Does Anyone have Advice on Buying versus Making their own Decoys?

W

Werner

Active member
Hello,

I am trying to determine if it makes more sense to buy decoys or decoy molds and make my own. I would like to have Black duck and Canada goose decoys in the main.

For about $150 I can buy a mallard/black duck decoy mold. For about $200 I might find a Goose decoy mold.

I see burlap covered Black duck decoys for sale for as much as $160. I see old burlap covered Goose decoys for sale for $100. Then I see Walmart has 12 plastic Black Decoys for sale for around $70. I see many 1/2 dozen decoy packages for sale in the $50 to $60 range.

I am trying to figure out if it is more cost effective over time to buy the molds and build decoys as I need them or just spring for ready made decoys now. Since I have never done this before I don't know.

I have noticed some decoys cost more than others. Heters seems to command a premium for reasons unbeknownst to me. What makes them so special?

I know I could buy 3 dozen black decoys from Walmart for $210; but, is buying inexpensive decoys much like anything else -you get what you pay for.

Any thought on this subject would be most welcome. Thank You.
 
I am not sure anyone makes their own to save money-

it gives a new dimension to the hunt, and keeps you out of trouble in the off season

OK- i am pretty sure about the first reason
 
Hi Werner, nice to meet you. I asked myself that same question once, and back in about 1988 I decided making was going to be cheaper. I hacked some mallard bodies out of firewood and cut some rough heads out of some 2x somethings. That started a passion (or affliction) for making my own decoys that still drives me today. I've made hundreds out of all kinds of stuff - different kinds of wood, dark side cork, tan cork, styrofoam, cheese, caribou antler, wire and canvas, even real wings and heads nailed to a board. BY FAR it would have been cheaper these last 27 years to have bought decoys, but what fun would that have been?

I know this answer was more than you were asking, so seriously, if you want to be economical about it, buy some used stuff off guys who got over their duck hunting.

Mike Prawdzik
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
 
You can get some white EPS foam and carve bodies with a coping saw, a Sureform rasp and some sandpaper.
Then burlap them.
Scrap wood or composite for keels.
Depending on how you get your material, less than $3/body.
Trick is the heads.
 
I am planning on trying some for the first time this off season, but not really doing it to save money just extend duck season in a way
 
Here is my take:
Walmart decoys suck. Do not buy cheap decoys. I bought Gander Mountin "HOT BUYS" once, six mallards for like $25, threw them away half way through the season as all the paint fell off.
I don't know much about using EPS and molds, however, I do know a lot about carving Styrofoam and burlapping. Currently have 22 barrels with at least 15 decoy per barrel in seven different species of duck in both sexes and several different poses.
Styrofoam is certainly cheaper. Most of the foam I use, I picked up free from Northern Tool, burlap is cheap from Home Depot, think about $8 per roll which will do a couple dozen, mastic is $30 for a 4 gallon pail, which will do about 4 dozen. For heads I use laminated 2 x 6 from Home Depot, for keels I use plastic decking and latex paint also both from Home Depot. Similar to Carl I am under $3 a decoy.
Now, tooling is where things get expensive, I had a full cabinet shop before start to make my own decoys, the only tool I had to purchase was a foredom.
Ideally you would need a bandsaw large enough to cut out the body and rough out the heads, foredom and dust collector. However, if you didn't have these, I am sure you could find somebody off of craigslist that would let you use their bandsaw and buy a carving knife and you would be set for awhile.
Try visiting www.workingdecoy.com for a tutorial on the process.
Hunting over your owe decoys changes how you look at hunting. I also think I get more birds than people using store bought decoys. Where I hunt there is a lot of pressure, everyone spreads look exactly the same, birds learn, mine with different poses looks more natural and I believe birds are less weary to come in.
 
Yukon Mike,

Thanks for the tip. I took a look around Craigslist in my area and I see what you mean when you wrote "buy some used stuff off guys who got over their duck hunting." Some of the things I saw are pretty nice.
 
Hi Carl,

I do have a coping saw. I bought one to modify the plastic housing around on the "custom vehicle to trailer wiring harness" that was "supposed" to fit my car. I wrapped the modification in rubber tape and it works. So now I have another useful purpose for that coping saw. I like the saving at $3 a body. Thanks for the advice.
 
Mike,

Are the v boards those things where three silhouettes are cut out and connected on three wooden slats?
 
Hi Andrew,


Thanks for taking the time to write me a long reply.

I will follow your advice and stay clear of too-good-to-be-true decoys from the big box stores. I am glad to see a second opinion on the low cost.

I have plenty of tools but they are for working on cars. After my brother and I finished remodeling most of my house, my wood-working tools sat in the garage gather dust, so I gave them away to Habitat for Humanity. I didn't think I would need them again. (Also my brother is far better with woodworking than me.) After buying a boat and reading about decoys, I can see that I shouldn't of done that.

Thanks for the tip on visiting www.workingdecoy.com. I will check it out.
 
I think in the big picture, it is cheaper to mold with 2 part urethane ... They are more durable and will last... That being said.. They are heavier if you are carrying them in on your back...
 
Keep in mind, decoy production is essentially a two-pat process that requires no small degree of skill in each component. You have to make the bird head, body,and keel first and assemble them in a sound fashion. Then each of these decoys must be sealed and painted to the characteristics of the species. If you feel comfortable doing both without tutelage or oversight, go for it. Ben Schmidt said he enjoyed painting decoys over making decoys. That said, he and his brother made a huge volume of birds, particularly when you consider his age at entry into decoy making. I lean toward the painting side of the process, largely because, when I get the "itch" to make decoys I nearly always make twenty to thirty birds in a run.

Another option would be to find a tutor, make a bird, or a pair of birds in the species you gun for most frequently. Then, access Working Decoys' two-part urethane foam mold making tutorial, authored Tom Rowe (you can view Tom's most recent annual production in a thread on this website). If you find that you enjoy all aspects of decoy carving. You have the base skills to embark on your own to refine and produce your own hand-made rig.

As Mr. Nowack just stated, two-part urethane foam decoys are sturdy birds that will hold-up well over time.
 
no way your going to save any money making your own.
especially if you want wood gunning decoys.
pick out one of the prominent carvers depending on the style you want. and go ahead and spend 2-3 grand on a full rig of stuff. they will last you a lifetime and it will save you many hours of work and tons of money you will need just to tool up to make your own.
I like to make my own, I feel a great satisfaction putting out a 50 bird rig of all my own diver/puddle duck decoys
but from a money standpoint, I would have saved a ton if I just bought a couple of rigs in the first place.
 
if you have time and any inclination, plus tools and money for materials, make your own, otherwise, there is always chinese plastic
 
Please show me the map of that statement. And do not count your time because that does not have value in this discussion.
 
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