Foam stuffed duck. Stuffed ducks for hunting, how to make them yourself

Walking around the hunting shops, I noticed the stuffed animals sold in them. I was immediately seized by the desire to try to use these stuffed animals for hunting, check their effectiveness, but there was no longer the financial resource in my wallet that would allow them to be purchased, since the price of stuffed animals did not the cheapest one. My desire did not fade away, and I got confused by the idea of making a stuffed duck at home.

First of all, I took building gypsum, which you can buy at any hardware store. In addition to it, you will need to purchase a fat cream, a container for diluting the gypsum itself, a shoe box, a copper cable, mounting foam, and one rubber scarecrow for the layout .Manufactured stuffed animals are not afraid of shot, unlike rubber ones.

First you need to carry out the operation of making one half of the gypsum casting. Take a rubber scarecrow and try it on the box. The distance between the walls and the scarecrow itself should be a little more than 5 mm, but not less. Put the scarecrow on its side.

The next stage of production is the preparation of gypsum, which should be in the form of thick sour cream. Place the rubber stuffed duck in the box and proceed to the bay on the sides to the middle. the whole process. Now wait until the plaster hardens.

If the plaster has already hardened, then very carefully remove the stuffed animal and pay attention to the presence of voids. Everything was just perfect for me, there were no surprises or defects.

After everything hardens, we separate the two forms in half.

Possible defects in the form of bubbles or voids can be easily repaired with plasticine.

Then make casting channels, which are necessary for filling and controlling the foam. These are best done in the beak, on the back and in the abdomen. This can be done using a regular hacksaw with a slot diameter of about 7-10 mm.

So we come to the most important thing. The whole form must be smeared with cream and the fittings should be laid from the copper cable in the direction from the beak to the tail.

The next step is to fill the two connected halves of the mold with mounting foam. Control the right amount through the casting holes and do not forget that the foam expands several times. Place a jar with 3 liters of water on the mold and leave it for about three hours.

Use a screwdriver to pry the mold apart. The most fragile place in the stuffed animal is the beak, so keep a close eye on it during extraction. Any unnecessary protrusions can be trimmed.

From a copper cable, you need to make a mounting ring, for which a scarecrow will be tied.

The scarecrow must be thoroughly washed from the cream, otherwise the paint will not adhere very well. First, apply an acrylic primer. I recommend using matte acrylic paint. So the scarecrow will not give glare when hunting.

You can find out by what scheme to paint in any hunting literature. Great accuracy in the transfer of colors is not required, so you should only transfer the main ranges of colors.

The process of making stuffed animals is simple, so almost every hunter can make stuffed ducks, and a trophy obtained using stuffed animals made with his own hands brings a lot of positive and pleasure.

Waterfowl hunting is the most common type of hunting, which is available to many game lovers. There are many ways to shoot birds in water bodies, one of them is duck hunting with stuffed animals. In such a hunt, duck stuffed animals (another name is stuffed animals) are used to attract a bird flying by.

In fairness, it should be noted that this type of hunting is not very popular due to the rather laborious preparation process. The hunter needs to have a good knowledge of the habits of ducks, the peculiarities of their behavior and movement. In addition, it is necessary to choose the right stuffed ducks, correctly place them on the water.

Even experienced hunters do not always imagine the process of such a hunt. However, subject to all the subtleties and features of this type of catching waterfowl, hunting with the use of scarecrows can be very interesting and quite effective.

How to hunt a duck correctly will be discussed below.

Features and rules of hunting with stuffed animals

The best time for a successful hunt is early spring. At this time, drakes are looking for females for the purpose of mating. It is not bad to use stuffed ducks in late autumn, when the birds form into fairly large flocks to fly away for wintering to warmer climes.

Stuffed animals (stuffed animals) perform the main task - they attract a bird flying by. Under the influence of instinct, ducks decrease when they see their relatives. And a well-camouflaged hunter fires a shot when the bird lands next to the dummy.

The productivity of hunting depends on the observance of several basic rules:

The bait (stuffed bird) must be installed in an open place so that flying ducks can clearly see the scarecrow. Stuffed ducks should be placed on the water, there should not be thickets and "violent" vegetation nearby.
You need to place dummies in a place convenient for shelling.
Models must be divided according to the breed of bird: river duck stuffed animals are best placed in shallow water (they feed on vegetation), and stuffed diving ducks should be placed in places with deeper water (their food is living creatures that live in a reservoir).
Stuffed ducks are located in small groups with a distance of about 3 meters.
In order to avoid wounded animals, it is best to install dummies of ducks closer to the hut (stalk), so that it is easier to shoot a duck that has eaten well over the summer (such birds accumulate fat over the summer and a large layer of fluff under the feather).
It is very important to adjust the location of the scarecrows depending on the direction and strength of the wind. These parameters affect the place where the birds will land.

