Give old decoys new life with AGFC

LITTLE ROCK — As February closes the door on another Arkansas duck season, all that’s left for many hunters is to pack up the decoys they’ve hunted over all season and sort out the ones that will stay in next season’s spread. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is asking all hunters to consider donating the faded, shot-up or otherwise mistreated duck and goose lures to its decoy adoption program, saving some landfill space while inspiring the next generation of conservationists.

The program, now in its sixth year, has recycled more than 8,000 plastic decoys. All you have to do is contact Eric Maynard, assistant chief of Education for the AGFC, at eric.maynard@agfc.ar.gov and arrange for the drop-off.

“Most of the decoys we collect are cleaned up, patched and given a gray primer before being stored at an AGFC nature center,” Maynard said. “We use them in decoy-painting classes to help teach people about the variety of different waterfowl species you’ll find in Arkansas and, hopefully, spark an interest in duck hunting or conservation.”

Maynard says decoys that are still in usable condition are cleaned up and sorted to another pile, this one destined to be used again in the wetlands of The Natural State.

“We have a lot of decoys donated that are practically new, and a few have come to us in an unopened box,” Maynard said. “Some hunters are upgrading to the latest, greatest decoys or bought a bunch somewhere on clearance and no longer have the extra space for them. Those decoys are matched up and rigged, then we work with different groups like Future Farmers of America or 4-H to find young men and women who want to get into duck hunting but lack the resources for a full spread.”

Maynard says the program doesn’t just take duck decoys, either.

“I have had people give us goose socks, decoy bags, calls and other equipment that we rehome,” Maynard said. “The AGFC hosts many mentored hunts throughout the season and these items are used in those, then leave with the participants so they can branch out on their own. If you don’t want it anymore, just give me an email. I’ll bet we can find a use for it.”

####

CUTLINES: 

TRUCK
Maynard’s truck was filled to the gills with decoys headed to new forever homes after duck hunting season ended last year. AGFC photo.  

PAINTING
Students in an AGFC decoy painting class match the plumage of a common goldeneye (left), redhead (center) and mallard (right) on their donated art canvases. AGFC photo.  

BOYS OUTSIDE
Caden Murphy of Walnut Ridge received a dozen recycled decoys to use in his hunts when he started waterfowl hunting, thanks to the AGFC Decoy Adoption Center. AGFC photo.