Decoy Help
 

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

RE: Decoy Help
 

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

RE: Decoy Help
 

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

RE: Decoy Help
 

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...

RE: Decoy Help
 

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.

RE: Decoy Help
 

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

RE: Decoy Help
 

I put a ballon in mine and set them ine sun

RE: Decoy Help
 

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.

RE: Decoy Help
 

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.

RE: Decoy Help
 

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

RE: Decoy Help
 

JW!

How long is the cord on your hair dryer??
Hair dryer $25
Cord $1,000

RE: Decoy Help
 

Cross my mind JW, no really they have been sitting around inflated for a couple days now and I just rolled 1 up to see what it would do when I unrolled it, and it pop right back to full inflate.

Thanks for all the help. Hope you have a great hunt

RE: Decoy Help
 

12 volt model in the truck and belongs to da wife!

But Born - I got a chuckle outa yer post!:)

Seriously tho each yr I give my flock a bath before use and much abuse.

Mend and fix or lightly touch up paint - mend tail fans, repair or re-build stakes.

JW

RE: Decoy Help
 

JW:

I also "Pretty" my decoys each year also. In the heat of a quick move last year in OH I dropped one of my hen decoys in the woods while quickly moving to a calling gobbler. I went back, but couldn't find it.

In the fall I was archery hunting with a buddy and he said he saw a turkey decoy laying in the grass beside a main trail....I said "Wait that is one of the decoys you bought me for Christmas last year..."

It is not in bad shape I just had to apply a little electrical tape to keep the head attached. However, I believe it is very becoming and looks like an expensive necklace. I have been thinking about adding a purse, maybe lipstick and dropping a hanky on the ground beside the decoy to maybe entice a gentle gobbler...or do you think that would make her look too "Trashy?" Yes, maybe I will just stick with the necklace..