Crow Busters Forum

Vetman1 · Member

Rotary Magnet Decoys

Granite Jaw · Senior Member

Vetman1,

No experience here.

Randy

Island Shooter · Guru

Vetman,

Never heard of anyone using the rotary decoys for crows. One reason is that crows fly much slower than pigeons, so unless the speed is adjusted down, it would only be a scarecrow.

Several of us, however, use the Flightline FF5 or FF6 flapper decoy to great advantage. www.flightlinedecoys.co.uk/
One flapper in your decoy spread gives the motion needed to attract crows in while keeping their attention away from your blind. A great asset to your layout.

Hope this helps,

Demi

Vetman1 · Member

Concerning using the flapper decoy machines. Has anyone ever used an artificial decoy in place of a real crow on the flapper? In most cases where I hunt you do not have a chance to get a “donor” crow very easily.

Vetman1 · Member

Concerning using the flapper decoy machines. Has anyone ever used an artificial decoy in place of a real crow on the flapper? In most cases where I hunt you do not have a chance to get a “donor” crow very easily.

Island Shooter · Guru

The huge advantage of the flapper setup is that you are using a real (moving) crow, which is way better than any decoy you can buy.

If there is a question about getting an early “volunteer” for the flapper, just keep a nice specimen from your last hunt in the freezer. By the time you get to your blind, he will be properly thawed. Problem solved!

Demi

boba · Guru

In cooler weather conditions just keep one outside where the critters can't get to him. A garage or the trunk of your car or bed of your pickup will work if you have a topper for the bed of your pickup. If you decide to freeze one like Demi suggested I would let him thaw out at least 24 hours before you go hunting.

Old Artilleryman · Guru

I've been using a "crow Magnet" or "Whirly" for a few years now and it seems to work quite well. I wish I could try it on a flyway route, but none of them are in the vicinity (except for Big Honkers's Top Secret, private crow preserves).

Mine is home made with the help of some experts' machining and a bit of welding by another expert. It's modeled after a few I saw several years ago on YouTube with my own mods and ideas from my shooting partner, "Larry the Master Machinist." The motor, like the Brits' example is a 12V auto windshield washer motor. The two decoys are also home made and modeled after another Brit's plan--also found on YouTube. Each decoy rotates at the end of an eight foot, 1/4" steel rod, with nice flapping action. I have a speed control on it and also a remote on/off. It rocks.

Edit: just remembered I had an old video, not the greatest..., of the whirly at a shoot a season or two ago. It also shows one of three versions of the "Buffy Bat flapper."

-- Edited by Old Artilleryman on Thursday 20th of October 2022 12:19:48 PM

Vetman1 · Member

Do you just use the crow magnet and a Buffy bat instead of a flapper decoy? Or do you use all 3 types of decoys?

Vetman1 · Member

Do you just use the crow magnet and a Buffy bat instead of a flapper decoy? Or do you use all 3 types of decoys?

Old Artilleryman · Guru

Regular (AUG-SEP) setup is ground decoys, 1 to 3 Buffy Bats*, the whirly, and the sentinel on top of the hot stick, as shown in the video. During the winter (FEB-MAR) we add silhouettes in the bare tree branches. Total decoy numbers vary. We don't use flappers, as they're way too spensive' and we believe we get the same effect with the Buffys.

*These are modified Halloween toys at about $12 each. Between Larry and me we have 3: one as shown on a vertical rod, one suspended from a monofilament line--it "flies" in a small irregular pattern, and a "bouncer" on the end of an 8' 1/4" steel rod.