What to make homemade stuffed ducks from. How to make a stuffed duck with your own hands? Which stuffed animals are best to use?

Many experienced hunters prefer to use duck decoys to attract birds while hunting. However, you don’t have to buy them in a store. You can make a stuffed duck with your own hands using simple and inexpensive materials.

What are stuffed animals for?

Duck decoys are designed to attract the attention of a bird that flies by. It is best to use this method for a successful hunt. early spring, when the drake is in search of a female for mating. You can also use stuffed animals in late autumn, when flocks form to fly to warmer climes.

To ensure a productive hunt, adhere to the following rules:

• place the bait in an open area that is free of vegetation so that ducks can see it clearly;
• when placing dummies, consider where it is best to fire;
• place stuffed river ducks in shallow water, and diving ducks in deeper areas of the reservoir;
• plant scarecrows in small groups. The optimal distance between them is 2-4 m;
• adjust the landing of decoys in relation to the strength and direction of the wind, as this affects where the ducks land.

These simple rules will increase the likelihood of a successful hunt.

Stuffed animals made of polystyrene foam boards

What will you need for this? Making a stuffed duck out of foam plastic with your own hands is very simple. In this case, you will need inexpensive materials that can be found in almost any hardware store. Making such a dummy will take you several hours.

For a homemade scarecrow you will need the following materials:

• a piece of foam plastic, which should have a thickness of at least 2 cm. Thin and fragile material will not work, since it may crumble or not have sufficient buoyant properties;
• superglue. Please note that nitro glue will not work as it can damage the foam;
• acrylic paints;
• putty.

It is also important to stock up on tools - painting brushes, a stationery knife, pencil, sandpaper.

Step by step instructions:

Stuffed animal made of polyurethane foam (required materials and tools)

Making stuffed ducks from polyurethane foam with your own hands is very simple and anyone can do it. The layout is made using simple and inexpensive materials, but for everything to work out, you need to follow all the recommendations and use your imagination.

Rubber stuffed mallard duck

Homemade duck stuffed animals are created from the following materials:

• large shoe box;
• gypsum for construction work;
• polyurethane foam;
• the cheapest fatty cream;
• sandpaper;
• plasticine;
• container for preparing gypsum dough. Please note that after this it will become unsuitable for further use;
• copper wire;
• acrylic primer and paint;
• ready-made stuffed animal made of rubber.

Making a mold from plaster

To make your own duck stuffed animals from polyurethane foam for hunting, you need to use a spacious box made of any materials. If you place a rubber model in it, there should be at least 5 mm of free space on the sides. Then the resulting form will be strong and durable.

• Dilute the gypsum in a prepared container to obtain the consistency of thick sour cream.
• Place the rubber effigy in the box, and pour plaster into the free space. It's best to do this overnight as the mold needs to dry thoroughly.

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• When the plaster is hard enough, remove the rubber dummy from the box. Check for voids or other defects on the surface of the mold. Only a perfectly even and smooth plaster model is suitable for making duck stuffed animals for hunting with your own hands.
• When one half of the mold is ready, put the rubber scarecrow back into it, while greasing its end thick cream. In this form, install the layout in the box. It should protrude 5 mm beyond the edges of the plaster mold.
• Pour plaster into the prepared box. We wait several hours for the material to become hard enough. After this, we take out the mold and, if necessary, eliminate all irregularities with sandpaper, and fill large voids with plasticine.
• In the finished form, make several holes with a diameter of 8-10 mm so that you can control the quality of its filling.

Let's start making a stuffed animal from polyurethane foam

1. Grease the inner surface of the mold with cream. Do not skip any sections as this will prevent you from removing the finished product.
2. To ensure that the stuffed animal holds its shape well and is stable, place it inside the mold copper wire, which will act as stiffeners.
3. Connect the two halves of the mold, then fill them through the prepared holes polyurethane foam. Please note that this material increases in size during the hardening process. Therefore, fill out the form 80-90%. Also, do not forget to monitor the quality of work through the holes and do not allow voids to form.
4. When everything is ready, place a heavy weight on top of the form to prevent deformation of the layout.
5. When the foam hardens, carefully remove the homemade scarecrow from the mold using a wide screwdriver.
6. IN finished layout insert a metal ring to secure it in place.
7. Apply acrylic primer to the entire surface, then begin painting. The more natural the stuffed animal looks, the more benefits it will bring you during the hunt.

Plywood stuffed animals

Homemade duck stuffed animals made from plywood are considered the easiest to make. But their main drawback is that they are short-lived, since constant exposure to water leads to their deterioration. When making decoys for hunting, create several profiles that will imitate different poses of the bird.

The most important points in this case, the realism of the contour and the naturalness of the color are considered. This is the only way to attract a bird.

To make plywood profiles you will need the following materials:

• cardboard;
• a simple pencil;
• plywood sheet;
• fine-toothed hacksaw;
• sandpaper;
• drying oil;
• tassels;
• metal wire;
• wooden peg;
• gasoline or kerosene;
• oil paints.

