A method for maintaining hunting decoy appearance realism in the presence of ice formation on decoy surfaces, comprising a coating having a chemical composition that, upon application to a hunting decoy surface, inhibits ice formation or accumulation on the decoy surface by reducing the freezing point temperature on the decoy surface to below the ambient temperature. The coating composition may be adjusted to change the freezing point depending on the ambient temperature. The coating is a mixture of propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol in water, the propylene glycol component representing 10-90 volume %, the polyethylene component representing 0-5 volume %, with the balance water. In the presence of the coating, water changes from solid to liquid phase, and remains in the liquid phase in the coating mixture until it is removed through evaporation. The coating removes the optical reflectivity created by ice on the decoy surface by reducing the freezing point temperature of the surface to below that of water for the temperature conditions under which the decoys are used in hunting applications.
