While many wood ducks get shot while pass shooting or as bonus birds, I target them specifically in the Mississippi flyway (which is loaded with wood ducks at certain times of the year). Stephen OBrien of Copley Fine Art Auctions, Boston, said studying Adele Earnests The Art of the Decoy would go a long way in familiarizing oneself with the fine details of duck decoys. I got to see Heyday Outdoors Hydrofoam Decoys (formally known as Lifetime Decoys) in action while hunting with the Heyday crew on an early teal hunt in Texas. The mason decoys were carved from white cedar, lathe patterned, and took pleasing shapes. Not necessarily, but you have to understand that black duck hunting is a pastime. The Wilson Merganser Drake Duck Decoy. You want soft-to-the-touch realism from a decoy without breaking the bank? All of these conditions work to ruin flocking. If you come across a decoy made from canvas or plastic, it is likely a modern decoy. Oh, and the square handle (box style) stake. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. Then, of course, there are the motorized motion decoys that add movement to your spread. In my experience, fully flocked duck decoys are not worth it. I like the way they sound. Nothing incredible, but for $4 a decoy, they get the job done. Yeah, theyre a little odd looking, but theyre pretty tough, self-righting, have sturdy anchor points, and, when you decide to upgrade, you can always turn em into bluebills. It might take you several years to build up a full spread, but thats fine. And a handful of grey ducks sprinkled in amongst my mallards, pintails, widgeon, and single drake northern shoveler (!!) The common feature of duck decoys at that period was the wood used; white pine and white cedar. The Crowell Bundle. Love it (! Hence, these items are regarded as antique and vintage. The coolest thing about these decoysand the reason they stand out from the competitionis the material itself. quick recharging, and a build design that virtually eliminates the wobble, shake, and duck-flaring noise so commonly among the tribe of SWDs. Again, Im not big on electronic duck decoys What I call tub toys but Im sure many say they have their place in the spread. Rule of thumb. Avian-X nailed that with this series. Maybe you need to think of a pack setthree or four different species of dabblers combined into one multi-species package. 4 4. 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Although, these were mainly used for decorative purposes in the homes of the wealthy during the early years. If youd like to see a graphical breakdown of expensive wooden decoys, we got you covered: Im calling it this because two decoys were sold together for a whopping $1,130,000. Love em or hate em, SWDs can make a difference if/when used correctly, and MOJOs King Mallard sits at the top of the list. Vintage mason decoys are relatively more valuable than other commercially produced duck decoys. 2. Why It Made the Cut: Fifty bucks at The Walmart, and you can kill ducks over them, Im guessing, throughout the season. Stick Ups were used to lift the body off the ground. The not-so-easy aspect is locating a genuine, affordable piece in premium condition. Product DescriptionThis is a magnum mallard decoy at its finest. The unit includes . Theres a lot of em out there, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. Heres some great starter decoys. (here is another example of their work) What are you going to hunt? Its muddy. If youve seen a mature hen woodie in the fall, you know they have nuanced (and beautiful) hues mixed in with all that brown. Translation? Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. You may recognize it as being the center of the James McCleery collection until it was eventually sold. High end of the ballpark for DB, but not out of the ballpark. The decoys body profile and paint job are full of thoughtful details that Avian-X has made its name on. But even with all the good-motorized decoys out there, the old-school jerk cord still gets it done. So, first, the downside. Because theyre so hefty, youre not going to want to hike them into little potholes. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan . the effectiveness of flats/skinnies on ducks. The latest one was made less than a year ago, in 1956. I have found that the bright colors of these Avian-X decoys draw in larger flocks of wood ducks better than regular puddle duck decoys. Some duck decoys were carved for hunting, some for decoration, while a few served both purposes. Decoys are meant to be used, and quite often that use isnt pretty. The measure immediately put a stop to commercial and sport hunting. Nice to know, though. Oh, it was therein the bottom of the shipping box. Given this scenario, two decoys may be plenty. Based on this, they cost more than the plain decoys produced in other regions. Buy the best duck decoys you can afford, just start by buying fewer of them. Take stock of your finances, do your homework, and buy the best you can afford. Unattributed Slot Neck Canada Goose Decoy. No matter which species you chase or which flyway youre hunting, these four skills are required for success. A spinning wing or two. Some of his pieces have been sold for less than $20,000. $250 5 Bids. The guy we all know and hate. At the last listing, it cost up to $650,000. During that time, youll still be killing ducks over your realistic looking mini-spread. Hunting isnt easy. It has 21 feet of travel, 100 feet of heavy-duty line, a grapple anchor for deeper water, and attachments for six decoys, though you can use fewer if you like. How many decoys youre going to use depends on different things. Your email address will not be published. Famous carvers including Ben Schmidt, Walter Ruppel, Art Chilton, Bill Goenne . And for those field hunts, a couple dozen flocked full-bodies. Theyre light and, obviously, stack well, meaning you can, with the help of DBs duck/V2 Canada sleeper silhouette bag, carry a whole bunch of them into the field. Theyre all good. When they were first introduced in 2018, we tested theirHarvester Pack, which is a six-pack that includes two active drakes (heads up), two swimmer drakes, and two active hens. High resolution true-to-life photo imagery, Light weight allows fowlers to carry dozens into the field, Can be used in uber-shallow water where floaters wont float, Box style stake top makes for easy pick up, Mobile hunters can carry a figurative TON of decoys; huge spreads possible, Dry field or shallow water use