Decoy Help

[Cowboy63]

Hello everyone, I am a 2nd year turkey hunter and decided to buy some decoys today. I purchased the 3 bird Feather Flex combo. When I unpacked and opened them up I was having a hard time keeping them open they want to fold back up. are there any tricks to keeping these decoys from wanting to fold back up

[huntnteen]

put a stick in them to holde them out, there are also specialised stakes that you can use that open up inside the deac to keep it unfolded

[Wingbone]

Leave them set up in the sun for a couple of hours. The foam has memory and will return to its original shape.

[Born 2 Bow Hunt]

I also set mine out in the sun a few days before the season. Some hunters carry and use newspaper or foam wrap to fill them out and they do sell an umbrella frame which can be place inside of the decoys which have an open bottom...

[JW]

Take a hair dryer on hot setting and blow dry them. Watch the foam move back to the origninal shape will tell you how close to keep the hot air on the decoy. Start about 4 to 5 inches away and move closer as needed. it should go quick and come back to life quick!

Or use hot water from the tap....each will put the decoy back in shape quickly.

[Cowboy63]

Thanks for the great info it help tremendously. I was thinking of taking them back but your info helped thanks again and happy hunting

[hoosierHUNTER76]

I put a ballon in mine and set them ine sun

[Cowboy63]

Do they work better after you use them a few time. I bought them so I could roll them up in my vest until I was ready to use them. I just don't want to walk to my grounds and pull them out in 30 degree weather and have them not work. I like the ballon fix also. Ive got them inside and used a blow dryer on them and they filled out great.

[SwampCollie]

Just leave them out of your vest in the "inflated" position until the night before or morning of your hunt. It won't completely prevent a bit of memory from the rolling/folding, but it surely will help. I have a delta foam hen thats exactly 10 seasons old now. Foam is actually getting thin in some places, and she has a few pellet holes in her now (which is a good thing ). She doesn't retain much folding memory anymore, so over time, yes they do tend to stick to their shape better.

There is an aftermarket decoy stakemade by buckwing I think that looks like an umbrella frame and is designed to spread/inflate the body of a foam decoy. If all else fails, that should help some too.

[Cowboy63]

Thanks, SwampCollie I will do that, I'm getting so siked about the season coming up I just don't want to get out there and have a flock of limp birds. thanks for the info