# wanting to build a dove tree, need yalls input



## mcallum3 (Aug 23, 2008)

I have been putting a lot of thought into building something to get more visability out of my dove decoys. I have come up with a idea that some of my "non-hunting" workmates don't think too highly of (one of them actually suggested using an fake christmas tree) anyhow, I do custom metal work for a living and thats the reason for this idea, Ya'll tell me if it will work, I would hate to spend the time and money to build this thing only to find out that it WAS a stupid idea. I wanted to take a pc. of 1" aluminum tubing 20ft. long and cut it into 4pcs. w/ ea pc being 5' in length. It would have some sort of collar welded to one end so that when you get in the field you could put it back together (20ft). I would have a pc. of tubing slightly larger that I would drive into the ground to set your 20ft pc. into. I would cut 5 or 6 or 7 pcs.(I would decide the exact amount when I start building it) of tubing about 1" long and these would be welded (straight up and down) to the top 2 sections of the pole, I might even drill and tap these for set screws. For the last pc of the tree I would take several psc. of 1/4" alum rod of different lengths and bend a 90 degree bend about 1" from one end. This would be the branches. To assemble you would take the very top 5ft. section and drop your "branches" into the 1" pcs. of tube, arrange them how you want, them clip your decoys onto them then raise it up high enough to set onto the next 5ft. section, then do the same with your branches and decoys then raise it up to set it onto the next section... so at this point it would be 15ft tall. You could stop there or go one more for the full 20ft. Of course this whole contraption would be painted up with camo type colors. Now, What I am wondering is would the dove see this as being a completely unnatural tree and high tail it, or would they be more apt to see the decoys and come in? Also, I would take some clear fishing line with me in case it proved to be wobbly. That way I could tie it down. In my head I kind of think it would only take a few mins to set up because it's so simply made. If I had to tie it down that would probably take more time that anything. So there it is... what are y'all's thoughts?


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## Hooked On Quack (Aug 23, 2008)

Save yourself alot of time...........go by a mojo dove decoy, best thing since sliced bread.  I promise you THEY WORK!!


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## SGADawg (Aug 23, 2008)

I think the doves will accept it as a dead tree, so that part I don't see as a problem.  I think the biggest difficulty will be keeping it upright if the wind is blowing at all.

I know of a field where the owner strung some cable between 2 poles to simulate a power line.  The dove routinely land on it.


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## Big Country (Aug 23, 2008)

I think it would work great, you may have to  tie it down but I dont think it would have to be that tall. I would build it and try it at 10 maybe 15  put a dozen deks on it and a mojo dove beside it and you should have an awesome setup. I would by one.


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## mcallum3 (Aug 23, 2008)

Hooked On Quack said:


> Save yourself alot of time...........go by a mojo dove decoy, best thing since sliced bread.  I promise you THEY WORK!!



This year I actually bought 2 mojo's and I was planning to put them under the tree. I have 20 clip-on's ,2 mojo's and one of the air spun decoys. I was thinking about 6 or 7 clip- on's and the air decoy in the tree then the rest of the clip on's on the ground with the mojo's.


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## rip18 (Aug 23, 2008)

There was a fellow selling something similar on eBay for a while - just went & looked and nothing like that is there anymore.

Ought to work fine, but sounds like a lot of trouble - and I'd guess that 12 or 15 feet would be fine.


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## Nitro (Aug 23, 2008)

I bet that it would work well.


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## rhbama3 (Aug 23, 2008)

How about an old T.V. Antenna? they are tall, light, and have lots of perch room.


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## little rascal (Aug 23, 2008)

*Save your time*

and trouble and get a mojo and after they get used to it, just gotta be where they wanna be!! I have used the portable powerline, portable power pole, even had pigeon decoys to go with it, and it worked somewhat, but to be on the "X" is better!! One thing I have seen that worked well, someone once, used a fish rod and slung some decoys up over an existing powerline, and even though they might have even hung upside down, etc., it worked great. Maybe the doves were coming to the line anyway?
Ground decoys with a mojo work pretty well, just have too many low shots for opening day though.


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## General Lee (Aug 23, 2008)

I'm sure that a "fake tree"would work on a field that you had access to year after year,where the birds could get accustomed to it and make landing in it for a little while part of their normal routine.I am skeptical about using a "portable"one though where you just put it out while shooting doves.I'm with Quack,a $39 Mojo is what you need.........


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## doublebarrel (Aug 23, 2008)

I bought an air dove decoy and it takes about a thirty mph wind to turn the heavy plastic wings on it! Do not see how it can work too good here, Maybe in windy Texas!


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## LongBeards (Aug 23, 2008)

Built 3 of them last year. The one that worked the best was made out of conduit and was 20' tall. We had a pretty good wind but it stayed up fine. Had 6 clip ons on the limbs and 1 of the air decoys on top. The birds definitely did not turn from the decoys but did not land on the tree. They flew over the decoys but headed into the field. The best luck that I have had with dove decoys was tying a decoy on the end of a fishing pole and throwing them over a power line. High birds passing over just dropped out of the sky to get to the decoys. I was the only one on the field and the birds came straight to me. It was unreal.


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## emtguy (Aug 24, 2008)

Wont work.

If a feild has doves in it they have been coming there regular for atleast 2 weeks and they have their own " flyways " and resting spots on certain trees.
A decoy tree set up the day of the hunt is useless...if you set it up 2 weeks prior i would think it would work. Alot of my buddys have put fake power lines thru their feilds and leave em year round and that does work awesome.

MOJOS are ok and do work sometimes and other times they flair the birds...My hunting buddys and I tend to think they work best with migratory birds for some reason and a sunny day makes them seem to attract more birds.
Never have had much luck with them on morning shoots.


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