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The sight was one to make any
duck hunter sad.
A motley collection of decoys was piled behind a barn where my friend
stored his duck hunting paraphernalia. Grass had grown high around them.
The sun had bleached their colors. They were made for water and good
sport, but now they were languishing in the reject heap.
“Those are my leakers,” my buddy explained when I asked him about the
decoys. “Most have shot holes in them. A few have broken seams. When a
decoy starts taking on water, I pull it out of my spread and bring it
home to be patched, but it seems like I just never get around to this
chore. So they just pile up.”
Virtually every hunter has these “low riders” from time to time. Most
duck hunters use hollow-body decoys that are injection-molded from
various thermoplastic resins. These decoys offer natural detail, light
weight and excellent durability. However, they are vulnerable to
puncture holes from misdirected shot or to cracks in seams or decoy
bodies. It doesn’t take long for a small leak to cause a decoy to morph
into a submarine.
For more
information on this subject >>
Ducks Unlimited Website Story
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Order federal duck stamps
by calling 1-800-782-6724 or
by clicking here and following the directions
to the proper links.
Report Bird Bands
All waterfowl hunters are urged to report bird bands to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Call 1-800-327-BAND (1-800-327-2263). During
the hunting season, operators are on duty 8 am to 4:30 pm EST, Monday
through Friday. You may also report the bands
by clicking here.
Band information is used in the management of
waterfowl populations, and assists biologists in providing optimum
hunting opportunities where possible.
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