Step-by-step instructions for making a stuffed animal from plywood

1. Draw the required number of profiles of different shapes on cardboard, then cut them out. Use ready-made elements as templates.
2. Place the prepared templates on a sheet of plywood as tightly as possible. Cut the profile using a narrow, fine-toothed hacksaw. If you don't have one, use a chisel.
3. Carefully sand the edges of the parts using sandpaper.
4. Apply hot drying oil to the surface and let it dry.
5. Paint them as realistically as possible using oil paints. Apply it to all profiles at the same time so that they look the same.
6. To prevent the paint from shining, after it has dried, apply a little gasoline or kerosene to the surface with a dry cloth.
7. Attach a wooden peg 20-22 cm long and 2 cm thick to the profile or a short metal tube into which insert a sharp stick. They can also be made removable, making it easier to transport stuffed animals. Be sure to paint them the same color as the profiles.
8. To make the profile stable, drill a hole in it and in the peg, then connect them with a wire pin. Make a corresponding cutout on the stuffed animal's belly.

Making a stuffed duck for hunting yourself is not as difficult as it seems. Therefore, devote a few hours of your time to such an exciting activity. Each of the options will be effective if you follow all the recommendations when making bird models.

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Video: Imitation of a flock of ducks on the water

When hunting ducks, one of the main difficulties is attracting birds to the water surface. The fact is that it is much easier to hit a duck on the water than a flying one. An effective way solution to the problem - hunting ducks with stuffed animals. The dummies are installed on the surface of the reservoir, which confuses the birds. They mistake the stuffed animals for relatives and sit down next to them. At this moment the hunters begin to shoot.

Layouts wild ducks It is customary to subdivide according to the following parameters:

• material of manufacture;
• pose;
• dimensions;
• imitated breed.

Material of manufacture

The following types of materials are used in the production of stuffed animals:

1. Rubber. Rubber stuffed animals are the most in demand. They are easy to transport and look natural. However, rubber dummies have a disadvantage - they are light weight, as a result of which they sway unnaturally on the waves. In addition, the rubber becomes completely unusable if it is accidentally hit by a shot from a gun.
2. Polyvinyl chloride. Inflatable PVC stuffed animals are popular due to their compactness and durability of the material.
3. Tree. It is used very rarely, since such layouts are expensive.
4. Foam plastic. Foam stuffed animals look natural, but you will need a weight to weigh down the structure.
5. Plastic. Inexpensive and practical material.

Dimensions

According to the size range, stuffed animals are usually classified into the following subspecies:

• standard;
• large;
• very big.

Practice shows that when hunting wild ducks, large decoys are most effective.

Breed

Stuffed animals imitate the following types of ducks:

• mallard;
• teal;
• diving;
• river;
• Gogol.

Pay attention! All types of ducks fly up to mallard dummies. However, the mallard itself makes contact only with its own species.

Scarecrow pose

Based on the position of the duck on the water, the layouts are divided into the following types:

• rest;
• diving;
• food intake.

Pay attention! The most effective are stuffed animals that imitate feeding ducks.

IN lately Mechanical stuffed animals gained popularity. Such dummies are equipped with flapping wings, which gives the design external plausibility. Moving decoys look attractive to wild ducks, resulting in increased hunting efficiency.

Criteria for choosing a stuffed animal

There are many models of stuffed wild ducks on sale. To choose the most effective one, it is recommended to consider a number of factors:

1. Season. For example, autumn hunting is different from spring. Models are most effective in spring.
2. Varieties of ducks that live on the pond or migrate through the area in the spring and fall. Some ducks pay attention only to relatives of their own species, while others are less picky and will sit down with any waterfowl.
3. If there are several layouts, it is desirable that they are of unequal sizes and located in different poses. Otherwise, the ducks may become wary.
4. Features of the reservoir. You should consider in advance the possibility of transporting the models to the desired body of water, calculating the capacity of the trunk or backpack. If transport options are limited, it is better to opt for compact inflatable models.
5. It is recommended to place special emphasis on the number of stuffed animals. There should be a lot of them, at least six: one drake and five females. It should be borne in mind that, other things being equal, ducks prefer a large flock. If someone places a lot of dummies in the neighborhood, wild ducks will flock there.

Optimal kit for hunting:

• 5–8 stuffed swimming females;
• 2 ducks flapping their wings;
• 2–4 feeding ducks;
• 2–3 drakes;
• several birds of other species (for example, you can imitate a northern duck or pintail).

Making your own stuffed animal

You can make a stuffed animal with your own hands. For this you will need construction material. You can use it as:

• expanded polystyrene boards;
• penoplex;
• plywood;
• wood;
• polyurethane foam.

Each of the listed materials has its pros and cons.

Expanded polystyrene

You can create a standard dummy from polystyrene. If it is not available, regular polystyrene foam will do. To make a stuffed animal you will need:

• sheet of expanded polystyrene (2 cm thick);
• glue;
• acrylic paint and varnish composition;
• putty.

You also need a tool to do the job:

• paint brushes;
• stationery knife;
• pencil;
• sandpaper.

