New Canvasback for this year

T

Tom Rowe

Active member
I decieded to make a rig of 100 Cans to hunt over this year. Most guys around here hunt over mainly Bills and mix a few Cans, Redheads, Whistlers etc into the rig. Over the years I've noticed that the Bills land in the Can decoys just as readily as they do in the Bills so my plan was to reverse things. 100 Cans with a few Bills and redheads. It also happens that Cans are my favorite bird to hunt.

I made molds for a new high head Can and a new sleeper Can. I've got 40 of each cast. Here is a pic of the new High head. Cast from HD urethane foam, fully flocked, solid plastic bill and tail.

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Nice looking bird. Good luck with the new rig this season. It will be interesting to hear if you have better luck this season by reversing the numbers.
 
Tom,
Those are beautiful. Now I am trying to figure out what time you need to get out on the lake to set 100 of them.
Al
 
Hello Tom, Long time no hear, We hope all is good with the family & work. Awesome Job Tom, Is that the same size as the one you had at westlake last year? Great Job Talk To you soon Buddy. Joe
 
Hey Joe. Things are well all the way around. Thanks for asking. Yep this is a standard size decoy. Exact same size as the one at Westlake. Hope all is well with you and your family. Talk soon
 
Tom,
Those are beautiful. Now I am trying to figure out what time you need to get out on the lake to set 100 of them.
Al
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Thanks Al. Usually it takes us about 45 minutes to per 100 blocks. I've devised a new deployment system and I'm hoping to cut the time down to 30 min set up and 25 minute pick up. We shall see.
 
That is one of the nicest Canvasback working decoys I have ever seen. Honestly, when I first looked at the photo I thought it was a stuffed bird for a second! Do you sell them as well?
I have some friends from your area, do you hunt Sodus or the lake for the cans?
 
My buddy Paul sent me this link as I haven't been here since last fall but once again Tom was work is truly a God send man. I too love to late season hunt for this big majestic bird religiously up here in Ontario and I've seen a few bull cans in my time yet I've never gunned over any decoy as gorgeous as yours. Maybe someday we will get the chance to have you up here.
 
That is one of the nicest Canvasback working decoys I have ever seen. Honestly, when I first looked at the photo I thought it was a stuffed bird for a second! Do you sell them as well?
I have some friends from your area, do you hunt Sodus or the lake for the cans?
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Thank you for the compliment. At this point it's just a hobby. I pretty much hunt from Seneca west. I used to hunt Sodus alot. Havnt been there in a couple years. I do hunt Lake Ontario as well.
 
My buddy Paul sent me this link as I haven't been here since last fall but once again Tom was work is truly a God send man. I too love to late season hunt for this big majestic bird religiously up here in Ontario and I've seen a few bull cans in my time yet I've never gunned over any decoy as gorgeous as yours. Maybe someday we will get the chance to have you up here. Ernie How have you been sir? Hope all is well. I appreciate the kind words. Just give me the word and I'll be up there with the full rig. If things work out I may "accidentally" leave a dozen of the new decoys in your garage. I dont have my alaskan anymore...actually looking for another one. Keep your eyes open for me if you dont mind.
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tom,
Great looking gunners. Let us know if you think flocking is worth the extra time and money. I think i am ready to give it a try.
Bill.
 
tom,
Great looking gunners. Let us know if you think flocking is worth the extra time and money. I think i am ready to give it a try.
Bill.
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In my opinion there is no more effective way to mimic real duck feathers than flocking. It may not be the most pleasing to the human eye but in the field there is no comparison between paint and flocking. I experimented by placing a few flocked decoys in a spread of 100 painted decoys. No matter where I placed the flocked decoys in the spread the birds decoyed to the flocked decoys 95% of the time. That did it for me. The only drawback that I have found is that ice sticks like glue. You cant just tap the decoy to get the ice to fall off. The flocking fibers creat so much extra surface area to "bite" into the ice you literally have to thaw each decoy. So hopefully you have a heated garage, barn, or outbuilding if you live in a colder state. If not, like me you will be carting 120+ decoys into the bathroom after every hunt to thaw them in the shower. The wife absolutely loves me during duck season.
 
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If not, like me you will be carting 120+ decoys into the bathroom after every hunt to thaw them in the shower. The wife absolutely loves me during duck season.
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Tom,

Reminds of a time I was hunting and camping out of my truck for a few final days of our season. Decoys got all froze up and I had no way to thaw anything out. My brother lived 100 miles south in the next state and my home was 150 miles north. I made an unexpected overnight visit to my brother, just to thaw out decoys. Fixed his family an evening meal of fresh duck and took off early the next morning in time to get in another hunt before heading the rest of the way home.

The things we do in the name of fun. :>) :>)
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Yea I usually go through about 28 gallons of joint compound as well. Thats to fix the walls after smashing them with bags and bins of decoys carrying them up to the shower. The wife just loves it, especially on school nights when I've got the tub filled with frozen decoys and she's trying to give the kids baths.
 
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