The best rule for decoying is to set up your dekes just how you see real ducks sitting in a marsh or field. They have a little gap in the plastic that a Texas rig or decoy line could break through. . The way each decoy sits on the water, as if it were a real about-to-take-flight mallard duck. Branding. Is the keel rigid, or does it flex, meaning it might be relatively short-lived and a trouble spot? They look real enough, if you take care of them. Over the last few decades, weve seen some of the most expensive duck decoys ever sold, and the details are quite interesting. Or five. Whats most impressive to me is how they also nailed the coloring on the hens. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. They get bounced around in boats and truck beds and garage floors. My buddy and diehard duck hunter, Todd Gifford, has been hunting with those same test decoys for several years now, and they still look as good as new (even though we hunt the frigid waters of the upper Midwest year after year). Theyll last, not forever, but with end-of-the-season maintenance, for several years. The measure immediately put a stop to commercial and sport hunting. Your email address will not be published. What is the most valuable duck decoy? Real, live ducks. That means they will take up less space in a decoy bag and youll be able to load your spread into a truck instead of needing a trailer. Water keel decoys that land on their sides stay on their sides. Does this make them more usable or viable than inexpensive, brand-new models? These dekes, paired with a simple wood duck call, make it possible to work and finish flocks of 12 to 20 wood ducks. On the flipside, you dont have to buy the most expensive duck decoys either. And of those 107 days, Ill hunt three-quarters of them. They get bounced around the bottom of boats and in decoy bags. They reported that these imitations served as prey to other live birds. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. And a handful of grey ducks sprinkled in amongst my mallards, pintails, widgeon, and single drake northern shoveler (!!) In general, if you scout diligently and are hunting on the X (where the birds want to be) you will need fewer decoys.For many other hunting scenarios, two dozen to four dozen decoys will get the job done. The details of these ridiculously expensive vintage items are captivating. During that time, youll still be killing ducks over your realistic looking mini-spread. Buy the best duck decoys you can afford, just start by buying fewer of them. He was born in 1825, and he began carving at a young age. Product DescriptionThis is a magnum mallard decoy at its finest. the effectiveness of flats/skinnies on ducks. Although it wasnt as expensive as the paired Crowell Bundle, this single pair sold for a whopping $856,000. Bluetooth remote, long-life 6V lithium ion battery, magnetic wing attachments SCORE one for the home team there! Whats nice is I can use the jerk cord rigged with these smaller decoys in four to five inches of sheet water with no problem. Theres a ton of mystery shrouding The Eider Drake because even to this day, I cant credit the original manufacturer. Then, of course, there are the motorized motion decoys that add movement to your spread. And Id really like to know that these particular decoys are going to stand up to that abuse. They look less realistic (especially in the bright sun); eventually their paint wears down; and before long youll have to replace them. Decoys the physical decoys themselves are just the beginning. Anchor attachment points wont rip out. The new crop of crossbows is out, including Can you use a 3-season tent for winter Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. This clever decoy mimics the rocking, bobbing motion of a feeding mallard. . Ive hunted with many of these picks for several years and can attest to their durability. Its rocky. Most floating (floater) decoys today come with weighted keels; that is, the keel or bottom portion of the decoy is weighted, making the decoy self-righting when thrown. A rare swan decoy made by Charles Birch sold for $186,500 in a 2011 Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. auction. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. 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. First, I need the decoys to look like the real thing, and the Dive Bomb floaters certainly do have that covered. Carved by John Blair, this simple antique piece fetched about $214,000. Even though were a relatively young country, our rich heritage becomes valuable at an accelerated rate. 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. Ill admit it. Vintage and antique duck decoys look and feel old. If youre hunting small water like a little pond or stream, six to a dozen is great. It has a remote thats Bluetooth compatible, so you can turn it on and off as you see fit. Bernie Madoff might just go down as this centurys biggest American villain, but his decoy fetched a rather handsome amount of money during the auctioning of his estate. It also includes a carry bag so you can keep the whole thing organized. My wife would say I have a duck decoy collection problem, but I contend its only a problem if youre trying to solve it, which I am not. Still, the Pulsator does muddle up the surface, making it look like an avian free-for-all. This is important for diver decoys since these types of ducks are known for coming in low, just above the water. These decoys look killer. A supposed vintage and antique decoy that looks new is most likely a modern replica. Some decades ago, the Fine Arts of Boston picked up a few of his works and saved them in their museum. The legendary Lothrop Holmes carved this piece. Trust me. Why It Made the Cut: Fifty bucks at The Walmart, and you can kill ducks over them, Im guessing, throughout the season. Graves Mallards. For once, were not in New England with this origin story, either; Bert is actually from Peoria, IL, and has set the scene for high-quality duck decoys ever since. These are hunks