Monster mallards

[Tony hall]

Well I made the bodies last winter, made the terrible head in spring and molded it over the summer. Coated the bodies over summer while I did all the herters. Painted a good bit of the bodies early fall but forgot to buy the head and bill paint. Finally did today and got them to this point . Following Steve’s painting tutorials adapted to the goose mold.

Very gunning paint scheme, but think they’ll work. Hunted a diver spot Thursday midday and had more mallards fly over than divers(the 1000 real divers in giant raft a half mile away probably didn’t help my cause). So I’m getting these done for sundays last hunt of regular season. Have to get my morracian henna from a budy that touched up some heads so I can paint the chests and I’m calling them good.

Also painted two as “black” ducks although they would also pass as scoter.

 

[Tony hall]

All rigged and added the chest accent and second coat of whites.

Tony

 

[J. Overland]

Those look fantastic. Post a pic with a mallard if they are successful in fooling a bird or two and if you do your part with the gun.

 

[Tony hall]

Those look fantastic. Post a pic with a mallard if they are successful in fooling a bird or two and if you do your part with the gun.

Will do. Piling all the gear up now and grabbing gas for the boat in case we don’t get spot A,B, or C and have to make a run in the dark. Tons of birds around but also tons of people too.

Tony

 

[Tony hall]

Well you t was freezing this morning, so we went back to bed. Just kidding, broke 200 yard of 1/2 ice on the way out of canal, got to the spot we wanted and there were ice floes. So we went as little farther south so the wind and current would pull the ice away.

We were wrong. Ended up messing with decoys quite a few time, but it was when we’re we’re retrieving a bird anyway.

Ended up snapping one of the black duck bills off and cracking the tip off mallard. I used a two part plastic that I thought was gonna be tough as nails but know wonder if it was just to damn cold and it turned brittle. Oh well, love and learn.

Didn’t get to any shots while we hunted, the wind was so cold . But here’s our stack after the hunt! And the boat in the driveway. Gotta get it in garage with heat.

 

[Carl]

Damn that looks cold! But nice results.

 

[HenryHawthorne]

Well done!