Bass301gmh Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 I went to the Game fair at the weekend to buy some equipment and to be honest I was very unimpressed with most of the decoys on sale. Some of them were **** and gimmicky, the materials and colouring, etc.. were very poor. I know that a real pigeon will always decoy better than a 'Fake', but I don't always have access to a real bird before I go and just want a few decoys to start a session and then supplement with shot birds as they come. Hence, what do you think are the key attributes (shape, colour, markings, etc..) to make a successful decoy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted September 21, 2015 Report Share Posted September 21, 2015 Sportplast from Italy make the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted October 19, 2015 Report Share Posted October 19, 2015 Fuds . I swear by them . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 19, 2015 Report Share Posted October 19, 2015 It really depends on what you mean by, "a few", coupled up with your budget. If you want something that really works, is immune to countless pellet strikes (hit a flocked one a glancing shot and see what happens) and will last forever, then checkout the Flexicoy at Uttings. I have simply no idea how old mine are other than it's way in excess of 20 years and they're still doing the business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted October 19, 2015 Report Share Posted October 19, 2015 It really depends on what you mean by, "a few", coupled up with your budget. If you want something that really works, is immune to countless pellet strikes (hit a flocked one a glancing shot and see what happens) and will last forever, then checkout the Flexicoy at Uttings. I have simply no idea how old mine are other than it's way in excess of 20 years and they're still doing the business. What does happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead eye alan Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 What does happen? Ho please tell I'm dying to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 Ho please tell I'm dying to know. To keep a long story short, last time out because of the bright sun I ended up taking many low birds in the manic last hour when the vast majority of the bag of 65 were shot. When picking up a couple of the flocked shell decoys I got a handful of flock and partially bald pigeons. On inspection, I could see where a pellet had skimmed along the surface. Rubbing the affected area caused more flock to come off. Those with direct hits from previous outings were not similarly effected. I cannot give a reason for this other than perhaps they were defective from new or perhaps as they are far from new and are rarely used and stored in the garage the flock had 'aged' as what did rub off appeared to be 'brittle'. Later, I had a look at a flocked rook decoy which had had similar but smaller damage. Rubbing this I ended up with a completely bald bright shiny plastic surface. Again, I can't explain it but it seemed as though the intact flocking itself was all that secured it to the plastic and once damaged it all wanted to let go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIDENSEEK Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 Ho please tell I'm dying to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 20, 2015 Report Share Posted October 20, 2015 The most effective pigeon decoys that I have ever seen that really brought the pigeons in and made them commit were the most rubbish trashy ones that you could imagine. They were on sale back in the 80s to 90s by Sporting developments of Fife if I remember correctly. They were a thin abs shell ( and I mean thin) with a bit of dowel and a plastic sort of triangle thingy that went through a slot in the back. A mate bought some and when they arrived we looked at each other and both of us said that they were cheap tripe and that they probably wouldn’t last the afternoon out. They were just a light grey with a splog of white on the neck. The head was just a blunt rounded extension. There was no beak or eyes or anything. How wrong we were to write these decoys off as junk. I had super duper deeks with all of the detail and the birds would come into his decoys every time and it wasn’t that he was using a better pattern picture because I borrowed them on several occasions and used mine on one side and his on the other side and the birds would favour his deeks every time. I think that his deeks gave a sort of hunched picture with the short rounded head and because they were so light and thin they moved with the slightest breeze. If his deeks were viewed from a distance they just looked like pigeons feeding. From my experience real pigeons don’t necessarily work better than deeks. I remember a post from a long time ago where a shooter was vehement that you had to cut the eyelids off of the pigeons because the ones coming in could see that the decoy birds had their eyes shut. Yeah right. The times that I’ve had them come in with shot birds on their backs and some that have tried to come in to land ( some have actually landed) when I have been out placing out more shot birds into the pack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 21, 2015 Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 Anyone remember the drawing in the shooting magazine which could be scaled up and used as a pattern to cut out a decoy from thin cardboard? The were carried flat and when rolled into a 'tube' two tags would overlap which were then secured with a piece of bent wire the other end of which was stuck in the ground. There was a run on LP record sleeves as many were left a drab grey on the inside surface. This in the mid 70s - oh, and yep, they worked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted October 22, 2015 Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 (edited) I still have 20 of these. They have yellow stickers for eyes, a bit of white for wing bars and black ends to the