Who has made their own decoy for predators?

[FrankDown]

I got a bunch o parts for electronic stuff.  I have a bunch of motors and things like that.  I saw wehre someone on the net made a decoy out of that weasel ball.  Its more humorous to me than anything else.  It made me think about digging through what I got and pulling out the soldering iron.  I got a friend that is into circuits and stuff and he always wants to make things.  He idnt want to help me with the dogsled thing though.

I thought about making a mechanical rabbit or bird.  I looked through the regulations and it appears that decoys for predators, as well as calls, can be electronic.  I cant find anything about using the skins of animals for decoys so I am led to believe that a rabbit or grouse skin with electronic motors for movement would be legal.  I was primarily thinking about making a grouse on a pole so that it coul dbe stood up above the bushes so it looked like it was on top of whatever shrubs or bushes were around for visibility.  A rabbit wehre I would be hunting would not be seen anyway really.

Just curious what everyones thoughts on it were and if it was even worth making.  I expect it would take an hour or two at most to make.

[Machias]

One thing about decoys, the yotes and cats are not sitting out there thinking hmmm that thing is out of place.  They are keying in on the motion.  You can put a fox or coon tail on a springy wire and run a string back to your location and move it back and forth and they will lock their attention onto the decoy.  Yes electric decoys and calls are legal for varmit predators.  Also the type of calls does not matter so much, ie one of my best calls for bears and yotes is a javelina call, none of them in WA, but the call is very effective. 
I say go for it.

[FrankDown]

I was thinking about either making one wing spin slowly or go back and forth like its flapping slowly.

[Big10gauge]

Sounds like you may be making it too complicated unless you want to make it a remote activated decoy or just want to experiment. You can buy a decoy heart for $15.00 shipped and put it in a stuffed animal or make your own furry animal and stick it the decoy heart, attach it to a pole and string or put it on a shorter stake and spring. Or just a string and feather.

[boneaddict]

pretty simple ones like a feather or a wing.  I have a rabbit in the freezer I was thinking about taxidermying

[FrankDown]

I dont think its all that much work to solder a couple wires to a motor.  I already have the parts from salvaged stuff.

Maybe my next project Ill do this but with an elk...

eurl=http://www.jimcarreyonline.com/videoclips/clips.html?m=aceventura2

[stumprat]

I use 2 turkey feathers tied to about 12" of white surveyers tape. Works like a charm.

[runniNgunnin]

i have a freind at work that used a remote controled helicopter motor. he made a wood box and attached a 2ft pole coming out of the box. the last yotie i killed we cut the tail off and hes going to stick it on top of the pole. the theory is that when the pole spins the weight and momentum of the tail will go around, instead of spin in place. we havent tried it yet, but i think we will next weekend...

ps-the only downfall of this contraption is the noise it makes when its spinning...
ill keep everyone posted as to how it worked out

[Kain]

Here are some production decoys just for reference.  If it takes more time and money to build your own then I dont think it is worth it.  But if you can improve or make a superior decoy from scrap that is cool.  Noise and battery life are major issues with decoys, just something to keep in mind.  Keep it simple, people have been using a feather on a string forever and it still works great.

Mojo Critter $40.  Tall and intermittent movement.
http://www.mojooutdoors.com/MTV_critter.htm

Cheap and if you do the mod much better.

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=53038170&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1&nt=2

Expensive, bulky but remote capable and has rodent sound.
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0050114228855a.shtml

This is an external speaker and is sound activated.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0045032228512a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Products&sort=all&Go.y=0&_D:hasJS=+&Nty=1&hasJS=true&No=54&Ntt=edge&N=0&_D:sort=+&_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/search/search-box.jsp.form1&Go.x=0&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

[saylean]

I have a stuffed bunny rabbit I bought from Petsmart, tied some fishing line to it and string it out to my locations. I tie the bunny to a bush out in front and move it wiith my hand hidden....so the bush will wiggle as well.

I also have the feather trick...a few feathers tied together, then I tie them to a tree limb or something like that.

[ivarhusa]

I made a decoy out of the LocoMotion cat toy, http://www.worldwise.com/locomotion.html, at someone elses suggestion (apologies for not remembering whom to credit).

It uses 3 AA batteries, has adjustable movement rate over a useful range (spanning too-slow to too-fast appropriately). It cost $15 at Walmart (free shipping to a local Walmart for pickup).

It came with a small feather to tease a cat with, but I hung a 'yote tail on it.  It was what I had.


I may try "moving" other things from it, such as clusters of feathers if the fur doesn't "work".  I've only had it a few weeks, and in the field once (to no effect, as no 'yotes were seen).


This toy has great potential, given its low cost and flexibility.

Ivar

[FrankDown]

I already have any parts that I need so I wont have to spend any money.  I "mod" my sons toys, especially the noisy ones lol.  We do stupid projects all the time.  I use the lead free solder so he doesnt hopefully end up like me...  I have a lot of switches and sensors and motors (oh my) already.  Not sure if the kids would liek me taking the elmo out, he already giggles and stands up on his own.

I was thinking something along the lines of the woodpecker.  I have styrofoam and a hot glue gun.  I have to dig around for some fun fur, I used all my real fur for hats and stuff like that.  I dont think it even really has to look like a real animal, maybe Ill make a little sasquatch with a rotating head or arm just for fun.  THe problem with that though is the coyotes might think its a miniature bear standing up or a hoax.

[Big10gauge]

Well post a pic when you get done. We'd like to see it. The rhino would have been a little big to pack around anyway.

[Big10gauge]

This may give you an idea

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=53038170&page=&fpart=&vc=1