Jim Thompson, Jr.
09-20-2005, 09:33 PM
While the current GHG staking system is more than adequate for field and shallow water hunting situations (who else would give both ring and shaft type bases)I've come up with a simple solution for their use in greater depths of water. I've always modified stake systems for full-bodies and shell decoys in the past. There's nothing more that Canada geese and mallards love to find is shallow water situations where they can stand. If you want unbelievable motion in your water spread, dramatically increase your visibility, offer multiple body postures and create that illusion that's absolutely irresistable to birds simply cut the fiberglass stake approximately three inches from where it meets the motion head. Drill a hole slightly larger than it's diameter into a 5/8" wooden dowel rod. Epoxy the fiberglass stake into the wooden dowel rod. I personally used CR7. You can carry dowel rods in varying lengths for varying water depths. I use 5/8's dowel rods because experience has taught me that anything less will flex and anything more is overkill. You can buy these rods in varying lengths or make them taller by attaching them to a 1X2 or something similar. Steel will get too heavy. I think if you put your mind to it you can come up with several feasible ways of doing this. For the Looker Canada goose body styles I drill a 5/8's hole into the body's chest about an inch ahead of where the foot base ring attaches. Don't get any closer than that. Then cut a small piece of rod that can go up to the body and drop back down onto the foot base to give you a good marking point. It's important to keep these holes in alignment to ensure erect body position. Just remember this. Do the birds know the water's 3 foot deep and fowl couldn't be standing in its depths? i highly doubt it. Full-body decoys weren't made just for dryland use. Photos attached. http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/6070/resize593wf.jpg http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/8339/resize622ip.jpg http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/5193/resize539sw.jpg