New home made gear

[Muthagoose]

Well here they are nothing fancy just rough diver gunners.. The rack and hole in the river keel make for ease of hanging...

Next have to make some common Merg and then black duck out of herters 72 divers,, Gonna have to build a tail and wingtip mold is what I have in mind for that conversion/...

Let me know what ya think of em..

[Cold_blood]

nice dekes thats all i can say i whis i had the time and skill you do but practice is probably the only way i'll learn

[BoxMN]

Muthagoose... nice.... I am impressed with your skill, dedication, and just plain talent. I am sure you will teach many lifelong skills. Here's an "atta boy"!!!

[fishkid]

i go to VCC right now and think that class would be an awesome addition. quite a few duck hunters that go to this school also

[Muthagoose]

Ive been taking a census the last 3 semesters and everyone asked said they would have taken it.Probably be in the spring next year.Funding is the main concern. Most of all sure don't want to overload my fall, gotta keep it open for hunting/research..

I started my common Merganser spread last night..Gotta have em nothing like dropping 5 more birds a day. Once I figured out how to drop the fish taste from them< secret recipe they became game on. They also are a very interesting bird to work into mounts.

Thanks for the compliments guys,mighty kind words...

[benbosh]

fishkid and muthagoose,

you guys might have to show me the ropes on duck hunting up north. im from the southern part of the state where deep water is considering past your knees.

[leech~~]

mutha, just seen this post, not sure how I missed earler this fall. Great dekes, but the boat has me all worked up! Please give in on a few more details. So is it all cut and weld alm, or did you do a plywood top????. Your wife needs to start a bis, making those covers! Great stuff. Leech~~

[Muthagoose]

Benbosh I can do that.

Fishkid stop by the class room we'll be breaking for dinner at 4.30

Leech its a glass and wood boat, Wood laminated top.. But If a guy had the equipment aluminum wouldn't be a problem probably be easier...

I couldn't help myself I carved out my Common Merganser spread today. Gonna have them done soon..

[leech~~]

mutha, so the old boat in the first pix, was glass? The one you made didn't seem to be as wide as that? Huum, I worked in fiberglass for 20 years making stuff! I think If I can find a old glass boat I could do that! Did you take any pix, of your process? Thanks Leech~~

[Muthagoose]

I cut the hull down after I marked the water line loaded with 600# in it.I used a center level to get my cut line.Its a glass wood laminated hull so if I hit a rock no big deal easy to fix...

I will be making another and possibly a 2 man layout out of a tri hull boat. For sure to take photos of the process.

I asked the wife about that and she wants nothing to do with it. But I will post pics this summer of it and she will post a little intell on how she id it. We are making one with a access for the dog to get in and out of next..

[MILLELACMANIAC]

Very nice job and unique MUTHAGOOSE

[leech~~]

But other then cutting it down to the water line you didn't take any out of the middle of the hall did you? It's just as wide as the boat you started with? Like I said I worked in the Fiberglass Ind, for 20 or more years and you did a very clean job! Nice Work. I will be looking for an old boat and your details later this year. Thanks. Leech~~

[Muthagoose]

Nope didnt take anything out of the middle,so once I figured the side's and coaming I had 28" to lay down and side storage.

[leech~~]

Did you reuse the cut off side walls for anything? Like part of the top, or is that ply with glass over it? You really did a nice job on the seams, can't even see them!

[Muthagoose]

Tossed em and went with new material on up. Formed it off of the bulkheads.

Played with glass a bit myself,would have been nice to have been in a shop with a chop gun when I built it.

Considering pulling a mold off of it so a couple buds can have one.I know how to set up a laminated hull out of new and better materials..

The extra weight from the laminate is compensated by knowing I dont have to worry IF I ding the bottom...

[leech~~]

Ya, having a chop gun makes it a faster job, but I think you can stay lighter and stronger with mat on a one up project. If you started making them like Carster and needed to make a ton faster the chop gun would have to be there. It's always a question for some of those companies when they start out. Do I make a lower end unit? or a high end out of kevlar or some of the other strong but light materials. Not to many Duck boat makers vaccum bag like kayak and high end canoes do!. Man this brings back the memories! "Nothing like the smell of polyester resin in the morning"!!

[Muthagoose]

No production intended here,same or better quality for my bud being I've already seen where I could have improved but I would set up the hull the same...

I remember the polyester smell when we made these...

Many moons ago this was my first step into the decoy world...

[leech~~]

Muth, sell your first one to your buddy And keep the new improved one for your self!! Nice blinds!

[Tyler23]

Well here they are nothing fancy just rough diver gunners.. The rack and hole in the river keel make for ease of hanging...

Next have to make some common Merg and then black duck out of herters 72 divers,, Gonna have to build a tail and wingtip mold is what I have in mind for that conversion/...

Let me know what ya think of em..

wow thats pretty cool!

[Muthagoose]

Just finished my common mergi flock. Haven't even finished them and I have full body and floater mallard/black ducks started.

This is a addicting hobby that has endless project possibility..

Anyone tried it yet???

If so post up some pics..

[fishkid]

hey muthagoose are you the taxidermist teacher at vcc. i will stop down some time soon i didnt check this thread for a while adn saw you said to stop on by. shoot me a email next time ther is a class and you guys have a break. zych2621 @ vcc. edu just take out the spaces and thats my email.

[Muthagoose]

Yep that's me....

[Muthagoose]

This is what I use to keep my main lines from becoming a hassle. I have 6- 60-100'ers on this spool. Being I hunt mainly alone it makes picking up much simpler.High gear it unwinds without issue and low gear it spools up without slipping.

Figured some of ya might want to see it..

[Muthagoose]

Well gang the addiction has gone full blown. I have 42 brand new herters #72 bills hanging in the shop that would be more of a hassle to try and sell so I decided to let my decoy addiction go wild...Keep in mind this was only done to speed up the conversion of my Herters 72 bills into a mallard and get me a accurate base to alter.I made a mold for a tail base that will be covered with burlap,mastic and finally apoxie sculpt.They will also have the wing tips altered for some of the drakes so I can add a few curly's...

The Mold

The rough idea..

One in the works.

[Big Country]

I am intrigued with your persistence Muthagoose. I live south of you, between Virginia and Duluth. It's obvious you have a passion for waterfowl. I am amazed however, at how poor hunting is in our area versus the time you put into the sport. Our group left Minnesota years ago for the plains of Saskatchewan. We go at least every other year and have made lasting friendships with farmers there. We target mostly Snows, but also hit the D.U. ponds for ducks. It's refreshing to see someone with that kind of enthusiasim. I am impressed. BC