Since ducks are able to detect simple static decoys, duck hunters’ spreads are in constant need of progress. Many hunters make the mistake of using the same static decoy over and over in the same location, which results in an obvious set up to the birds. However, when using the best motion duck decoys, in form of a good jerk rig, a motorized duck decoy or a wind duck decoy, fooling the birds will be a lot easier. This easy guide will tell you which motion decoy is the best for your situation and give you a list of the best motion decoys on the market, including their reviews.
When hunting alongside other shooters, those with creative spreads and realistically looking decoys will always come out on top. This can be completely incoherently to talent level or experience since the simple fact, that you decoys look more realistic than theirs will give you an edge. As a result, getting the best motion duck decoys can give beginners in this sport a kick start leading to a successful hunt.
The 4 Best Motion Duck Decoys On The Market
So if all motion decoys work, why should you care about the best motion decoys? The answer is simple. Although all of them work their are still some that work better than others, even in the same price range. So why not spend a couple extra minutes before making your purchase and choose one of our list. All the products listed below are top rated decoys that can serve you well for many seasons, while being reasonable priced for what they offer. Price/performance ratio is what it’s all about.
Rig ‘Em Right Mega-Motion Jerk Rig Kit
There is a reason why jerk rigs are so popular among duck hunters and remain to be so, even with more and more advanced technology available. They are simple, they are fairly cheap priced and most of all, THEY JUST WORK!
The one chosen here provides hunters with exactly what you want, a realistic swimming motion which will lure ducks that otherwise wouldn’t even think about flying your direction. The kit comes with convenient clips that are compatible with your other decoys and includes basically everything you need. Included in the rig is 100-ft of rope, which is tied to bungee cord, three anchors, spring clips and a floating case. The kit has the capability of holding a dozen floaters and enables hunters to motion their entire spread and not just one single decoy. In addition to that it will never run out of battery and while a lot cheap electric motion duck decoys are fairly unreliable you can always count on a jerk rig.
While many of the birds will catch on to single floating motion duck decoys even late in the season, a moving rig like this one will keep them fooled again and again. All decoys are attached to the one main line, letting you move the entire spread with one firm pull of a line. There are countless different variations you can choose from to set up your spread and alternating it frequently will help you tricking those waterfowl more successfully than the guy hundred meters next to you.
Final Review:
The S-class, in other words: the best jerk rig on the market doesn’t come cheap but equally to the car, you will have a reliable piece of gear that will serve you well for many many season. Almost impossible to break, no motor that might stop working after time and no battery change needed. All in all Rig’Em Right once again delivered and their jerk rig is a a great investment.
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ducks.org– Five Small Spreads For Ducks – Great article that describes some spreads involving jerk rigs.
MOJO Outdoors Wind Duck Decoy
As mentioned earlier, there are some motion decoys that don’t rely on motors and still move surprisingly convincing. No, you don’t have to pull a string either the magical power taken use of here is the wind. The benefits of wind duck decoys are obvious and listed above so if they convinced you to buy one, this one is the best wind duck decoy you can get without spending crazy amounts of money.
One of the most important attributes of the best wind duck decoy should be easily moveable wings. The easier they move the less wind you need to make them look convincing. This MOJO decoy starts with smooth spinning during winds that are as slow as 5 mph. That’s a light breeze on a wind scale.
One thing you should keep in mind though: When positioning your spread, this decoy has to face the direction the wind comes from for best results. The MOJO Wind Duck Decoy comes with a 4-ft support pole bringing it up in the air, so make sure to place it in suitable deep water.
Besides that, there is not much to say here and honestly for that price, you can’ really go wrong. A handy piece of equipment that need almost no maintenance and still draws ducks in like the expensive high class decoys.
Final Review:
Best motion duck decoy for the money!
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MOJO Outdoors Baby Mojo Mallard
The first motorized duck decoy on this list is a MOJO one as well. Another bang for the buck, the Mojo Baby Mallard is a smaller version of their bigger motion decoy. A big benefit of the smaller version presented here is it’s lightweight, which can be worth gold if you have a long way to your blind.
The magnetic wings are motorized by a 6-volt battery. The battery is rechargeable through an external port, so you do not have to disassemble the whole thing every time.
Something great to have is the possibility to attach a remote receiver to give you the option for controlling it out of the blind. It’s not included and has to be bought separately but the plug to attach it makes it pretty easy to install. If you already own a receiver there is a good chance you can use it, although the room they left to slide it in is smaller than in the bigger version of this mallard decoy.
Final Review:
To upgrade your spread you really only need one of those things to do the trick. We tried several different spread arrangements and had the impression that more than one of those motorized decoys didn’t improve the our success. Get one of those to bring some life in your static arrangement and see yourself what a difference a good motion decoy can make.
Alternative:
MOJO also offers a teal version, so if that’s what you are after, you can go and get it for the same reasons. They offer the same features and produce similar results.
