Montana Decoy Legs

[goathunter]

Anyone have a good replacement for the heavy legs that come with a Montana decoy? I was thinking 2 uncut arrows but I don't know if they are long enough.

 

[goodgrouper]

I quit using the legs and just put a pice of shock cord through it around the metal hoop and hang it on brush or a tree. I remember a while back on here there was someone talking about an outfit that made custom carbon tent poles that they were going to order.

 

[NWHunter]

I just bought a small hand clamp from the hardware store and ditched the legs. Now I just clamp it to a tree limb or whatever brush is around. It works great and is way easier to pack around.

 

[goathunter]

Yeah I have paracord saftey pinned to mine, but it would be nice to not have to find a tree

 

[MAT]

A binder clip and some para cord works well. I made poles out of CF arrows but I never use them, just hang in the nearest tree.

 

[Fixitman]

We used MSR trekking poles with the baskets removed worked real well on the eichler decoy. My leike or black diamonds would not work for the clamps are to big but the msr has detent buttons

 

[Jay03]

I have the eichler elk decoy and last year tried the "hook it to trees" method and did not take the legs with me at all on last years backpack hunt. Well it worked sometimes but was not always ideal. I really wanted to be able to just stick it in the ground wherever.

I have lots of broken or robin hooded arrows laying around so I did this, cut them into 12" or so sections and found the right size aluminum arrow at a local shop that slides over the carbon just right. Cut 3" sleeves out of the aluminum arrow, glued them on the end of each section of carbon shaft and got some shock cord and made a front and rear leg for my decoy. I used the plastic hooks from the metal legs and made sure the bottom of each leg had a section with a insert in it still so I could screw in field point to stick in the ground when assembled.

Total weight... less than 4 ounces for front and rear leg. They fold up to less than a foot. And this year my decoy was in my day pack and set up more often.

I had a decent 6x5 held up at 60-70 yards in the timber looking my way after some calling one morning but would not come in close, after attemping to circle down wind the bull came in view of the decoy through the timber behind me and turned and trotted straight in to 15 yards!!! problem was that the whole time I had my bow pulled back he was headed slightly quartering towards me. When he got into the creek bed at 15 yards he noticed me and turned and busted like a lightning bolt. Went back out to about 45 yards or so and stood broadside but was behind to many trees and bushes for a shot. The decoy helped great but in that particular scenario it also worked against me. I didnt want to take a walking straight on shot. So that one got away. I called in several more that trip including a very big 6x6 that came to 20 yards but busted after I drew my bow when his head was behind some saplings(thought I was in the clear to draw, guess not). I ended up taking a small rag horn at the end of the hunt. I can dig out the legs I made and take a photo if you would like, pretty simple set up. Not a robust as the stock steel ones but held up good for me.

 

[camelcluch]

Hss anyone tried a tent pole section? I thought that it may be a better option over the heavy poles they come with.

 

[go4thegusto]

I built rods for the Miss Spetember using Easton 2312 arrows. Still was able to use the shock cords and joining pieces. Cut a lot of weight. Mine is actually listed on ebay right now. Might be worth grabbing it and selling yours.

 

[danarnold]

I carried mine a lot of miles wishing there was a lighter option, I'm gonna try the 4oz arrow mod, good idea!