MR SLATER -- PLEASE REPLY.

[lozrob]

hi,

just read your reply on another topic , which you stated that you make your own decoys.

how much of the birds insides do you remove , what about the neck and head area.

once completed do you stuff them with anything. etc.

very curious indeed.

lozrob.

[Mr Slater]

hi,

just read your reply on another topic , which you stated that you make your own decoys.

how much of the birds insides do you remove , what about the neck and head area.

once completed do you stuff them with anything. etc.

very curious indeed.

lozrob.

 

I cut out everything from inside the bird, breast, ribs, viscera etc. The legs are removed altogether.

The neck bone is snipped off below the skull and removed and then all remaining fat/flesh is scraped off with a tea spoon.

I brush Formaldehyde solution onto the inside of the skin and inside the neck and mouth.

They need supporting for about 4 weeks as they dry.

To make the support for them just cut 4" of 40mm waste pipe and then cut along the length of it so you can open it up. Open it up and wedge it apart with a bit of scrap wood, just sit the carcase over this in a lifelike attitude.

I force a piece of wire through the skull and into the body cavity to give it a bit of added strength.

When they are completely dry you can brush them with wood glue and cover in sawdust, you can also glue a block inside that will take banding wire to allow them to rock. I don't bother with eihter of these but have done in the past.

I can carry 6 at a time in the 5 gallon bucket I use as a seat, this gives them some protection and they last a couple of years. The head is always the first bit to fall off but it doesn't seem to matter to the birds coming in!

 

 

 

If you want to pm me your email address I'll happily take some pics and send them to you.

[lozrob]

cheers for that , will send email address.

thanks.

mr l roberts.