[yellowlab]

hye i have hear that you can just paint some deks a flat black and put them to a side of a spread and they be affected what are your guys thoughs about this ??/

 

[duckplucker]

Never heard that before, but its an interesting idea. IF u got some cheap or old dekes, id say it would be worth a shot, just like on the duck thats stretching your barrel. Post something new if it works! I might have to give it a go.

 

[ks_waterfowler]

They are highly visible, but have no power once the birds get close. Black stands out great, so I would invest in some bluebill dekes and put them off to the side of your spread. THen you may get a shot at some divers too. I have done it and it works great.

 

[Rowdy]

painting decous all black works great but as stated above they lose all their charm when the birds get in close. get yourself a half dozen or so oversized blackduck decoys they will work both at a distance and in close range. also setting up a string of diver decoys off to the side works great also..

 

[Cobra]

Paint them as darker hens. Think most decoys on the market are to bright. Usually repaint new decoys much darker than they come out of the box, they seem to arrive in the colors of spring not fall. Most birds in my area seem to be hens anyway or younger males not in full color yet, in all species so why not. Very easy to do and very effective. My rigs are 70% or more hens. Also mix in a few magnum blacks as stated above once the flights get going. Rarely see one but the flight birds are very comfortable with them being around.

 

[marsh1buster]

Black dekes work great. Down here in south LA. we use Coot decoys, mixed with the normal spread. I know some people that JUST use these types of decoys.

 

[donell67]

in the old days black milk jugs worked.

 

[yellowlab]

humm wonder what a bunch of ducks would do if they saw a bunch of jugs now a days ... wonder if you set them off to the side if they would still work

 

[quackkiller]

I know some guys that use old gas tanks of of grills spray painted black mixed in with their decoys. They hunt on a big lake and I bet they have about 20 of them out there. They kill ducks and geese over em.

 

[hammer]

i know for a fact that black still works. my grand father and dad and all my uncles always hunted over black jugs or any thing else black (ie: blocks of foam or any thing they could tie a sting to.) i still put out black, in big open water it pulls them in. then have regular decoys in close to the blind. when i have old decoys that need paint, they get flat black and retire to the edges. there are still alot of us old ******* boys in tenn. that do this type a thang. check out some of them spreads on reelfoot!!!

 

[buster_22]

ok I have a bunch meaning 12 or so mallards that need paint bad. So i should just go out and buy a can of flat black and paint them? Do I paint everything head, body, everything that entails a decoy? and where do i put them in the spread? :help:

 

[DUKHTR]

buster.....if you do re-paint, make sure to prep the decoys well....it is crucial to making paint adhesion.....scrape with a wire brush, wash w/oap-n-water, wipe down with acetone and then flash with a torch.....plastic primer from rustoleum is excellent....finish paint with ext latex and if detailing acrylics....finally mist lightly with Krylon matte to seal....allow the latex to cure at least a few days! I also do not touch the deke with my bare hands...either use plastic gloves or only handle the keel.

 

[buster_22]

do I re-paint the whole decoy black? for that attraction getter?

 

[forthshot]

im probably to late but, i painted some satin black w/ white bills to simulate a coot and put them off to the side and they worked great. i know some guys that all they do is buy deks and paint them all black and shoot all season long w/ them. if they want to land they will you cant help that. RYAN