If you're a hunter who relies on realistic duck decoys to help attract ducks into your shooting range, it's essential to keep a good coat of paint on them. After placing them out on a pond or wetland for multiple seasons, some of the colors will inevitably begin to wear off.
Painting a Duck Decoy
It probably won't happen immediately, but several years of heavy use will cause the original paint to slowly chip off, leaving you with an unrealistic decoy that isn't as effective as it once was. Thankfully, however, you can give your decoys the life and realism they once had by repainting them with a fresh coat.
Should I Repaint My Duck Decoys?
First and foremost, you need to ask yourself whether or not repainting your duck decoys is worth it. While it may give your decoys a fresh new look, it can also lower their overall value and selling price. Unfortunately, many people decide to repaint their decoys without thinking about the consequences.
Ultimately, this is a personal decision that's entirely up to you. With that said, a general rule of thumb to follow is to repaint any duck decoys that you currently use when hunting but don't repaint any vintage decoys
in your collection.
Paintbrush
It's all too common for owners to repaint their vintage duck decoys without realizing that doing so lowers their value. Even if the paint is wearing off on your old decoys, it's still a better option to keep what's left of the original coat intact and avoid repainting it. Once you start making your modifications, whether it's repainting or adding new
eyes, the decoy is no longer considered in its original state. As a result, most collectors will only be willing to pay a fraction of the price it was once worth. Depending on the actual value of your decoy, repainting it could be a mistake that costs you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
There are instances where repainting your duck decoys can prove beneficial, such as those used strictly for hunting. If you have essential decoys that don't hold any real value, then repainting can give it a more realistic appearance, resulting in a better chance of success when hunting. As the original paint begins to chip and wear off of your decoys, ducks flying overhead may take notice of this and choose to fly by instead of landing. Repainting them, however, will make them look realistic once again and increase the chances of your success.
Steps For Repainting a Duck Decoy
Once you've decided to repaint one or more of your duck decoys, you'll need to pick up a few basic supplies. Thankfully, most or all of this stuff can be purchased from your local home improvement store, so there's no need to make multiple trips to different places. The next time you're at the home improvement store, pick up medium-grit sandpaper and a couple of cans of premium, waterproof spray paint in different colors. Hopefully, you can see what colors were initially used on your decoy, and then you can choose similar spray paint colors. In addition, it's also recommended that you get some small paintbrushes along with some regular wood paint to add various features and details.
Painted Duck Decoy
Here are the steps necessary to repaint a duck decoy:
Start by creating a suitable area, preferably outside, where there's plenty of ventilation. Layout some newspaper or old cardboard on the ground to protect your deck/yard from excess paint.
Thoroughly wash your duck decoy with a solution of warm water and mild dish soap to loosen up the remaining paint. Some people may paint over the original coat, but this doesn't work as well since the paint may chip off.
After washing your decoy and giving it time to dry, take medium-grit sandpaper and rub off the rest of the original paint. It should quickly come off as long as you soaked it earlier. If it's stubborn, just put some elbow grease into it and press down as hard as you can. Alternatively, a wire scrub brush, such as those used to clean grills, can also work to remove the paint off a duck decoy.
Now that you're working with a clean palette, you can work on giving it a quality coat of paint. Lay your duck decoy out on some newspaper and make quick, concise strokes using the spray paint. Continue doing this until you've covered every square inch of the decoy. Try not to let the spray paint stay in one spot for too long since it will create blobs of color.
Allow your decoy several hours to dry in the sun before attempting to touch it. Once it's done, go back over your ddecoys
ith a paintbrush to add any individual details and features. You can also use a traditional sharpie pen instead of a paintbrush for black features.
It may seem like a lot of work to repaint a single duck decoy, but it's well worth it in the end. As long as you took your time and used a premium paint brand, it should result in a realistic duck decoy that could even be passed off as new.