To create a template, find a suitable picture of a duck, print it out and cut it out of paper. First, the entire duck is applied to the cardboard, and then only its wing. Using patterns, cut out foam or polystyrene parts. Fragments of the body are glued together. The resulting three-dimensional figure is placed under a press.

The dried workpiece is given a natural shape. If desired, the stuffed animal can be detailed so that it looks as much like a bird as possible. This operation is performed using a stationery knife.

A prerequisite is the presence of a keel on the dummy. Thanks to this element, it becomes possible to install a load that ensures the stability of the structure on the water. A piece of plastic pipe is used as a keel.

Using sandpaper, remove all irregularities from the surface of the model. Putty compound is applied to the joints. The dried surface is painted. It is preferable to choose a color background that is as close as possible to the plumage color of real ducks.

Penoplex

The material is a type of extruded polystyrene foam. It is always the color of red brick. Produced in sheet form (thickness 3 or 5 cm). Penoplex has increased strength and structure density, which makes it difficult to process this material.

A stuffed animal made of penoplex is made in the same sequence as the previous one - from expanded polystyrene. On a sheet of penoplex using a cardboard pattern, draw the body and head of a duck. Cut out the drawn details. Using a stationery knife, give the parts the required shape. Roughness is removed with sandpaper. First use paper with large grains, then fine-grained sheets.

Connect the head and body of the stuffed animal with a self-tapping screw. The final steps are painting the model and equipping it with weights.

Plywood

The plywood model is considered the easiest to manufacture. However, plywood is not the most durable material. Humidity has a detrimental effect on it, and very soon the stuffed animal becomes unusable.

The sawn parts of the dummy are sanded, after which hot drying oil is applied to them. This coating extends the life of the stuffed animal, as it is moisture resistant.

The dried product is placed on planks. Their length should be within 20–25 cm, and their thickness should be up to 2 cm. The work is completed by installing a load on the dummy.

Tree

Linden wood is best suited for making stuffed animals. The material is light, can be processed without problems, and does not chip. Before starting the process, the wood is allowed to dry thoroughly. Recommended workpiece length - 35 cm, length - 20 cm. You can make two stuffed animals from one log if you split it in half.

After making the templates, their outlines are transferred to the workpiece. The wood is processed with a chisel or knife. A hole is made in the cut out head of the duck for a stick coated with glue. Next, the head is inserted into a pre-drilled hole in the stuffed animal’s body.

Roughness on a wooden structure is removed with a rasp and sandpaper. It is also recommended to putty the surface and treat it with hot drying oil. A metal loop is attached to the bottom of the workpiece to secure the load on it. Finally, the layout is painted.

Polyurethane foam

Foam dummies look realistic. At the same time, the manufacturing process is not too complicated; it is enough to adhere to the recommended technology.

To make a stuffed animal you will need the following materials and tools:

• boards or fiberboard;
• foam fragment;
• plaster or alabaster;
• polyurethane foam;
• plastic bag;
• wood saw;
• hammer.

Pay attention! One 750mm can is enough to create 4-5 duck dummies.

The stuffed animal is made in the following sequence:

1. Prepare the mold for casting. For this purpose, use a box made of boards or fiberboard and a figurine of a duck made of foam. You don’t have to cut out the figurine if you have a ready-made stuffed animal. The size of the box should be slightly larger than the size of the duck. If the container is too large, the gypsum will be wasted.
2. To create the mold, prepare a mixture of plaster (or alabaster) and water. The composition is stirred until completely homogeneous. The duck figurine is treated with graphite lubricant or a fatty composition (cream, oil). This will prevent the plaster from sticking to the surface.
3. The prepared solution is poured into the box. To prevent it from falling out through the cracks, a plastic bag is placed inside. The duck is half buried in plaster and wait until the composition sets a little. After this, the figurine is taken out. When the solution has completely hardened, the plaster with the impression is removed from the box. The second half-mold is made in the same way. If defects appear on the surface of the product during the manufacturing process, they are subsequently leveled out using sandpaper.
4. On ready-made form apply the remaining lubricant - this helps to avoid sticking of the polyurethane foam.
5. Next, they begin casting the duck dummy. To achieve greater strength, use an additional wire profile. A load is attached to it. Foam is added to both forms (80% of the container’s capacity). In the composition that has not yet hardened, both halves of the dummy are connected. A load is placed on top.
6. After a few hours, cut off the protruding pieces of foam and remove the workpiece from the mold. Unevenness is removed from the dummy, giving the decoy duck smooth lines. If necessary, small defects are filled with polyurethane foam.
7. It is better to paint a stuffed animal with oil paint. This type of paint and varnish composition does not destroy the polyurethane foam. However, oil paint takes a long time to dry - this is its disadvantage.

Scarecrow with moving wings

Above are examples of easy-to-make dummies. Hunting stores also offer more complex models, for example, with mechanical wings. The prices for such stuffed animals are high. However, making a duck that flaps its wings is a solvable task even at home.

Model with battery

To make a stuffed animal with movable wings, create a hollow frame with a battery placed in it. An axis is laid through the dummy, on which the wings are attached.

