Home made Moose decoys

[Hummer3T]

Heading for BC for a coastal mountain moose hunt for the first part of Oct.  thought I would try to make a decoy.  

got some coroplast, printed a picture, glued it onto the coroplast and water treated it with a spray I found.

     

Not sure what the best profile for hunting and decoying is; side, front back, head up or down?  

This is my demo version, please show me yours and let me know about experiences, good ones and failures.

[Sean B]

I have no experience to offer but hopefully  Mike Mitten will post info on his "moose hat"

[maineac]

That looks good.  I plan on just bringing some black plastic sheeting.  Hang it behind some fir trees so the black is visible in patches and I hope it will be enough to catch some attention. especially if the calls are coming from behind it. Plus if it works I can use the plastic to lay 1/4s out onto during the process of breaking down the bull for transport out.

[Archer Dave]

Not sure how well 2 dimensional decoys work though. Most animals pay little attention to pictures of animals from my experience. I could be wrong though.

[ChuckC]

I am gonna guess that a large very dark form moving thru the woods, and stopping once in a while is all you need.  It could be rectangular and still work.  They need to see something dark.  

Now, if you walk out in a field right to them, maybe not.  i HAVE seen video of a guy with a moose head on a stick, with bullwinkle antlers, teasing a bull during the rut.  Right in an open area.  He had to stop cause the bull was obviously gonna come kick his butt.

I want my guide to do that. .  ( while I am hiding off to the side).
ChuckC

[Florida lime]

Originally posted by Sean B:
I have no experience to offer but hopefully  Mike Mitten will post info on his "moose hat"

I thought that the article in TBH magazine was pretty interesting.    

I wouldn't want to try it in an area with a lot of hunters during gun season though !   :eek:

[Hummer3T]

archery only season, for sure you would want to be careful around hunting seasons and unregulated hunting.

[Herdbull]

I only have experience in Alaska, so different techniques will be required for other areas and cover type. Flashing anything light colored or bone-like may be all that is required to get a legal bull to come in. That, along with calling, breacking limbs, raking brush with bone etc . May all do the trick.

But as a solo hunter I developed a portable set of atlers that come apart in three peices and tuck away in my pack. The primary time I intend to use them is when a big mature bull is haramed-up and won't come into investigate your calling or flashing. You have to become a big enough bull that will comand respect. My finished head gear measure 47 inches wide. Once you trigger that rut craze in the bull he may come right up too you , but with the respect you coimand he will usually start postureing and racking first, giving you time to get gloser, stage the decoy, or shoot. This mobile decoy system is not really needed if hunting with rifle, but the closeness of trad bows may require a little adaptability. A decoy is no good if left at home or in camp. Mine is made from a photo of a 64' bull I killed and the shrunk the photo down and printed on coragated plastic. Since it is 2-D it is easy to hde from the bull if needed by simply turning it side ways. I can shoot with the antlers on and film with a Go-Pro. You may want to paint the tips blaze orange or use some other safety precautions, but this is not for faint of heart. Ha!  Mike
 

[Hummer3T]

here is my final product on the left.  The right decoy was my test version for sizing, materials, etc.  The right one also went through a water hose test, it actually held up way better than I thought.  The paper loosened up a little but no tearing or turning to pulp like I thought might happen.

they both have velcro handles at the back.

   


 

[Mike Vines]

Well, this isn't a decoy (I'm using the Montana cow moose decoy), but I did just make this birch bark moose call while I was up scouting my moose hunting spot a couple weeks ago.  

   

I leave in just over 2 weeks, and hope to put the decoy and call to good use.  If any luck is on my side, I hope to have a favorable story to bring back.

[ChuckC]

good luck

CHuckC

[Hummer3T]

Mike that is a awesome job, I made one but does not compare. did you wet the bark to get it to form so well ?

[Mike Vines]

Thank you.  

No, I didn't wet it, I cut it off, rolled it inside out, then took some cheap paracord and wrapped it around to hold it in place.  

   

To get the seam to lay flat, I found the straightest stick I could, slid it under the paracord and shimmed the seam flat.  Let it sit like that for a week, then I drilled holes and sewed it with artificial sinew.

Last night I spray painted it with brown camoflauge paint and now it honestly looks like it is made of leather, and still smells like Birch Bark.

[maineac]

The final decoy version looks great, and I am sure it can help.

Great looking call.  I have been looking for a good birch tree, but if it is the right diameter where I can reach it, it is too old and coarse.  If it is nice looking it is to high to reach. I still have a little over a month, so I'll keep looking.

[Birdbow]

That looks great and should be helpful. I killed the 53" bull in my avatar using a commercially available cow decoy. Good luck and look forward to a story!