This weekend Thomas and I spent some time getting ready for the season. Much of the time was used to renew decoys looking a bit tired. Included in that batch are 6 canvasback decoys. Thomas asked where I got them and it occurred to me they were the first decoys I ever bought. My high school trig teacher was a hard core waterfowler in the 70s but by the early 80s was selling his stuff. He and some friends had regular decoy boiling parties and turned out numerous Decoys Unlimited eps foam decoys. I bought a dozen from him my sophomore year. I killed my first Canada goose over them. It was a St. James Bay migrator, not the golf course geese we have today. That same season my outboard motor dumped gasoline that got on the decoys. Four turned into a pile of goo, napalm so I'm told, in front of my eyes. Over the years a couple more were lost and I'm down to a half dozen. Tom Tschabold burlapped them for me about 8 year ago and prevented their retirement. In need of new paint Thomas and I reworked them together and they have that new look again which is always satisfying. Hard to believe they've been in my rig for something like 32 seasons. With Thomas destined to be a life long waterfowler I can easily see these decoys being used for many more years. Seems like most decoys are decomissioned when they need paint or a new model comes out. These fellas will easily see 50 years of service, probably more. Wish I could have afforded more than a dozen. I never really gave it much thought until the paint was drying and Thomas was rigging them. Wow, how time flies and here we are ready to start another season.
How about you guys. Anybody have a decoy rig or other item that hs been with you since the beginning of your hunting career?
Thomas liked the simple head paint job (primer), so we went with it. I preferred the cranberry color head but figured he worked hard enough to make the decision.
How about you guys. Anybody have a decoy rig or other item that hs been with you since the beginning of your hunting career?
Thomas liked the simple head paint job (primer), so we went with it. I preferred the cranberry color head but figured he worked hard enough to make the decision.
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