These simple rules will increase the effectiveness of hunting.

There are a few basic rules for sniping:

Shooting directly from a boat is difficult and dangerous. When shooting from a boat, you need to be careful and keep your balance.
Arriving birds must be shot on the approach. It often happens that a duck, having flown over a dummy, does not come back.
It is better to scare a bird that has landed on the water and shoot in flight. Otherwise, there is a risk of damaging the stuffed bird.

It is noticed that every year it becomes more and more difficult to hunt ducks. Experienced hunters observe the effect of "smart" birds. Therefore, when catching waterfowl and black grouse, the hunter's weapons and clothing are subject to increased requirements. Outerwear should not differ from the general background of the surrounding landscape, camouflage coloring is recommended. Even the skin of the hands and face should be covered with a special tinting cream.

Site selection and preparation

The choice of a hunting place must be approached with all seriousness. It is necessary to carry out reconnaissance and establish the route of flight of ducks to the places of overnight stay and back, and their feeding. For this purpose, hunters inspect reservoirs for several days in a row in the morning and in the evening.

When the hunter establishes the reservoirs where ducks most often fly, it is necessary to choose a place for building a hut. If a dense shrub grows around the reservoir, then you can do without building a shelter, and use thickets as a disguise. However, it is important to remember that a hunter can spend a lot of time near the reservoir while waiting for prey.

The place chosen for shelter should have a good overview, since for successful shooting of a duck in flight, it is important to notice the flying bird as early as possible. For the same purpose, you need to get up in the morning facing the dawn, in the evening - towards the sunset. In addition, the hunter needs to think about the convenience of picking up a downed duck, optimally if the game falls on an open, well-visible place.

Skradka device

The best place to build a hut (skradka) is the border of water and coastal bushes, thickets or reeds.

Criteria for building a "correct" skradka:

it should not stand out against the background of the surrounding area;
should not block the view;
it should be as convenient as possible to fire from it;
the hide should look as natural as possible and camouflage the hunter well.

Depending on the chosen place, skradki are permanent (stationary) and mobile (a boat is used).

Building material is better to use natural, which can be found in the forest: branches, leaves, grass, reeds. If you want to spend time building a skradk, camouflage capes, nets, tents and huts are sold in specialized stores for this purpose.

Skradki are sessile and standing. It all depends on the place and time for the construction of such a building. Very often, shelter is made right on the water by building a small raft. For camouflage, high reeds are used, weaving its tops so that a canopy is obtained.

Correct placement

For duck hunting with stuffed animals to be effective, you need to place them correctly. The duck flock must be natural, otherwise it will disturb the birds.

For the correct placement, it is necessary to know the behavioral features of the birds that will be hunted.

If the stuffed ducks are too close together, they will resemble a flock of ducks huddled together in danger. This, of course, will cause excitement and caution in real birds.
Individual bird figurines placed throughout the pond will also look unnatural, since ducks always swim in flocks.

The most optimal distance between the figures is three meters. It is better to arrange them in the form of letters of the English alphabet - J or V.

To make duck hunting more successful, hunters often use a good decoy. It must be remembered that its use requires special skills to properly lure the bird.

Varieties

Stuffed ducks can be divided into types depending on:

the material from which they are made;
postures;
size range;
breeds.

According to the materials of manufacture

As a rule, the following types are used for hunting:

rubber stuffed animals duck is the most popular species. They are considered the most convenient for transportation. A significant disadvantage is their lightness, and if there are waves on the pond, they will look unnatural. In addition, in getting into it from a gun, a rubber effigy is easily damaged and fails until the end of the hunt.
Inflatable stuffed animals ducks for hunting. They are made from thin PVC.
Wooden. Natural wood is the rarest and most expensive material for manufacturing. Scarecrows made of wood often adorn the country houses of hunting enthusiasts.
Foam. Pretty common stuff. When painted, it looks very aesthetically pleasing and natural. Since the material is very light, a weight is attached to it.
Plastic. Very affordable, inexpensive and lightweight material.

