Itinerant Decoy Painters

[Steve Sanford]

As I did last Spring with a bunch of Brant decoys, I had to round up a bunch of reinforcements from a neighboring county to help me paint my own batch of Herter's Broadbill decoys.

I was lucky to recruit the same crew as last year. Although the enthusiasm level was again high, some "refresher" training was required - like how deep to dunk a paintbrush into a can of paint...

Each worker began as a Specialist. Connor (red shirt) was the Nail & Nostril Specialist...

Cavan began as the Pupil Specialist - really an Ornithopthalmographer - and needed just a couple of "google-eyes" wiped away for a supervised re-paint.

I cut the bristles on chip brushes short for the precise control demanded by these Master Artisans.

Aidan started right in as our White Flanker - but everyone else became one, too. Paint never "flows" onto the rough sawdust-in-epoxy surface.

The stray White patch on the Black chest shows that this Drake is still a month away from full breeding plumage.

They made short work of a dozen or so stool - and a bunch of replacement heads:

The same crew also made short work of a bunch of Brownies and Oatmeal Cookies.....

I sure hope I'll need their help again next Spring!

SJS

 

[Gary Tanner]

Pretty darn cool, Steve. Good for you guys!
Gary

 

[RLLigman]

That's how I started. I worked as a bird boy at a duck club outside of New Richmond. Nothing better than messing around in boats...

 

[Vince Pagliaroli]

Very good. Start em young and they never forget.

 

[Bill Clark]

Shameful abuse of child labor.


Aww just kidding Steve.

 

[Tom Bell]

That looks like Al Hicks giving some insruction ( or getting in the way), lol. Great pic.

 

[MLBob Furia]

Might just have started a "fire" there with a little spark. Good deal.

 

[Steve Sanford]

Tom~

You got it! Connor and Cavan are his boys - and he is Uncle l to my kids.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Capt Rich Geminski]

Got my start helping my uncles neighbor paint boats, decoys etc. First time I saw a gun painted od green. Made my head spin, first camo gun I saw [early 1950's]...

 

[Tom Modin]

I bet you had more fun letting them paint than doing it yourself.

 

[D Dominski]

It is always nice to get some young help.

 

[Pat Gregory]

Steve - I appreciate you passing it on to these precious young ones... Pat

 

[Tom Russo]

Very cool Steve!

Tom

 

[R T Brinn]

And if you are lucky, pretty soon they will want to know when they get to go out and hunt over "their" decoys! Nice work -- pass it along!