[h2ofwlr]

My best 2 things are a pole and a light.

The pole is about 4' long and 1.25" dia--basically a broken off straight shovel handle. I screw a metal hook into the end of it. I use it to snag the decoy lines from the boat--and that way you are not leaning over the side of the boat and possibly loose your balance. It can also be used as a wading staff too.

The light is real simple. Buy a 12v trouble shooter light with the big alligator clips to hook up to the deep cycle battery in your boat. Get a 10' - 1/2" dia copper pipe or a 1/2" dia metal elec conduit pipe--the copper pipe is a little smaller outside dia than the galv EC is--basically it needs to fit inside the oarlock of your boat.
Gradually bend the top of the pipe to make 90 degree arch. (a conduit bender works good) Duck tape the light to the pipe. Also duck tape a bunch around the pipe so only a few inches of p[ipe goes into the oarlock opening. (a stopper if you will). This makes for a handy light for setting out decoys, as you can see what you are doing. It also doubles as a good night fishing light. And being the light is 8' above the side of the boat, the bugs congregate up there-and not in your boat like when using a lantern. One word of warning---if you use it - make sure no lightning is around-other wise it could hit you!

 

[phillipstd]

we buried plastic garbage cans, big ones and put cement in the bottom of them, great pit blinds for one or two people, we just got a couple next to each other, oh and the peice of plywood cut out like a cow and painted like a cow, works awsome, we can get about 15 yards from a group of landed teal, sometimes they like to land a ways out, on slow day's we go get em.

 

[ks_waterfowler]

We use a cow silo to sneak up on snow geese. We hinged it to make it easier to transport.

 

[quackerkiller]

i turned my own goose call that i used yesterday and we got a limit and i got a banded goose.

 

[ol' yeller]

Just a few weeks ago I finished up making a Mallard Machine and I've also made a free motor cover for a 25 horse or less outboard. I got a couple empty feed sacks from a local store and slit them up the seam on one side 3/4's of the way. I spray painted it a little and then all you do is slip it on over the motor with the slit facing into the boat.

yeller

 

[Dogman]

I built a ground blind/gear cart out of 1" EMT conduit.Covered it with camo duct tape,made a full lenght cushion out of closed cell packing foam sewn inside a camo cover.I also built a goose shell mounted on a spring loaded hinge with a trigger release so it flips up and stays up just by pulling a cord.Attached it to the head area of the ground blind,can't wait for next week to use it!

 

[HonkShooter]

Well my dad and I are always lookin for some stuff to make for hunting so we've come up with a few things. First we have the gunholder/silo hole maker. Which is a 1/2" metal rod witha like half circle welded on the top and a foot pad thing on the bottom to push in the ground. Hasn't failed us yet. Works good for settin up silo's in the winter or just hard ground. Then we've been trying to make a flapper goose which is pretty much just a flag that we can put out in the decoys and use. Where we hunt a lot u can't be in the decoys so it's different. This project is under some major renovations. And u can't forget the clay thrower that we made to attach to the hitch of the truck. Guess you have to have somethin' to do when you get bored and can't go hunting.

 

[Fredito]

Right now I am working on 'converting' and ice fishing shed that is a few years old into a duck blind...it breaks down really nice and is pretty light...the only problem is that it is bright blue and is in need of some roof work so I can shoot out of it...anyone have any neat ideas for it?

 

[birdgunner04]

I use a quick set boat blind,6doz diver dekes a layout boat,pullcord spinner, mudmotor , a seat for use in mud , goose floaters, all of them I made

 

[Cupped-n-Committed]

Dogman,

You have any pictures of that? I started making a 6' coffin blind on skids and will attached lawn mower wheels to it to roll all the stuff the 500 yards to where we hunt. My wife thinks I am crazy but she has not tried to drag the $hit all the way there and had half of it try and fall of those little darn sleds they sell.

 

[sparky]

Well over the years I have made a few different things.
In the first two I have made a home made layout blind. Also in one of the pics you will see a flag which I made out of a piece of copper pipe and an old black t-shirt. Seems to work and didn't cost a lot as the stuff was just sitting around the house.

