Fullbody Canada Sleepers

[Doug Steinke]

If you have some spare time, a spare shell sleeper head and an active fullbody, you have what it takes to make yourself some fullbody sleepers.

Start with a canada sleeper shell head, cut off the bottom (this is the part that goes into the shell). Take an active fullbody. Place the shell head over the place you would put the regular head. Now you can either glue them on or do what I did and screw them on. It may sound crude but, by screwing them on you have a solid conection that won't come off when handling the bird and if I want to put the regular heads back on all I have to do is unscrew the head. All that is left is two very small holes where the screw went into the decoy. Here are some pictures.

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/ghg_slp1.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/ghg_slp2.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/ghg_slp3.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/ghg_slp4.jpg

[Rob Jepson]

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then you said a bunch Doug! That is a fantastic looking spread and kudos go out to Fred Zink and his development team at Avery for adding so many head positions to the line of already awesome decoys. A full body goose rig w/ 3 body styles, and 9,(COUNT THEM, NINE!), head positions. Ten if you count Doug's clever adaptation of the Sleeper head.

I am lucky enough to be associated with Avery Outdoors for over 4 years now and when I see the fruits of our efforts as in these photos, I am humbled to be associated with those efforts.

Damn, that Looker is the real deal!!

Rob Jepson
Avery Territory Manager

[Wilson Rivers]

COOOOL!! I mean i have made three sleeper fullbodies from my shell heads but that whole flock looks Amazing...especially with the lookers and the actives, i really like the one-legged one though, they are Killer!! Way to go GHG it keeps getting better and better everyday, Keep It Up fellas!
~COMDr
(Wil Campbell)

[Doug Steinke]

Rob, no doubt about it. Just like you said, what Fred and his development (dream) team has come up with is nothing short of amazing. Wouldn't you love to be a fly on Fred's workshop wall? Just imagine what's yet to come.

[Scott Moates]

That spread is awesome looking! I concur with Rob in that I also feel honored to be working with this team. Keep posting the pictures.

Thanks,

[Chris Jones]

Man... Doug those are awesome!!
I was driving down the road today thinking about how I was gonna make some sleeper full bodies for the ice this fall. Needless to say I think you nailed it! Thanks keep cranking out the ideas!! Not like I don't have enough to do in the next 30 days ;)

[Rick "Willis" Turch]

Lets just say I'm pretty glad I live in Minnesota because I would feel pretty dumb sneaking up on a bunch of decoys! wow :D that is a pretty impressive spread guy!!!

[Chad Buehler]

Silverbellies-
I think I may have done you one better....I took and fastened the sleeper head to the full body using a self tapping screw with a head large enough to not pull thru the 5/16 hole I already had drilled for the motion stake. Just take the feet off and do all your work from the inside of the decoy. Works like a charm because the motion hole was drilled in a perfect placement for attaching the sleeper head as well. That head is not coming off either unless you unscrew it.

Just thought you may want to try this method next time so there are never any more holes than necessary. Thanks for the great idea...hope maybe I helped it along a bit with some different engineering...lol.

[Rob Jepson]

Chad B,

Thanks for another option for rigging these FB/Sleepers up. I love the exchange of real information and tips here!

Rob Jepson
Avery Territory Manager

[JEDJR]

Doug, that is a great idea, and those pics are awesome. That is a very realistic looking spread!

[bellosd]

Hey Doug, great looking heads. Please post the original pics that were on the other site so everybody can see exactly how you did it. They would be helpful as I am curious also. Thanks Dan

[Rick Frisch]

That is a pretty realistic spread. Whenever you see geese sleeping, they are usually in a bunch or a line. I really like the one foot deal. These are great ideas. I like a forum where a bunch of guys can get together and exchange ideas to help add to each others success.

Thanks,

[wifowler]

Wow, what a novel idea. I was wondering what to do with the sleeper heads that I have set aside in favor of some Windlife heads during this early part of the season.

I like the idea of using the hole drilled for a motion stake too. Close up shots would add another 1000 words to the subject.

[Rusty Hallock]

Doug,

Awesome picture. Thanks for the great suggestion.