It must be remembered that in itself, even a very good and expensive stuffed animal does not guarantee that the hunt will be successful. It is necessary to properly land them on the water. In addition, the effectiveness of duck hunting with a stuffed animal depends on the knowledge and skills of the hunter.

By size range

Models are:

ordinary;
large;
very big.

It is very good if the layouts are large. Experience shows that a larger size is very effective and increases the chances of getting the desired trophy.

Depending on the breed

Models copy breeds:

mallards;
teal;
diving;
river;
gogol.

Experienced hunters know that all breeds of waterfowl fly up to mallard dummies, while the mallard itself does not react to stuffed animals of other species.

According to the captured pose

It is customary to make figurines of birds in the following poses:

sleeping;
vacationer;
diving;
feeding.

The accumulated long-term experience suggests that stuffed animals should be light, made in a natural and calm pose of a feeding duck. Steady resistance to wind currents is a necessary quality.

Mechanical scarecrows

In recent years, hunters have appreciated the new type of dummy. This is a mechanical stuffed duck with flapping wings.

What is the advantage of a mechanical model over others? Such dummies look very believable, creating the feeling of a moving or flying duck. As practice has shown, the use of mechanical models flapping wings attracts wild birds much more effectively, and hunting becomes much more effective.

How to choose

Successful and productive hunting is the main indicator of the right choice.

The choice of a scarecrow for hunting waterfowl is influenced by several factors:

seasonality (in the spring it is better to use a stuffed female as a bait);
types of ducks living or migrating in the area (in accordance with common breeds, choose stuffed animals of these breeds);
it is recommended to use models of different sizes and poses so as not to alert the birds;
features of the local reservoir;
an important factor is transportation.

Currently, the acquisition of stuffed ducks does not cause any problems. In stores specializing in the sale of goods for hunting, a large assortment of dummies of ducks is presented. The main thing is to make a choice and purchase a scarecrow in a specialized store (or order it in an online store).

Do it yourself

For hunting, as a rule, several dummies are used, and someone uses several dozen. Sometimes acquiring stuffed ducks can be quite expensive.

However, it is not necessary to buy dummies in the store. You can make a stuffed duck with your own hands. In this case, inexpensive and easy-to-work materials are used.

Below we will tell you how to make stuffed ducks with your own hands.

from wood

Hand-made wooden figurines are very beautiful models that amaze with their naturalness.

For the manufacture will need wooden chocks. They should not be very large (approximately 20 cm in diameter). Chocks dry in their natural state (with bark). When the log dries, it will easily split into two halves. One half is used to make a stuffed animal.
The next step is to create a template. It can be made from thick cardboard. A tree is circled according to the template and the excess is removed. The head is made from another piece of wood.
Holes are drilled to connect the head to the body. The head and torso are connected to each other and fixed with a stick. The surface is polished with sandpaper, removing all irregularities and roughness.
It's time for the exterior finish. The tree is covered with drying oil, and they are waiting for complete drying. Check the coating on a smooth water surface (bath). Balancing is carried out with the help of additional metal plates.
At the end, the figure is covered with oil paint.

Now in your arsenal there will be a worthy stuffed animal for a successful hunt.

From polyurethane foam

A very economical and uncomplicated option for obtaining a model of a bird is the manufacture of stuffed ducks for hunting from ordinary polyurethane foam.

About five figures can be made from one foam balloon.

Let's make a shape: any duck made of plastic will do. We begin to glue the form with pieces of paper (like papier-mâché). The first layer is toilet paper or soft napkins. The next layers can be made of thicker paper. Layers must be glued at least ten, then a home-made stuffed duck must be left to dry (about a week).
After a week, we cut the paper model in half horizontally, we get two blanks.
Lubricate the blanks with a fat cream (or paraffin). In the workpiece that will be the bottom, put a weighting agent (a regular nut or a pair of nails will do).
We proceed to filling the blanks with mounting foam. Let the foam dry. Then we connect the two halves, fasten.
All that's left is the finishing touches. Since the foam does not have increased strength, and can pass water, a moisture-resistant exterior finish is necessary. It can be oil paint, varnish, drying oil.

It is very important to follow the recommendations of the paint or varnish manufacturer. Improper staining can result in shine, and this will certainly scare away wild ducks. At the same time, a violation of the painting technology leads to the fact that the figures will “climb” instantly. The solution may be to add rubber glue to oil paint. After staining, be sure to wipe the entire surface with paraffin, this will help get rid of excessive shine.

