In 2011, Zink introduced their Avian-X LCD brand of turkey decoys. Since their release date, these have been some of the hottest decoys to hit the market. Initially Zink introduced three versions of a hen decoy with different body postures. Now, the Avian-X line includes a quarter-strut Jake and a full-strut Tom with the ability to place your own turkey fan into. All of the decoys have some of the most realistic paint jobs that you will see on a decoy.
The full line of decoys is made from a rugged Dura-Rubber product that allows these inflatable decoys to retain their shape once they are fully inflated. Unlike other inflatable decoys, these will not keep the creased once you remove them from your favorite vest and blow them up for use in the field. The decoys also sport what Zink calls a revolutionary “No-Flake” paint scheme that is again supposed to be very durable on a decoy designed to be folded up and placed in a pocket. The paint job on these decoys rivals other decoys on the market that are a full-body style that are hand painted and much more expensive.
All of the decoys are designed to be roughly 15% smaller than an actual turkey to help reduce size and weight and also to portray a non-threatening silhouette to a trophy Tom. Each decoy comes packaged with a one piece collapsible stake, a carry bag, and a Zink DVD. The included stake is designed to allow the decoy to move freely with a light breeze to allow for a more natural movement so that it doesn’t alarm an approaching bird. The carrying bag is large enough to carry the decoy while fully inflated.
Zink makes three different hen decoys with different body postures. Currently they have a breeder, a feeder, and a lookout. These models will run you around $80 for a single decoy. In 2012, Zink came out with a Jake decoy that runs around $100 and in 2013 they introduced the full strutter Tom that is about $120. I was fortunate enough to pick up a combo pack of decoys which includes a Jake and a breeder hen for $160 which can save you $20.
With the Dura-Rubber material, these decoys can take a lot of abuse and are designed to be folded and transported to your hunting location. No matter how many times you fold the decoys up after use, they will not retain any of the creases or dents. I also have yet to see any of them lose their paint just as Zink has promised. On the bottom of the decoy is a bicycle tube type valve to both inflate and deflate the decoys. These decoys do not self-inflate and will require either a small hand pump or the hunter to physically blow the decoys up. While these decoys do require a lot of air in them to be fully inflated, I have found that if you don’t try to blow them up with your mouth too fast you will not have any problem. To deflate, you simply pull the valve out and fold the decoy to get as much air out as possible.
The only downfalls that I have found with these decoys are their weight and the amount of “hot” air required to inflate them. With the heavy duty rubber that Zink uses for these decoys, they are rather heavy. And even though they are inflatable, when deflated they are not as mobile as a few other models on the market today. However, they are much more realistic looking than any other foldable turkey decoy you can find today. With their size and the small valve used to inflate the decoy, if you plan to blow them up with your mouth expect to take a few breaks during the process unless you want to pass out.
With the number of decoys on the market today, you will be hard pressed to find another decoy in this price range that has the same detail as the Zink Avian-X LCD. You would have to pay a lot more money to find a better looking decoy, but you will not have the portability that the LCD’s provide. The Avian-X decoys have proven to be extremely effective in the field and are hard to find in retails stores during the season. Whether you are looking to add a few decoys to your spread or looking to replace what you currently have, I would start with the Zink Avian-X LCD decoys as there is not a better decoy on the market.
Zink Calls http://www.zinkcalls.com/avian-x/ 877-LEG-BAND (877-534-2263)
