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*Official*5th Annual Traveling Decoy Thread

7K views 50 replies 12 participants last post by  lastflighttaxidermy 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well folks, it is that time of year again, for the 5th Annual Lake Effect Chapter of the Michigan Duck Hunters Association Traveling Decoy! So you are asking yourself, “What is the traveling decoy”? The traveling decoy started for the Lake Effect group in the fall of 2009 as a way to have fun and show hunters from around the State enjoying the sport of waterfowling, both in our State and while on trips out of State. It was such a huge hit, that we decided to do it again, and again, and now for the 5th year AGAIN!
Every season, hunters from around Michigan and some from even out of State sign up to be included on the traveling decoy’s hunt calendar and we try and get the decoy into as many hands as possible throughout the season. Hunter’s take photographs, fill out a journal/logbook, and then send it onto the next person to have fun. To date, the first four traveling decoys have logged somewhere in the vicinity of 35,000 miles of travel combined, with roughly 800 birds harvested over them!! With this year’s decoy, we easily will surpass the 40,000 mile mark for the decoy's travels and hopefully will surpass the 1,000 bird mark as well for harvest numbers! The decoy will make its rounds all season long and will return to West Michigan around February 1st, so that photographs can be compiled and made into a hard cover book, which then in turn will be auctioned off with the traveling decoy on Thursday February 27th, 2014 at the Lake Effect Chapter of MDHA Annual Event! In year’s past we have had a few Chapter members who have taken the traveling decoy on non-hunting trips, but it has been far and few between. Have a favorite fall fishing outing? A trip to bow camp? Small Game Hunting? It doesn’t have to necessarily be a waterfowl outing, be creative with it, and HAVE FUN!

Well, enough rambling, this year’s traveling decoy is Louie the Long-tail, carved by Grand Haven native and longtime Chapter supporter Marty Yonker. We are very excited to get this rolling and the images included are very self-explanatory as to how to sign up! We used to just limit this to Michigan Sportsman forum members and our Chapter members, but we are going to try a new format this year. Please see the RULES document that gives a full explanation on the process!

Let’s make this the best season yet for the 5th Annual Traveling Decoy, Louie the Longtail!




 
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#4 ·
Please see the rules sheet so you can be included if we don't stick to it, its like herding cats throughout the season chasing down PMs, posts, emails. We want to keep it in a centralized location for logistical reasons!

Thanks

Lake Effect
 
#6 ·
Also, just to make sure it is clear, when we broke the weeks down, our intentions were that the decoy would be traveling on the first couple of days of the week and that the person who has it would then have it to hunt the last half of the week and through the weekend. Then they ship it out on the Mon of the next person's week.

Ie Oct 28-Nov 3: Decoy will ship out Mon Oct 28, Arrive by Wed Oct 30 potentially hunt Thur Oct 31- Sun Nov 3. Then be shipped out Mon Nov 4.

Thanks
Robert
 
#7 ·
Figured I would try and keep things updated in this thread for the MS crowd.

Please remember this is tentative as some are open to several options and might move around to accomodate and fill in dates.
All e-mails have been returned.

Sep 9-15 Youth Weekend
Sep 16-22 UP opener (rico1391)
Sep 23-29
Sep 30- Oct 6 Middle Zone opener
Oct 7-13 South Zone Opener
Oct 14-20 Local as WW opener is 10/16 (MDHACHAPTER/goosemanrdk) With a possible hand off option for the weekend
Oct 21- 27 (sswhitelightning)
Oct 28-Nov 3
Nov 4- 10 (LEMDHA/goosemanrdk)
Nov 11- 17
Nov 18- 24
Nov 25- Dec 1
Dec 2- 8
Dec 9- 15 Middle Zone late 2 day
Dec 16- 22
Dec 23- 29 South Zone late 2 day
 
#13 ·

Attachments

#16 ·
The tail is made out of garden edgeing. It is very flexable. Just don't let rover use it as a chew toy. (wouldn't be the first time) If it does somehow break I will be able to quickly fix it. I try to build these decoys as durable as possible. If anyone has any ideas to make these decoys better in any way I would love the feedback. This is the first long-tail that I have made,
and it is life size. The next time I make these I would like to make them magnum size for the big water. You guys will be a good test group to see if that tail does truly hold up. Keep the stories coming.
Marty
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the update Marty. The decoy looks fantastic in person!!!!!!!!!!!! I have the decoy and am working on getting things finalized to have it ready to ship out for his first hunt.