tales and wing tips. They do shine a lot when wet though. IMO HH decoys were/are the best of the artificials. The most effective pigeon decoys that I have ever seen that really brought the pigeons in and made them commit were the most rubbish trashy ones that you could imagine. They were on sale back in the 80s to 90s by Sporting developments of Fife if I remember correctly. They were a thin abs shell ( and I mean thin) with a bit of dowel and a plastic sort of triangle thingy that went through a slot in the back. A mate bought some and when they arrived we looked at each other and both of us said that they were cheap tripe and that they probably wouldn’t last the afternoon out. They were just a light grey with a splog of white on the neck. The head was just a blunt rounded extension. There was no beak or eyes or anything. How wrong we were to write these decoys off as junk. I had super duper deeks with all of the detail and the birds would come into his decoys every time and it wasn’t that he was using a better pattern picture because I borrowed them on several occasions and used mine on one side and his on the other side and the birds would favour his deeks every time. I think that his deeks gave a sort of hunched picture with the short rounded head and because they were so light and thin they moved with the slightest breeze. If his deeks were viewed from a distance they just looked like pigeons feeding. From my experience real pigeons don’t necessarily work better than deeks. I remember a post from a long time ago where a shooter was vehement that you had to cut the eyelids off of the pigeons because the ones coming in could see that the decoy birds had their eyes shut. Yeah right. The times that I’ve had them come in with shot birds on their backs and some that have tried to come in to land ( some have actually landed) when I have been out placing out more shot birds into the pack. Edited October 22, 2015 by Penelope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 I still have 20 of these. They have yellow stickers for eyes, a bit of white for wing bars and black ends to the tales and wing tips. They do shine a lot when wet though. IMO HH decoys were/are the best of the artificials. I'm surprised that you still have some Because they were a bit flimsy. Do you still use them and what is your opinion of them as a decoy? My recollection of them is that they were a very basic cheap flimsy decoy that was poorly finished and might be good to go for a few times but as a decoying tool they were superb. Pigeon just committed to coming in to the pack without any nervousness at all. From a pigeons viewpoint they must have looked like the real deal. If they were available now I would buy some for the fact that they were so light and the pulling power of them. I don't know how much they were years ago but the cost of materials can't have been more than 50p each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) They get used very occasionally if I want to bulk out the pattern. Usually use a dozen flocked shells, 10 HH and half a dozen Flexicoys. I'm surprised that you still have some Because they were a bit flimsy. Do you still use them and what is your opinion of them as a decoy? My recollection of them is that they were a very basic cheap flimsy decoy that was poorly finished and might be good to go for a few times but as a decoying tool they were superb. Pigeon just committed to coming in to the pack without any nervousness at all. From a pigeons viewpoint they must have looked like the real deal. If they were available now I would buy some for the fact that they were so light and the pulling power of them. I don't know how much they were years ago but the cost of materials can't have been more than 50p each. Edited October 23, 2015 by Penelope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevo Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 I have 12 flexicoys and get on great with them . They even fit great on cradles when crops grow . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonepark Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Colour and movement. Half my deeks are dark grey (standard), other half are lighter. Both have carefully and artistically ( ;-) ) upgraded white patches on neck and wings with uv paint, all pegs are spung metal band 'wobblers'. My dads old deeks were modelled after the fife deeks above. Cut out from handle side of 1 gallon plastic cans using back of handle for head\beak, swing out tail cut from otherside and riveted to body. coated with sawdust and sprayed with grey undercoat for main colour and white undercoat for the flashes. They worked quite well....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 I have 12 flexicoys and get on great with them . They even fit great on cradles when crops grow . Many thanks, never thought of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 all pegs are spung metal band 'wobblers'. Yep done that one with scrap brick banding My dad’s old deeks were modelled after the fife deeks above. Cut out from handle side of 1 gallon plastic cans using back of handle for head\beak, swing out tail cut from other side and riveted to body. Coated with sawdust and sprayed with grey undercoat for main colour and white undercoat for the flashes. I hadn't thought of that one. A nearby service place that does up market car service always has a load of these grey oilcans going scrap. I'll definitely be over and retrieve a few for experimentation. I like the idea of the swing out tail held on by a pop rivet. folded they would be more compact to carry. The thing with the Fifes was that because they were made out of a VERY thin shell of abs that even the slightes breeze would move them and as such the whole pack would be constantly moving. I think that this is why they drew so well. I know that all other decoys are more solid but they dont move at all or minimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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