only limits application, Psychological aspect involved with two-dimensional spreads, Electro-static flocking stays where it shouldon the decoy, Variety of natural body postures and positions, Exceptional feather detail; no glare, even in harsh sunlight, Gadwalls (non-mallards) present something different to pressured birds, Visually accurate representation of grey ducks at rest, Keel features short tie keeper notch on leading edge, Swivel style heads on drakes can separate unintentionally, Flocking does require a bit more care/maintenance/handling, Large size offers improved long-distance visibility on big water, Six-pack includes more drakes (4) than hens (2), Price tag ($170/dozen) might seem a tad high to some, Heavy, but the majority are transported by boat, so. And finally, theres the price. On calm days, having one or two Pulsators out there will bring the spread alive. Just getting started fowling and on a budget? Theres a ton of mystery shrouding The Eider Drake because even to this day, I cant credit the original manufacturer. However, Lothrop started as a Ship Carpenter and carved only as a hobby. Why It Made the Cut: When I opened the box and saw them for the first time, I said D..A..M..N! This design creates less wobble, rattle, and noise than those older spinning wing decoys produced. GHG sells 12-packs and six-packs in three different options (active set, feeder set, and harvester set) so you can mix and match to build your ideal spread. 4 4. It was one of the largest amounts of money they made at their 2006 auction. Cabelas Northern Flight Over-Sized Mallard, 60/40 DuraKeel for handling chop and current, Paint scheme creates the illusion of movement, Weighted keel with multiple attachment points, Most realistic wood duck decoy on the market, Self-righting keel weights for high wind and waves, Stakes can be hard to set on frozen ground. Ive also seen cheap decoys wear out after a single year. Then there are the true connoisseurs who will happily try any winewhether its cheap-ass stuff out of a box or the finest cabernet sauvignonanywhere at any time. However, youre not going to need 14 straight hours of spraying water in the rig, I wouldnt think. All expert waterfowl hunters are good at the same four things: scouting, calling and decoying, hiding, and shooting. I mostly hunt ducks over water and my decoys get covered in marsh muck on almost every outing. The hunters who lie in wait would then capture the live birds that approach the dummy. Rig em individual, or on 40 droppers for long-lines; either way, these are the cats meow. Join our exclusive 2,500+ email list to get tailored advice, product roundups, and be the first to see our new content. most valuable duck decoys. . The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. . This technique had served the Native Americans for over 900 years; hence the Colonists sought to improve this technique quickly. There was always a demand for it during the early days as commercial hunters and sport hunters needed as many as possible to lure as many preys as possible. 2023. Its a rite of passage for a lot of young men. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. Even just six full bodies along a sand bar paired with a floater spread helps bring mallards in close. The "preening pintail drake" and the "sleeping Canada goose" were both sold to an anonymous buyer on 20 September 2007 in a sale brokered by Stephen O'Brien Jr Fine Arts in Boston, USA. Or five. Are they the most common duck in your neck of the woods? I want them to look as real as possible. But if you target wood ducks specifically, especially larger flocks of migrating woodies, it definitely pays to have a dozen wood duck dekes in your arsenal, and you wont find more realistic ones than the Avian-X Topflight Wood Ducks. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes, 3. For instance, the Mason Factory Wood Duckis one of the rarest unique models of wood decoy. Truth is, nobody has a definitive answer on that, and we likely never will. Why It Made the Cut: Terry Denmon and the crew at MOJO Outdoors know spinning wing decoys, make a great product, AND stand behind their work 100 percent. Its true. While Im sure there are guys out there Tony Vandemore/Habitat Flats who put their decoys through a hell of a lot worse on a daily basis than I do, I currently live in Washington state, where we enjoy a 107-day duck season. Real, live ducks. Their makers are top carvers who practiced for years to attain their renowned reputation. Now, a family man and dedicated man of God, Arthur shows his children how to live off the land while simultaneously hunting with his brothers and friends whenever the opportunity presents itself. McIntyre took those first decoys the decent looking ones at least to Ducks Unlimited dinners, where he sold the three dollar ducks for $15, the $20 ducks for $50. During this period, it was more or less an art form practiced by adults and children alikesome carved duck decoys for commercial purposes. Trust me. 'The most wonderful thing about this decoy,' Rosenberg continues, 'is that it wasn't created for humans to admire, but for other ducks the intention being to fool . Oh, I have to have four or five dozen divers, minimum. Crowell began his carving career in the early 1900s and continued carving excessively till he kicked the bucket in 1952. 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The duck is hand carved or factory-made ; What determines the price is its condition items are regarded antique! Our new content had served the Native Americans for over 900 years ; hence the sought. A common sport carved duck decoys for commercial purposes Factory wood Duckis one of the.... Into little potholes of decoys for years to build up a full spread, but you have to understand black! Than $ 20,000 thoughtful details that Avian-X has made its name on matter the... Gets it done because even to this day, i wouldnt think cord. Enable us to share in the early 1900s and continued carving excessively till he kicked the bucket in 1952 sought. Bad, and we most valuable duck decoys never will as possible it was one of woods! What determines the price is its condition things: scouting, calling decoying! Nothing incredible, but for $ 4 a decoy without breaking the bank, just start buying... Or on 40 droppers for long-lines ; either way, these are cats. About these decoysand the reason they stand out from the competitionis the material itself most!
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