I am sure you have seen on tv where hunters have used basically stuffed hens as decoys. Matt Morrett and Eddie Salter do it frequently on HS. Strut's productions. Here in NC we have a winter season in which we can take a hen. I am caught up in the idea of taking a hen and finding a taxidermy book and suppliesand trying to mount the hen into a useable decoy for spring season. I would do it on my own to try and save money. But I want a realistic looking, functionaldecoy. Is my idea feasible or would i be just as well off to just pay 2-300 bucks to a taxidermist. I don't need an award winning mount because it will just get messed up in the woods. If I wanted a beautiful mount of course I would pay to have it done. What do you guys think? Thanks so much.

Michael

just an idea. befor there were decoys in the stores.I made one from styrofoam and put feathers on it.that was 30 years ago(I still have it)

you say OK right; but it look real to the eye from 10 yards away.I took styrofoam sheets layers and glued them togetherand cut it to shape,then took paper towels (the ones with fiber in them)cut into strips about 2" wide and wood glue ; wet the towels in the wood glue and layed them onto the form all over,when they dried I put another layer.untill I had three layers.then I spray painted itflat black. then I got a bunch of feathers,body and tail.feathers.I cut the fuzzy parts of the feathers off,so you have about 1/2 a feather.start at the tail,lay the tail feathers on the form dip the point of the feather into black oil paint (this sticks them to the body better than gule;hot glue may work,didn't have a hot glue gun when I did mine.)and lay it onto the body,lay another beside that one until you have a layer all the way around the body,over lap them just a little.( do the top and sides and let dry) then do the belly. when you have one layer , come back and lay another over that layer about 1/2 way up that one.(like they are on the real turkey body)do this all the way up the body and onto the neck,(use smaller feathers on the neck)
when I got this all done,I painted the head blue,got some eyes from a taxidermist supply and glued them in.I cut the beak from a real bird and glued it onto the face.

to start ; when I got the body made from the styrofoam,I put a metal rod into the body,(if you make it like a fork) push the fork into the body and then lay the towels over the fork it will stay in place. fiberglass rods work;if you can get one with a big end(or knot) on it,so it doesn't pull out.

when finished ; I took an old pair of camo pants and made a cover for it;with a strap to carry it with. it is not like those foldup ones.and you don't want some fool to shoot you.(I'm telling you it looks real)

it only cost you a little time and about $10.00 for the paint and styrofoam.I only used a pint of flat black paint and one can of spray black.

I have a new digital camera,as soon as I can get it working so I can post a pic. I will take one and post it for you.

Personally, I think it would be easier to just mount a turkey than to make the repro. Im sure it looks nice, though. Try this...get a turkey form, and simply skin a turkey, clean it up as well as you can, and coat the skin inside and out with borax, like the MuleTeam stuff in the stores. Shake it out and pull it over the form. Put a decent artificial head on it, and use the thing. If it gets grungy in a few years, pull it apart and start a new one. Thats just me.

Or easier yet, go to Walmart get the foam ones and be done with it. By the time you buy all the supplies to makeone you will spend just as much.

this is the one I made many , many , many , years ago. I got it from the barn and took the cover off and the rats had made a nest in it. all the feathers were in a ball in the bag.it still looks OK for what it's been through.
All I would have to do is put the feathers back on it.

Motown-

I want to have a REAL looking decoy. I personally think that the foam decoys don't look good at all. I know that they work for people each year but they seem to not work for me. I had 3 longbeards spook this year as soon as they saw my decoys. I have killed or called in for friends maybe 10-12 turkeys in the past 3-4 years and only one was killed over a foam decoy...and that one was shot running away when it spooked by the decoys. Around here...I don't think the turkeys like the foam ones. I want something they can't help but think is a hen,

I see, let us know how your expierment turns out. I have always had great luck with the flambous. Gobblers come right up to them and bam!! turkey sandwiches soon follow.

gobble, i had the same problem with decoys, i hunt public land. and every year i would get birds withen 40-50 yards, not close enough for a bow, atleast not for me anyway. so i did just as bill yox said, and wham this year opening morning, 7 yards at a nice tom! he didn't even think twice when he saw the hen! it is alot easier to make a decoy than a customers mount!.... like u said just use it, and use it! mine will be with me on every turkey hunt! good luck!

Theres some nice turkeys here locally, but also too many hunters. So I post a couple decoys out in an open field while I hunt within the woods. Those decoys dont do anything for the turks, but they do keep at least a few of the more polite hunters off my tail while Im pursuing the live birds further inside the woods! Ive never had good luck with decoys on mature toms. I know others that do well with them, or are happy with just a jake. Just my experiences though.

Hey Bill,How you being ?

Alex
Advance Taxidermy,Inc.
Miami Fla