Making 3D turkey out of old collapsible Decoy

[PA stickbow boy]

This past Saturday I was going through my turkey hunting things and came across my old decoys. Recently I bought an Avian X hen and my friend bought the Avian X Jake decoys for us to use this year. I now have 2 collapsible foam hens and a jake. One of the hens came apart at the bottom seam where you would stick your hand in to expand them. So I got this idea to try and make a 3D target out of it. I took some braided fishing line and sewed the foam turkey up along the seams. Then I'm going to take some expanding spray foam and stick the nozzle tube between the seams and try and fill it up. It may not hold up great but should be able to get a decent amout of practice shots in it.  Anyone ever try this before?

[Henry Hammer]

Yes I have done this and it works great and actually holds up really well. I use mine to practice shooting out of a blind.

WARNING: Make sure you let the foam dry for several days (couple weeks) or you will ruin your arrows. Even if it is dry around the seams the middle will still be soft and you will cover your arrows in that "stuff"!!

[3Feathers]

I did the same also but just stuffed the decoy with shopping bags from walmart.Works just fine with field-points.

[stykbow67]

Henry is spot on,I know this for a fact!!

Steve

[PA stickbow boy]

Henry, good point about letting it fully dry. I may have found that out the hard way. I was thinking of just cutting a coat hanger and holding it up with a couple pieces of the wire. Thought this might be more fun than shooting at a paper target.

[scbowhnter]

They work great and last a lot longer than you would think!!

[PA stickbow boy]

That's cool they last awhile.  I'll try and post some pics of the process.  Now I'm excited to get practicing.

[Goshawkin]

I have a jake decoy that got hit with a few shotgun blasts during the last few years of youth days.I tell the kids not to worry about the decoy and just concentrate on the gobblers neck.I was thinking of puting one of my daughter's rubber kickballs in the body and spraying foam into that.

[kbetts]

I use my oldies too, but I just pin them to my block target.

[PA stickbow boy]

I thought about sticking something else inside of mine but I had it sewn up before I thought that. I might play with another idea on the other one I have.

[wooddamon1]

I filled a couple foam cheapies with Great Stuff. Halfway, let dry and filled the other half. Works good except for the occasional pass-through that messes up a feather. I added them to my mini 3D course at deer camp, they last long enough to make it worth it.

[monsterbuck]

Great idea guys. I'm going to try it. Thanks. God bless.

[xtrema312]

I would do a minimum of four applications to fill and more is better. It will cure fast in layers with air exposure but may never cure and end up with a sticky core if you are not careful. I did a similar project last year and ended up having to take part out and scoop out the gunk to get the inside cured and then finish it. I did my second coat way to thick. My project was not as large a chunk as a decoy.

Different foams have different expansion rates and densities. Do a like checking on the options for foam before you get your foam.

[PA stickbow boy]

Good ideas about how to fill... Bringing new life to an old messed up decoy.      Sure beats the $100 or so for a "real" 3D turkey.

[squid]

Was thinking of the same thing. What did you use as a stake to put it in the ground? I would think if you stuck something up inside the turkey that the arrow would nail it.
Thanks