how 'custom' do you get with your equipment ??

[MemphisStockBroker]

I like to laugh about people going overboard on buying duck hunting equipment, but I find myself falling into the same mold... It can get almost funny at times, but it can be fun too...

I have several boxes of $20 duck calls, .... but I do have a custom made $150 one.

Normally use a wal-mart special lanyard, but recently custom tied my own after looking at other people's work.

I have owned several boats, but am now building a home made pirogue - just for the fun of it.

Mostly shoot an old A-5 -- because it is a fun gun to shoot, but recently purchased a Beretta -- to give the old A-5 a rest every now and then.

Use a bunch of old Fambeau's, but purchased some high dollar G&H's to throw in there with them.

(still can't part with the old bomb of a truck though...)

question.... how much of your stuff is the high dollar custom gear, and what Wal-Mart special gear are you satisfied with ? (guess the Bible is right -- you spend the majority of your money on the desires of your heart)

Does the amount of time you spend in the field dictate the amount of $$$ you are willing to spend on equipment & a lease ? or do you want a high quality hunt, even if those hunts are few and far between ??

[alduck]

I usually just use the inexpensive stuff, for a couple of reasons.

1. I am always broke.
2. I am forced to go to Wal Wart what seem to be 187 times a week (I think that is why I am broke).
3. I have never seen the expensive stuff make that big of a difference, so I cannot justify spending the extra $$$.

As long as I am dry and warm, an the ducks are decoying a little, I am happy. I have seen WAY too many people that hunt (not hunters) that go overboard, and after a couple of years of having no luck I am happy to get alot of gear at disount prices!

My most expensive duck call costed $35.

My lanyard came straight from Wal Mart

I use regular old steel shot shells.

My gun is a Remington 870 (wouldn't trade it for the world)

My boat, well, is just a 15 ft v-hull wit a 1973 20hp Johnson

The blind on my boat is homemade ($20)

I do have about 15 dozen decoys, mainly bought after the season at
discounts.


Oh, and I usually kill some ducks!

[GulfCoast]

Well, I still get my long handles, gloves and shells at Wal-Mart. And my chewing tabacky!

[the doctor]

never be afraid to buy the best, you will never be unsatisfied with it

my dad used to tell me

most of my gear is the best IMO because I depend on it heavily and do not like to replace it and or repair it

the doc

[jstanard]

If I could figure out how to make it, I'd shoot a handmade "custom" shotgun.

[tunica]

I use anything that falls out of the back of Delta ducks truck or he leaves on the side of the road

[judge jb]

i feel plum pitiful and embarassed some times when a friend or guest sees my attire and duck gear.....but then again i like the look on their face when all this wore out stuff comes togeather.... i'm not out to make a fashion statement......haha.....

judge jb

[Caller1]

Doc ,Pleeeezzzzzee.
Where you keeping all this good stuff? You do realize that people who know you read this, Right?
Bwhahahahha

[RNAIL]

I need a dependable gun, patterned shells no matter the brand, and natural looking decoys. Seeing lots of ducks and working them, not necessarly killing them makes a good hunt.

[goosebruce]

My brother one asked me why Id buy us 90 dollar chokes for 250 dollar guns... A duck is just as dead from a 250 dollar 870 as a $1000 bennilli... but a patternmaster makes a difference.... So my line in the sand is spending more, if it makes a difference. If I liked nice guns, Id probably have one, but a gun is a tool to me, much like a hammer, and I painted my hammer orange cause it makes it easier to find whereever I left it. If the performance of something makes a difference, Id easily buy the best. If it doesnt, then, Ill buy the cheapest. I call ok, not the best, but good nuff... I call just as good with a $14 haydels as a 150 dollar call. So I buy duck calls 4 or 5 at a time. I dont carry spare socks, but I always got a spare dog whistle. I used to try to make stuff, to keep from having to buy it, but Im not real good making stuff... so now I wont spend an afternoon to save 40 bucks, but Ive never bought a decoy weight in my life... I use old spark plugs which usually tickles the crap outta people when they see it. A good pair of waders will last 5 years if you take care of them, I dont so I buy cheap ones every 2 years... its cheaper for me in the long run. Ive only bought one new hunting coat in my life, and it was at kmart.

