Decoy swap? Mallards for goldeneyes?

[Duckslayer89]

I have a bunch of dakotas brand new basically. All rigged up with decoy bags. Some a little more used but still great shape. Looking for a dozen golden eyes or other divers.

[metlhead]

Might be a crime to paint such quality decoys, but black and white enamel makes great diver blocks. Goldeneyes seem the only birds that really care about species, but everything else will roll in to bluebill decoys. Just a thought if you can't find someone to part ways with your Dakotas.

[Duckslayer89]

Might be a crime to paint such quality decoys, but black and white enamel makes great diver blocks. Goldeneyes seem the only birds that really care about species, but everything else will roll in to bluebill decoys. Just a thought if you can't find someone to part ways with your Dakotas.

That’s actually a good idea, I have a bunch of old decoys in the back of my garage I was going to give away. Maybe I’ll try to paint a few up if no one has any really quality divers they want to part with

[boneaddict]

I had them come in all the time to my mallards.   I usually have a pinny, maybe a teal or two. 

[metlhead]

My diver spread is 74 strong. Every one is a mallard or gadwall that needed to retire.

[Duckslayer89]

My diver spread is 74 strong. Every one is a mallard or gadwall that needed to retire.

Damn!!! That’s awesome. Do you have a write up at all about colors or more pics of the process and what paints?

[metlhead]

To be honest, paint day involves a picture off Google, and that is it. A quart each of Rustoleum gloss white and black. Mix the two for shades of grey. Bills and eyes are not really important but make me feel gooder. A bit of my wife's craft paint in the white for those shades. Spray everything with craft clearcoat. These things get abused in my boat and last for years. Divers are the ones that really don't care about how fancy they look. Total utility but you can become intricate on the details if you enjoy iy

[pianoman9701]

Those look great. I have a couple bags of decoys that could use a paint job. I did over some goose silhouettes a few years ago and they look great.