Video

How to make a stuffed duck out of foam, you will learn from our video.

One of the simplest and most affordable is hunting for ducks and other waterfowl. It gives you the opportunity to shoot plenty 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 characteristics of the bird's behavior, 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 straightforward. The hunter places a row of baits on the water, imitating a flock of ducks. At the sight of relatives, attracted by imaginary security, other ducks fly up to them to feed and rest. They become easy prey for the hidden hunter.

With seeming 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 dummies to choose;
how many to take;
how to arrange an ambush;
how and when to shoot;
and much more.

Let's consider all these questions in more detail.

How to hunt

Location selection

Hunting with stuffed animals can be carried out both from the shore and from a boat. Either option requires:

good camouflage of the hunter - therefore, there should be bushes, reeds, tall grass, trees, or other shelters nearby;
long immobile waiting - therefore, the shore must be dry, with the ability to sit or lie down;
place the duck "flock", quite spacious, 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.

In addition, in order for the dog to bring a beaten duck without problems, it is desirable to have convenient access to the water and back, and there is less algae in the pond, otherwise the dog may get confused and drown.

With a competent approach, a couple of days before the hunt, you need to come to the place, track the migration and rest routes of waterfowl, and only then finally determine the place of the ambush. Since ducks always land and take off with the wind, the steady wind direction on the pond also needs to be considered when choosing a hunting site.

Shelter arrangement

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

Many make the mistake of hiding only from the side of the water. Firstly, ducks can fly up from the back, and secondly, they, especially on medium-sized reservoirs, first fly around several circles, and they will definitely notice a hidden hunter.

In wet, swampy places, in the place of an ambush, you can make a flooring from poles, covering it from above with a hut. Even in such places, a dug-in barrel of sufficient size, disguised from above, can be a shelter.

A good, comfortable, versatile, waterproof collapsible cover for shooting from a prone position is available from specialized hunting shops. It will allow you to feel comfortable in the most adverse conditions.

When hunting from a boat, it is covered with a camouflage net, or with branches or reeds fixed in pre-prepared fixtures, for example, from tubes located along the side. At the same time, a boat hidden under the shore will have much greater invisibility.

Rig stuffed ducks

So that the stuffed ducks are not blown away by the wind and current during the hunt, they are equipped with a load on a leash. The length of the leash should be sufficient so that the load lies on the bottom. For high-quality equipment, it is desirable to use a "L" shaped load, weighing 90 -120 grams, widely offered for sale. For ease of use and fixation during transportation, the load is attached to the main leash with a loop of fishing gum or other similar material.

Now, when installing duck stuffed animals in shallow water, with a depth of up to one and a half meters, it is gaining more and more popularity Texas rig. With this method of equipment, a leash made of a thick, about 1 mm, fishing line is freely passed through a hole in the stabilizer.

Video: Texas duck stuffed rig

For ease of use, the length of the leash cannot exceed one and a half meters. At one end, a load is attached, at the other, a loop is made 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 by a carabiner through loops at one end. Effigies are installed by casting with a leash. When falling 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 scarecrows

Of great importance is the correct placement of stuffed animals on the water. Everything matters here:
Their number - baits should be at least six. In the minimum set, this is a drake and five ducks. At the same time, the larger your “flock”, the more likely it is to lure ducks to it.

1. A device for installing stuffed animals from the shore. 2. Installation of the main line with stuffed animals at the hunting ground.

Selection and location of certain types of stuffed animals. There are four main ones: dive, mallard, teal and goldeneye. Ducks on the water never sit mixed up, breaking into separate groups of 4 - 6 pieces. At the same time, stuffed dives are located deeper, and mallards or teals, on the contrary, are located in shallow water.

The distance between the baits must be at least three bodies. The accuracy of the flock indicates a danger that will scare away other ducks.

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

Important! As already mentioned, ducks sit down and take off with the wind, so stuffed animals, whose noses look strictly into the wind, will look most natural.

The most popular are several bait placement schemes:

"V" shaped- when they are placed in a wedge, downwind, so that the landing space 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, only the ducks are located 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 - in small reservoirs. The stuffed animals of the leading group are painted black; the image of a duck indicates the place of primary landing of birds.