[Sean Finke]

DOUG,
THE DECOYS LOOK AWESOME AND GIVE THAT EXTRA TOUCH OF REALISM. I BET YOU HAD A GOOD SHOOT OVER A SPREAD THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT. GOOD LUCK AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

[Travis Mueller]

Doug,

Keep taking those awesome pictures and I appreciate ya posting your ideas!

[Doug Steinke]

Chad,

Great idea on the screws. That would be the ticket. Motion stakes, personally, I don't want my sleepers moving. Lets say out of 100 decoys on land with 80 sleepers I would like maybe 10 other sentinal\feeders moving and using a flag instead. When we get winds over 20 mph I want no movement at all except for the flag. Keep in mind this is on a water\river\pond spread. It may not be right but, its what works for us.

Bellsod,

I think this is what you are talking about. This came from a website www.flocknockers.com (http://www.flocknockers.com) on it's forum "Flocknocker's Goose Roost" under "Bigfoot Sleeper Heads?" If you haven't been there this is the quintessential goose hunting site. A lot of good people there that like to share their ideas.

First, you'll need one GHG active style fullbody, with the foot base that has two separate feet.
Second, Take off the head.
Third, Take off the foot base and find a wrench and a small phillips head screw driver to loosen and take off one of the feet.

When I got my hands on one of these birds, the first thing I noticed was the foot assembly. "Nuts and bolts, I could make a one footer out of these."

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/ghg2.jpg

Fourth, take a sleeper shell head and cut the bottom out of it. what you are going to need to make this an easy job is a Dremel type tool. A knife just didn't cut it. The key here is after you cut off the bottom you'll need to cut off about a 1/4" of material from the bottom of the neck to allow for the head to lay totally flat on the back. (see the picture below, notice the cut off material)

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/ghg1.jpg

Fifth, Lay the head on the back the way you like then, screw it into place. I know it sounds crude but, it will stay in place, period! You can take some black paint and dab it over the screw and and some flocking while the paint is wet and you'll never know the screw is there.

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/ghg3.jpg

Sixth, The feet. If you are anal like me, when a goose is sleeping standing up on one foot the foot is actually turned almost directly towards the other leg. You can do this with these foot bases. Set the foot where you like it and tighten the nuts. Put on the base and you are ready to go. You can either stake them down or cover them with sand or mud.

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/ghg_sent.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/silverbellies/a.jpg

[Chad Buehler]

Silverbellies-
I understand you don't want your sleepers moving on motion stakes...neither do I. My idea of utilizing the motion stake hole is so that essentially you can interchange the decoy heads for different purposes. If you want sleepers...just screw it on thru the motion stake hole and slap the feet back on (I didn't cut the whole bottom out of the sleeper heads I did....I left the flatter portion under the head area go so there is something for the screw to grab into). Then if you want to have more moving geese on a different day in a different situation....just unscrew the sleeper head and put the upright head back on and slap her on a motion stake. The reasoning for my idea is for guys like myself that do not have that many decoys to where we can just change a whole bunch over permanently to sleepers...I need different styles for different situations and this accomplishes that for me.

[Doug Steinke]

Chad,

Now I'm on the same wave legnth. Yes, your way is one better, so simple and totally flexible. I was thinking you were using a motion stake then adding one screw infront of the motion stake hole. For me, this idea came 18 decoys and 36 holes too late.

[Rob Jepson]

Doug,

Thanks for the tutorial and thanks to Chad B for his input also. I'll try to rig some up this weekend.

Thanks,
Rob Jepson
Avery Territory Manager

[Troy Bailey]

Very nice Doug, when are you going to build mine? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Chris Jones]

Man thanks for the great ideas guys!!! There will definitly bea bunch in my spread!
Ice hunting will never be the same! :cool: :cool:

[Rick Frisch]

The sleeper decoy is the most deadly decoy when the temperature starts to drop well below freezing and the snow comes. Most of these geese only fly out to feed one time a day. They fly out, eat, take a little nappy nap, wake up, eat again, and fly back to the roost. These sleeper decoys will be the real deal.

Thanks,

[Travis Mueller]

God help the migrators near Nebraska this year. Them geese won't know what hit em!!!!