X-flapper...

Honk!

X-flapper...

Postby Rick » Tue Sep 02, 2014 8:32 pm

Anyone have experience with them? http://www.jtrmotiondecoys.com/

Seemed a good way to move flagging out into the field and away from the blind, but the price tag kept me from trying one until a friend sold me his virtually new one at a very steep discount. Being more inclined to minimalist hunting than gadgetry, however, I've only had it out a couple of times and, along with some encouraging signs, have found some serious-to-me shortcomings I've been tweaking. So far, I've substantially extended the remote's range, shortened the wings so it needn't be set up on such a clear, flat piece of ground to extend them, and greatly reduced the wings' tendency to flip over their operating arms in the wind.

If anyone can offer further insight into their use, I'd be grateful.
Rick
 
Posts: 11595
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Deltaman » Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:08 am

Sorry Rick, no insight, but am impressed with the action :thumbsup:
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you know for sure, that just ain't so"
Mark Twain
User avatar
Deltaman
 
Posts: 2383
Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2013 8:55 am
Location: Mobile, AL

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Rick » Wed Sep 03, 2014 3:31 pm

My couple of tests to date suggest that specks like the motion, at least at a distance, but not the winged decoy, itself. First time out was a clear afternoon, and birds would come pretty to the call and flapper, with no other decoys out and the coyote and I well hidden in a hairy levee, but invariably bumped hard 50-60 yards out from the stationary decoy. Second try was a foggy morning right after specks closed with a Charlie and Agnes (two decoy) snow and blue spread by itself and the flapper well away from both they and my "hide" in a well known and poorly concealed pit blind:
Image

Something put up a good flock of nearby specks that came close enough to see and pull to the flapper, off to my right in this video, without the aid of calling:


Felt so exposed with my head out of the blind filming that I was almost afraid to look sideways to the flapper but did in time to realize my continuing use of it had apparently bumped a mess of low (and landing?) birds I was unaware of off it and over me, which was all I caught on video. And that's been the sum total of my field experience with the X-flapper. Hence my curiosity over how others have best used or been frustrated by it.

Looks, however, like I'm on my own to piece the puzzle together - or check the "now I know" box.
Rick
 
Posts: 11595
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Flightstopper » Wed Sep 03, 2014 3:46 pm

I no nothing about the decoy but thanks for the video. I need some specks!
AKPirate wrote:Jason is usually right but sometimes wrong
User avatar
Flightstopper
WFF Forum Moderator
 
Posts: 9754
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:46 pm
Location: Pflugerville, Tx

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Rick » Wed Sep 03, 2014 3:56 pm

You oughts to hear the new toneboard I fashioned for my hedge Riceland. Sounds so flippin' real I want to post roast myself.

(But have a fat speck thawing on the counter, instead.)
Rick
 
Posts: 11595
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Flightstopper » Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:18 pm

I want one just to sit around the house, close my eyes and pretend I'm in a speck blind. Take it you didn't booger it all to heck with the dremel?
AKPirate wrote:Jason is usually right but sometimes wrong
User avatar
Flightstopper
WFF Forum Moderator
 
Posts: 9754
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:46 pm
Location: Pflugerville, Tx

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Rick » Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:36 pm

Made three attempts and only butchered one, though I may yet take the one in my micarta Riceland over the line. It's LOUD and COARSE and very different than the sweet one, and I'm hoping to have sense enough to leave it as is until I've seen the speck's opinion of it as is. But next time I take a fit to sand, I'm going to try for sweet again, then see how loud I can get that.
Rick
 
Posts: 11595
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Flightstopper » Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:43 pm

When you feel like sanding it just go grind the mudhole instead. Will then have it opened and too tired to jack with a call.
AKPirate wrote:Jason is usually right but sometimes wrong
User avatar
Flightstopper
WFF Forum Moderator
 
Posts: 9754
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:46 pm
Location: Pflugerville, Tx

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Rick » Wed Sep 03, 2014 8:11 pm

They're fishing the gators in that marsh right now, and that's a boat I don't want to rock. Rather have the big ones thinned than a clean pond at this point.
Rick
 
Posts: 11595
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Rick » Thu Sep 04, 2014 11:25 am

Couldn't stand having that last unaltered toneboard just sitting in a drawer, went to work on it this morning and got lucky. Don't have it quite as sweet sounding, at least not in the micarta call, as the one in the hedge, but it's just about as nimble top to bottom and a whole lot louder. Not going to chuck the coarser one I had in there until I run it by the birds, but the envie to have just such a call is now one less distraction to teal preparations - replaced, of course, by the envie to pass my "new" calls by the specks and see what they think. I think "That's they ass." But I've been wrong a time or two before...

Gonna go salve my sorrow by cooking one low and slow for tonight.
Rick
 
Posts: 11595
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Flightstopper » Thu Sep 04, 2014 11:34 am

You need some teal birds before you butcher them all!
AKPirate wrote:Jason is usually right but sometimes wrong
User avatar
Flightstopper
WFF Forum Moderator
 
Posts: 9754
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:46 pm
Location: Pflugerville, Tx

Re: X-flapper...

Postby Rick » Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:54 pm

I'd be surprised if getting that one to match the other "just so" one doesn't hold me - at least until the real deal passes judgement.

But I do need me some teals.
Rick
 
Posts: 11595
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2013 8:38 pm


Return to Goose Hunting Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 51 guests