I've seen alot of guys make stuffer goose decoys using goose skins. I have some older duck decoys that need paint, and I also have a few mallards and stuff in the freezer from last season. I was going to skin the birds and stretch them over the decoys. I am wondering what the effect of getting the skins wet will be. Just curious if anyone thinks this will be worth my time. Thanks.
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not worth the time. Joe
Thats kind of what I thought.
Yes, I am afraid they would rot if used on water, although if you just wanted to use them for feild decoys you could skin, flesh and dry-preserve them with borax and if you kept them dry they may last a season or two if you were lucky. On the other hand, since you have some left over ducks that you don't need you could gift them to me so I could mount them for my showroom. :-)
Greg if you arent going to use those ducks would it be possible for you to gift me a couple. I am just starting out and would like to practice on a few before I sink alot of money into it.
Thanks
I know a guy who has had his stuffer decoys for over 10 years! He uses them in the field, and puts them away after each hunt. I cleaned them up for him, so I am a witness--it is not a lie, lol! I guess if you keep them dry during the hunt, and put them away in a safe place, your decoys can last for years and years. He told me that the ducks like stuffer decoys better than plastic fake decoys (I guess they're more believable!)
If you use them for field dekes, they'll last for years if you baby them like you would Hardcore goose decoys. Here's a tip to save on carrying time. Mount 2 or 3 or more to a 1" x 6" board. Most guys leave the feathers au natural after mounting them. I'm going to spray a bird that's been mounted with matte finish Krylon and see if it doesn't glue the feathers together somewhat. Figure it would help shed moisture if it sprinkes or there's a light snow. I also think it would help to keep the feathers in place if the wind blows.
Thanks for everyones responses. I think I may give it a try. I have not yet seen anyone use stuffer duck decoys but I guess there is only one way to find out. I guess even if they last for a season or two it'll be worth a little effort, plus I just like working with birds and that way I'll have something to do in the off season. If I keep them fairly dry and hit them with the borax real good I suppose they may keep. To DDG and Brad, hold on to my Email address and give me a yell during the season. I live in Connecticut on the shoreline and there are sea ducks galore. I would be happy to gift a few to you guys. Thanks again everyone and I'll let you know how it turns out.
Hey if you do have a couple of sea ducks left over I was wondering if you would gift them with me also. I had already mounted one of everything I can get my hands on. I am just getting started in the professionals so I was wanting a awsome bird to mount for the shows. But if you need a bird from the south just email me and I might find you some you can have. Just email me about the birds if you could.