Plastic Crow Decoys

[dicehorn 38]

The subject of crow caller has prompted me to ask this question

 

Do any of you guys own the black full bodied plastic crows? I have about 40 of them and have always had great success with them, however, I notice now (after about 8 years) they are beginning to fade and no longer looking the part - has anyone else seen this problem? If so how have you rectified it?

 

I had in mind to buy a matt black aerosol can and spray them, but before doing so thought I should ask the forum for their views on this or indeed alternatives

 

Peter

[SportingShooter 0]

I have a few, around 15 or so, they were beginning to look a bit shabby and so I painted them with blackboard paint.

If you want some really effective decoys which are cheap and so easy to make yourself then try this.

Get a sheet of 2mm plywood, print off a lifesize picture of a crow from the web and cut it out,

Draw as many silhouettes of the crow on the ply as you can, while leaving a 5 cm spike where the feet should be so that you can stick them in the gorund. and cut the out with a jigsaw.

Paint them on both sides with blackboard paint and leave to dry. When shooting place the decoys broadside on into the wind ,the direction the birds will be flying towards or away from you.

When they approach the broadside on decoy the think its a crow, when they get over the top of them, all the can see is the 2mm top edge and they hover for a split second as they are confused, enough for you to mount and fire and its too late for him.

Regards

SS

P.S, slightly off topic perhaps

[dicehorn 38]

I have a few, around 15 or so, they were beginning to look a bit shabby and so I painted them with blackboard paint.

If you want some really effective decoys which are cheap and so easy to make yourself then try this.

Get a sheet of 2mm plywood, print off a lifesize picture of a crow from the web and cut it out,

Draw as many silhouettes of the crow on the ply as you can, while leaving a 5 cm spike where the feet should be so that you can stick them in the gorund. and cut the out with a jigsaw.

Paint them on both sides with blackboard paint and leave to dry. When shooting place the decoys broadside on into the wind ,the direction the birds will be flying towards or away from you.

When they approach the broadside on decoy the think its a crow, when they get over the top of them, all the can see is the 2mm top edge and they hover for a split second as they are confused, enough for you to mount and fire and its too late for him.

Regards

SS

P.S, slightly off topic perhaps

 

Hi SS

 

Thanks for that.

 

Plywood? They are very good - I made loads of them several years ago, even down to mixing a little black and white paint together to make grey to put on the top of the beak so they would look like rooks. The problem I found that whilst they worked great before/during the barley harvest with the young birds about, they had their limitations at other times - but they were very easy to transport about.

 

Going back to the plastic and blackboard paint (which I used on the wooden ones) you think that will do the trick?

 

Peter

[SportingShooter 0]

I think so, the blackboard paint is about as matt as you can get, the only thing that we are trying to avoid is a glare which is non evident with the blackboard paint. I think it should work, one coat should be enough.