Just $1 per month , Lure in big gobblers using a home-made turkey fan decoy, By When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments. Heres how to put a birds tail feathers to work for you. For acrylic painting, anything from exterior house paints to craft-store tube paints can be used, mixed and intermingled, making them a great choice. You can also pour lead into holes drilled into the bottom to help the decoy self-right, or attach a lead weight to help accomplish this task. | For most new carvers, it takes some time to figure out the perfect amount to remove with each pass, and this skill will be developed over time. See more ideas about decoy carving, decoy, carving. Making Waves | Ducks Unlimited For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Be like shooting any other foam filled decoy. wide instead of 1/8 in. 15 Foam decoy carving ideas | decoy carving, decoy, carving - Pinterest Retail price is approximately $45. They also clean up with water, making them easier to deal with, and mistakes can be easily wiped away. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. While fine feather details are great in hand, from a distance, they make absolutely no difference to the birds so dont get hung up on them if things arent perfect right away. Once you get onto the process the carving part, basically the artistic part will take about 15 minutes per decoy, the rest of the process is more or less just knowing how and doing it. Paint it and away you go. Not long. Not only will they never sink, but HEYDAYs HydroFoam makes for a lightweight duck decoy that is more durable and quieter than any plastic decoy, thus making it easier and more enjoyable to transport, deploy, and pack up. She used the cover of a grass waterway in the field to help hide her outline, and stalked 250 yards to . wide). Make Your Dove Decoys Really Stand Out | Field & Stream (3) $54.99. Thanks for the information. Homer Decoys are designed and built to last a lifetime and withstand the harshest of hunting conditions. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Once the two components are solidly attached and the glue has dried, use Apoxie Sculpt or another type of sculpting material to help blend the neck and body joints and touch up any big divots in the body. You just mix it 50/50 and pour it in and the stuff goes a long way. Extremely lightweight, flexible, and portable. This ready-to-use cured skin wraps around most foam decoys to give any faux bird the look of a shimmering, fully feathered hen or gobbler. If you have a streak of Bob Vila in you, then this next option might be more your style. If you removed the wings, glue a few wing feathers at appropriate locations. Motion. Once you get onto the process the carving part, basically the artistic part will take about 15 minutes per decoy, the rest of the process is more or less just knowing how and doing it. With a roughed-out or cutout kit, most of this work has been done for you. FEATURED PRODUCTS Out of stock Puddle Duck Decoy Kit $ 150.00 - $ 165.00 Details Out of stock Goose/Brant Decoy Kit $ 156.25 - $ 171.25 Details Super Magnum Decoy Kit $ 156.25 - $ 171.25 That way you can save your hard-earned cash for all that ammo youre going to need this season. While you're at it pick up some self hardening clay - the kind that will harden without needing to be heated in an oven. Painting is a skill learned over time, so start simple and add more features as your skill increases. HydroFoam Mallards - Light as a Feather, Lasts Forever $149.99 - $299.98 HydroFoam Flocked Mallards - Light as a Feather, Lasts Forever $159.99 - $319.98 DIY Foam filling decoys | Duck Hunting Forum | DIY homemade duck decoys can do the trick - Farm and Dairy JavaScript is disabled. Learn more . Like on a pontoon, Heyday decoys two keels work together to replicate true duck behavior and keep the decoys swimming straight without the unnatural side-to-side drunk duck darting that is characteristic of single keel decoys. Using three long heavy T-pins, tack the fan onto a large cardboard box, and push the pins all the way through for a secure hold. You can shoot it, step on it, run it over with your truck, and our HydroFoam duck decoys will NEVER SINK because, unlike other decoys, every decoy in the HydroFoam line is hollow and does NOT rely on an airtight seal to stay afloat. Some guys clamp the mold and plexiglass unit to a piece of shelving to force the foam to expand fully within the mold to get a slightly denser decoy. Scuff the PVC with sandpaper and spray-paint it a dull color, like matte black. Pour salt or borax onto the butt end to preserve the fan. Ten dollars apiece, and ultra-realistic true-to-life faux hens costing $130 or more. Sign up to receive Popular Science's emails and get the highlights. The cost of buying molds and the foam is going up everyday, but the cost of making your own carved foamers is still relatively inexpensive and for the most part can be done with materials you can buy or acquire locally. This decoy, which sits on a foam-filled base, sprays water to create ripples and also simulates a mallard drake stretching its