Built a dodger for the Fatboy

David Robinson

David Robinson

Well-known member
The Fatboy is my MoMarsh boat:)

I got this idea last year and I've finally perfected the design this fall. So far, it's been working great. The idea was a "must have" after I flared some ducks during the UP opener in Michigan. With the blind doors shut, my head was sticking out and the birds would see me turning to look at them. So, with some EMT conduit and a 5 gallon bucket, I built this "dodger."

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The loop is 1/2" EMT conduit that was bent around a 5 gallon bucket. It inserts into 3/4" EMT tubes that are held against the crossbar by U-bolts. I made sure to round off the sharp burrs so my dog wouldn't get hurt. Also, the bolts and threads are under the crossbar so as to prevent any snags.

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The dodger pulls out easily and lays flat on the bow during decoy work. And when it's time to hunt, it takes 2 seconds to plug in.

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Now my head is covered, in the shadows, and all of my movements are concealed from behind and above. So far I've had excellent results with the dodger in the marsh and on open water.

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These pictures were taken after a hunt on a marshy lake. I had 7 pintails circling above me for several passes until one "unannounced" diver duck came screaming in and screwed up the hunt...oh well, next time I'll shoot instead of watch. So, the dodger blind works. I've also been using it on layout hunts for divers with very good results. The buffies and GE's haven't flared from a lump of grass in the lake with such a low profile. I hope this helps and remember: KeepItSuperSimple.

Good luck and be safe.

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Dave,
those setups look awesome. I am sure you are on the right track.

Do you hunt with a dog? If so where in the boat?

Thank you for the pictures. Gives me an idea for my KARA.
 
Dave,

Looks great. I like that you can easily take it down and then pop it up when you're ready to hunt.

Good luck with it.

Ryan
 
David, that's a great idea - thanks very much for posting it. I just finished a great season with my FatboyDP, and that is the one thing I've wanted to fix about my setup as well. I made a temporary set of doors out of pvc for cheap to see how well it would work, and they did the trick but I found I wanted a shadow to hide my head under when the puddlers were overhead as well as to cover up the dog a bit more. Your system looks great and I'm going to do something similar when I make my permanent doors out of conduit next summer. Thanks for the tip!
 
Thanks for the compliments guys.

Nick, you'll love a dodger on your DP. With the door shut, the dodger makes my profile smooth and natural.

Yes, I hunt with my dog, Ozzy, in the early season. He curls up behind my head under the dodger. I tie a short leash to the crossbar for safety so I don't get run over while shooting. The dodger has actually made it easier to control my dog because it "confines" his movements and limits his exits.

I love the sharing of good ideas on this site. Keep'em coming.
 
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