How to Make a Duck Decoy Cam

Take a large lump of modeling clay, equal to the mass you want your duck decoy to be. Warm the clay in your hands and study the reference picture carefully. When the clay is warm and flexible, draw the back end of the lump out into a tapered tail. Begin drawing the front of the lump out into a head connected to the body by a thin neck approximately 1.5 inches long. Draw out the front of the head into a beak.

Smooth the body of the duck in your hands. Flatten its stomach into a smooth plane. This is where the decoy will float on water. Flatten a portion of its back also as this is where the camera will go. When you are happy with the clay model, use the sharp knife to cut it perfectly in half. Cut down the middle, between the eyes of the model to create two mirror image halves of the duck.

Place the halves of the model flat edge down in separate, shallow plastic trays. Sprinkle liberally with talcum powder. Open the packet of plaster and mix it with water in a large bowl, following the instructions on the packet. Once mixed, pour the plaster into the plastic tray until the halves of the model are fully covered. Allow to set.

Remove the plaster block from the plastic tray. Use a blunt knife to remove the clay model from the plaster block. The talcum powder will make this easier. Be careful not to damage the plaster mold.

Open the packet of liquid rubber and follow the directions on the packet. Mix it to a thick consistency in a large bowl. Place one of the plaster molds depression-side-up in a large plastic tray and cover it with a thick layer of liquid rubber. Do not fill the depression, simply cover its surface with the liquid rubber so that when the two halves come together there is a cavity in the middle. Repeat this to create two thick rubber shells.

Use the craft knife to cut around the edge of the rubber shells to release them. Place a handful of sand in the bottom of one of the shells; this acts as a counterbalance to the weight of the camera on the duck's back and will keep the decoy upright when it is floated. Push the two halves together and use a G-clamp to hold them in place while you rub a sanding block on the join to smooth it. Then, use bathroom tub sealant to seal the gap between the two halves of the decoy and the structure is complete.

Study your reference picture and use solvent-based paints to decorate the decoy to match the duck you want to attract. Solvent-based paints will be water- and weather-resistant. Attach the waterproof camera to the back of the duck, using water resistant glue to secure it in place.