fortune Posted December 10, 2012 Report Share Posted December 10, 2012 Over the years I have had success with the simple old manual flapper invented by Sid Semark, ( who I met at a BASC roadshow in Maidstone on the evening of the 87 Hurricane). The user could give the flapper bird a series of short sharp tugs on the string which simulated a bird landing. It was mechanicaly simple and light in weight which is good when you’ve got to carry support stuff across a field to get into the desired position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lksopener Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Anyone still make a manual flapper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 i do....been doing them for 10 or so years...if you want to see a video of it send me a pm with your e-mail address and i will forward it on to you regards ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted December 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 The only problem with this type of flapper is that you need a bird for the decoy. It’s like the chicken & egg thing. For it to work you got to have a decoy bird, so it doesn’t work because you may not have a decoy. Many times I have been slightly off of the best line because I couldn’t set up the hide in the place that I wanted to be and I really needed to pull the birds but they just went blindly on their way until I managed to knock a stray down. The next thing is that when you have got your bird it soon gets rigamortise and it doesn’t flap properly. If the wing bones are broken it develops any old flapping motion, but when it does work it will set birds in to the pack from two fields away. I got over the decoy problem by using a full-bodied decoy with cloth wings. The plusses are more than the minuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 i do....been doing them for 10 or so years...if you want to see a video of it send me a pm with your e-mail address and i will forward it on to you regards ditchman I would like to see it please. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 I would like to see it please. KW I would like to see it please. KW check your settings as i cant pm you, it wont have it ditch' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 check your settings as i cant pm you, it wont have it ditch' dont know why? will pm my e mail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaSparky Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 I also tried pm'ing you the other week kdubya, but mine also failed. Inbox too full, or a user setting incorrect ? Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 I also tried pm'ing you the other week kdubya, but mine also failed. Inbox too full, or a user setting incorrect ? Simon its empty now KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 Seen the vid thanks want one KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 will send the vid out tomorrow morning, have to wash the dog runs now, and get their infa red lamps on and lock up regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rizzini Posted December 11, 2012 Report Share Posted December 11, 2012 i would like to see the video also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 12, 2012 Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 The only problem with this type of flapper is that you need a bird for the decoy. It’s like the chicken & egg thing. For it to work you got to have a decoy bird, so it doesn’t work because you may not have a decoy. Many times I have been slightly off of the best line because I couldn’t set up the hide in the place that I wanted to be and I really needed to pull the birds but they just went blindly on their way until I managed to knock a stray down. The next thing is that when you have got your bird it soon gets rigamortise and it doesn’t flap properly. If the wing bones are broken it develops any old flapping motion, but when it does work it will set birds in to the pack from two fields away. I got over the decoy problem by using a full-bodied decoy with cloth wings. The plusses are more than the minuses. The answer to this conundrum is to keep a dead bird or two in the freezer , rigamortise is not a issue with a bird that has been thawed out so no need to break wings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewwhitbread333 Posted December 16, 2012 Report Share Posted December 16, 2012 i bought one of these flappers from ditchman. what a turn out, one of my most used bits of kit. since then i have not been out without it. works a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted December 17, 2012 Report Share Posted December 17, 2012 i bought one of these flappers from ditchman. what a turn out, one of my most used bits of kit. since then i have not been out without it. works a treat. thanks for that Mr M...glad you are putting it to good use ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted December 21, 2012 Report Share Posted December 21, 2012 Had my flapper made by ditchman out for the first time today.Must say it worked very well once i got familiar with it. Will certainly be a regular addition on coming pigeon shooting forays. A really good piece of kit and well made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 postman knocking on my door at 7.30 this morning provided me with a flapper from Simon, and what a cracking bit of kit it looks,(there are some clever people out there ) now if I ever get a day off when its not raining we will see what it can do, in the meantime the new neighbors are going to wonder why a pigeon is flapping yet not getting anywhere in my garden. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 postman knocking on my door at 7.30 this morning provided me with a flapper from Simon, and what a cracking bit of kit it looks,(there are some clever people out there ) now if I ever get a day off when its not raining we will see what it can do, in the meantime the new neighbors are going to wonder why a pigeon is flapping yet not getting anywhere in my garden. KW When i first made it i was testing it in the garden many years ago in the spring....so it was flapping away and another 2 pigeons came down and tried to Hump it !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hitman Posted December 22, 2012 Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 I have one passed down to me by my dad, I still have it in the garage somewhere. I taped a wooded spike to the stand to give it more height , and used an old fly fishing reel to keep the string on. I found that a couple of quick flicks of with wings would often pull pigeons in , but too much flapping would scare them off. When pigeon magnets came on the scene i stopped using it , perhaps its time for a comeback. Hitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masmiffy Posted December 28, 2012 Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 I had one of these years back, a 'mate' asked to borrow it to make a copy then kindly did a runner so I lost it' I was gutted as it was simple device which needed no heavy battery and worked!!! So if the one you (ditchman) make is similar to the one I had I may well be interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliefox Posted January 6, 2013 Report Share Posted January 6, 2013 Would love to see these please mate, can't justify spending 60-70 quid on one, so much more satisfaction out of your own made contraptions bit like when the magnet first came out lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NobbyHall Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 Ditchman Could I see the video please Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted January 8, 2013 Report Share Posted January 8, 2013 I got the video thanks. Are you selling these? I have been looking for something that I can link together or link of an existing flapper to give lots of small movement in a pattern of deeks and this could be it. I have been looking at flocks of woodies on my horse paddocks and they tend to land very close to each other, 0.75 to 1.25m apart, much closer than I noranlly space my deeks, and they are busy busy busy with small movements. Flocks of 20 to 30 birds often only cover a patch 3-4 m long and 2 m wide. Would like to try connecting together a whole bunch of deeks to a little motor to produce lots of little movement rather than a single flapper or bouncer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 8, 2013 Report Share Posted January 8, 2013 I got the video thanks. Are you selling these? I have been looking for something that I can link together or link of an existing flapper to give lots of small movement in a pattern of deeks and this could be it. I have been looking at flocks of woodies on my horse paddocks and they tend to land very close to each other, 0.75 to 1.25m apart, much closer than I noranlly space my deeks, and they are busy busy busy with small movements. Flocks of 20 to 30 birds often only cover a patch 3-4 m long and 2 m wide. Would like to try connecting together a whole bunch of deeks to a little motor to produce lots of little movement rather than a single flapper or bouncer i do sell them but try not to advertise them on PW.....if you want lots of movement get a load of dennys dippers..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted January 8, 2013 Report Share Posted January 8, 2013 I have a dipper which is good but a bit fiddly but it isn't the kind of movement I want. Watching flock you tend to see a wave of wing flaps ripple to and fro as the birds disturb each other then settle again. A simple mechanism to emulate that movement might be effective. How much are your gizmos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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