kdubya Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 hey you will get me a bad reputation, fully deserved mind! as for the strides no excuse needed she's female!! not wired up right? unlike my flapper, now if only I could get the wife to clag some grey and white feathers on and stand in a field for short while? ah well only dreaming cheers Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mallinson Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 HI Guys Are the old type string operated flappers still available,if so ,do you know where? Hi They are still forsale from T.W. Chambers + co 01349 883310 they are priced at 12.75 per flapper. they are made out of a high strength plastic just remember to stop pulling the string or fishing wire when the woodies come in otherwise they will see you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 I've managed to make a reasonable wireless remote by buying some bits from Maplins electronics... I bought a garage door remote receiver and a key fob remote swich, total cost of both was around £35 I think. The problem with it is that its a bit flimsy, not waterproof and bloody difficult to get it to work reliably all of the time, and at ranges greater than 30 yards. The receiver has a trailing wire, which really need to to be upright all of the time to enable it to get a decent signal from the key fob, which is only designed for short range use, i.e, from the car to the garage After a great deal of thought, and much testing and messing about, I realised the idea was not feasible as a commercial product. Several lengthy meetings with a well established electronics manufacturer have convinced me that the way forward is FM radio remotes, and this has presented us with a new series of problems as we need to overcome the fact that all flappers/peckers produce high levels of electrical 'noise' which adversely affects the FM signals! It can be overcome by 'shielding' the motors, but everything needs to be properly tested before a production run can commence...get it wrong and we're £2000 out of pocket, 'cos people won't buy **** quality...which is why we don't product source in China. Maybe a bit of string is still the best way!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 Been out this morning with not much sucsess,set out my deeks, { on OSR } positiond the flapper 20 yards away as though it was coming to land into the deeks. If i saw any pigeons in the general directiin i switched it on, i only had about 20% sucsess, most just flew straight past without a second look. Had more sucsess when i packed in, and stood under a favourite sitty tree. It seems to be a problem on days when there is no wind the birds seem content to sit about and do nothing. Thinking back i might have had more sucsess going back to the farm for about 4pm hoping the birds would be more intorested in feeding at that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 Im sorry if i upset a few people here! but it has to be said! Why do people think that if they pay a lot of money for a decoying device that it will give them instant results. What ever decoying devices you have they are not the answer on their own. I think thats what a lot of people are looking for by buying these devices, but there is no substitute for field craft. Even with these devices there is a certain amount of field craft used in positioning the device. If you would just step back and think about what you are doing then you may get better results. Think about it what is your decoy pattern,telling the pigeon,its safe to come in here cos theres food and we are happily feeding away. If that is a correct statment then what would the bird expect to see? The bird would expect to see a flock of pigeons acting naturally! Does that include a pigeon flapping its wings off at the back of the pattern? I think not. In my opinion it would expect to see greedy birds trying to get the the front line, jumping the queue to get to the best feeding. Thats when these devices come into their own, because you can simulate that action with a flapper. The flapper should be positioned just behind the front line of your decoys and made to look as if it is jumping the queue. There you are my thoughts on the subject, for what they are worth.Its up to you i may be totaly wrong, but i dont think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 tiercel, Far from being wrong, I reckon you're pretty much spot on mate, there will never be any decoying device made that will guarantee success...without good fieldcraft, experience and knowledge, a good day at the pigeons is gonna be a long time coming. I think it took me around 3 years to get into double figures!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiercel Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 I've been shooting pigeon 20 odd years and my best bag is only 40. And that was last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 took mine out yesterday and put it at the head of the pattern.it was a real still day wind wise and when ive used it on windy days theres a noticable difference to how the birds react.yesterday they were dropping like divebombers from way up but flaring off as it was flapping too often.luckily mine has a timer so i set it to the longest gap between flapping and it made quite a difference but didnt pull in as many birds as most flew over the field when it wasnt flapping started at six and packed up at three,shot 27 pigeons and two crows picked up empty cases and counted over a hundred :*) threw gun in ditch with crows :< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Now, now, temper, temper. Go back to the ditch and get the gun; then take it and yourself to a clay ground and shoot some sporting; take some one with you who you are certain to beat (feel good factor) Ill admit that 4 or 5 : 1 is not the best cartridge to kill ratio, but weve all had a bad day or 10. Ask yourself, were you really shooting krap; or were you trying to shoot the birds too soon. If pigeon are thin on the ground you are quite often tempted to take shots that would normaly be left. When you do this the C:K goes through the roof. Then theres always the next trip to look forward to. Better now! webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Oh, as for the flapper, not been able to try mine yet, but my first strategy will be to switch off as birds are seen to commit to the pattern. Come on deako some of us are waiting for the remote; if 40 yds is the best you can manage stick a longer cable on the flapper. