Decoy protection

[Cobra]

Found that the best way to protect the paint is to not stuff the decoy bags bursting full and handle them with respect and care. Believe 95% of the damage comes from this. Learned from an old time market hunter nearly 30 years ago to paint your decoys much darker, what a difference it has made. Most decoys on the market are painted in spring breeding plumage, prettier and made to have you buy them since that's what every photo of the species shows. I re-paint even a new bunch of decoys as they come out of the box. Herters paint from Cabela's is a good starting point, then I mix from there, darker much darker. Paint around 65% of them as hens, 10% as full dark drakes with the remainder somewhere in between changing back from the molt. That's roughly what the birds fly around here look like during the season, so I imitate it.