of plastic that are going to be abused. Of all bird decoys created, duck decoys were the most commonly made, however it wasn't unusual to produce other species, such as geese, turkeys, swans, grouse, partridge, and pigeons. most valuable duck decoys. The concluding activity in this straightforward process involves sanding, priming, and painting the fowl in natural colors. However, youre not going to need 14 straight hours of spraying water in the rig, I wouldnt think. Ive also seen cheap decoys wear out after a single year. The word decoy is a dutch word that refers to the cages used by hunters in the Old World to tame wild animals, especially birds. Give it some thought. With the above information, you would be able to successfully delve into the vintage duck decoy ecosystem without any hindrance. The incredible configuration of paint and realistic body positions and profiles combine to make the most lifelike floater wed seen at the timeand they still are today. Hunting divers often calls for big spreads on big waters, so if youre in a diver hot zone, Id recommend getting a few of the Standard Diver packs, which includes redhead, bluebill, and ringneck species. Paint wont erode. Whats the Difference Between Vintage And Antique ? This is often all it takes to convince wary ducks to commit. The Graves decoys cannot be compared to world-famous antique items. So now, head on to eBay, Etsy, 1stDibs, Amazon, or any antique store close to you to buy or list your original vintage duck decoys. Which duck decoys are worth money? Orwhat the hellmaybe a dozen mallards, and then a half dozen pintails, gadwall, widgeon, and green-wing teal. The Duck Decoy is a less common antique object with a broad and exciting history. Their makers are top carvers who practiced for years to attain their renowned reputation. The unit includes everything1.5 pound folding (!!) The hens have no damage whatsoever. Just three years later, in Guyette & Deeter's own sale, a duck decoy sold for $803,000, and another example for $830,000 in 2006. There is limited information on Brant. Its a rite of passage for a lot of young men. The bottom line? I dont know how much you paid for your antique duck decoy, but youre about to be frazzled by how much people have paid for them in the past. It is not particularly ornate, just a hand-carved, single-reed call that's really good at tricking ducks and signed by this legendary craftsman. Glare off a decoy is a deal breaker. The Lincoln Hisser. The Dr. Peter J. Muller Jr. Collection of American Bird Decoys was sold by Copley Fine Art Auctions in Massachusetts. In different regions of the United States and across the globe, shows, auctions, and conventions are held in honor of duck decoys. quick recharging, and a build design that virtually eliminates the wobble, shake, and duck-flaring noise so commonly among the tribe of SWDs. What is the most valuable duck decoy? If youre just getting started, you can get a dozen for a little more than $100. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you find a new-in-box dozen mallards that look good not fantastic, but good for $40, you should be reaching for your wallet, I reckon. The latest one was made less than a year ago, in 1956. This pulled in almost $500,000 in 2000. (here is another example of their work) Our Editor 10 duck decoys Review: 1. Will they hold up to the rigors of day-to-day ducking? Theres a lot of em out there, the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. But many hunters dont need that many full body duck decoys. As for the price ($175/12), you can get a dozen mallards for $40, and you can find a dozen mallards pushing $200. They wont become brittle when the bottom falls out of the thermometer. Since 1984, "We have brought in a $134 million in decoy sales." The most expensive decoys ever solda preening Pintail Drake and a Canada goose by the late master carver Elmer Crowellwent for one million each in 2007. Vintage and antique duck decoys have different designs, depending on their intended purpose. Because most duck decoys of merit were made in the 1830s to the 1880s, documentation (especially for a hobby) was largely unavailable. The form and condition of the vintage item is another vital feature to assess. The primary reason why some duck decoys are highly-priced is not that theyre rare or produced by the best carvers; instead, it is because they are still in good condition. Our Topflight floating duck decoys feature a weight-forward swim keel for realistic movement across the water. Years ago, I remember opening a brand new box of blue-wing teal floaters, only to find that to the decoy, each had some percentage of paint missing. For practice, you can attend decoy auctions, and hunting shows to get on-hand experience. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. Many people use a mix of mallards, black ducks, and pintails for their visibility and good pulling power. Let me put it this way. Cheap decoys typically have more issues with glare. I like the way they sound. 2 2. It wasnt until the late 1900s that many of the vintage lures we have now emerged as collectors items. Recent research points to a man by the name of Eben Weed being the original creator of this decoy, but some of the evidence is inconclusive. Oh, it was therein the bottom of the shipping box. It will run in as little as six inches of water. Unlike many other vintage duck decoys curated here that were sold at least ten years ago, the Wilson Drake was sold in 2017. Best Floater Decoy. Its like having a piece of history, from your favorite thing, sitting right on a shelf somewhere. The original carver of the work is unknown, and all indications point out that no one will ever find out. If you have been duck hunting for a while and have more or less figured out what you are doing, then you probably want to invest in some higher quality floaters. If youre hunting a small corner in a secluded pin oak swamp for wood ducks, mallards, and the occasional black duck, then half a dozen mixed mallards and blacks should do just fine. Shape. Constructed of tough corrugated plastic material Think political signs! 