# Cost of making your own North Wind decoys?



## Chris Benson (Apr 3, 2004)

Hi,

For those that make your own Northwind decoys, what is the appox cost of making them? Supplies and everything incluided. I was wondering how much of a savings it would be to make your own, as aspposed to buying the North Wind brand from Cabelas for $40 a dozen.

Thanks,

Chris


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

$2.00-$3.25 depending on the stake and of course, the great price of steel

Making my own was the right decision last winter, indestructable.


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## mallardhunter (May 15, 2004)

That isn't too bad when you consider that Knutson's Windsock decoys are about $2 each and those are cheaper, but you won't be using all of your time up either.


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## goosehunter21 (May 18, 2004)

We made about a hundered of them this summer and it costed about 28 a dozen with gromets and steel stakes, plus whatever the paint costed to paint them. It also took alot of time. Now we just baught the economy snows for $22 a dozen after a price match at gander mountain, but it will also cost a few bucks to grommet them this winter, but we did get heads with them and they were even painted. So if you can get a deal like that you can't go wrong.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

But if you ad heads-they are alot more as heads average $4 if new for traditional feeder/resting. I have gotten lucky and gotten a bunch of them for $1.50 each (Ca and Greenheads) which I repainted. I'll be buying so new style heads too and retail the way it looks. NW heads go $2 a piece and if custom painted $1.50 to $2 ea. If they are a taped seam and little more for NWs, VS the old cold open seam which are cheap in cost-but break easier. 
I run 25% with heads. But only 1 in 5 of the headed ones have a high head like the NW has, the rest are traditional feeders(not NWs) and resting.
My bodies are all custom painted, Snows, Juvi snows, Adult Blues and juvi Blues with variables of each as to feather highlighting. It takes a lot more time than you think to build them. I buy my bodies with the grommets attached already for the 6016 Alum stakes that I use.
It runs me closer to $4 to $5 a pieace all said and done, but they are top of the line in looks and durability too for many years of use. I buy my socks already grometted. I do the painting of the bodies, heads and stakes and assemble them. I used to sew bodies 15 years ago, it takes alot of time. The big problem is juvi(grey) and Blue Bodies to find the material, otherwise a lot of paint needs to be applied for the Blues. That is why I buy them premade.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Who do you buy them from????


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