Hi all,
I replaced my decoys this year with a couple from Avian-X. I like how quickly they set up and how they keep their shape. My question is whether anyone has any good ideas on how to keep them spinning in the wind? I used an extra stake for each one and stuck it alongside, which helped a bit, but sometimes they still managed to get a 180 degree arc of free swinging. I could use more stakes, but I really don't want to carry 4 extra stakes to keep them in place. Any better ideas?
2 sticks on each side of the tail. :blob10: or stake them on a slight angle.
Sticks
Sit on them...
I carry some old aluminum arrow shafts that I stick on either side of the tail with enough room that the decoy can move 4-5 inches before hitting one of the arrow shafts. This allows me to control the direction that the decoy faces plus lets the wind give some action to it.
a stick or put them low enough the tail sits in the grass a little. in a plowed field i put them on a high chunk of dirt but all the way to the bottom of the bird. dont carry anything extra
I saw this post and it got me to thinking so I grabbed my Avian X hen for a look. The Avian X's have a smooth plastic ball, in the decoy, that sets in a smooth plastic socket so I'm thinking put a small piece of rough sided tape (white athletic tape) in the socket to slow the spin. We have winds right now at 15 mph gusting to around 20 and the tape experiment has definitely reduced the movement (no more 360 spins and probably has reduced the movement by 75%). I would bet, two sided tape in the socket would probably stop all movement all together.
Quote from: KYHeadhunter02 on May 06, 2015, 07:08:01 PM
2 sticks on each side of the tail. :blob10: or stake them on a slight angle.
Same here.
The stakes I have for mine have a wing nut, simply screw down the nut and no spinning.
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I also use 2 sticks. I have 2 or 3 inches between tail and stick allowing for some movement
What I did was make wood blocks that hold my decoys. I take wood blocks like a piece of 2 x 6 about 8 to 10 in. Long drill a hole just were a piece of alum. Arrow shaft will stick up from the block. You can cut the arrow shaft to whatever length you want for your decoy setup. I then attach a carry string on the block and a screw eye to attach another string that I fix so I can loop this around the decoy tail to keep it from spinning or again you make this short or a little longer so the decoy will move a little back and forth. Why I make these is so I don't have to worry about trying to push a decoy stake in the ground or worry about the wind blowing my decoy over. I'm a older turkey hunter so I cant run and gun. Making these take just a few min.. to setup your decoys.
Simple, just use a small piece of duct tape from the bottom of the decoy to the stake. It works great in high winds! Just carry a small roll of camo or gray duct tape in your vest. No need to carry extra stakes, etc.
Quote from: jbrown on May 10, 2015, 09:06:40 PM
I also use 2 sticks. I have 2 or 3 inches between tail and stick allowing for some movement
I've always thought that "some" movement was a good thing. When it gets really windy a couple sticks do the job.
Bob
My primos decoys have a wing nut to tighten down so they don't spin.
Quote from: KYHeadhunter02 on May 06, 2015, 07:08:01 PM
2 sticks on each side of the tail. :blob10: or stake them on a slight angle.
This is what I do also has always worked for me
Rubber O Rings. I keep a couple on all stakes.
My DSD stakes have a rubber grommet on the stake with a stamped "positioner" on the stake. I leave them on all the time and if is getting windy you slide it up, it basically touches the bottom of the decoys stake hole and minimizes the amount of "spin" of the decoy while still letting you have the motion, nothing else needed. I would think something like this might work with your Avian-X.
MK M GOBL
Quote from: KYHeadhunter02 on May 06, 2015, 07:08:01 PM
2 sticks on each side of the tail. :blob10: or stake them on a slight angle.
:agreed: The woods are full of them, plus it's one less thing I have to carry. Or you can take an election sign and some heavy duty snips and cut the the legs to about 18" and keep them in your gamebag portion of your vest. Only draw back is with it being metal they could eventually protrude thru the vest. I carried some for one season but ended up losing one in the woods and never replaced it. Just went back to a couple of sticks per deke.
Quote from: OldSchool on January 20, 2016, 03:36:25 PM
Quote from: jbrown on May 10, 2015, 09:06:40 PM
I also use 2 sticks. I have 2 or 3 inches between tail and stick allowing for some movement
I've always thought that "some" movement was a good thing. When it gets really windy a couple sticks do the job.
Bob
this
Similar to the o-ring idea...I would think a rubberband looped several times around the stake would also work. Slide the rubber band up the stake so it tightens around the decoy hole.
With Avian X, you shouldn't have any problems with them spinning because of their weight.
I've used them since they first came out and have never seen one spin 180 degrees, even here in Michigan where we can still have pretty raw weather in the spring. I have deliberately put them out in my yard on very windy days to test this and the limited movement still looked natural. In fact often I wish they would move a little more.
In the old days of lightweight foam decoys it was a definite issue and I carried extra sticks like everyone else. If you think you still have an issue, which I doubt you will, I'd roll with the duct tape as previously suggested.
Quote from: eddie234 on January 20, 2016, 06:19:27 PM
My primos decoys have a wing nut to tighten down so they don't spin.
X2
:icon_thumright:
Quote from: KYHeadhunter02 on May 06, 2015, 07:08:01 PM
2 sticks on each side of the tail. :blob10:
:icon_thumright:
Quote from: RIO GRANDE MAN on January 20, 2016, 02:10:37 PM
Simple, just use a small piece of duct tape from the bottom of the decoy to the stake. It works great in high winds! Just carry a small roll of camo or gray duct tape in your vest. No need to carry extra stakes, etc.
Tape is the easiest solution... I hunt some hard ground, and have enough trouble getting the initial stake in... I would maybe twist the center of the tape, and leave some slack in the tape to allow for some movement.
If you use sticks or stakes, you can leave a bit of room for movement as well... Not sure how that banging and bumping into the sticks would work out though...
I try to stick the tail in a clump of tall grass.
DSD decoy has a rubber grommet that slide up the stake and inside hole in bottom of decoy, keeps it from spinning.
Quote from: jims on February 07, 2016, 02:04:52 PM
Similar to the o-ring idea...I would think a rubberband looped several times around the stake would also work. Slide the rubber band up the stake so it tightens around the decoy hole.
Rubber bands is what I use.
Quote from: stinkpickle on May 08, 2015, 12:41:41 PM
Quote from: KYHeadhunter02 on May 06, 2015, 07:08:01 PM
2 sticks on each side of the tail. :blob10: or stake them on a slight angle.
Same here.
:agreed: the woods are full of free ones everyday ;D
I carry a set of snipers since it always seems that there's a limb or two between me and where I expect to shoot. The cuttings, or weed stems, are great for sticking in the ground by the tail to limit how far you want the decoy to move in the wind. Since there's always an ample supply of sticks, weeds, etc. I never carry extras but just collect them where I set up.