wings. Strutting gobbler decoys are hot items now, and for good reason: They work. Molded entirely from EVA foam, our HydroFoam line pulls double duty as both the LIGHTEST and most DURABLE decoy on the market. I was wondering if anyone has done this and how it worked out? You will see it change from an amber brown to a light yellow. JavaScript is disabled. In all applications, paint or prime the entire decoy in one color, likely white or black depending on the outer color of the finished decoy; i.e., a white base for canvasbacks and black for black ducks. Just let them drain and fill the holes with a squirt from a hot glue gunIf you are really OCD drill out the hole a little bigger to remove the rattling shot, that can be a game in itself :lol3: .Just a warning, that 2 part expansion foam is an absolute mess. Save money by making your own waterfowl decoys. Start by attaching the head to the body in a predetermined location by using a screw or screws and some wood glue. Like I said I have never made any decoys with it but I think it should work just fine. This is the same material (a closed cell EVA resin) used to make Crocs. In order to make a decoy that doesnt look like a head and body were just screwed together, make sure that, during carving, you frequently mock-fit the head and body together to ensure their profiles are suitable matches for one another. While carved decoys are certainly more expensive than manufactured plastic decoys, they add some nostalgia and a personal touch to an otherwise standard decoy rig. Foldable plastics. Spray foam is a type of insulation that expands after you spray. A single 1/4" hole under the tail feathers. If you have been hunting long enough you probably have some old decoys laying around. Cut a keel from the furring strip and epoxy in place. This is a cheap way to reuse old. Slowly and meticulously, begin separating the skin from the meat. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Homer Decoys Bodies and Heads are made using all recycled materials in the United States. I redid an aluminum boat couple years back and tried replacing the floatation foam. Won't hurt them a bit. Designers and DIY . It is much harder, thus more durable. Thread starter jeffc; Start date Apr 6, 2018; Apr 6, 2018 #1 J. jeffc Senior Refuge Member. Series 72 Decoys While paying homage to the past, we take burlap wrapped foam decoys to a new level of excellence by using our tried and true wooden decoy heads, signature keel, and an upgraded airbrush paint job. Power is provided by a rechargeable battery with a run time of up to 12 hours. How To Take Care Of Your Decoys | BestHuntingAdvice I plan to burlap these before painting and will attach a small keel just for a little weight. The weight of the foam decoy is less than half a pound. Roughed Out Decoy Cutouts or Cedar/Cork Blanks, Bandsaw (necessary for those starting with a true blank), Dremel Tool w/ Multiple Bits and Sanding Wheels, Apoxie Sculpt (Used for blending joints, filling in mistakes, etc. No external heat source is required when making decoys of this material. Cost: $9 per decoy for a dozen or more You need: Pink insulating foam board, epoxy, burlap, mastic, basswood, furring strip How-to: Laminate the foam boards into a duck-sized block and start carving until it resembles the shape of a resting bird. Because these weights are positioned both low and wide, they make the decoys self-righting every time and offer maximum decoy stability in extreme weather conditions. For a more pleasing look on the water, the decoy should be rounded at the bottom, starting up about 2 inches from the bottom. Because delicate skins dont always hold up to the rigors of the turkey woods, check out MOJOs Fan*Tom. Dixie Decoys FrogSkin Camo Timber Neck Gaiter $19.99. As the wood smooths, start decreasing the grit size incrementally down as low as 250 to ensure that small defects and scratches have been removed. 1. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. A guide at Turkey Trot Acres in New York, Jerome uses a mounted, full-strut jake combined with one or two taxidermy-quality hens to lure mature toms even without calls. 2023 Heyday Outdoor | All Rights Reserved. 1. Wrap a layer of. Lance shows how to paint decoys to bulk up your spread for the fall. It can be a challenge,. BB - one of the best canvas decoy makers our state has ever known was Dr. Chuck May out of Murrells Inlet. So clear your Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Foam board; A realistic 13"x17" strutting tom picture; Two 1/4" wooden dowels; Gorilla glue/X-treme Elmer's glue; . Here are step-by-step instructions for how. Sign up for our newsletter and receive insider only updates and special offers. Cut along the underbelly, making a slit from the anus to where the feathers end just below the beak. Ended up turning out pretty well. Laying out decoys properly is imperative to the finished product actually looking like a duck. Once sanding is complete, seal the decoy with an appropriate sealer for the media (see list above) with a minimum of two coats before moving onto paint. Cool you put some thought into it cant wait to see finished product. For true blanks, start by either drawing your own pattern or using one from a decoy pattern book. