Here's a post I made in DuckChat in response to a young guy who was not-all-that interested in painting his canoe camo. Most won't agree because they are much more dedicated to duck hunting and all the neat stuff you can get. But...I still think it is accurate.
Take it for what it's worth:
OK.
You want a camo canoe or do you want to hide your canoe from ducks in a lake or river?
BIG difference. Hunters, and I include myself, love de camoflage.
Ducks? Not all that picky. They are mostly spooked by movement and attentive to dramatic change in environment--like a red canoe or light floor in a boat, or shiny metal.
Consider a couple of burlap camo drapes from Wal-Mart. $11.00 each, 54 inches by 12 feet, clip to gunwales or over prow with cheap clips.
It is cheap and easy and will not satisfy your primal need to be one with the reeds/weeds/trees. But, it works. Some rushes zip-tied or clipped to the bow (if you are floating downriver), or along the sides to break up the straight line sides of the canoe, or even a collapsible lawn chair with the camo draped over it. Silly, I know. But it's all about outline. Drape a branch or some cattails to give a 3-D effect. Keep in mind, loose camo can snag on stuff as you float by it, but mostly, it works just fine.
You won't get the satisfaction out of a paint job well-done and admired by friends and family with the burlap.
But, more than likely, you'll sneak up on ducks.
Two Golden Hawks: 1980's vintage rescue:
https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj297/Kismethimself/Boats/woodstockcanoerightsideinpec-2.jpg
This year's (new to me) 2000 model, with one of the factory. (They've revised their camo offering since.) paint jobs:
https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj297/Kismethimself/Boats/woodstockflyingcanoe003.jpg
Have fun, be safe.