I think quailty goose decoys are a good buy, but I think by the time ducks notice swivel heads you should be shooting, cause I am already! I think repainting duck decoys you can buy for 20 bucks a dozen is silly, cause I break way more than I throw away from the paint fading.

I aint got a problem with hyde park bread, it tastes like wonder, comes from the same line and is 2/3's the price. But why anyone would try to save 20 cents and not buy frenchs mustard, knowing your sammich is going to be totally jacked up from it, is beyond me. The mustard is the smallest expense in a sammich, and makes the most difference. Wife thought she was smart one day, buying generic mustard and filling the frenchs squeeze bottle up with it. I got mad and threw all the mustard away and sent her booty to the store! travis

[SoftCall]

well said travis

[SoftCall]

I am surprised that Wildfowler hasn't mentioned anything about his pole extension for his Q-Beam. That 5 inch handle attached to a 3.5 foot arm aint enuff. He needs another 6 feet. Go figure...

[duck_nutt]

Well, I ain't a poor man, but I'm always broke....married homeowner with 3 kids in private school takes care of all my spare money.....I've got pants, shirts, boots, waders, coats and caps...out of all those items, I'd bet there aren't 2 of the same camo patterns...doesn't matter to me..I definately belong to the cheaparse hunting club...buy the cheapest steel shells I can(starting to rethink this cause I knock alotta ducks down, but don't kill as many as the good ole days of lead shot)..anyway, don't own a boat, but have 2 good buddies that do! I do mosty of my hunting in waders that my dad won from DU banquet 4 years ago... my decoy bag has 10 beat up decoys in it, and I'd bet I haven't had all 10 out at one time in last 3 years..old yentzen duck call belonged to dad too...wanting a good dog...maybe next spring..I've said that for the past 4 years now..anyway, having all the nicer things would be great, expensive guns to get beat up and covered with mud, decoys to scratch the paint off of, new camo to rip and tear, boat to crash thru the bushes and trees with, expensive new duck calls that don't sound that much better than the $15 wal-mart calls(lets face it, a duck will come to just about any call) $35 a box bismuth shot____ but I manage to get by without all this stuff.... some of the best times in my life have been in a friends boat, wearing camo that doesn't match, shooting cheap steel shot out of my 27 year old 870(got it used, when i was 12)..

Duck_nutt

[Haymaker]

I started out buying the cheapest, err most ECONOMICAL, stuff I could get my hands on and continued to use that stuff until it was used up and could no longer be repaired. As money has allowed I have replaced wornout gear with what I would consider a little better quality and might last a little longer. I do have some nice calls that were given to me as Christmas presents but mostly use the inexpensive calls that seem to work. Have had to purchase very few decoys as folks are all ways trying to figure out what to get me for Christmas, birthday, etc. Boat a 20 year old boat from a friend of mine several years ago and had to replace the motor last year. I bought what I considered a motor which would give me the most bang for the buck. The blind on my boat is home made and cost me around $100. I guess what I am saying is that I try to improve on my equipment as what I have wears out and it is replaced with stuff that I feel will give me the most for my money.

Haymaker

[privb9121]

I have to say that the two things that i will not scrimp on is my gun (Beretta 390AL como) that I purchased from a friend with too much money for $600 and my waders, but I did by my hodgeman 5 mil with all the bells and whistels for 135 bucks at the local Wally world. Every thing else is gravy. I use custom calls most of the time because I don't have enough wind to blow the others, but I did by a MI crooked letter call that I like (Primos yo sista.) 21 bucks at wally world I haven't purchased a call in a long time due to the fact that I help build and sell them for a friend. My decoys...well okay I spent some money on them too. but i bought feather flex decoys in case I have to walk a mile or two to hunt....which I have done on more than one occasion. My buddies have all built robo's and we use our rechargable drill batteries to run them, home made mallard machines.... You name it we've made it. If you got a few guys that love to hunt...making the stuff over a few six packs is about as fun as hunting... got to do something during the summer... Oh yeah I hunt public ground... if you do too then remember that 100 yards away isn't far enough... please don't set up right on top of someone.

Just remeber It's all about the enjoyment of the hunt. I just love to see them boots on right over the trees.