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Spoke to the engineer this morning...now got it out to at least 100 yards, so I'm happy now, especially as the complete thing is the size of a box of matches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Deako Well done lad. Now dont forget where your mates are. Try to give us an indication of price, so that we can start to save up. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead-eye-dick Posted March 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Spoke to the engineer this morning...now got it out to at least 100 yards, so I'm happy now, especially as the complete thing is the size of a box of matches Now thats interesting Went out Sat, as you say very still windwise. Picked up 35 for 76 shots 1 : 2.2 - best bag yet !!!!! got to be happy with that. I felt I could have done with some more movement, the field had been quite heavly shot and they were alittle nervous of the Advantage Rotor. A flapper would have been ideal. But one I can control the flaps on, I'm sure if it is flapping as they drop in, they'll just flare off, making for a tricky going-away shot. Good shooting boyz Let us know on the price of the flapper with remote cont. Deako. (pigeonwatch special price) :( :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 cheers for the advice webber,in hindsight you are right,was shooting the birds too early.i tend to let missed shots get to me and try to work out where i missed so a session on clays will be on the cards next weekend.dont do much of it so would sporting be best ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Clays are not my favourite either, but I do look forward now and again to a couple of rounds of sporting. I really like the variety. I dont like skeet, because of what I call bally dancing, but you would get some useful practice on it. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 I gave the new flapper its first outing this morning and I have to agree with Webbers earlier message. It pulls in the birds very well but they spook before they're really comitted to the pattern when it's permanently flapping. I definitely need to rig up a cabled switch, or buy a remote when Deakos are ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 As I have already mentioned I have now used the flapper on a few occasions.I find that it works better WITH a rotor with the rotor slightly on one side towards the front and the flapper at the same level on the opposite side.This has worked very well with pigeons decoying extremely well and bags of 53,38,81 and 36 in the last couple of weeks.I have already ordered the random timer and I will use it soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 I purchased an on/off switch and 30 metres of grey, two core speaker cable today. Cost about £13.00 and that was 99% the cable. It took me longer to find a screwdriver the right size, than it did to rig the thing up. Just a tip from a complete Amateur, make sure the cable from the battery to the switch, is long enough for the battery to be on the floor and the switch to be in your hand, in a standing position. There will be some battery drain due to the length of cable, but the fact that the flapper can be turned off, should mitigate that. As long as I can use it over a 6 hour shooting session, I will be happy. I will now be supremely confidant of using my flapper. As, my old manual one use to work a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Cranfield you are an oasis of knowledge. Absolutely amazes me where you get these usefull tips from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TALLY HO DAVE Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Thanks Mallinson I'll give them a ring tommorow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 ernyah, I surprise myself sometimes, with my inordinate ability to pick other people brains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Cranfield, sorry about my estimate of a fiver all in. My 30 metres of cable cost £9, so was thankfull that i had a few suitable car switches lying about in my garage. Never had to buy wire before in my trade, this retirement isn't all a bed of roses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeOxlong Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Hi, just a note those looking for a cheep remote unit for flappers look on ebay at item 3673443889 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoggieman Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 R/E Timers I would think that one could easily make the job simpler and cheaper by using what is available at any diy store for example The pull switch that is used in a bathroom fixed to a post or onto the bottom of a rotator with the batteryat one side and the motor at the other with a lengh of strong string would give some control over the rotator it would atract the birds but not frighten them to much when they were close by. I intend in the next few days to try to adapt a dimmer switch to see if I can alter the speed of a rotory The cost of a new pull switch is about £3 the cost of a dimmer is about £5. The dimmer might need a diferent resistor or something but I think it may work Any ideas or comments on this welcome Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 hello I tried the dimmer switch couldnt get it to work don't know why cheers john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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