# Offseason Projects?



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Just thought I'd post up a thread for people to talk about offseason projects.

For me, I had a crazy decoy build-up last fall and into the spring and found a balance that works...so lot's of stuff going up for sale. I have to reglue maybe 4 Sillosocks and one Deadly head, that's it. Luckily everything made it through the season without a hitch (except one weekend where I replaced both trailer tires and repaired 2 ATV tires).

BTW, I had my hitch stolen from a hotel this spring in ND. Luckily, there was a spare. Anyone every hear of them getting stolen?


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## averyghg (Oct 16, 2006)

Making many many sillosocks!

TripleB- he specifically told me "I better not see that picture on nodak!" hahaha sorry bud, i couldn't resist!









a little tyvek after 8+ loads in the wash









a few dozen sewed up and ready for bags, paint, and heads









the one on the left is the end product minus beak stickers and paint









and ofcourse can't forget repairing a dozen crappy higdon decoys. Feet broke off all of em so we cut out a hole and inserted motion cones


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

averyghg said:


>


Oh Martha....Never thought you'd make the most of the home-ec classes we took. As long as Mac doesn't walk in on you making dog sweaters on your singer there late at night. :-?


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I took home-ec back in junior and high school b/c that's where the girls were...but now I end up using duct tape for everything. :lol:

I haven't sewn a decoy before, I used to buy the bodies so I give it up to you guys putting everything into your spread.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

Im going to dig into the trailer soon. No clue with where ill even start with that.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Put together a gazillion SS's (well maybe not quite a gazillion, but it sure seems like it after a few days).

Upgrade the last of the deadlies with SS kits.

Add more to the e-caller.


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## hammerhead (Dec 22, 2004)

I want to add about 10 dozen more sillosocks for next year. I also need to add 2 more speakers to my E-Caller. The rest of my decoys should be good to go. I will need to get a new layout blind before next year tho, I will really have trouble with that decision, seams to me they all have that bar that hit you in the small of your back.
People get their hitches stolen all the time. I have a lock on mine. I don't know if they steal them because they need them or if it just a game.


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

We are painting floaters. Just built another 2 speaker ecaller to use as a mur mur box. I have to reglue about 600 sillo socks that got pulled apart in 50+ mile per hour winds in South Dakota. Then working hard so I can buy more toys before the season gets here! Only about 3 1/2 months until Sask!


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## Goose Guy350 (Nov 29, 2004)

I didn't wanna have to think about the tasks at hand for a little bit longer and then I read this thread 

1.) I've got to find a short in one caller. Rewire 3 terminals that got ripped off on another ecaller and then wire in remote shutoffs on three others.

2.) I just rolled over a good portion of my spread so I've got to paint about 1000 and put the orders in on the other stuff.

3.) Put new bars in the blinds that are broken right now.

4.) Figure out a new way to haul my spread in the trailer since I just added shelves.


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

1. Clean the trailer
2. Organize the trailer
3. clean the decoys
4. glue some silo sock stakes in

I am sure I will find more.

Chris.

I have had two of my hitches stolen. Now I lock them.


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## Traxion (Apr 16, 2004)

I was just looking at the pile of gear in the garage last nite. I have not touched the snow hunting gear since my last hunt this spring. I think everything made it through OK, a few stakes to repair but otherwise I should be good.

Going to put more SS together again this year. Not really looking forward to it, got burned out this year. Need to add some deadlies too.

The duck and Canada spread is a whole nother story!


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## brobones (Mar 10, 2004)

> I have had two of my hitches stolen. Now I lock them.


What is wrong with people these days? They steal them just to f someone up in the morning??


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## goose_caller (Jul 5, 2005)

Just pulled my trailer out of storage and opened her up.....still the same way I left it after the last hunt in April, was kind of hoping it would be gone when I got there and the insurance company could buy me a new spread.  ......WHAT A MESS


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## IOWAFOWLER (Nov 30, 2006)

Been building the new DSD shelf system, have one section done. Will continue building the second one this weekend.

Finish that and figuring out which floaters to buy and I'll be set


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

My off season project is saving enough money to fill my truck with gas this fall... :lol:

I hope to get some diver "foamers" carved and a few odds and ends finished on the trailer. Pretty low key this off season.


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## goosehunternd (Mar 10, 2006)

I know I have to rig up some KC lights on the trailer this summer and mount a spare tire holder, If I have any spare cash Im going to start building a snow spread for next spring, nothing to eventful. Anybody ever cut a vent in on the roof of a enclosed?? Proably will do that also.


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## kaiserduckhelm (May 26, 2005)

dblkluk said:


> My off season project is saving enough money to fill my truck with gas this fall... :lol:


Same here. I cringe thinking what its going to cost to go to Sask this fall.