Ducks flying up to the shelter, as a rule, shoot in flight. First, it's more sporty. Secondly, descending ducks will not necessarily land on the water, but can easily fly past. Thirdly, this way you will definitely not 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 shot, especially in the absence of a dog capable of immediately bringing prey.

If there is confidence that the flock will sit down and nothing will scare it away, then you can wait for this, and beat it already on the water and on takeoff. This approach allows you to immediately shoot up to a dozen ducks. In this case, it is still better to scare the bird, and beat it already on takeoff.

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

Basic Mistakes

Very often, failures in 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 reservoir, see a hunter;
Unnatural arrangement of baits, heaped, mixed for different species, without taking into account the peculiarities of their behavior;
Lack of space for landing on the water;
Unsuitable weather, cloudy, windy weather is best for such a hunt, when ducks are forced to fly frequently in search of a quiet place.
Unnatural appearance of stuffed animals, such as their luster due to improper painting or dew covering them.
Ducks can be scared off not only by the shine of the stuffed animals, but also by other reflections on the shore, such as from garbage, a water bottle, or your ammunition.

What stuffed ducks are best used for hunting

The stuffed animals used for hunting are distinguished:

according to the posture of a 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, dive, teal, river, goldeneye, etc .;
by gender: duck and drake;
according to the stuffed animal material: rubber, inflatable PVC, wooden, foam plastic, polystyrene and other plastics;
in size: regular, large (one and a half size) and very large - "magnum" (two or more times);
according to the method of transportation: solid and crushable.
in addition, stuffed animals are simple and mechanical (floating, twisting wings, etc.).

Important! Scarecrows are large, easier to see from a height, so they often attract high-flying flocks.

Mechanical scarecrows are either forced-driven or wind-powered, flapping their wings at the slightest breeze.

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

Types of ducks are selected depending on those living and migrating in the area.
The color of stuffed animals is chosen depending on seasonality. So in the spring, preference is given to females. In summer, the color of ducks is more pockmarked, dark, and by winter they brighten, etc.

The position of the decoys in your flock should be varied, with half to two thirds usually taking a rest and the rest in other positions. In addition, you can take several mechanical ones on a flock. The factor of transportation is also important, light, crumpled stuffed animals are much easier to transport.

Today, plastic products are gaining great popularity. They are quite light, there are crushable varieties, they are easily repaired in case of damage by shot with a conventional soldering iron. Plastic injection molding technologies make it possible to produce a highly reliable drawing of the contours of the plumage of a duck, which makes it almost indistinguishable from a real one.

In rubber dummies, this is impossible to achieve. In addition, unlike rubber, plastic lures do not create a glossy sheen that scares away birds. In our stores, both domestic and foreign manufacturers are widely represented: Italian, American, Polish and Chinese. True, foreign products will cost one and a half - two times more expensive.

Scarecrows with their own hands

If you want to save money, it's pretty easy to make the right amount of stuffed ducks yourself. You can make them from different materials.

Tree

Affordable and traditional material, however, to work with it requires certain skills in working with a special tool. 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 for natural duck colors.

Styrofoam

To do this, we need foam sheets, 2-5 cm thick, superglue, putty and matte paints.

We cut out a template from paper or cardboard, it can be printed in natural size;
According to the foam template, we cut out the required number of parts, so that when connected together they are about 20 cm thick;
We glue them all together to get a voluminous bird body;
With the help of a knife, we give the product the final, correct shape. If necessary, add details that give it realism;
We grind with sandpaper and putty. With the help of putty, you can give the scarecrow additional realism;
At the very end, we paint it in natural colors.

Mounting foam

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

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

We breed gypsum;
We place the sample on one side in the box and fill the remaining space with plaster;
In the same way we make the second part of the form;
When both parts of the mold are ready, we proceed to the manufacture of the model:
We lubricate the plaster molds with paraffin or a fat cream so that the foam does not stick;
As a power frame, we lay the wire inside;
We fill the forms with mounting foam by 80 percent, connect and squeeze together, for example, with a heavy load, so that the layout does not deform;
When the foam has hardened, carefully remove the layout and clean it with sandpaper if necessary;
After that, it can be primed and painted.
As a rule, one plaster mold is enough to make 15-20 effigies.

When hunting geese and ducks, the main task of the hunter is to lure the bird to the place of stealth or ambush. For this, various types of stuffed animals and profiles, both factory-made and home-made, are used.

