heads when I tried to attach them. They don't seem to sit as flush as the true feeder heads on the body, and the holes don't seem to be as big on the stretch neck feeders versus the true feeder heads, thus one of my strech neck feeder heads has already split at the seam. The second concern is taking the decoys apart and putting them together lots. Right now I can see three reasons to still maybe buy Bigfoots. The Big Foots paint, Big Foots are bigger, and Big Foots come apart and put together lots faster. Well, the Big Foots paint has sucked lately, and yours hasn't so now we are down to two reasons. Do you see a need to make your decoys as big as Big Foots? Also are your decoys made to be continuously broken down for transport like I can with my Big Foots. It wasn't a whole lot of fun to get your decoys together , and I might be wrong, but I'm guessing they are made not to be broken down after each hunt? Anyways, awesome decoys and I'm happy with mine, I just had a few questions and concerns.

[Fowlguy]

I have disassmbled and reassembled the Avery fullbodies several times and with no problems yet.

They key to the feet is you need to put them on and take them off 3-4 times before it becomes easier. At first it feels impossible, but once you do it a few times it gets easier and easier.
I have yet to have any trouble with the heads as your describing, but call Avery customer service and they will send you replacement heads.

[Rick Frisch]

I like the fact that the Life-Size Full Body Canada Geese decoys are designed to be the actual size of a normal Canada geese. I feel that as the season goes on the geese become wise to the toy soldier look of their competitions goose decoys. On my GHG Full Body Decoys, the only thing I have been removing is the head. I leave my foot bases attached. I like the fact that all the parts stay put together. I can carry them in the dark and not have to look for a foot base or a head that may have dropped off. With what Avery has done in one year to the decoy market, I can hardly wait to see what is in store down the road.

[John Traiforos]

I must admit we plan to keep the head, legs intack... In that sense, I have no experience there... With that said, I think they kick the **** out of BF's.... I prefer the lifesize and I sure as hell think the paint is better than the past few years foots absolutely... Bigfoot is riding on their old (and very well deserved then) reputation in my opinion.... I have many different batches of BF ( ones made over the last few years) and none have passed the fingernail test like they once did and like our Avery's do... Even if foots get their act together and the paint gets better, I think Avery's are simply more anatomically correct, and the colour scheme is way better than foots have ever been... Again my opinion...

[Tom Matthews]

Mossy,

Thanks for trying out our new decoys! I just hung up the phone with Fred, and he promised me that is going to come on here and answer all of your concerns. We all agree that there are some problems with the current head attachment design, and it is being modified right now. The foot bases are definitely designed to stay on, but taking them off quickly is more a matter of practice and technique than anything. Make sure you read te directions for removing the foot bases because holding the decoy's body between your legs is key. Fred carved these decoys life size for a specific reason, and I will let him comment on this.

Once again, thanks for trying our new decoys. Please keep sending us your comments!

Tom

[FRED ZINK]

MOSSY,

I HOPE THESE ANSWERS WILL ANSWER YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE NEW FULL BODIES. THE DECOYS WERE NOT DESIGNED TO BE BROKEN DOWN FOR TRANSPORT EVERY DAY. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS WARM THE DECOYS WILL BREAK DOWN MUCH EASIER AS IT GET'S COLDER OUT THE DECOYS BECOME LESS FLEXIBLE. I WAS TIRED OF GETTING TO THE HUNTING LOCATION, OPENING THE TRAILER AND FINDING THE DECOYS WITH HEADS AND FEET NOT ATTACHED AND THEY WERE ALSO VERY HARD TO CARRY IN THE FIELD WITHOUT LOSING PARTS IN THE FIELD. WE ARE TRYING TO DESIGN A CARRYING ATTACHMENT AT THIS TIME THAT WOULD ALLOW ONE PERSON TO CARRY ONE DZ FULL BODIES. THE HEAD ATTACHMENT IS ALSO GETTING CHANGED, I THOUGHT THAT THE HEAVIER THAT WE MADE THE PLASTIC IN THESE AREAS THE STRONGER THE ATTACHMENT WOULD BE BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE AND WE ARE CHANGING THE DESIGN. THE SIZE OF THESE DECOYS ARE IDENTICAL TO A 12-13LB GIANT CANADA. OUR THOUGHT THERE WAS THAT GEESE ALWAYS DECOY TO GEESE AND THAT GEESE WERE GETTING WISE TO THE LARGER BIG FOOTS. GEESE GET CONDITIONED TO THE SAME LOOKING DECOYS DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HUNTING WITH LARGER THAN LIFE FULL BODIES FOR YEARS. WE JUST THOUGHT THAT A LIFE-SIZE FULL BODY WOULD FULL MORE GEESE AND THE RESULTS FROM THIS YEAR SHOWS THAT WE COULD BE RIGHT.

CALL'EM CLOSE, FREDDIE

[Tom Matthews]

Dick,

Fred visits the message boards only when asked or instructed to do so! I can tell you that we are very interested in seeing a sketch of this bag. Please fax it to me at 901 324-0111. Thanks for the input.

Tom

[Brad Hanson]

Another A+ comment: Guess what you can blend the shells and full bodies and they look like a flock of Canada geese(as in the same species). I would always notice that I could never find a shell decoy that would match up well with big foots. Now you can actully get the same paint scheme for a lifelike complete set. WOW what a concept!

[Tom Matthews]

Brad,

Where do we send the check? Same address as always I assume.

Thanks for noticing the little things!

Tom

[Brad Hanson]

Hey Tom,

I'll give you this one for free! Just cuz its the holiday season! Next time its gonna cost ya plenty! You could always pay me in decoys? Hope all is well and the ducks start pooring into Tindels and Gary's! I hope to make it down to Casscoe sometime in the future and whack some greenheads with you and the boys! Have a great New Year! We all enjoy the fruits of your labors!!!!!!