To assemble a flywing with your own hands, you will need:

• blanks of paws and wings for a stuffed animal;
• 120 cm stand (folding);
• 6-volt 1.3 amp battery;
• 110 volt charging;
• transition device for recharging the battery;
• key for fixing the wings.

The work of assembling the dummy is carried out in the following sequence:

1. A charged battery is installed in the inside of the dummy. Terminals connect the device to the wing axis. To keep the battery securely, use Velcro.
2. Connect the paws to the stuffed body.
3. Install the wings on the axle and secure with a screw (using a wrench).
4. Assembling the stand. In stores they are offered in three-component form with clamps.
5. Place the assembled model on the stand.
6. Connect the dummy to the power source. The purchased kit contains a key to turn the power on and off. The button is usually located in the rear part of the layout - not far from the charging socket. Also, factory-made models are often equipped with a remote control, which greatly facilitates the process of controlling the stuffed animal.

Pay attention! Collapsible decoys made of flexible materials take up much less space in the trunk compared to rigid structures.

Dummy without battery

A mechanical scarecrow can operate not only from a battery, but also under the influence of wind. Such a dummy will cost significantly less. For manufacturing, you will need blanks for parts of the future model: torso, head, paws.

As an example, consider a stuffed animal made of insulation (5 cm thick). The body is created from two halves glued together (for example, with liquid nails). When the glue sets, the workpiece is given natural look, eliminating minor defects. The dummy is then painted.

After the paint has dried, a through hole is drilled in the body to install the axle. The wings are strengthened on it. It is also necessary to provide for the possibility of hanging the scarecrow on a pole. To do this, a hole is made in the bottom for a plastic pipe, which will act as a pole.

Wings are made from any material suitable in weight. For example, cardboard impregnated with a waterproof paint and varnish composition is suitable. Blanks are cut out of cardboard according to dimensions taken from the finished stuffed animal or selected experimentally. Next, the structure is assembled into a single whole and painted. Best option paints - acrylic.

Hunting with stuffed animals

Selecting a location

Ducks hunt with decoys both from the shore and from a boat. Whichever option is chosen, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

1. Ensuring thorough camouflage. The hunter should position himself in cover, such as bushes, tall grass, or behind trees.
2. Proper organization of shelter. The best option- camouflage net (corresponding to the nature of the terrain and season). You can use natural camouflage (branches, grass, etc.).
3. Choosing a place with the ability to lie down or sit down. The wait may be lengthy, so you need to choose a dry area. If the place is still wet, experienced hunters arrange a flooring of poles and a hut. There are collapsible waterproof shelters on sale that can be fired in a prone position.
4. Scarecrows must be placed at a sure-hit distance (20–40 m from the ambush).
5. A dead duck needs to be removed from the water, so you should choose a place with convenient access to a body of water. Availability large quantity algae will create difficulties for both man and dog when they go to retrieve the duck.

1. 1-2 days before the start of the hunt, it is advisable to inspect the place, trace the migration and resting routes of wild ducks. The direction of the wind matters, as birds take off and splash down with the wind. The ambush site should be chosen based on the information thus obtained.
2. A common mistake made by hunters is to camouflage only from the side of the pond. However, ducks can come from any direction. In addition, birds usually make several circles, inspecting the area, before landing on the water.

Ways to arrange stuffed animals

There are several options for placing dummies on the water:

1. Horseshoe or V. This pattern is effective when hunting in bad weather, when there is strong wind and waves. The arrangement involves 20–40 dummies. Decoy ducks are divided into approximately two parts and placed in two diverging lines, reminiscent of the letter V or a horseshoe. The recommended distance between dummies is 1 m. You should not adhere to strict geometry, the arrangement should look as natural as possible. The ambush is set up at the base of the horseshoe, located 15–40 m from the place where the wild duck is supposed to land.

A - in the form of a “fish hook”, B - “deltoid”, C - in the form of a horseshoe, D - linear, on small bodies of water.

1. In the form of a fishing hook. The method is popular when the wind blows along the coast. It allows you to create an effectively covered area near the hunter. The bait scheme involves at least 25 dummies. The main group is located on the eye and sting of the hook. Other layouts are planted randomly at a distance of 2–3 m from each other. Ducks splash down exclusively against the wind. It is desirable that the bulk of the decoys should be mallards, and the smaller part should be teals or pochards.
2. Latin letter I. The scheme uses from 20 to 40 duck layouts. A few stuffed animals are placed downwind - away from the hunter. Most of left closer to the hiding place. Wild ducks will try to join a larger flock, which is what the hunter needs, since he is located nearby.
3. Deltoid. The option is effective when clear weather. The arrangement of the stuffed animals resembles the wings of an airplane. There should be a lot of dummies - from 50 to 60. The main group of dummies of ducks is located closer to the hunter, at a distance of no more than 35 m. Birds prefer the area between the “wings”. The hunter is located close to this place.
4. Linear. The scheme is used in good weather and completely calm. Experienced hunters recommend this option in early spring, since ducks are not too careful at this time. The scheme involves a small number of stuffed animals - up to 10. They are located at a distance of 2-3 m from each other and are interconnected. The hunter controls the rope by tightening or loosening the rope. This creates the appearance of activity decoy ducks even in complete calm.

