# Tred Barta Stuffed Goose Decoys



## Macker (Apr 27, 2004)

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I came home from school for the weekend and watched the OLN channel where Tred Barta is hunting geese with a longbow and fluflu arrows? Well they make their goose decoys by skinning the body out and then dumping a 4lb box of borax into the skin or somthing like that. Does anybody know a good site where it explains the process of doing this or have comments on the issue. I thought it was very neat and something I can start to do in the offseason besides ice fish. Thanks alot for any help people have.*


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## go_fish (Aug 1, 2005)

I saw that too on OLN last night. Think that is legal??? You can't use live birds but the remains or skins? Guess it is not different that laying you dead birds in the spread. Pretty neat idea though really. Check out Van ***** or Wasco for the Taxidermy supplies (bodies). Or carve some outta foam blocks. Taxidermy supplies also sell a dry tan powder that would work along with the borax to preserve the skins and keep the bugs out of the hides. I dabbled with taxidermy and the dry tan will do a good job of preserving the bird skin, I don't know how it would hold up to the weater but, who cares... just skin another goose. Borax has been used in taxidermy years so, I am not suprised he used that. It dries like a salt would and is readily available.


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## CaptBB (Nov 1, 2005)

Hey I saw the same show last night , I thought those decoys where awsome.
Looks like a great idea, but I dont hunt geese that much. About two or three years ago I saw an article in Outdoor life or Field and stream about the same thing, I think its the same guys.
Good luck if your gonna try it.


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## Bang-n-Fish (Mar 11, 2002)

I have stuffed 20 that I got in the early season,takes about 2 hours to skin,1 hour to mount,I used exselcer,its like stringy wood for the bodys,pillow foam for the neck,heavy gadge steel coil for the legs and neck.I am only doing early birds do to the fat that builds up from then till now,did 6 in one day,I have 18 left to do befor next year.I want all 38 done befor the start of the reg, seanson next year.I will try to get another 30-40 next early season.


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## SafetyMan (Apr 13, 2001)

Stuffers are legal.

Guys used to use them years and years ago.

They quit using them because it ain't worth it.

They don't last very long, they're hard to take care of, weather is hell on them. hard to store, hard to set, hard to retrieve.... don't rub them together.

Enjoy!


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## hunting man (Mar 2, 2005)

Plastic is too cheap and the birds are not that smart yet. 

They use them in out East along Chesapeake Bay. Only good for the fair weather days. Never get hunted in the rain or snow. Just the dew getting on them in the mornings can cause concern.


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## Macker (Apr 27, 2004)

Wow Bang-n-Fish that is great to have those stuffers, Must be a hell of a feeling to calling in geese to the decoys you have shot and made. thanks alot for the tips. I know weather would be hell on them, But it still would be cool to shoot birds over your own deocys.


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## Bang-n-Fish (Mar 11, 2002)

Thanks ,I will agree that they are weather permitting deeks,I made handels out the back that is part of the main deek itself,way over kill with deeks as good as they look these days,but what a feeling to have clients tripping on how cool your deeks are,and the geese do land around them moer than any other deeks,lots fo testing done whit them,close,far,behind us,far outside,ect..,and they always land by the stuffers :yikes:


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