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The Wonderduck Cyclone
The Wonderduck Cyclone is a head down, full body, feeder decoy that has proven to be effective on every occasions we tried it. Of course we always used it in a spread, but as an experienced hunter you can often tell by the movement of the birds which moving decoy did the trick for them, In fact, we actually had some funny moments when this thing fooled one of hour fellow hunting buddies which I am sure he does not want to talk about. The random and smooth realistic movements just work.
The feet are interchangeable a 5 seconds on/off timer is available and the motors are very quiet. Even during longer days of hunting, charging won’t be necessary. This is because the motors can run for up to 15 hours at a time on just two batteries providing high speed movements of up to 500 rpm.. A hand cut floatation insert and waterproof switches make sure this motion duck decoy will last you awhile.
Final Review:
Although it does come with a price tag, the price performance/ratio offers here is still convincing. With No cheap parts and made in America you get something that will serve you well for a few seasons. One of those things is enough to bring some variety into your spread so we recommend biting the bullet here and make this one time investment that will let you bring home noticeably more ducks.
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Different Type Of Motion Duck Decoys
Motion duck decoys are without a doubt one of the most beneficial additions you can get for updating your spread. While stand still, static decoys are spotted easily by birds late in the season, motion duck decoys tend to keep them fooled all year long. This is because even slight movements look very realistic to birds and when wind is lacking a jerk rig or a motor can do wonders. No matter what kind of motion decoy you choose the benefits remain the same. Waterfowl are more clever than you might think. During a season they learn to differ real ducks from decoys and by the end of the season they are fairly hard to trick. When they remember how the decoys looked when they got shot a week ago, they obviously won’t fly towards them a second time. They start getting suspicious towards static decoys while motion duck decoys usually still do the trick.
Jerk Rig
A so called jerk rig enables the entire spread to move which is way more convincing than a purely static setup. It doesn’t need a motor and doesn’t rely on wind. The only thing you have to do to give your spread some movement is pull a line. This comes with some benefits that you might not think about at first. Starting with the biggest one, it will save you money. Yes, decoys are expensive especially since duck hunting is an addictive sport and let’s be honest, buying new gear is a big part of it, at least for most of us. You probably already own a few good looking regular decoys so what if I told you, making them move realistically is pretty easy? Awesome right? All it takes is one of those awesome inventions called jerk rig. Most of the decoys on the market can be attached to jerk rigs, so you can update your complete spread with one single product.
The next thing you will learn to love, at least if you know how annoying charging and changing of batteries is. Motorized decoys come with a motor. Crazy right? Since the motor needs some sort of energy, you need batteries. Some are rechargeable some aren’t and the first time you arrive at your blind, looking forward for a great day of hunting, just to realize that you forgot batteries or forgot to charge them will make you regret now owning a classic jerk rig.
Another benefit is that you can control the movements of your rig. While motors usually come with on/off timers and only rarely with remote controls, there will be times where you wish you could control them like you can control your jerk rig. A jerk rig only moves if you want it and experienced hunters know how to perfectly fool those picky waterfowl. You will get better over time and like duck calling, just keep practicing. Eventually you will know what works and what does not.
Motorized Duck Decoys
Yes, jerk rigs sound pretty convincing, I know. And honestly, if you already own expensive static decoys, a jerk rig should be bought before a motorized duck decoy. But once you got one (or you have an other reason, that we forgot to mention here), a good motorized duck decoy can be a pretty good investment. As stated earlier and as you probably know already, motorized duck decoys are battery operated. Some move their wings, some splash water and all of them should be designed to last one day of hunting with a single battery charge. They are a great addition to an already optimized spread and can be that little extra thing that might convince a flock of birds to fly towards you.
There are areas where motorized decoys are prohibited. Check you local regulations to avoid fines.
Examples:
Washington
Minnesota
Oregon
Wind Duck Decoys
Last but not least, another classic: Wind duck decoys. As the descriptive name tells us, they rely on wind. No battery operated motor, no line you have to pull. The only thing you need are suitable weather conditions. Their wings are designed to pick up movement even from a slight breeze, so you really do not need a hurricane to get those going, don’t worry. The benefits are similar to a jerk rig. Nothing you have to remember to charge and also, no delegate motor that might break down on you in the middle of a great day of hunting. Besides all that, they are waaaayyy cheaper than the average motorized decoy. If you hunt under windy conditions anyway or motorized decoys aren’t allowed in your area, a good wind duck decoy can be a great addition to your spread for duck hunting.
Conclusion On The Best Motion Duck Decoys
In addition to their timer-based movements, easy to use remote controls, long-lasting battery systems, and attachment options, these motion decoys appear extremely lifelike. While many hunters will be out of luck late in the season after many of the ducks catch on, those who purchase these motion decoys will be having the time of their life and attracting more ducks than they know what to do with.
Related Posts:
The 7 Best Duck Decoys in 2016
Using the MOJO Baby Mallard for a while now and it’s a great decoy. I also experienced that more than one of those motorized decoys placed too close together tends to scare the birds. But one just works great!
Also great advice on getting a jerk rig first, if you already own normal decoys.
A little hint:
If you drill holes through the tail of the decoy and attach the rope there, you get some more variation in terms of movement.
I think I gonna treat myself get the cyclone now! Thanks for the write-up!