A few more popular placement schemes are given below.

Stability of the stuffed animal on the water

Properly selected homemade ducks need to be made so that they look like real wild birds not only in appearance, but also in behavior. To do this, the stuffed animal must naturally float on the water, without falling to the side in windy weather. The stability of the dummy will be given by ballast, which can be permanent, temporary or water.

The permanent one is made from a pair of lead pieces, each weighing 50–100 g, as well as wire. One end is attached to the bottom of the dummy, and the other to the weights. The length of the leash with the load should be such that the latter is located at the bottom. The structure will move freely along, and the ballast will prevent the scarecrow from tilting. However, this method does not eliminate pitch rocking. As a result, the dummy nods or falls backwards.

Temporary ballast is designed differently. At the bottom of the duck layout, a plate is installed on the thread. Before landing the scarecrow on the water, copper wire with lead weights is screwed into the thread. The design ensures the stability of the dummy in all directions. The disadvantage of temporary ballast is the impossibility of using a scarecrow at shallow depths, since the shortest wire length is 15–20 cm.

Water ballast is an open box with holes to allow water to pass through. The container is fixed to the bottom of the dummy. Such ballast solves all problems with the structure swaying, but increases the dimensions of the model.

Other types of ballast are also permitted. For example, tightly sealed bottles or cans are used for this purpose.

Advice! If the depth of the reservoir is more than 1 m, there is no point in attaching a rope to each dummy. It is more correct to use one and tie a weight to each end. Dummy ducks are tied to a rope using small pieces of rope and carabiners.

If there is no boat, there is a problem with transporting the bait further from the shore. In such a situation, it is recommended to use a spinning rod, weights and carabiners. The spinning rod is thrown 25–30 m, and then the required number of stuffed animals is added using carabiners and ropes, planting them in the pond. The method is convenient due to the absence of the need for special equipment and the speed of collapsing the system after the end of the hunt.

Ducks approaching cover are usually shot. The fact is that a descending bird will not necessarily land on the water. Ducks often fly past, although low over the pond. In addition, shooting in flight avoids accidental damage to stuffed animals.

It is customary to shoot first at the distant duck, and only then at the near one. This approach is effective because the nearby bird will not have time to escape when the second shot comes.

The wounded animals need to be shot. The task is made easier if you have a dog that will bring prey from the water.

The ideal option is to shoot at ducks sitting on the surface of the water, as well as during takeoff. You can shoot several birds at once.

Advice! When shooting from a boat, you need to be very careful not to accidentally fall. It is recommended to shoot along the axis of the craft.

Common Mistakes

There are several mistakes that are often encountered when hunting with decoy ducks:

1. Unsuitable weather. It is better to hunt with stuffed animals in cloudy, windy weather. On a stormy day, ducks fly from one area to another, so the chances of landing on the decoys increase. In good weather, birds are less likely to migrate. On such days, you have to deliberately scare them away, then attracting them with the help of a decoy.
2. Wrong choice of site for planting dummies. There are many things a hunter must consider. For example, it is advisable to place decoy mallards and teals in shallow water, and ducks in deep water. You can mix poultry, but keep some distance between different species. In case of cross winds, the decoys are placed slightly to the side of the blind. In this case, the flock will sit close to the hunter and the chances of successful shots will increase.

1. Closely spaced dummies. Ducks gather in a close flock only when there is danger. In this regard, too dense seating will cause a feeling of anxiety in the approaching birds, and they will fly past. The minimum distance between stuffed animals is 1 m.
2. Lack of space for the flock to land. If the decoys are positioned incorrectly, the flock will circle for a while, but will not land.
3. Appearance of dummies. Shiny surfaces scare away wild ducks; they will feel threatened and move on. To avoid shine, do not paint decoy ducks with glossy paint. A special bag for carrying stuffed animals will avoid external damage and contamination (these factors also repel wild ducks).

Using decoys when hunting wild ducks significantly increases the chances of success. It is important to choose the right tactics, taking into account factors such as weather, season, depth of the reservoir and camouflage capabilities. Also, we should not forget that spring duck hunting is prohibited.

When hunting geese and ducks main task The hunter's job is to lure the bird to a hiding or hiding place. For this purpose they are used various types stuffed animals and profiles, both factory-made and homemade.

It is better to purchase or make homemade stuffed birds, but profiles are much easier to make, and their weight is often less than that of stuffed birds. The profiles can be made from polystyrene foam, plywood, fibreboard, or sheet iron with a thickness of 0.7-0.8 millimeters. It is advisable to make the profile slightly larger than the actual size of geese and ducks. This makes them visible from a greater distance. But birds do not react to the size of the profiles.

Making homemade stuffed ducks from foam plastic

Take a printed image of a duck and on one blank slate we transfer its outline, and the wing to the other. These will be the main templates. Then we apply the templates to the foam and trace them with a pencil. One scarecrow will require 2 full profiles and 2 wing profiles.

After marking the sheet, we cut out the profile.

Extruded foam plastic is cut very easily with a new construction knife and does not crumble.