The last picture is a bunch of silos which I made by tracing a shell decoy. cuttng them out and went to Wallmart and got the paint matched up and painted it on.

I think its more enjoyable making your own stuff as it seems to give a real sense of accomplishment when you get a flock of geese or ducks come in and want to sit down in your home made decoys or land feet from your home made blind !!

sparky

 

[macdaddy]

Glad that you fellows are handy. I tried to make wings for a couple of my goose decoys. I'd show those manufacturers that I can do it myself! :thumbsup:
Two years later & the frames & material sit in the garage. :thumbsdown: The conduit are leaning against the garage wall. :getdown: Got to laugh to keep from crying.

 

[REDLEGGER]

here something if you like heat in your blind take a 1 pound coffee can (metal one) didn't use to have to say that part. take a roll of T P paper pull out the center cardboard piece stuff it down in can. get some rubbing alchol pour in untill full. put lid on can when u get to blind just remove lid strike a match or lighter to top of paper it will burn about 5 inches high. nice clean smokless fire put it between your legs in the blind the heat rises and your warm. when you get done just smother it put lid on after it cools alittle slide it under bench and it will be there the next time you need it.when it quits burning just add more alchol. they make great fire straters to when camping just light it. pile on the wood when wood get going pull it out to use another time. :thumbsup: " take a kid hunting you will never regret it."

 

[travo]

i made nice quick portable ground blinds by tearing the fabric/plastic off of those old fold-up, layout lawn chairs and taking the legs off to get just the ratcheting, folding frame. then i just wired avery realgrass to it an presto- an easily portable, freestanding, fold-up, quickset ground blind. i like them because you can use them when the ground is froze. i also took one of these frames and kept the legs on one side and put wheels on the other to use as a cart when making set ups along the shore. i just fold out the remaining pair of legs as handles, and found storage containers that drop right in to the frame. it breaks down and packs up easy. you could wire about anything to the frame to customize your own cart. it works awesome. i even attached 2 pieces of pvc to the sides to use as gun holders. ive also just wove a bunch of rope through them and used it to get deer out of the woods. try it! :tounge:

 

[mallardhunter]

Sparky that is a nice blind for being homemade

 

[sparky]

Well I took my time at it and it maybe took me a 3 or 4 days to put together. A project that could have been done in a day if I put my mind to it !

It does need a few minor ajustments but I have some time until next season !

Thanks for the kind words !

 

[redleg hunter]

MY blind heater consists of a metal pail filled with kingsford charcoal and lighter fluid. Get cold and touch Er" off . Gives heat for hours and, also great for cooking hotdogs when action is slow. Might be too extreme for some of you,but here in Maine we hunt the ocean through Jan. been many times when its well below zero. I do like the old ratcheting lawn chair blind idea, thats the best.

 

[huntmq1]

Ok, guys bear with the story..! I went to my local Dollar General Store and purchased a $2 dollar wireless remote control truck. I took the truck apart and kept the battrey on/off compt. and the engine section with the axles. Next I took a Mallard drake deke and cut him open like all other remote dekes. I know what your thinking "another mech duck", but it's better. I mounted the engine on/off battery section in the duck and placed the axles in the corresponding holes on the side of the deke. I then used self expanding foam insulation to pack around and under the engine and in the lid for sound proofing. I used two 6 inch sections of allum arrow and mounted the two sections to two wings made out of plastic covered foam board. Painted accordinly. The two allum. rods were mounted with JB weld. I use a camo metal pole about 3 feet long to mount the deke and set him in the water. When ducks fly by I simply use the remote and the wings spin. The wings are removable for storage or transport. But, the trick is I mount the deke low in the water so that when the wings spin, the lower 2 inches of the wings churn up the water. It looks great and the ducks seem to attract to it. Looks like a duck having a ball in the water. The engine noise kinda sound like a duck growling. It's not loud at all. I had a Canada walk right up to it the other day. The deke was in the water and he was on the ice. :salude: