Turning Magnum Mallards into Bluebills?

[Proskier2038]

So I picked some mallard decoys up from hsolist the other day, and some of them were in pretty rough shape. (drakes look more like hens) but I couldn't say no to the price-tag!

I was looking into repainting them, but I already have 3 dozen mallards, and was thinking that I could paint them into Bluebills or some other diver, to give some species variation to my spread, as well as some divers for larger water late season.

My only issue, is that these decoys are larger than my other carrylite/flambue mallard decoys. Maybe they are magnums???.. but I really am not sure. They seem to be more rubbery, with sand weighted keels.. Would these be too big for Bluebills? I would guess that they are maybe 1 inch wider.. and 2 inches longer than the rest of my mallard decoys.

If I had both the traditional mallards and magnum mallards converted to bluebills out in same spread, would the size contrast be enough of an issue to scare birds away?

I assume that I would be ok with the bluebills if they were used by themselves...??

If you have any suggestions, or recommendations, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

-Matt

[Red Cabin]

Im going to say the size difference should not matter, but one thing I've noticed with hand painted bluebills is the more white you put on the bodies the better they work.

[Gordie]

Yep alot of white will do the trick for divers and No the size difference will not matter at all. I have a few different size decoys that I run. Divers are to busy looking at all the white and comiting to land in your spread

[Finlander]

I have all sizes in my spread. I put the bluebills a little farther out and mallards hugging the shoreline or weed edge. Definetly, the white will get them divers in!

[mallardnwalleye]

A spray can of flat black and white work wonders.

Here is what I do:

Put rubber gloves on and hold decoy by bill. Spray black on front breast about 2-3 inches back and the back 4 inches of the decoy. Take out white then spray sides and accross the middle of the back. Take black out and dust the top of decoy where the white goes across. Spray bill black or paint blue if you want.

Those dekes will work awesome- more, bigger, black and white works best.

[Proskier2038]

Thanks for the info everyone!

[Walleye Guy]

I didnt convert any mallards to bills but I did repaint my bills. I made a pattern out of a stiff piece of contoured plastic that I held against the decoys side. I made the white on the side of the decoy bigger. It worked lik a charm. I then replaced all the weights with Rig'em right anchors with 60" cords. I now have better looking decoys that are much easier to set and pick up. No more tangles, no more decoy bags...