Review: G&H Decoys Magnum Swivel Mallard Duck Decoy (Item # M4M)

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Like most of you, I started my duck hunting career using any decoy I could get my hands on with the money I had in my pocket. Hand me down decoys, yard sale specials and flea market deals is what I relied on to drive my passion for duck hunting. Only in the past 5 years have I been able to start buying decoys that, up until now, I’ve only seen my mentors use. Due to the stories I’ve heard and hunting over them a couple times, I decided I was going to try floaters from G&H Decoys out of Henryetta OK.

I really wanted a decoy that would hunt as hard as I do so I was looking forward to putting these Mallard decoys to the test. Most years, I put in 70-75 hunts. I would say that 75% of those hunts are on water of some kind and about 60% of those water hunts are out of my 18’ flat bottom aluminum boat. I also Texas rig all my floaters and if I’m hunting out of my boat, my decoys DO NOT get bagged up. They get drug in and out of that boat by the lines and tossed into the set. These decoys get beat to death day in and day out during the season. I’ve now completed my 4th season with them.

Overall durability

In Oklahoma, I hunt the full spectrum of weather and temperatures from early September Teal to late January Mallards. There are days I hunt in 70-75 degree weather and I don’t see any kind of durability or deformation issued in the body, heads or keels. I also hunt in the opposite extreme during the late season and I’ve not had one of these decoys crack in the beak, head, body or keel.

Paint scheme and adhesion

I will say right now that I do not think that these decoys are the best looking decoy on the market OUT OF THE BOX, however the paint scheme on the G&H Mallards is very realistic. I’ve been to the G&H factory in Henryetta and they are hand painted by a real human being, every one of them. They use a non-glare paint as well. But before they are painted, the molded plastic body is dipped into a special treatment which helps the paint adhere to the plastic. Of course, they wouldn’t enlighten me on this process any more than what I just explained. I’m sure there are much “fancier” looking decoys on the market but, like I said before, I’ve beat these things up and, other than a few nicks and scratches here and there, they pretty much look like they just come out of the box after years of use and abuse.

Features and Points of Interest

There are a few things that make these decoys stand out against the competition in my opinion:

- Realistic looking acrylic eyes – I’ve noticed most decoys on the market have eyes that are just molded with plastic. G&H actually has an acrylic eye the pops into the “socket” and adds to the realism. I have lost a few eyes but you can get extras if needed and they are easy to replace

- Recessed bottom – The G&H decoy has a unique “cupped” bottom. On choppy water, most flat bottom decoys will sort of bob around side to side but the cupped bottom of the G&H creates a vacuum and holds it lower in the water so it rides fore and aft

- Front and rear tie offs – Out of every dozen decoys that I rig, I will rig 4 of those from the rear of the decoy to give my spread a more realistic look to incoming birds. G&H has holes in the keels on the front and rear so you can rig them however you want

Price point comparison

G&H Decoys are not the least expensive or the most expensive floating decoys on the market. They seem to be right in the middle when it comes to full retail price. I tried to stay away from any flocked decoys in doing my comparisons. Using multiple websites including manufacture direct pricing, prices of similar magnum sized Mallard decoys ranged from $100 to $180 per dozen. The G&H Magnum Swivel Mallard Decoy (Item# M4M) is retail priced from the manufacturer at $150.00 per dozen before tax or shipping.

Conclusion

Even though the G&H Mallard decoys may not be the best looking decoy out of the box, in my opinion, they are the best value for the hard working duck hunter. The value really comes when you think about the longevity that you will be hunting over these decoys compared to others on the market. They are proven duck killers not only by my team but by the many guide services and hard core hunters out there chasing the migration. My recommendation is to get your hands on a dozen or two and try them out for a couple years. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Best part is, they are all MADE IN THE USA!

View this Product at G&H Decoys by clicking HERE

Kill ‘em!
Rooney

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New 3D Archery Targets

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I Just purchased a couple new 3D archery targets this past week to begin setting up my course here at the cabin. I have done a fair bit of research online trying to find the best 3D targets at the most reasonable price ($80 – $200). I have run into many mixed reviews on most all 3D targets on the market today, with a couple potential standouts. There are a few targets out there with some pretty “good” reviews in my research, so I decided to start with them and I hope to add more in the future so I can review them as well.

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This target is the GlenDel 5X Buck ($149). The GlenDel Buck has a body size of a 200lb. live weight deer and offers 5 times the insert-shooting surface of comparable 3-D deer targets. I have shot about 25 arrows into this target so far and it’s performed absolutely perfectly up to this point!

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Rinehart Woodland Buck ($149). Ultra durable and rugged FX foam with Rinehart signature self healing foam insert. This target is proof that good things come in small packages! I have been very pleased with the performance of this target so far, and I can see why Rinehart makes one of the best.

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I hope to add a couple more bucks here yet this summer and continue my quest on finding the best 3D archery target and completing my course here at the cabin! Stay turned for a more in depth formal review on each target as the year progresses and the targets age.

Happy shooting

Tex

Review: Hawke Varmint SF RifleScope 4-16X44

I had the pleasure of trying a Hawke Optics Varmint SF scope in the 4-16X44 model. After a long career of predator hunting I have been through a lot of different scopes and I was looking forward to seeing how the Hawke Optics performed.

Since I was planning to put the scope through some serious testing I mounted the varmint 4-16×44 on my 220 Swift because I already knew the rifle was accurate and knew exactly how my hand loads performed through it. With an accurate base gun to go off I knew that the tests I would perform would be all about the optic.