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Blending coats and white. Just $1 per month . The mold only cost about $12 to make and the cans of spray should give 1.5 or more decoys per can and each can was less than $4. Dixie Decoys - Investment Grade Foam Decoys and Sporting Apparel ), Sealer: (wooden decoys- Traditions Multi-Surface Sealer, cork decoys- Traditions Cork Sealer). Learn More . It's easy to hook up your Texas Rig decoy anchors to your Heyday Decoys thanks to our built-in stainless steel, reinforced Easy-Attach Eye Bolts tested to withstand in excess of 165lbs. Wrap a layer of burlap over the foam. |, Lynx Trail Cam Video: A Sound Like Youve Never Heard Before, Waterfowl & Retriever 2023 Ultimate Gear Giveaway, Whitetail Journal 2023 Ultimate Gear Giveaway, Bowhunting World 2023 Ultimate Gear Giveaway, Predator Xtreme 2023 Ultimate Gear Giveaway, Great Gear: Howa Hera H7 Bolt-Action Rifle. We set the decoys in a warm well ventilated area, and let them set and dry for 48 hours. How to Make Your Own Ultra-Realistic Turkey Decoy I make my own foamer decoys, you can find how to information on dedduck.com. Place one pin through the base of the tail and one each through the middle of the quills of the left- and rightmost feathers. Here are several options to save you cash, yet give you the astonishing results a feathered decoy can offer. How to Make 3D Archery Targets: Easy Targets You Can Build I like it! Learn More Spring By Removing the UpRight Weights transforms the decoy to an unprecedented level of ultra-light. Front and rear stainless steel Easy Attach Eye Bolts that will never fail. Join PopSci+ to read sciences greatest stories. Those are some sweet looking decoys! Foam decoy mold | Michigan Sportsman Forum Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. How to make your own waterfowl decoys | Grand View Outdoors First, drive the -inch conduit into the ground until sturdy. Make floating decoys from foam buoys by cutting the buoy in half and attaching a wooden keel to the bottom to keep it floating properly. Published Jul 7, 2020 1:46 PM EDT. Think about a Croc that you can hunt over. For the waterfowler on a budget, these 5 decoys you can easily be made at home. 2 part urethane used for molding decoys. With an emphasis on traditional style combined with modern decoy technology, Dixie Decoys brings you waterfowl hunting gear that connects you with the past while providing all of the advantages today's sportsmen demand on the water. Carved from foam. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. You are using an out of date browser. Another advantage of Heyday's HydroFoam construction is the fact that, unlike plastic, the foam allows for dimensional, carved-in detail. For many waterfowlers, carving their own duck decoys is something they have contemplated but never put into action. It doesn't take as much as you'd think either. Waterfowl Hunters are extremely hard on Decoys and Homer Decoys has tested our foam decoys beyond any condition you will ever use them in to ensure theyre the strongest most durable decoy available on the market today. Email: [emailprotected] I only use UV paint for decoys. Homer Decoys - Foam Decoys and Decoy Heads - Made in the USA Keels can be attached with screws and glue or just screws alone, but should be left off until the bottom of the decoy has been primed with paint. Drill a couple 1 1/4" holes in the bottom of the decoy with a hole saw (fore and aft), and a 1/2" or so hole on the bottom of the head, figure out how much foam you need with the expansion rate, pour it in, trim off what comes out of the holes. For the stake, use an 18-inch length of 3/4-inch PVC pipe. Its a simple task, but these holes really bring a decoy head to life and allow carving to commence. However, I work at a taxidermy supply company and we make forms from two part expanding foam and the stuff is pretty easy to use. Thanks. DIY styrofoam decoy - aminate the foam boards into a duck-sized block and start carving until it resembles the shape of a resting bird. Ask 10 different carvers what type or brand of paint they use and you will get 10 different answers. Regrettably, taxidermy-quality decoys cost nearly as much as a finished mount youd display in your trophy room. It also holds paint well. Carve a duck head from the basswood or find a plastic head online. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. JavaScript is disabled. Learn More . These five homemade decoys are perfect for the waterfowler on a budget. Our mission is to inspire the preservation of the sporting tradition. Our SmoothMove Dual Keels on the bottom of the decoy creates less resistance in the water for better decoy movement and allows our decoys to sit flat in a field application or on ice. Ask Gabe Jerome. Gee String By utilizing pre-made cutouts or kits, you can make decoys with minimal tooling investment, allowing anyone to whittle out a few special blocks for the upcoming season during drab summer months. We did the molded decoy thing, but quickly grew out of that and progressed into carving decoys out of foam and wood. Foam filling decoys | Refuge Forums 1st coat of titbeond 3 and sifted sawdust. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Dixie Decoys FrogSkin Timber Camo 1/4 Zip. M.D. Sunday is gonna be good. I am looking at buying molds for making my own foam decoys. Homemade duck decoys can be painted to attract different varieties of ducks. Start with the basics and work in whatever details your hands can create. Its just $1 per month . The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. The decoy doesn't move, making it slightly less appealing to real crows than motorized ones. The less dense the foam is the quicker is expands. Decoy kits include items to create high quality work. Trim the flesh and fat, being sure to remove the milky-white oil glands. I started the heads while the mastic and burlap were setting, coating them in ultra-flat black, and hitting the beaks with flat white. Actual Hen image printed on to durable 3DFoam. This allows the carver to have a better bill-to-head size reference and the head shape to be representative, allowing the bill to essentially flow out of the head. Best Crow Decoy | DecoyPro It should be dry and ready for Steps 2 and 3 in two weeks. Youre now ready for the field. Homer Decoys can proudly say that we offer the most durable decoys on the market today. Brilliant DIY Uses for Expanding Spray Foam Insulation - Family Handyman Retail price is approximately $45. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. I will check the site out. You know of any reason not to use the canned spray foam? While decoys can be made a variety of ways, for the purposes of this instruction, the equipment list below focuses on generally available tools that you might already have around the garage, helping to minimize initial investments. We used great stuff to fill up some diver decoys and they ended up absorbing the water and sinking. Spring gobblers acute vision is legendary. If desired, additional and reference lines can be added to make it easier to keep things equal, especially in areas where rounding will occur. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. I was thinking about filling some decoys with foam. Gee String At the point it's still pourable but you don't have much time left. Combined with a light weight body, the rounded Dual-Keel design instead of a straight single keel allows a Heyday decoy to move much more freely when subjected to even the slightest breeze or current. Drill a couple 1 1/4" holes in the bottom of the decoy with a hole saw (fore and aft), and a 1/2" or so hole on the bottom of the head, figure out how much foam you need with the expansion rate, pour it in, trim off what comes out of the holes. Give 'em the ol' Texas trash bag treatment. UpDate 3 on the "MINI" ScoterZillias: Something new, something different for the 2020-2021 Special Seaduck Hunting Season here in Maryland Seaduck Duck Hunt. I put coat of titbeond 3 on the foam, and a few sifted coats of sawdust. One of my friends that learned how to make foamers here at my shop won a decoy competition at rappahannock this year with his 20th foamer decoy. For the stake, use. Because the HydroFoam material itself floats, and because it's so durable, weight is further reduced by hollowing out the entire decoy body. :thumbsup: I've also seen the $3 regular spray can foam from Walmart used. The steps below are suitable for either wood or cork decoys, and even foam, with some nuances. How to make Decoys: ScoterZillias Update 3- Decoys for - YouTube I want to start building a foam decoy spread and steadily replace my plastic decoys with them as I get groups of them completed. Plus, every Heyday decoy is painted in a photorealistic manner based on aerial images taken of real ducks. Mark Kayser To take it hunting, fold the fan in half or thirds lengthwise and stuff it in your vest. Foam filling decoys. It protects the lining of your house, and can even assist in the heating and cooling of your house during those unbearably cold or hot days. Every Heyday Decoy comes with a pair of UpRight weights which can be installed into the bottom of each decoy. Can patch the hole in the head with apoxie sculpt if you want or just shape the foam. The Fool 'Em Finish - yet another reason Heyday's lifetime duck decoys work so well. :beer: I've also seen the $3 regular spray can foam from Walmart used. | | Burlapping Old Foam Decoys - Lake State Fishing Cut out a foam or wooden head and neck and attach it to one side of the buoy. Come join the discussion about safety, gear, tips, tricks, optics, hunting, gunsmithing, reviews, reports, accessories, classifieds, and more! New 2021 Primos Photoform Turkey Decoys - Lethally Realistic It is still plenty workable as it starts to expand. Moisture can seep in, leading the wood to expand. Float the decoy in a tub and add weight to the keel until the bird looks like it ought to in the water. [2] Drill four 1/8-inch holes in the butt end. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. These decoys are great for hunting crows, but many people use them in their backyards and gardens. While there are many good resources on the internet, books available for purchase, and forums where carving legends can be chatted up, sometimes the best way to get started is to simply take the plunge and learn as you go. Homer Decoys was recently sold to the Hash family and is now located in Conowingo, Maryland. You would probably still want to burlap the finished product just for extra durability. Once the pattern is ready, trace it onto the decoy and carefully start cutting off excessive material with a band saw. Stand-still. Homer Decoys are designed to withstand the harshest conditions possible. Published Aug 28, 2012 12:09 AM EDT, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. A few suggestions would be to not do the burlap method and restle coat them instead and use the saved cash on a few gallons of polyurethane foam. www.foamdecoys.com Start on the top of the head, go down the neck and back and all the way around to your starting point. http://www.nchuntandfish.com/forums/showthread.php?111654-Freshly-painted-redheads&highlight=foam+decoys, https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rctVw5MkgvUkskrRtid5TA00Q&bvm=bv.137132246,d.eWE. It should be dry and ready for Steps 2 and 3 in two weeks. Drape Cape If you like easy, simply plunk down a credit card at a major sporting goods store for a Turkey Skinz. Web: https://homerdecoys.com, 2023 | Homer Decoys | All Rights Reserved. Johnson How-to: Laminate the foam boards into a duck-sized block and start carving until it resembles the shape of a resting bird. Proprietary Photoform process using actual imagery of a turkey. Dixie Decoys Drifter Sport Shirt. And they can tell the difference. With the mold volume now known, you can mix two part foam (8lb)and pour it through several 3/4" pour holes in the plexiglass in an exact quantity to minimize waste via overexpansion. This story was originally featured on Outdoor Life. I have quite a pile of leaky plastic decoys (G&H M4Ms). Your mold is awesome though and I bet you won't have to worry about it blowing away.lol. First, hit the craft store and get a Styrofoam ball about the size of a deer's head. This is also a good time to at least begin fitting a keel, if desired, to the bottom of the decoy. By utilizing pre-made cutouts or kits, you can make decoys with minimal tooling investment, allowing anyone to whittle out a few special blocks for the upcoming season during drab summer months. But theyre also pricey and a pain to carry. How to make effective duck hunting decoys for under $10 Thats awesome man. How To Mold Foam Duck Decoys - playassustentable Only weighs 7 Oz. Sorry this is long, but I wanted to share a little project I am working on. It doesnt matter if its a gobbler or a hen; just make sure its legal. We create working decoys of style, character and durability that will be worthy of passing down to the next generation. Most of the difficulty in making your own hand carved foamer decoys is in the knowing how, you can find that at ded outdoors. Whether it is the first time applying flock to the decoys or to complete touche ups, these kits will meet your needs. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Once the roughed-out decoy is complete, begin refining the shape of the decoy by drawing half lines down the center of the body, side of the body, and around the crown of the head. Next, join the 10-foot sections of conduit using the butt-end connector. What makes HEYDAY decoys unique is the HydroFoam construction. Just as silo decoys can create a sense of motion, so can multiple poses in decoys. Model: 69070. How To Make A Turkey Fan Decoy | Field & Stream The foam expands and seals, deterring moisture (which can create mold) and pests from eating through your walls. Draw a line around the center of the duck decoy. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Drape Cape After caping the turkey and removing all fat and meat, stretch the hide out on a sturdy piece of cardboard using tacks or pins. The warmer it is the quicker it starts to go. Get a large metal rod, about 10 to 12 inches in length and inch thick. Homemade Foam Decoys -- Long / Pic Heavy | North Carolina Hunting and Cinch another tie at the top of the stake as a collar to keep the fan from sliding off the top. Decoys can also be textured using a comb and some gesso, should that look be desired. Hard high-tech composition decoys. Spray Foam Decor Is Having a Moment Among Designers and DIY'ers Cut one end at a 45-degree angle so you can easily drive it into the ground. I went back on my old foam decoy thread and realized I never did a step by step like you mentioned in that thread. How to Make a Duck Decoy Mold | eHow A video teaching you how to burlap foam decoys. The problem with the mold release is that it gets into the foam and makes it impossible to get the glue to stick. But if you want to become a puppeteer, incorporate a stake that allows the decoy to move realistically when you pull a string, and be ready to defend your creationtoms will literally try to climb aboard. Dixie Decoys Utility Pants $39.99 $79.99.