It is better to purchase or make homemade stuffed birds, but the profile is much easier to manufacture, and their weight is often less than that of stuffed birds. The profile can be made from foam, plywood, fiberboard (MDF), from sheet iron with a thickness of 0.7-0.8 mm. Profile, it is desirable to do a little more than the actual size of geese and ducks. This makes them visible from a greater distance. And the birds do not react to the size of the profiles.

Making homemade stuffed foam ducks

We take the printed image of a duck and translate its contour onto one blank sheet, and the wing onto the other. These will be the main templates. Then we apply the templates to the foam and circle with a pencil. One scarecrow will require 2 full profiles and 2 wing profiles.

After marking the sheet, cut out the profile.

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

You need to glue the profile in the following sequence.

We take a can of foam and start gluing. Glued parts must be put under a press or clamped in clamps!

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

After that, we bring the scarecrow to condition with sandpaper.

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

The main thing is that the deceptions should take the form 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 you can start coloring. The same should be done with fiberboard. Especially well it is necessary to proliferate the ends of the profiles. Each time you need to let them dry completely. After the profiles have dried, you can start coloring them. You can paint them with oil paints, adding a little kerosene to them. Then the surface of the profiles will not shine. This is necessary, as brilliant deceptions will only scare away game. It is not bad to paint the profile with water-based paint. To do this, a pigment of the desired color is added to the white paint. After complete drying, such paint is quite waterproof. And the surface will be matte.

Goose profile template

Download the original full-size geese profiles in jpg format:

Profiles from a thin iron sheet are easily cut with scissors for such work. Then the edges must be cleaned of sharp burrs. The cut blanks are leveled with a mallet. Which iron is better - galvanized or not? This question cannot be answered unequivocally, since the paint does not adhere very well to galvanized iron. They need to be repainted more often. But they practically do not rust. On the other hand, non-galvanized iron holds paint very well, but, under the influence of water, they rust much faster. But such profiles can not 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 on them the coloring will also hold on weaker. Although, on the other hand, such profiles will work on the hunt for many years.

Video: Homemade goose profile

Despite the fact that today in specialized stores you can easily buy any goods for hunting, many craftsmen prefer to make stuffed animals for hunting with their own hands. This allows not only to save money, but also to create exactly such accessories that fully meet the requirements of an experienced hunter.

First, let's figure out why they are needed at all. In fact, everything is quite simple. When a hunter sits in ambush, waiting for a duck or goose, he is usually tied to one place - for example, a small lake where the bird arrives to spend the night after feeding in the daytime. However, what if there are many such reservoirs in the district? After all, a duck can choose any of them for spending the night. It is the scarecrows that help the bird make the “right” choice. Seeing several of their relatives on the water, they understand that this reservoir is completely safe and rush to it.

Effigies are especially useful during spring hunting. At this time, you can only hunt drakes. However, it is simply impossible to determine in flight, and even at dusk, whether a drake or a duck is flying at a hunter. It is quite another thing when they land ten or fifteen meters away and begin to slowly swim. In addition, hitting an almost motionless bird sitting at such a short distance is much easier than hitting a bird flying in the sky at a height of 20-40 meters.

Therefore, any lover of such a hobby should learn how to make a stuffed duck for hunting with his own hands - it will allow him to return home with rich trophies every time.

Manufacturing technology requirements

What qualities should finished stuffed animals have? There are quite a few of them. First of all, and this is quite understandable, they should look like ducks. Ideally, at dusk, even the hunter himself should not be able to distinguish at first sight where his stuffed animal is swimming, and where a live duck has stopped for a few seconds. If the imitation is not believable enough, then there is always a risk that the duck will not believe that its fellows are resting on the water.

At the same time, they should also be light. Still, sometimes the hunter has to walk several kilograms from the abandoned car to the hunting place. Excess weight will cause serious discomfort, will lead to the fact that fatigue will pile up faster than it could.

Based on these requirements, it is worth choosing materials suitable for manufacturing, so that ready-made stuffed geese for hunting with your own hands are natural and light.

What materials are used in the manufacture

Experienced hunters use a variety of materials to create decoys that are exactly what they want. We list the most popular options, and also talk about the technology for making duck scarecrows for hunting with your own hands.

From plywood

Perhaps it is from plywood that making stuffed geese for hunting with your own hands takes the least time. Even a teenager who knows how to work with the simplest tools will cope with this task.