The profiles need to be glued in this order.

We take a can of foam and start gluing. The glued parts must be placed under a press or clamped with clamps!

After 40 minutes the part is ready for processing. We carry out rough processing of the part with a construction knife.

After this, we bring the stuffed animal to condition using sandpaper.

To give stability on the water, you need to use a keel made from a piece of metal-plastic pipe and 2 holders under it, which are inserted into pre-made holes in the bottom of the stuffed animals, and secured to the same foam. Why the keel from a pipe? When there is increased excitement in the reservoir, additional weight can be inserted inside the pipe to increase the draft of the stuffed animals, which helps reduce their “dancing.”

The main thing is that the deceptions have the shape of a calmly sitting or feeding bird. Before cutting out the profile, you should think carefully about how best to cut the existing sheet in order to get the largest number of them. If the profiles are made of plywood (preferably waterproof), then they must be soaked several times with hot drying oil, and only after that can you start painting. The same should be done with fiberboard. The ends of the profiles need to be sanded especially well. Each time you need to let them dry completely. After the profiles have dried, you can begin painting them. You can paint them with oil paints by adding a little kerosene to them. Then the surface of the profiles will not shine. This is necessary, since brilliant deceptions will only scare away the game. It’s a good idea to paint the profile with water-based paint. To do this, pigment of the desired color is added to white paint. After complete drying, this paint is quite waterproof. And the surface will be matte.

Template for making geese profiles

Download original life-size geese profiles in jpg format:

Profiles from thin iron sheet are easily cut with scissors for such work. Then the edges must be cleaned of sharp burrs. The cut pieces are leveled with a mallet. Which iron is better - galvanized or not? This question cannot be answered unambiguously, since paint does not adhere very well to galvanized iron. They have to be repainted more often. But they practically do not rust. On the other hand, non-galvanized iron holds paint very well, but when exposed to water it rusts much faster. But such profiles do not need to be painted at all - their rusty color is very similar to the color of the plumage of a female mallard. And the surface will not shine. True, the service life of painted profiles is much longer. You can make them from aluminum sheet or plastic. But the coloring on them will also stick weaker. Although, on the other hand, such profiles will work for hunting for many years.

Video: Homemade goose profiles

One of the simplest and most accessible is hunting ducks and other waterfowl. It gives you the opportunity to shoot a lot of birds and get a lot of trophies. One of its popular varieties is hunting with stuffed animals. However, like any other, it requires knowledge of the behavior of the bird, the correct selection of stuffed animals and proper preparation.

Features of the method

At first glance, the method of hunting with stuffed animals is quite simple. The hunter places a row of decoys on the water that imitate a flock of ducks. At the sight of their relatives, attracted by the imaginary safety, other ducks fly up to them to feed and rest. They become easy prey for the hidden hunter.

Despite its apparent simplicity, such a hunt requires knowledge of a number of nuances, even in addition to the selection of a gun, equipment and ammunition:

• where to stay on the pond;
• how to arrange stuffed animals;
• which stuffed animals to choose;
• how many to take;
• how to set up a sit-down;
• how and at what moment to shoot;
• and much more.

Let's consider all these questions in more detail.

How to hunt

Selecting a location

Decoy hunting can be done both from the shore and from a boat. Any of the options requires:

• good camouflage for the hunter - therefore there should be bushes, reeds, tall grass, trees, or other shelters nearby;
• long, motionless waiting - therefore the shore must be dry, with the opportunity to sit or lie down;
• place the duck “flock”, quite spaciously, at a distance of a confident shot (20 - 30 m from the hunter’s ambush) - in the absence of a boat, the depth should allow this to be done.

In addition, in order for a dog to fetch a dead duck without any problems, it is advisable to have convenient access to the water and back, and there is less algae in the reservoir, otherwise the dog may get entangled and drown.

With the right approach, a couple of days before the hunt you need to come to the place, track the migration and resting routes of waterfowl, and only then finally decide on the ambush location. Since ducks always land and take off with the wind, steady wind directions on a body of water also need to be taken into account when choosing a hunting area.

Arrangement of the shelter

When setting up an ambush site, you need to make sure that the hunter is covered on all sides. To do this, it is best to use a special camouflage net that matches the area and time of year. But if the situation and time allow, then it is better to make a shelter from natural materials taken on site, so it will better blend into the surrounding area.

Many people make the mistake of taking cover only from the water side. Firstly, ducks can fly up from behind, and secondly, they, especially on small bodies of water, first fly in several circles and will definitely notice a hidden hunter.

In damp, swampy places, at the ambush site, you can make a flooring of poles, covering it with a hut on top. Even in such places, shelter can be a dug-in barrel of sufficient size, camouflaged on top.

A good, comfortable, universal, waterproof folding shelter for shooting from a prone position can be purchased at specialized hunting stores. It will make you feel comfortable in the most unfavorable conditions.

When hunting from a boat, it is covered with a camouflage net, or with branches or reeds secured in pre-prepared fastenings, for example from tubes located along the side. In this case, a boat hidden under the shore will have much greater stealth.

