Painting decoys. Canada to snow

[Samloffler]

I've collected enough shell decoys that I think I'm going to paint some of the crappier ones. Does anyone have any experience painting decoys into snow geese?

I've got some flat white and black paint sitting around waiting to get used, but I'm wondering of anyone has a line on a stencil or something? Experience, tips, and ideas welcome.

[Fish4Fun]

Think I will follow along and see if anyone has any ideas on making Snows out of Honkers   
I was thinking the same thing about a stencil. Might be able to make one ?

[h2ofowlr]

Made a few swan decoys for confidence decoys recently.  I made some G&H shells into snow goose decoys.  Used bird vision UV decoy paint.  I think the ultra-flat white does just as good.  Clean up the decoys, get any dirt or loose paint off of the. And paint them white.  Paint the beaks the pinkish color.  Picked up a small craft bottle of gloss black acrylic for the eyes and ultra flat black for the tails.  You don’t need a stencil unless your making some juvies.  On my juvies I just did some flat grey and flat black to add some breaks to the backs.  Similar to what you might see in the field.

[h2ofowlr]

I've collected enough shell decoys that I think I'm going to paint some of the crappier ones. Does anyone have any experience painting decoys into snow geese?

I've got some flat white and black paint sitting around waiting to get used, but I'm wondering of anyone has a line on a stencil or something? Experience, tips, and ideas welcome.

About the easies conversion for a decoy is to make a snow goose decoy beside a scooter.  Scooter you could just use unpainted or flat black decoys.  We get into extra detail, but they will decoy into a row black buoys. 

[KP-Skagit]

My dad used to set out kitchen garbage bags with coat hangers as stakes for snow goose decoys. Don't think you can really go wrong. Paint them white. If you want to use black their wing tips fold just above their tail on their back and leave a couple black lines.

[MonstroMuley]

Hand Painted Tail Pattern Pic Examples …

Not necessary for Snows … since don't seem to be as wary as Greater Canadians, or Specs
but if you want to "kick it up a level" DIY Flocking becoming more popular … would do heads (or tails) only and not entire body ...

Using Rust-Oleum "Coral" color for the Snow's pinkish beaks … hard to find in "Flat" and find only in "Gloss" … don't think it matters with Snows.

"How to Flock decoys and …" (skip to 2:00 min mark)

… and H2ofowlr is right on! … Confidence Swan Decoys … "Don't leave home without them!"

The "Flyer Snows" are pretty effective too … maybe 1 or 2 in spread ...
https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Duck-Snow-Goose-Flyer/dp/B07ZB15YDG/ref=sr_1_24?dchild=1&hvadid=77721784142093&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=lucky+duck+goose&psc=1&qid=1572641938&sr=8-24

[Samloffler]

There is a metal stencil available for use on wind socks, but that won't work great on my shells. It looks like most commercial decoys now basocally have a black x across the lower back for their black tips folded. I'll probably just do that with a ragged edge stencil and call it good. I'll throw some pics up when I get around too painting them.

[Blacktail135]

 I used to use white garbage bags (held down by mud clods) and white coveralls as swan decoys setup next to my Canadas back a little bit before the turn of the century. Worked pretty good. Sat on a white bucket (no layout setup and weight). Did some filming with VHS. Good times! 😀