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Minnesota Reader Stories: Restoring grandfather’s duck decoys conjure memories of past hunts

Painting can be a messy project. Upgren waited until summer, then used his ATV trailer as a platform while he primed and painted his duck decoys on wax paper. (Contributed Photos)

Many years ago, my grandpa took me aside at duck camp and handed me a few old and beat-up foam Herter’s diver decoys.
“These rode the waves many times, with me and your great grandpa hunting over them. Now, they’re yours,” he told me.
Years passed, and I bought a few more Herter’s decoys online here and there. But they collected dust in a barn until last winter. That’s when I decided to refurbish them.

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Illinois’ Outdoor Calendar

Staff Report January 20, 2026

A look at upcoming outdoors-related events from across Illinois published in the Jan. 23, 2026 edition of Outdoor News.

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