Equipment for stuffed ducks

To prevent stuffed ducks from being carried away by the wind and current during the hunt, they are equipped with a weight on a leash. The length of the leash should be sufficient for the load to lie on the bottom. For high-quality equipment, it is advisable to use an “L”-shaped weight, weighing 90-120 grams, which is widely offered for sale. For ease of use and fixation during transportation, the load is attached to the main leash using a loop made of fishing elastic or other similar material.

Now, when installing duck decoys in shallow water, with a depth of up to one and a half meters, everything great popularity dials Texas rig. With this method of equipping, a leash made of thick, about 1 mm, fishing line is freely passed through the hole in the stabilizer.

Video: Texas Duck Decoy Rigging

For ease of use, the length of the leash cannot exceed one and a half meters. A load is attached to one end, and a loop is made at the other, through which the stuffed animal is attached to the bundle with a carabiner. With this equipment, stuffed animals can be transported in one bundle, connected with a carabiner through loops at one end. Stuffed animals are installed by throwing them using a leash. When it falls into the water, the weight, due to the free sliding of the fishing line, sinks to the bottom and fixes the bait in one place.

How to arrange stuffed animals

The correct placement of scarecrows on the water is of great importance. Everything matters here:
Their number - baits should be at least six. The minimum set consists of a drake and five ducks. Moreover, the larger your “flock”, the greater the likelihood of attracting ducks to it.

1. A device for installing scarecrows from the shore. 2. Installation of a ridge with stuffed animals at the hunting site.

Selection and location individual species stuffed There are four main ones: pochard, mallard, teal and goldeneye. Ducks on the water never sit mixed up, breaking into separate groups 4 – 6 pieces each. In this case, stuffed ducks are placed deeper, and mallards or teals, on the contrary, are placed in shallow water.

The distance between baits should be at least three lengths. A crowded flock indicates danger, which will scare away other ducks.

When arranging the stuffed animals, leave a convenient place for the lured ducks to land. Moreover, the bait is placed so that this place is directly in front of the hunter.

Important! As already mentioned, ducks land and take off with the wind, so the most natural looking ducks will be those with their noses pointing straight into the wind.

The most popular are several bait placement schemes:

• "V" shaped- when they are placed in a wedge, downwind, so that the space for landing is inside it.
• "J" shaped or "hook"- when the baits are placed in the shape of this letter, with free space for landing inside it.
• "horseshoe"- almost the same as the V-shaped one, only the ducks are arranged in a semicircle, instead of a wedge, it is used in strong winds and bad weather.

Arrangement of stuffed ducks: A - in the form of a “fish hook”, B - in the form of a horseshoe, C - “deltoid”, D - on small reservoirs. The stuffed animals of the leading group are painted black; the image of a duck indicates the place where birds prefer to land.

Ducks approaching the shelter are usually shot in flight. Firstly, it's more sporty. Secondly, descending ducks will not necessarily land on the water, but can calmly fly past. Thirdly, this way you definitely won’t damage your baits.

If several ducks fly up, then first they shoot the far one, and then the near one; it still won’t go anywhere.

Wounded animals must be finished off, especially in the absence of a dog capable of immediately bringing the prey.

If you are confident that the flock will land and nothing will scare it off, then you can wait for this and strike on the water and on takeoff. This approach allows you to shoot up to a dozen ducks at once. In this case, it is still better to scare the bird and strike it already on takeoff.

Particular care must be taken when shooting from a boat, so as not to capsize; it is better to shoot along its axis.

Basic mistakes

Very often, failures when duck hunting with stuffed animals are associated with the most common mistakes:

• Poor camouflage, especially from behind, when ducks, when approaching or flying around a pond, see the hunter;
• Unnatural arrangement of baits, heaped, mixed for different types, without taking into account the peculiarities of their behavior;
• Lack of space for landing on water;
• The weather is not suitable, the best for such a hunt will be cloudy, windy weather, when ducks are forced to fly frequently in search of a quiet place.
• Unnatural appearance of stuffed animals, for example their shine due to improper painting or dew covering them.
• Ducks can be scared off not only by the shine of scarecrows, but also by other reflections on the shore, for example from garbage, a water bottle or your ammunition.

Which stuffed ducks are best to use when hunting?

Stuffed animals used in hunting are distinguished:

• according to the pose of the duck: resting (the most popular), sleeping (the head is hidden under the wing), feeding (the head is lowered into the water) and diving (only the tail of the duck is visible), taking off, resting on land, etc.;
• by type of duck: mallard, pochard, teal, river, goldeneye, etc.;
• by sexual color: duck and drake;
• according to the material of the stuffed animal: rubber, inflatable PVC, wood, foam, polystyrene and other plastics;
• by size: regular, large (size one and a half) and very large - “magnum” (two or more times);
• by transportation method: hard and crushable.
• In addition, stuffed animals can be simple and mechanical (floating, rotating wings, etc.).

Important! Larger stuffed animals are easier to see from above, so they often attract high-flying flocks.

Mechanical scarecrows can be either power-driven or wind-driven, flapping their wings at the slightest wind.

Given all this variety, in order to choose which ones are best to use, you need to consider a number of factors.