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## brobones (Mar 10, 2004)

Fix a couple of flyers, and a few stakes in my SSocks. Work on my e-caller with some commercial style twist connections for my speakers. Remove my blue decoys from my trailer since SK has not allowed dark decoys in the spread with a e-caller for the fall. Then I am about ready to go. 79 days left till opening day but who is counting :roll:


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## brobones (Mar 10, 2004)

kaiserduckhelm said:


> dblkluk said:
> 
> 
> > My off season project is saving enough money to fill my truck with gas this fall... :lol:
> ...


Gas went up this week it is @ $1.40 a liter or $5.29 a USA gallon or $6.36 a Canadian gallon. YIKES :******: uke:


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## snow123geese (Feb 3, 2008)

1. Clean and repaint a whole bunch of old carry-lite decoys. 
2. Get decent decoys (texas rags suck)


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

bandman said:


> averyghg said:
> 
> 
> >
> ...


you son of a b!tch mac, haha, you're getting a purple nurple when I get back.


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## huntingdude16 (Jul 17, 2007)

I'm hoping to put together at least a small spread this summer. Right now I only have a dozen.....


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## Ima870man (Oct 29, 2003)

I plan on making an e-caller this summer, and I was just wondering if any of you that have tackled this before would mind sharing your info of what you used to get me going down the right side of the tracks. Anything would be great, including what cd's your using. I know there are lots of past threads on this, but I would like to hear how your projects worked this past spring!

Other projects include getting things ready for fall, fishing, taking life easy, and drink a beer or two with avery . Oh, avery how were those brats? I think instead of saving for gas, I am going to invest in a tent and camp out weekends this fall -- as long as it is not -40 that weekend. I just need to figure out how to keep things warm and dry!

I wonder if it would be a good idea to coordinate a waterfowlers weekend sometime in August -- before early season -- here in Bismarck. One could make it as big as we wanted, and maybe we could get some sponserships involved to have calling contests and the like. Just an idea.

Ima870man


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## averyghg (Oct 16, 2006)

Ima870man said:


> Oh, avery how were those brats?
> 
> I wonder if it would be a good idea to coordinate a waterfowlers weekend sometime in August -- before early season -- here in Bismarck


The brats were awesome......we'll have to grill out one of these nights soon before i leave in two weeks.

That waterfowlers weekend sounds like it would be sweet. Might be a little hard to coordinate though


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## Ridge Nelson (Jan 19, 2006)

Goose Guy350 said:


> 1.) I've got to find a short in one caller. Rewire 3 terminals that got ripped off on another ecaller and then wire in remote shutoffs on three others.


Bill Im guessing you ripped these out yourself during spring? ....I still have several pounds of mud on my bootbags from people standing on them :wink:


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## Goose Guy350 (Nov 29, 2004)

Ridge

I didn't pull out any wires, this spring made me pull out my hair though. The wires were someone else's handy work :roll:


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Hey Trip.... I just ripped my pants. Can you fix them?


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

I have never spent so little money during a summer. And I have never worked so hard to save money. I have decided that I won't buy any decoys this year, I'm just hoping for 1800 dollars for gas money and 1200 dollars to cover rent over the fall.

The biggest project is going to be painting the diver spread. We have hundreds of old floaters that we are refurbishing into long-lines for divers.


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## Triple B (Mar 9, 2004)

hunt4P&Y said:


> Hey Trip.... I just ripped my pants. Can you fix them?


haha, send um my way, I might have to tighten um up a little in the groin region for ya too, at least thats what the ladies tell me :wink:


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Yeah that would be good. That way they can just see what they have to deal with instead of always grabbing for the goods. Infact thats how they got ripped, frickin ripped them right off me!


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## possumfoot (Nov 7, 2006)

i need some suggestions for replacement ss stakes.. i lost about 4 dz..


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

> i need some suggestions for replacement ss stakes.. i lost about 4 dz..


http://www.sillosocks.com/

Call Jim and order more.

(and glue them in next time.. :lol: :wink: )


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## possumfoot (Nov 7, 2006)

thanks.. and i started glueing after "THE INCIDENT" but i was to late. the temp had droped and the stakes had froze in the ground.. the we had strait line winds w/ gust to 70. im just glad i had most of my stuff up. if i had not been in a corn feild, i would have lost half my spread...


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

goosebusters said:


> The biggest project is going to be painting the diver spread. We have hundreds of old floaters that we are refurbishing into long-lines for divers.


I think you're going to see a lot of ND boys going this route in the upcoming years.


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## Commando (Jan 13, 2006)

Chris Hustad said:


> goosebusters said:
> 
> 
> > The biggest project is going to be painting the diver spread. We have hundreds of old floaters that we are refurbishing into long-lines for divers.
> ...


Why do you predict that, Chris?


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## brobones (Mar 10, 2004)

Commando said:


> Chris Hustad said:
> 
> 
> > goosebusters said:
> ...


Access to land (field shoots) permission are getting tougher to obtain?


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