paint for duck decoys

[TJ91]

i have been given a few very well used duck decoys, want to tart them up abit and add them to my pattern

 

any ideas where to get paint and what type to use.

 

looking to paintsome as mallard(hen) and a couple wigeon(drake)

[kent]

try deycoy paints from Cabalas OR masonary paint and some PVA added Buy white and use tints to achieve colours

[stirky]

For the wigeon hens, just leave them brown, it wont matter all that much, if the ducks are interested they will come for a look.

 

As for the wigeon drakes, just get a tin of matt black car spray paint and a tin of grey primer.

 

Have a look at a print or photo of a drake wigeon, you will see where to spray the black and where to spray the grey.

[anser2]

Model kit paint in matt works ok for a season or two or you can get the propper stuff cabalas as kent suggests. However you must ensure that the decoy surface is very clean and all trace of mud removed , which with some decoy types ( onces with feather patten enbossed on them ) its not as easy as it apears.

 

The simplest answer I have found is to paint all my old decoys up as hens ( shades of Earth Brown in Matt ) and next time you buy any decoys just get drakes. I think that female decoys work better than drakes. A few seasons ago I winged a wigeon into a big fast flowing creek. I walked 100 yards down the creek to help get the dog onto the bird and when I looked back at my wigeon\pintail decoys you could hardly see the drake decoys against the water , while the dark female decoys stood out well.

 

Just think about the main colour of drake decoys - grey - the same colour as a punter paints his punt and gun. They paint them that colour so the punt merges with the water so its makes sence that grey decoys also merge too. I suspect bright coloured drake decoys are more attractive to wildfowlers than wildfowl.

Edited June 3, 2012 by anser2

[kent]

Model kit paint in matt works ok for a season or two or you can get the propper stuff cabalas as kent suggests. However you must ensure that the decoy surface is very clean and all trace of mud removed , which with some decoy types ( onces with feather patten enbossed on them ) its not as easy as it apears.

 

The simplest answer I have found is to paint all my old decoys up as hens ( shades of Earth Brown in Matt ) and next time you buy any decoys just get drakes. I think that female decoys work better than drakes. A few seasons ago I winged a wigeon into a big fast flowing creek. I walked 100 yards down the creek to help get the dog onto the bird and when I looked back at my wigeon\pintail decoys you could hardly see the drake decoys against the water , while the dark female decoys stood out well.

 

Just think about the main colour of drake decoys - grey - the same colour as a punter paints his punt and gun. They paint them that colour so the punt merges with the water so its makes sence that grey decoys also merge too. I suspect bright coloured drake decoys are more attractive to wildfowlers than wildfowl.

 

I have also been told the oposite on colours and know a few who use drakes only. I have shot over all black decoys and downright sychodelic ones so the jury is definatly out on that one

[anser2]

All I will say Kent is next time you have your wigeon drake and duck decoys out walk 100 yards down wind of them ( the direction landing duck will take comming in ) and see if its the drake or duck decoys that stand out the most.

 

There is also a couple of factors that might have some influence here. At the start of the season the drakes will be in their summer plumage and any in full colour will look unatural and at the end of the season I have often had single drakes drop in to a mainly female decoy pattern. Most of us guys will show more interest in a group of females ( humans that is , decoys are a bit hard and lumpy to take to bed ) than a group of even mixed sexes or males. So why would any drake duck be different.

 

Though in all honesty I usualy have a mix of decoys both sexes and sometimes several species , but always with far more females these days.

[kent]

All I will say Kent is next time you have your wigeon drake and duck decoys out walk 100 yards down wind of them ( the direction landing duck will take comming in ) and see if its the drake or duck decoys that stand out the most.

 

There is also a couple of factors that might have some influence here. At the start of the season the drakes will be in their summer plumage and any in full colour will look unatural and at the end of the season I have often had single drakes drop in to a mainly female decoy pattern. Most of us guys will show more interest in a group of females ( humans that is , decoys are a bit hard and lumpy to take to bed ) than a group of even mixed sexes or males. So why would any drake duck be different.

 

Though in all honesty I usualy have a mix of decoys both sexes and sometimes several species , but always with far more females these days.

 

Oh, i do take your point but duck have different eyes than us and also see them from high up above. One has to change with the time of year, though what sex must come down to whats flying overhead at the time and again time of year. Having shot with people with very contrasting views with equal sucess i recon only one thing (if it aint working, something might need changing). Early season i only use very muddy / worn drakes if not an all duck spread similar to you though as you dont see bright drakes much in sept.