Archeryrob,
Here is the post i was talking about below.
I dont know how to post pics here on the website, but if you send me an email at
[email protected], I can send you some pics of what they look like.
I havent been using them as much this year since i have added 18 GHG full bodies as well as a dozen GHG shells on motion stakes to my spread.
Joined: 30 Jul 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Altoona, Pa.
Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 4:25 pm Post subject:
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I have three different patterns, two feeders and a sentry. They were hand drawn by my better half on newsprint style paper. She looked at pictures I had taken of real geese to get the dimensions right. I then cut them out and transferred them to a plywood pattern. Having the patterns this way, it is easy to just trace around them with a marker. Originally i tried the 4 x 8 sheets of particle board that cover paneling skids. While this material was super cheap. (About a buck a sheet) It just doenst hold up when it gets wet, and breaks easily in the decoy bag. I then went to 1/4 inch plywood, these make some nice silos, but 3 or 4 dozen of them are very , very heavy to lug into the field. Hence the idea of the corrugated plastic.
I picked up two different thicknesses of it from a local gas station. Some
were soda signs and cigarette advertising signs. I have found you definately need to sand the surface on them for paint to adhere well.
After stacking the signs together, i clamp them together, trace around the pattern with a marker and then cut them out with the rotozip tool. I've found that 4 sheets together works nicely. Make sure you have a sharp bit or it will tend to melt the pieces together. You could also cut them out with a big pair of industrial scissors if you dont have the rotozip or similar tool, It just takes longer to make them. As for painting them, I made different templates out of cardboard. After painting the whole silo black, I lay each template on and add the appropriate color gray or white, I usually mix in some brown or black on the upper half to make it a darker more natural color. I went to the local recycling plant the other day and picked up some stiff heavy gauge wire, about 1/8 inch diameter i think, it seems heavy enough for hard ground and fits in the plastic nicely, so that is what i am going to try for now.
While I would still love to have a spread full of fullbodies and real geese, outlaws, what have you, These will work until I can afford to buy some.These silos help fill in my spread of shells and floaters at very minimal cost. Not to mention the fun and satisfaction involved of decoying birds into your own handmade decoys.
Good Luck !!! Goosehuntinman
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