Duck species are selected depending on the species that live and migrate in the area.
The color of the stuffed animals is chosen depending on the season. So in the spring, preference is given to females. In summer, the color of ducks is more speckled, darker, and by winter they lighten, etc.

The position of the decoys in your flock should vary, with half to two thirds usually resting and the rest in other positions. In addition, you can take several mechanical ones per flock. The transportation factor is important; lightweight, crushable stuffed animals are much easier to transport.

Plastic products are gaining great popularity today. They are quite light, there are crushable varieties, they can be easily repaired in case of damage from shot with a regular soldering iron. Plastic molding manufacturing technologies make it possible to produce a highly reliable drawing of the contours of a duck’s plumage, which makes it almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

This is impossible to achieve with rubber stuffed animals. In addition, unlike rubber baits, plastic baits do not create a glossy shine that scares away birds. In our stores, both domestic and foreign manufacturers: Italian, American, Polish and Chinese. True, foreign products will cost one and a half to two times more.

DIY stuffed animals

If you want to save money, it is quite easy to make the required number of duck stuffed animals yourself. They can be made from different materials.

Tree

An accessible and traditional material, however, working with it requires certain skills in working with special tools. The body and head are made separately, according to a template, with subsequent connection. Before painting, the product is sanded with sandpaper and then primed with drying oil. The bait is painted with matte paints to match the natural duck coloring.

Foam plastic

To do this, we will need sheets of polystyrene foam, 2–5 cm thick, superglue, putty and matte paints.

1. We cut out a template from paper or cardboard; it can be printed in natural size;
2. Cut out from foam plastic according to the template required quantity parts, so that when connected together they are about 20 cm thick;
3. We glue them all together to get a three-dimensional body of the bird;
4. Using a knife, we give the product its final, correct shape. If necessary, we add details to make it more realistic;
5. Sand with sandpaper and putty. Using putty you can give the stuffed animal additional realism;
6. At the very end we paint it in natural colors.

Polyurethane foam

For this method we need: a high-quality sample of a stuffed animal for casting a mold, plaster, two identical boxes the size of the product, paraffin or fatty cream, polyurethane foam, soft wire, primer and paint.

First we make two halves of the mold for casting the stuffed animal:

1. We spread the plaster;
2. We place the sample on one side in the box and fill the remaining space with plaster;
3. We do the second part of the form in the same way;
4. When both parts of the mold are ready, we begin making the model:
5. Lubricate the plaster molds with paraffin or rich cream so that the foam does not stick;
6. We lay wire inside as a power frame;
7. We fill the forms with polyurethane foam to 80 percent, connect and squeeze together, for example with a heavy weight, so that the model does not deform;
8. When the foam has hardened, carefully remove the model and clean it with sandpaper if necessary;
9. After this, it can be primed and painted.
10. As a rule, one plaster mold is enough to make 15–20 stuffed animals.

This spring we decided to hunt in the northern regions of TO; we don’t have a single stuffed black duck of our own, and the local ones are very old, wooden and heavy (access to the place by boat and weight matters). Having estimated the price in the store and the required quantity, we decided to try to make them ourselves (especially since we had little experience)...

First, we purchased a pair of red-headed pochards for a sample (as they say, these stuffed animals are universal and all northern ducks sit in them), but after consulting we decided that we would get tired of painting, the pattern and color were too complex. Traded for a couple of Tufted Ducks.

The main material used is Penoplex sheets with a thickness of 5 and 3 centimeters (5 for a duck, 5+3 for a drake). On a thick sheet of paper, we outline the standard stuffed animal’s head in the middle (it’s better to make a cardboard template in advance).

We cut out the head not along the contour, but in a common piece.

Then we glue a thin sheet of polystyrene foam onto the resulting base (we used titanium glue for the ceiling tiles). Next, use a knife to roughly cut out the stuffed animal in the image and likeness of the factory one (the head separately)

We finish it with coarse sandpaper, it selects the insulation very well, so you don’t have to be very zealous with a knife. After coarse sanding, we process it with fine sandpaper for painting.

To attach the head, we take long self-tapping screws (it is necessary that there is a bracket without threads under the head). We cut off the caps and lightly process the cut area.

We select a plastic plug so that the self-tapping screw fits tightly into it with its upper end. We attach a wire loop to the bottom of the cork (we used paper clips).

We screw the self-tapping screw into the head just enough so that the rest fits into the plug, then unscrew it, lubricate it with glue and back again.

When it dries, we place the head on the body, push through the hole and remove it. And insert a plug coated with glue into the remaining hole, with the loop coming out from the bottom of the stuffed animal.

All that remains is to paint it (we used façade paint and colors) and equip it with weights.

So the three of us produced 14 drakes and 30 tufted ducks, spending 3 evenings and about 1,500 rubles.

Last fall, a stuffed quack made in a similar way passed the test of a “woe hunter,” who mistook it for a bird from 30 meters and shot at it twice. At the same time, the stuffed animal’s head was only removed, and numerous “wounds” immediately healed and are almost invisible (a foam plastic one would not have survived this).