Updating the List
Sep 9-15 Youth Weekend
Sep 16-22 UP opener (rico1391)
Sep 23-29
Sep 30- Oct 6 Middle Zone opener (BC21)
Oct 7-13 South Zone Opener (Puddle-Hunter)
Oct 14-20 Local as WW opener is 10/16 (MDHACHAPTER/goosemanrdk) With a possible hand off option for the weekend
Oct 21- 27 (sswhitelightning)
Oct 28-Nov 3 (Divas Hunt)
Nov 4- 10 (LEMDHA/goosemanrdk)
Nov 11- 17
Nov 18- 24
Nov 25- Dec 1
Dec 2- 8
Dec 9- 15 Middle Zone late 2 day
Dec 16- 22
Dec 23- 29 South Zone late 2 day
Weekend of Jan4th and 5th - (dankoustas)
 
#18 ·
The tail is made out of garden edgeing. It is very flexable. Just don't let rover use it as a chew toy. (wouldn't be the first time) If it does somehow break I will be able to quickly fix it. I try to build these decoys as durable as possible. If anyone has any ideas to make these decoys better in any way I would love the feedback. This is the first long-tail that I have made,
and it is life size. The next time I make these I would like to make them magnum size for the big water. You guys will be a good test group to see if that tail does truly hold up. Keep the stories coming.
Marty
Marty,

Thanks for checking on the traveling decoy, we really can't say enough about you and Dave Wildrom's continued support for our chapter over the years. Thank you SO much from the Lake Effect Chapter for carving this Oldsquaw for us for the 5th Annual traveling decoy and it is sure to be a huge asset to our February event once again, just like all of your decoys in the past have been!

Make sure and keep checking back here as the season gets rolling for reports on Louie and participants, now that we know the carver is watching the thread, it is just that much more incentive to check back on here frequently and update on Louie's adventures!

Ryan
 
#19 ·
Updating the List with one I forgot
Sep 9-15 Youth Weekend
Sep 16-22 UP opener (rico1391)
Sep 23-29
Sep 30- Oct 6 Middle Zone opener (BC21)
Oct 7-13 South Zone Opener (Puddle-Hunter)
Oct 14-20 Local as WW opener is 10/16 (MDHACHAPTER/goosemanrdk) With a possible hand off option for the weekend
Oct 21- 27 (sswhitelightning)
Oct 28-Nov 3 (Divas Hunt)
Nov 4- 10 (LEMDHA/goosemanrdk)
Nov 11- 17(Sampsons_owner)
Nov 18- 24
Nov 25- Dec 1
Dec 2- 8
Dec 9- 15 Middle Zone late 2 day
Dec 16- 22
Dec 23- 29 South Zone late 2 day
Weekend of Jan4th and 5th - (dankoustas)
 
#23 ·
Seeing as nobody requested this weekend for the youth hunt, I will be keeping the decoy and taking it along on the youth hunt with my son and my niece. We will be hunting a little pond for woodducks. As of last weekend, there were about 50 total around that were coming in and out in little groups of 2-5. Perfect for the kiddos. Although, this is how things looked last year and just like this year a cold front/cool down came in and on the youth day morning we were covered up in woodducks. Hoping the same scenario plays out again this year.

Update of the list.
Sep 9-15 Youth Weekend (Goosemanrdk)
Sep 16-22 UP opener (rico1391)
Sep 23-29
Sep 30- Oct 6 Middle Zone opener (BC21)
Oct 7-13 South Zone Opener (Puddle-Hunter)
Oct 14-20 Local as WW opener is 10/16 (MDHACHAPTER/goosemanrdk) With a possible hand off option for the weekend
Oct 21- 27 (sswhitelightning)
Oct 28-Nov 3 (Divas Hunt)
Nov 4- 10 (LEMDHA/goosemanrdk)
Nov 11- 17(Sampsons_owner)
Nov 18- 24(TSS Caddis)
Nov 25- Dec 1(younggun7)
Dec 2- 8
Dec 9- 15 Middle Zone late 2 day
Dec 16- 22
Dec 23- 29 South Zone late 2 day
Weekend of Jan4th and 5th - (dankoustas)

Still a few days left in year, so send in a request if you would like to hunt with the decoy.
 
#24 ·
Today is the deadline for RSVP for the Lake Effect Chapter of the Michigan Duck Hunters Association ALL YOU CAN EAT Shrimp Boil/Perch Dinner at the Holiday Inn Muskegon-Harbor
Please either:
1. Email susiehughes@comcast.net
2. Call Susie at 231-343-4092
As a reminder, it is Thursday September 19th, with a Cashbar starting at 5:30pm, Dinner at 7pm. There will be some great raffles, great fellowship, and incredible food! What better way to officially kick off the 2013-2014 Duck Season.

Children 12 and Under are FREE!

 
#25 ·
Took my niece out on Saturday morning(my son got in trouble at school so no youth duck hunting for him). Things didn't pan out quite at the level we were hoping for, but it was still a good morning. She was never able to connect, but did her best to try. Didn't see near the wood ducks as we were expecting. Could be they had not come down in the numbers like they had last year at this time, or it may have been from the pressure in the area. But I am not complaining about that. Last year, we never heard a shot while out in this spot, but this year there were at least 5 groups out with youths shooting at ducks first thing in the morning. I was happy to hear that much participation.
We did manage to get 6 geese for the morning. Unfortunately, my niece never got a shot at any of the geese. She either had malfunctions taking the safety off, or did not feel comfortable trying to get her gun up quickly to shoot at the geese. Bravo to her for being concerned about safety. Either way, she had a good time and is excited to get out and hunt some more.

Louie is on his way to Rico1391 for the UP opener.
 
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