However, they are also the least durable. Plywood, in contact with water, absorbs moisture, which is why after each hunt the stuffed animals must be thoroughly dried. But even in this case, they usually last only a few seasons. If you forget to dry, then the stuffed animals will quickly begin to rot, become covered with mold - you will have to make new ones.

So, for work you will need:

plywood;
a simple pencil or pen;
sandpaper;
hacksaw with fine teeth;
drying oil,
oil paints,
tassel,
several bars with a cross section of about 2 centimeters and a length of 20-25 cm,
petrol.

When all the materials and tools are at hand, you can get to work:

First, draw a few silhouettes of ducks on the plywood with a pencil. It is desirable that they be different - one has an elongated neck, the other, on the contrary, is fluffed up, the third floats relaxedly in clear water in complete safety.
Using a hacksaw, carefully cut out the finished figures.
Treat the edges with sandpaper so that they are smooth and do not slip your hand when working with them.
Cover the plywood with hot drying oil and let it dry.
Paint the scarecrows with oil paints - try to give them the most believable look.
The paint will visibly shine after it dries. To remove the shine, wipe the stuffed animals with a cloth slightly dampened with gasoline.
Attach the prepared pegs to the stuffed animals. You can make them removable so that finished products take up less space during transportation.

OK it's all over Now. Now you know how to make stuffed ducks for hunting with your own hands, using only plywood and some other materials.

Styrofoam stuffed animal

These products can boast not only surprisingly low weight (the finished stuffed animal weighs only a few tens of grams), but also realism - after all, using foam plastic, you can make voluminous stuffed geese for hunting with your own hands. Therefore, they are often much more effective than plywood counterparts.

However, if possible, it is better to use not foam, but polystyrene foam. It is slightly heavier, but much stronger, and almost as easy to process. Therefore, stuffed animals can last more than one year.

So, before you get started, stock up on the following tools and materials:

stationery cutter,
sandpaper,
pencil,
tassels,
polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene (the main thing is that it is strong enough and not less than 2-3 cm thick),
putty,
acrylic paints,
glue.

Do not use nitro glue - if it gets on the foam, it will burn holes in it, ruining the appearance of the stuffed animals, as well as making it difficult to work.

Most of the list is in any apartment. Well, what is missing can always be purchased at any hardware store. After that, you can safely get to work.

Draw a silhouette of a duck on the foam. It is better to do this first on cardboard, and then transfer it to polystyrene foam, making two identical blanks. Make sure that the size and proportion are as close as possible to a real duck.
Draw separate profiles for the wings - also two pieces.
Cut out the pieces of foam. It is best to use a hacksaw, but you can get by with a clerical cutter.
Glue all four blanks together.
Go over with fine sandpaper to remove all the bumps, to give the scarecrow more roundness and realism.
Putty the joints so that the surface is as even as possible, let the putty dry.
Using a brush and acrylic paints, paint the scarecrow in the appropriate colors.

OK it's all over Now. The scarecrow is ready and can go hunting! You can fix some kind of load at the bottom - for example, a massive bolt, so that the stuffed animal does not accidentally knock over by the wind.

Scarecrow from polyurethane foam

Preparation for manufacturing is quite complicated, but the process of creating stuffed animals is simple - this option should be chosen by those who want to make a large number of imitations at once. For example, if you are interested in a stuffed crow for hunting with your own hands, this solution would be the best.

For work, take:

alabaster,
mounting foam,
boards,
hammer,
nails,
hacksaw,
hard foam,
stationery knife,
sandpaper.

Now you can start making a stuffed drake duck for hunting with your own hands:

Make one styrofoam stuffed animal - you can use a single piece, or you can follow the instructions above. Try especially when working - all subsequent stuffed animals will be an exact copy of the first.
In a suitable container, dilute gypsum or alabaster. It should be quite liquid - about like sour cream. Press the foam blank into it, sideways, exactly halfway. Allow the plaster to harden - this usually takes a maximum of overnight.
Lubricate the hardened surface with vegetable oil and pour another portion of gypsum. When it hardens, you can carefully separate the two halves and remove the foam blank from them.
Fold two plaster halves and carefully make a small hole at the bottom - 2-3 centimeters.
Pour the mounting foam into the mold through the resulting hole and let it harden.
Disassemble the form, remove the future scarecrow and carefully paint it.

That's all. Now you have the opportunity to prepare any number of stuffed ducks, geese or crows from polyurethane foam. As with the Styrofoam, you can weight the bottom with some kind of weight to make the stuffed animal more stable.