small spread mallards

[Don Mintz]

When it comes to decoys, I'm a minimalist. While lots of folks approach decoys with the accuracy by volume idea, I just don't like hauling lots of decoys and the older I get the less decoys I apparently need. Usually I'll only have a pair of mallards and six to ten divers. I had a lot of fun with these poses, I'm calling the hen "the nag" and the drake "hen pecked".

 

[Capt Rich Geminski]

Don, I also hunt with less decoys. I hunt small salt marsh and use 6-8 mallards and blacks. Some times 1-2 geese when they are handy. When I hunt big water with friends will take 10-12 brant also.

 

[Josh Jenson]

That hen is amazing!

 

[Don Mintz]

The painting on this trio is more than I typically do on gunning decoys. The decoy itself is the same as any decoys I make, but painting is not done in the normal production process that I use most of the time. The biggest reason is I made these decoys for myself and always go a little over the top just because it's fun and I'm not concerned about time. Whenever I do carvings for myself they go in what I call my signature series which is "ᎩᎦᎨ ᏲᎾ" or "Red Bear", my Cherokee name. I had no intention of selling these, but then there was this black lab puppy that became available recently that just melted my heart. He's about 11 weeks old now. I gave him to my 9 year old grandson, but will be trained by my son Caleb. My Chessie passed away 6 years ago and my son's lab is getting pretty old. It was time. Meet Hank.