Glass Clarity and Focus
For my initial test I put a predator magazine at 50yards and got behind the scope. Reading the print on the front cover was no problem at all, i could see it all nice and clear from the biggest print to the smallest. The glass is very clear and looking side by side with some of my more expensive scopes i considered the Hawke very close if not equal with most on glass clarity and focus. One of the things I really like is that the magnification ring turned nice and smooth without much force.

½ Mil-Dot Reticle Performance
Adjustments on the scope are easy to hear and the clicks are also easily felt, although there is a little slop in the adjustment knob. At 100 yards the scope tracked excellent and accurately. For my tracking test I adjusted the windage and elevation and between shots and then reverted back to original adjustments. The Varmint SF tracked perfectly, 8 clicks left moved the shot 2 inches, 8 clicks right moved it back to where the first shot was, 12 clicks up moved shot placement 3 inches up and 12 clicks down put it back to starting hole. The ability for a scope to accurately and reliably track through reticle adjustments is key and the Hawke reticle certainly surpassed my expectations. It has the 1/2 mil reticle which may be a little thin for some people but I found it nice to hold exactly on aiming point with it.

Conclusion
I am no master of optics but I have a lot of scopes and like when I can save some money. With the Hawke scope I feel you get more quality than you pay for. The clarity of the glass used by Hawke Optics is fantastic and at $219.99 the Varmint SF is holding its own with it’s competetors in the $450.00 – $500.00 price range. Overall the Hawke Varmint SF is a high quality scope that performs way above its price point and delivers a great value to the customer.

View This Product at Hawke Optics by Clicking Here.

Ed “Yotehead”
FLG Pro Staff

Review: Hawke Panorama EV RifleScope 4-12X40

I have been hearing about Hawke Optics for the last year and I have been looking forward to the opportunity to get my hands on a Hawke Riflescope and see what they are all about. The opportunity came at the perfect time when I picked up a .17 Remington in January that needed optics.

I had decided already that I wanted to try a Hawke riflescope but had a hard time settling on the best option. The gun will be primarily used for coyote hunting mostly in Michigan so there are a lot of requirements for my optics. After speaking with a Hawke representative I ordered the Panorama EV in 4-12×40. This scope has a very reasonable price point of $239.99 and I was looking forward to testing it on the points that matter most to me as a predator caller; low light performance, field of view, reticle performance and durability.

Looking through the scope for the first time I was immediately impressed with the clarity of the glass and really liked the new reticle system. Although I had been previously unimpressed with illuminated reticles on other scopes, the dual color illumination of the ½ mil-dot reticle on the Panorama EV was something I could see myself really enjoying. The scope is built extremely solid and the construction is quality.

Low Light Performance
As a predator hunter I spend a lot of time hunting in the dawn and dusk hours and need an optic that provides clarity and light gathering capability and exceeds in these conditions. The Panorama EV did not let me down in this test. The scope captures more than enough light to provide a clear picture from well before to well after legal shooting light. Even after I was unable to see clearly with the naked eye I could look through the scope and still see a clear picture with an exceptional amount of detail. Add in the variable settings for the illuminated reticle and this scope is a force to be reckoned with during low light conditions. I also tested this scope after dark with snow on the ground to see how it would perform for night hunting applications and was once again impressed. With a full moon on snow cover the Panorama performed just as well as during daylight hours and would make a great scope for night hunters.

Field of View / Target Acquisition
Here in Michigan predator hunting means that you are often hunting thick swamps and wood lots instead of open expanses. This is where FOV is most important as it allows you to quickly acquire the target. The Panorama EV on the base magnification has a field of view of 33ft at 100yds and provides one of the widest fields of view on the market for similar power scopes. This large viewing area combined with the clean ½ mil-dot reticle makes target acquisition quick and easy which is imperative when hunting predators.

Reticle Performance / Magnification
The reticle on the Panorama EV is really responsive and made sighting in a breeze. Reticle adjustments for windage and elevation were immediate and accurate every time and allowed me to “walk” the bullets right into the bullseye. The adjustments are high quality and it is easy to feel and hear the clicks when adjusting. While hunting I found that the 4-12×40 magnification was more than ample to suit my needs. The scope maintained its focus and clarity even when dialed up to 12 power and is about perfect for hunting applications. I do wish they offered the Panorama in a 4-16×40 model for longer range shooting and target shooting but that is just personal preference.

Durability
When i’m predator hunting my rifle and optics go through a lot of abuse. Driving and walking through tough terrain means they are bounced around a lot and it’s paramount that the rifles accuracy is not compromised. To test the durability of the scope I brought it along on my spring turkey hunt to Wyoming. I was very pleased when after the 4 flights and over 2 hours in the bed of a truck on washboard gravel roads that the rifle was still on zero. I shot the rifle in Wyoming and again when I returned home and the scope and reticle where exactly where they were after sighting in. This is exactly what i’m looking for in quality and durability.

Conclusion
I am a huge proponent of the rule that you get what you pay for in terms of quality, especially when it comes to optics. The Hawke Panorama EV 4-12×40 blows this theory out of the water and delivers a stellar riflescope that performs well above its price point. Hawke delivers above and beyond my expectations with the Panorama EV and is poised to revolutionize the scope market with high quality riflescopes at reasonable prices. Next time you need a quality riflescope that performs at a higher standard without breaking the bank give Hawke a call and see what all the buzz is about.

View This Product at Hawke Optics by Clicking Here

Adam “Opie” Kujacznski
FLG Pro Staff