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold. Many low-cost models offer excellent performance and comfort. This piece is shrouded in a tone of mystery. Bigger duck decoys are likely to cost more. Avian-X offers industry leading duck decoys with unmatched quality and realism. 5 5. 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. Size. This is the most expensive decoy bundle ever sold to date. This is the best-looking wood duck decoy on the market. But now theres a wide variety of motion decoys available. Meet Britain's most expensive duck - a drake that has sold at auction for a record-breaking 1,500. 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. Where Foskett and Tanglefree excel, perhaps, is in the diver realm; that is, with their canvasbacks, redheads, and bluebills. And if your intent is realistic on-the-water motion without the, what some might call, inconvenience of pulling on a jerk cord string, then Higdons XS Pulsator might just be what youre looking for. And they look plenty good enough to kill ducks over. Dac Collins. Can you easily and securely attach an anchor line clip to the keel? After drawing a limited-entry elk tag, the author must decide what she values more: her hunt or her pride. Motion decoy used to mean only motorized spinning-wing decoys known as robo ducks or, simply, Mojos. Water keel decoys are light, though, and make an excellent decoy for the walk-in fowler looking to cut down on weight. Other Crowell items should be on this list; however, lets assume all are included in this bundle. '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 them into . Sure, it may be to hook me, the fisherman, but if thats it, Im sold. 2 2. Antique duck or fowl decoys have glass eyes. Crowell put so much detail into these decoys, that they were picked up by the Fine Arts of Boston (though the timeline is unclear). Instead of hollow plastic, they are made entirely of EVA foam, which is the same material Crocs are made from. Nice to know, though. Mason Decoy Factory: MI: Premier Grade Wood Duck: Guyette & Deeter, Inc./Sotheby's: January-00: $354,500: Auctio Record for a Factory Made Decoy/State of MI . Crowell has been the only one to fetch over a million for a decoy purchase, but that was a pair even then. On a sunny day ducks will spot it from long distance and avoid your spread, because it doesnt look natural. They sit on the water like real ducks. In the early days, most carvers engraved their initials and date on the bottom of the decoy. 6 6. 3 3. The unit includes . Yet, this particular antique keeps getting traded at higher resale values. An antique duck decoy with some imperfections. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. The Crowell Bundle. What you hunt and where you hunt those birds play a major role in what you buy and how many. Were giving Crowell his dues here, and while he isnt included further down the list since weve already mentioned him, its important to state that this 1.13 million dollar purchase for two decoys was actually part of a large sale of 31 Crowell decoys, which in total ended up costing about $7,500,000. '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 . Most of them are good. Ducks move around, even when theyre loafing on the water. Some people pick up carving vintage or whittling as a hobby, but this man did it so excessively that his work is still revered over a century later. And so it goes from there, but its a good thing, really. In Maine, the carvers made the decoys have tougher features to withstand the waters. This wood duck was sold for $187,000 in 2004. The Crowell two duck decoys were carved by Massachusetts native Elmer Crowell. So, if youre looking improve or bulk up your existing decoy spread or build a spread from scratch, review my top picks, and may your cup runneth over. Why It Made the Cut: Diver decoys need to be tough and highly visible. 2 2. Stephen B. OBrien Jr with the record breaking pair of Duck Decoy by Elmer Crowell. As mentioned earlier, all pre-modern duck decoys are carved from white cedarwood, cork, or white pine. Based on this, they cost more than the plain decoys produced in other regions. Add another six each year and soon youll have a nice-sized spread of solid decoys. This is a foam-filled, one-piece decoy with a seven-hour run time. The coolest thing about these decoysand the reason they stand out from the competitionis the material itself. Of all the rabbit holes duck hunters get lost in, decoys might be the deepest, most labyrinthian. Graves Mallards. They were carved sometime around 1915-1917, shortly after he began carving and have held their aesthetics and shape for over a century. Lothrop didnt start out with decoys; it was more of a side hobby that later turned into a career. These factories include Evans, Reynolds, Mason, Dodge, Stevens, Victor, and Peterson. If thats a problem for you, go with Higdons Standard Bluebills, Standard Ringnecks, or Standard Redheads. Silhouettes. 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. 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. I want a variety of body postures per dozen. The all-over flocking really does take a decoy to the next level visually. Ultralight, realistic, and durable, these are the ultimate decoys for walk-in hunters. And Ready? 2023. What is the most expensive duck decoy ever sold? We have killed a lot of ducks over them through the years. Water keels are hollow, and fill with water once theyve landed, head-up. 3 3. This technique helped families during the civil war to catch prey for feeding. If you want to kill ducks consistently, dont hunt with cheap decoys. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. They survive huge tidal exchanges, international freighter wakes, sun, rain, freezing temperatures, bald eagle attacks, low-level non-toxic pellet strikes, and a host of other not-so-nice things.
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