DIY Flapping Decoy Design

[Fieldsports]

I have been making some decoys that flap giving a lot of movement so that wood pigeons will be attracted towards you or your decoy
pattern allowing you to shoot them at a sensible distance
I have found these decoys work fantastic on a pigeon magnet or facing into the wind on a floater.
I began by cutting up some old decoys that were worse for wear and used some bits of very lightweight 3mm Acrylic plastic that
seems to be sandwiching a lightweight foam. (I get this given for nothing from a local plastics manufacturing factory from their waste skip)
I cut a very simple body shape and attach the old decoy head.

I then draw my decoy design on some roofing under-felt that I was given from a friend of mine that does roofs.
It is flexible,rip proof, lightweight, waterproof and already grey in color.
I cut the shape out that ends up 24 inch from wing tip to wing tip and 15 inches from the neck to tail.

I now use sturdy thin lightweight plastic to reinforce the tail and body, ( It’s the stuff that goes on A4 binder books, like laminating plastic )
Then sew it on the underside of the material….Tail and body only and NOT the wings.

I then cut the scrap material left over into strips about an inch wide then stitch it trebled over to make small sleeves that end up on the front of the wings so that you can place your carbon rod through.
I stitch the small sleeves on the wings in a parallel line

After I have done that I lay them down and give them some white wing bars and some bits of dark / light grey to make them look like a pigeon.
I lightly paint the body on both sides with a grey mix just to loose the white plastic tone.
(I use B & Q sample pots that are £1.10 each. 1 black and 1 white
Black and white mixed = grey)
Begin painting light colour first and work to darker greys …this saves keep washing the small brush.
2 tubs lasts for ages as you really use hardly any paint.
Once dry! I attach the decoy material to the body and head with small cable ties

I then cut my carbon rod to the right length
I use 1mm, 1.5mm and 2mm rods bought from here His name is Rod but a nice guy to deal with
1mm Rods that are 1000mm long costs £1.21......you will see when you look at his site anyways.
http://www.flying-dog.co.uk/shop/cf-rods-c-2_4.html
1mm rods flap all the time with no wind
1.5 is better for moderate wind and 2mm,, is spot on for really hard wind.
It takes 2 secs to change a rod to suite the wind condition and they are really cheap from this guy that posts fast and is cheap.

This stuff is great as it bends and flexes but does not hold a memory....It always springs straight.

I have got my arms on my magnet made from fibreglass short tent poles so I have made a simple bracket
to suite the poles but if you have any different poles just use a bracket to suite the poles you have
….that bit is easy really.
Here is a bit video footage taken on my mobile showing you how they work.
I have also slowed the footage down to show you how they work in more detail.
The decoys in the video are made from scrap shell decoy heads
and not full body decoy heads.
This is preference only and one works as good as the other really.

Thanks
I hope this helps a little if you are trying to make some flapping decoys. Edited April 30, 2014 by Fieldsports

[la bala]

You have certainly put some work into that, well done.

[Fieldsports]

You have certainly put some work into that, well done.

Thanks mate.

I have to work on a very tight budget so I have to scrat around and use alternative materials that readily available to me.

It has taken me a while but I am more than pleased with the outcome !

In the field they work 101% and the birds now come to my pattern instead of the fellow over the field with his normal decoy gear.

Once again Thanks Steve

[matty*]

Fairplay to ya mate.

Im a dead bird man myself on my whirly,

But to be honest every video i watched on those hypa flaps, yours looks just as good.

I take it the whirly arms still fold up like tent arms with the elastic?

Welldone

Matty

[Bazooka]

[kent]

well done and thanks for sharing

[birdsallpl]

They certainly look the business. Envy your skills.

[Fieldsports]

Fairplay to ya mate.

Im a dead bird man myself on my whirly,

But to be honest every video i watched on those hypa flaps, yours looks just as good.

I take it the whirly arms still fold up like tent arms with the elastic?

Welldone

Matty

Yes the arms come to bits mate and are very small and light as hell to carry.

Thanks mate

[Cookie69]

Brilliant

how do I place an order?

[steve_b_wales]

Hi Steve. They look impressive mate. I did a very similar thing, but made Crow 'hypa flaps'. After looking at shop bought ones, I made my own at very little cost. The body was made of Correx and the wing material was thin black felt. I've tried them in the field and they work well. I'll see if I can get a photo of them on here, and also a video of them in action, in the near future.

 

PS. Are there any more of your videos in the pipeline?

[Fieldsports]

Hi Steve. They look impressive mate. I did a very similar thing, but made Crow 'hypa flaps'. After looking at shop bought ones, I made my own at very little cost. The body was made of Correx and the wing material was thin black felt. I've tried them in the field and they work well. I'll see if I can get a photo of them on here, and also a video of them in action, in the near future.

 

PS. Are there any more of your videos in the pipeline?

Thanks mate.

I am also making some crow decoys based on the same idea that will sit on bouncers.

The moment I have a new idea mate I will of course video it.

I am also hoping to get a pigeon shooting / Carrion Crow / Magpie video made this year if all goes well showing this home made stuff in use.

That's if all goes well ( fingers crossed ) hard to say definite at this sage as I will need a few big number days to get the required footage to use.

I will however try my best.

Thanks again Steve

[ditchman]

i have a lot of respect for people who make their own stuff........the fact is you think about it, then put what is in your mind into the hard copy....it takes application....i took a long long while to get my flapper right....and i use it

 

fair play to you, well done

[Fieldsports]

i have a lot of respect for people who make their own stuff........the fact is you think about it, then put what is in your mind into the hard copy....it takes application....i took a long long while to get my flapper right....and i use it

 

fair play to you, well done

I really appreciate the comments.

If I can be of any assistance please let me know and I will try and help to the best of my ability.

Cheers Steve