Diy Flapping Decoy Design

[Fieldsports 155]

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, 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-do...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.

Thanks
I hope this helps a little if you are trying to make some flapping decoys.

[cocpops 19]

Looks good, and worth the effort. These don't come cheap.

[midnight 657]

There great !!

I have recently bought hype flappers and although good there weak as puss and I could have made better !!

Yours look superb and well made !!

I may try making some ..

I'm allways making weird decoy things , I made lifters last week , using an old beach caster rod some tatty full body decoys and 5mm rebar . They worked into I need to et them down , I realised iv made the perfect gadget to stab your eyes out if they fall when you lift them ..

Mine need more thought !!

Anyway if like to make some decoys like yours and have the on long arms on a right angle to the lofter to attempt to make it look like a bird joining a group of birds in the tree .

You have inspired me to crack on with that project !