A bit of a scoter head demo.

Yukon Mike

Yukon Mike

Well-known member
The pictures don't show as much as video, and I'm certinly no expert on scoters, but I know some guys are curious about how I do them, so here ya go. As a disclaimer I have to say that I was going more for old fashioned decoy style rather than anatomically correct. I didn't take them right to the end but rather to the point where they can become any of the three flavors of scoter. All that is left to do is add some detail with carving or even just paint, and you've got yourself an east coast coot decoy.

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Once that channel is cut evenly on both sides, then I just round off t he rest of the bill...

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Very nice Mike. Thanks for sharing.

It's good to see how others tackle certain tasks. I'm spending the rest of the day in the shop myself.

The flies are headed out in the morning.....FINALLY.

-D
 
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And then I just sand them up with a little drum in the foredom and a flap sander.

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Another look.

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I'll still smooth out the nostrils so they don't make snot whislte noises, and any final touch ups before they get mated to a body.

Hope that helps somebody. That's the most heads I've ever made at one sitting so far.

IN other news... the bird taxidermying evening was pretty successful I think, thank you taxidermy.net forum. We each managed to skin, flesh, wash, and borax a duck each, and next weekend we'll see about posing or placing on a stick - whatever. It was fun and I think I could definately get into this with a bit of direction from a more experienced stuffer. Just what I need - another hobby!

My thoughts on making a stuffer rig of geese now - it would be easier (and faster probably) for me to make them out of wood AND they'd be more durable in use and storage. I'm just sure a bear whould smash into my shed and eat them in the summer! Plastic is cheap too, and Chinese people have debts to pay too I'm sure.

MIke
 
Mike- any of those heading to maine?

they look awesome- how about a pic of the self bailer?

Cheers- DLHO
 
Those look really neat Mike. I don't build anything, I just hang out here. What's a flap sander? What's the thought behind a self baling decoy?

Ed L.
 
Great pics ! I could not even think up decoys that look that good . I'm going to get a rotory carver and try to learn this winter . I cant wait to try my hand at it . I will be happy if i could do a quareter of the quality that you show . Thanks again for the pics . I may ask for guidence in the future .
 
Those look really neat Mike. I don't build anything, I just hang out here. What's a flap sander? What's the thought behind a self baling decoy?

Ed L.
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Ed, the self bailer is so he can more easily retrieve his shot for reloading. ;^)

Nice work, Mike.
 
To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if there is and advantage to having a decoy fill up with water!? That Joe Lincoln guy made one 100 years ago and I thought I would give it a try. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to seal it inside now... hmmm.

Maybe that's where you hide the dowitcher you shot by accident thinking it was a snipe?

Mike
 
Now you're talkin!!! An outlaw gunner decoy. Shhhhh

Is that brown eyed fella in there a common???

Beautiful birds mike. The bluebill performed like a champ this year, and the old squaw is back on the shelf next to the palm frond harli for another summer.

Keep the pics coming.

-D
 
mike..

tell us about the flap sander you have and what grit you are using. I hate sanding and usually end up mixing up texturing paste to fill gouges. I'd like to make a smoothe gunner. tell me your secrets :)

Jeff
 
Mike, nice looking scoter. I noticed you appear to use a different type wood for your bottom board then the material the decoy body is made from. Do you ever get seam separation using two different type woods due to different moisture levels? Mike
 
I'll take a picture of the flap sander I use, but it is nothing special. They are pricey at $10-12 each and don't last long, but they do save time and fingers for sure.

Duck Toller - I have had movement problems in the past, more due to improper sealing than anything I think. All my wood is stored inside long enough to be lower than 10% moisture. Stuff in the garage has actually been as low as 6% when tested. Just one of the perks of living in the rain shadow of the coast mountains. Good question.

Mike
 
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