Making decoys?

[brain dead]

i am short on money at the moment as i am saving for a bsa air rifle.

i was wondering how i could make my own pigeon decoys or where i could find some cheap ones.

 

if you could help me out with making them and how i go about it i would be very greatfull. :thumbs:

[everygoodnamewastaken]

I have heard of people using old bits of guttering or shoe insoles. experiment with differetnt things but remember the white bars on the wings are very important!!!! Good luck and let us know how you get on :thumbs:

[highdowns hunter]

You can make decoys out of cardboard

If you look at a shell decoy and imagine it opened out flat

then cut your shape out of card board paint it grey with model or similar type of grey  matt paint then paint the white bars with  household matt paint.

Fold the shape and use duct tape to keep it folded.

You can even make flappers using a  coat hanger wire and a piece of string and a dead bird :thumbs:  

[brain dead]

thanks alot

will try these out and report back if they work.  :thumbs:

[Malc]

You could try paper mache. Use an old shell deek as a pattern then paint grey with white neck bars, then rub a bit of muck on 'em to take the newness off. You should be able to make 2 dozen for a fiver at the most.

[MARK 1]

B.D like i explained in my previous thread on goose rags for woodies  if they work half as good on woodie's as they do on geese were on to a winner ,all you need is some grey rag & paint white bands  on them place em in between your deeks when the wind catches them the birds will see them from miles away,dead cheap very effective.

regards mark.

[columbus]

I have made my own decoys in the past.The first ones i made were out of plywood,they were made in to pieces one with the outline of a bird as if you were looking down on it and the second was made as if you were looking at the bird side on. I just cut a slot the width of the plywood in each one and by joining them together you had a 3 dimentional decoy. They did work but that was 20 years ago.

[NGhost]

In the 70's you could get card decoys that you bent round  and joned the 2 edges together at the brest with a paperclip.

 

I was going to have a go at making a template on the computer and printing off a load on a colour laser printer at work.

[everygoodnamewastaken]

If you can make a good template post it oh here for all to use  :thumbs:

[columbus]

Been thinking about it i think you could make good deeks out of pape mache im going to take a shell deek and and make a cast on the inside of it. The hardest part will be painting it.

[sean johnston]

And weather proofing. :thumbs:

[columbus]

Sean dont go out in the rain, fair weather pigeon shooter me.

[everygoodnamewastaken]

I've been thinking about it too. Im gonna try tomorrow  :thumbs:  

[new to the flock]

Columbus;

  The decoys you discribed are exactly what I've been using for the past six years. They work quite well and seem to draw the birds in. I've even had pigeons land in the mix with them.

 

  Braindead;

  To keep your weight down go to a panal grade plywood, or under flooring, if you want to give this a go. A good alternative to plywood now a days is the plastic I Beam Board (the stuff they make real estate signs out of) available at most craft shops, and available in a dull grey colour .  Make your first one out of cardboard to make sure your happy with your pattern, that way you don't waste your board.

  This is how I make my canadian goose silhouettes. The patterns I've done for them include sentry, resting, resting with moveable head, double goose resting, feeders, and flyers.

  For my pigeon silhouettes I just made feeders, and standing birds. But now that I think about it I may have to try making two or three flyers to put up on poles.  If you use the I Beam plastic, it will accept a fairly stiff wire in the channel for placing them out in the field.

  Good Luck  NTTF

[brain dead]

thanks alot every 1 :thumbs:

[brain dead]

1 more thing b4 i go and test these tips out, how realsitic do they need to be and i suppose the white bars on the wings are most important as far as paint is concerned?

[everygoodnamewastaken]

And remember the bars under its head  :thumbs:

[brain dead]

ok. cheers.

do you think these will attract any other birds that you are alowd to shoot?

[red_stag88]

Tom, a good point would to be to make or (shock horror) buy (gasp) a crow and stick it on a post neer by as it show the pigeons that there is nowt about as you know how wary crows are. I know you are saving at the moment so when my dad goes neer garlands next i'll buy u one. :thumbs:

[brain dead]

cheers pink_stag

then we'll make a hide an all and try and shoot those evil crows that sit in the field and hide behind the fence and sheep. hopefully nxt time u come over i'll have my new gun!YAY :thumbs:

[red_stag88]

You wont now get your crow for calling me pink_stag :thumbs:

Kidding!!!  :(  

[brain dead]

ok i was jokin

when you come over nxt is it ok if 1 of my other mates comes over for a day and brings his gun.

i don't no whether it would work though wid 3 people. :thumbs:

[red_stag88]

It would be a little less safe, and i havent met him so i wouldn't know if i felt comfertable with him shootin' near me. He is probably an ok chap and safe but i havent been able to assess him in my own eyes, ok no hard fealings. If i met him before it would be better. :thumbs:

[brain dead]

i did tell him twas unlikely as it may become a little dangerous and also less to shoot at if theres 3 plus he hasn't actually stalked much b4.

i think he'll understand or atleast i'll make him. :evil:

[red_stag88]

Alrighyty then, I would just feal a bit safer and anyway its hard enough for us two to shut up when were out let allone 3 of us :thumbs: