I once watched a video where they said "if you have more dollars than decoys...you ain't no duck hunter". While this was a joke, anyone who duck hunts knows how much money waterfowlers sink into their gear. From the guns, ammo, dogs, boats, blinds, calls *takes breath* camo, waders, decoys.... need I go on? It's a lot. Duck hunting has always been a gear driven pursuit and decoys, well, they are a huge part of it. The number of decoys available right now are at an all-time high. There's no shortage of companies and styles to choose from; most of them look incredibly realistic. Well, they look fantastic out of the box anyway. They fade, scratch, chip, and get shot over time. Your perfectly life-like bluebills end up getting pretty messed up after two or three hard seasons of hunting. In this article I'm going to teach you how to extend the life of your decoys.
To the new duck hunter decoys aren't cheap. You're looking at 50-120 dollars per half dozen for ducks. Goose decoys are even more. When you consider how many decoys you might need you can see how it gets expensive quick. In this article Higdon Foam Filled Standard Bluebills will be the example. There are four areas we need to consider: pre-purchase, out of the box, during the season, and post season. I'll explain them in this order.
What do I mean by pre-purchase? This is everything you should consider before spending your money. That includes the obvious questions, like what kind of decoys are you buying, as well as the things you may overlook. For example, does the company have a good reputation? Do they stand by their products, and do they hunt over them? Aside from how they look out of the box, what is the track record for the paint and materials? Are they known to have bad paint, leaks, or other well-known issues?
You also need to decide if you want foam filled or not. My recommendation is there's no need for foam filled for puddle ducks, however, for divers it's a must! The price for foam filled is about 10 percent more than standard decoys. (As of 16 Feb 2021) Higdon Standard Bluebills are $44.99 and foam filled are $49.99. Not a huge difference but it does add up. The reason you want foam filled for divers is when you shoot them, and you will, you don't end up sinking them. They will continue to float and don't shatter. If you shoot a few decoys per year this can really add up quickly. You may have to buy new decoys yearly, which will get expensive. Invest in the foam filled to save money in the long run.
You might be thinking "Why out of the box?" The decoys out of the box are brand new and ready to go. There is a simple trick to help protect your decoys during the upcoming season. All it takes is some Krylon Matte Finish 1311. This is a spray coat that will act as a barrier between the elements and physical damage to the paint. It's pretty inexpensive and a can goes far. My recommendation is to apply two coats to your decoys. It will not affect the way the decoys look or cause any additional sheen. Simply spray two coats on and know your decoys paint will be better off. A quick disclaimer the spray is not magic. The paint can still get scratched or damaged, but it is still absolutely worth the effort.
On to the next phase: during the season. There are a few things to do during the season. Firstly, think about how you will be transporting all of those decoys. Most of the time I just throw mine in a bag and call it good enough. Doing this will cause them to bang against each other and degrade the integrity of the paint. If you're really concerned about it, use slotted bags. They are not cheap but they will preserve your decoys. Next preventive measure is to bring your decoys in at night. Do not store them in the back of the truck or in the boat until the next hunt. The elements will damage the paint. The biggest enemy is sunlight. If you leave them exposed to sunlight for long periods of time the paint will fade. The third thing to focus on is keeping them clean. If your decoys get muddy, wash them! When the mud dries on your decoys, it will cake, and when gritty decoys rub against each other, it's no different than rubbing them with sand paper. So do your best to keep them clean, even if its just a quick blast from the hose post-hunt. Buy a dish scrub brush and write DECOYS on it. They are made to not scratch up dinnerware, so they should be gentle enough for your painted decoys, but in general you want a softer brush with flexible bristles. Avoid using the one your wife actually cleans your dishes with, unless you are ready to quit hunting altogether.
After a few hunts, months, or seasons your decoys may end up looking like this or worse.
In the above photo you should notice there is considerable paint chipping on the bill, tail, and head. This exposes a grey plastic. The breast feathers have minor speckling. The overall color of the white and black have faded as well. The decoy is still useable, but it's looks are diminishing. Let’s take a look from some other angles.
The paint on the tail isn't holding up well. Nor is the paint on the head.
You may have noticed a pattern. The majority of the paint damage is on the areas that protrude. The tail, head, and bill end up in contact with other decoys quite frequently. So, what can you do about this? Well, there are three things. Keep hunting them the way they are until they are unusable, buy new decoys, or use paint to touch them up. Let me be clear you are not repainting them. All you're going to do is touch them up.
All you need are some acrylic paints and a few cheap brushes. Black, white, blue, and green paints are all you need (for blue bills). You probably won’t find the exact blue or green at the store. That's ok just blend black or white into them as needed until you get a shade that is close enough. Before you start painting them make sure they are clean and dry. Get that non-abrasive scrub brush out and some mild soap. Run the decoys under hot water. Wash them off and dry them. Make sure they are completely dry before painting. Touch up the spots where paint is missing. If the white or black is faded touch that up as well. Let the paint dry and they will look almost brand new again. The next picture is a repaint.
You'll notice the wear and tear is gone. The white on the sides pops out more. Which will make it more visible to birds. If you were to pick it up without knowing you would probably assume it was a new decoy. It doesn't take long and your decoys will look good again. Now there is one more step. Just like when you took them out of the box; spray them with Krylon Matte Finish 1311. Give it two coats and store them for next season.
Hopefully this helps you restore your old decoys to their former glory and extend their life. We want to get the most use out of them as possible. Thanks for reading. Have a great day, be safe, and be versatile.
Orion
The Versatile Hunter
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