New to layout blinds

[marshrat]

Got a FA Eliminator. Deal was too good to pass up, even though it wasn't my first choice. I will mainly use it for ducks around the marsh. Do I need to mud it, and what is the purpose of mudding it? What kind of camo would you recommend as far as KillerWeed, FastGrass, etc, and could anyone point me to a deal better than Mack's? Thanks.

[TEAM GTG]

Fabrics on all blind manufacturers are likely to be shiny due to the waterproofing treatments they receive from the factory. The idea of mudding a blind is to remove this shine, and make the base footprint of the blind appear to blend into the background (sheen and color). After having mudded a few blinds I would personally NEVER do it again. All it amounts to IMO is simply a filthy and inefficient procedure that is better suited to paint. I recommend painting the blind 100%. Get a sample of soil from your hunting location (wet if hunting wet, and dry if hunting dry). Put it into a jar and take it to your local home improvement store. Have them mix you up a FLAT latex paint that closely matches your environ, and spray it right onto your blind with a wagner power sprayer, or brush it on. The fabric soaks up a lot of paint, but this is good because no matter how bad you scratch or wear it, the base sheen and tone are still in the fabric. Latex or acrylic latex blends also make your blind more impervious to moisture and wind as well as keeping your snow cover clean. If all else fails and you still don't get the look you want, you could always mud it after you paint it too, but I've never found a need for it. If you want texture you can also brush the paint on thick, and sprinkle sand on it as well for effect.