Gary Goodpaster of Ducks Boundless provides tips for shooting puddle ducks coming into your decoy apply.
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Tag Archives: Decoy
Duck Decoys
Duck decoys have been used by hunters for years to aid them in their hunting expeditions. Today, they are even more well loved with collectors. The purpose of duck decoys is to lure other animals into the range of the scope so that the hunter can shoot the ducks. In North America, the decoys have been used for over two thousand years or more. The Smithsonian Museum in the US houses the oldest duck decoys that have been found in the United States, Canada, and other areas in North America.
The Native Americans made the decoys by hand with wood that they carved into, or they would use straw to make the duck shape. Many of the decoys that have been found are more elaborate than others, with more colors or details. The more elaborate the decoy’s are, the privileged the value will be for collectors and even hunters. Before making a buy, examine the decoy properly. The earlier duck decoys from the 1880s through the 1940s had a larger amount of point. The eyes were also made of glass and the bodies were weighted for the perfect amount of buoyancy.
To find duck decoys, the best place to seek is in online auction shops on the Internet. Make sure that you double check the seller’s certificate before you commit to the buy. This is due to the fact that if you are paying for an antique decoy, it could really be a reproduction. Thrift shops and flea markets are also valuable places for duck decoys. These locations are usually the best spots for the nicest duck decoys. Many of the items that you find are from estate sells that the recent owner had no control over. This is a wonderful spot to find valuable decoys.
Even though the materials used for manufacturing duck decoys have changed, the thought of the body style has not changed at all. The modern decoys are just as effective as the antique versions. When hunting in large water areas, the thought is that the more decoys used the better your chances are. It is also recommended that you stray away from using the same decoy each time that you go hunting.
When you are hunting in wetland areas, to ensure that the birds coming your way glide past your decoy, then you should set up your duck upwind from your location. If you do not try this, then the geese and ducks will more than likely rest on the outer edges and this will limit your opportunities for shooting. To ensure that the ducks you are hunting will not catch on to your trick, try to group your decoys according to their species. This is due to the fact that birds typically tend to stay within their own groups when they are resting.
As you have read, duck decoys are essential for geese or duck hunters, and are well sought after by collectors. Whether you are collecting them or simply using them for hunting purposes, try to buy a wide variety of styles and colors. As they say, you do not want to have all of your ducks in one row.
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Duck Decoy Information
The word Decoy is said to be a derivative of a Dutch word – “ende-kooy,” which means ‘the Duck Cage’. A few also suggest the transition of the word ‘Duck-Coy’ which as years passed came to be pronounced as Decoy. Coy- represents the word cage or net into which birds were spellbound.
Hence it seems pretty sure that duck decoys were used from the earliest of days. A decoy is a way of tricking ducks into ‘thinking’ that the area is safe and hence landing is a good thought. This ensures a good flight settling at the area or water body and a fantastic duck hunt.
Duck decoys come in all realistic colours, shapes and sizes. Duck decoys always have to focus on the bird types and the respective colours and fine detailing of the external appearance of the bird etc. These decoys can be made at home or bought at stores that provide a variety of decoys. Duck decoys can have functional differences like just a floating decoy to battery powered or radio-controlled movables. And to make it more realistic there are ones that can change head positions or bodily movements like floating, feeding on land and water, standing or sentry positions etc. These give the decoys a more realistic look and give the user a competitive edge over other hunters.
There are ones which are radio enabled allowing the hunter to get up-close audio on the birds and sometimes even sneak in on other hunter conversations. Video enabled ones also allow the privilege of watching these birds up close. The video camera attached to the decoy is placed among the birds. The decoy can go by diffident control and the videos can be simultaneously recorded. The video is transmitted to a small portable TV. This transmission can take place within a range of few miles allowing the hunter to get close with the birds without being in the marshland themselves.
A few books and websites also suggest the hunter in making their won decoys. The step-by-step instructions to carve a duck decoys are also given. These websites also suggest the paints to be used and advice on maintenance of worn down duck decoys. Stray hit repairs and re – painting jobs are all clarified.
Types of Foam as urethane foams, burlapped foams, cork or polystyrene are used for the body construction. Wood, foam or plastic can be used for heads. Life good at observing ducks, carving and painting gives the hunter a better edge at making ducks. Alternatively, close up picture shots of the ducks in different angles also helps to examine the morphology of these birds before carving. These pictures can be obtained from any scenery shooting book, ornithologist or website. Getting creative at making the decoys is an option left to the maker. But being as realistic as possible is necessary as a decoy should blend well with surrounding environment. Making a Decoy will surely help to better appreciate the beauty of duck and also be a fantastic pass time during those off – season times.
Stay our website to shop for duck decoys, and antique duck decoys.
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How to Start Your Duck Decoy Collection
If you are thinking of starting a duck decoy pool, there are many things you need to know. This article will help teach you how to start your own duck decoy pool.
Duck decoys were once only used for hunting, but collecting them has now became a well loved leisure activity for many. In fact, some antique duck decoys have sold for over $100,000 at recent auctions, and they seem to be holding their value.
The first thing you need to question yourself when starting a duck decoy pool is what type of duck decoys do you want to collect. You can collect ancient, antique duck decoys, new decoys, or a combination of both. But remember, antique duck decoys will be harder to find and can be more expensive to buy than new duck decoys. Most collectors still focus their collections on the ancient, antique duck decoys because of their value.
Finding places that sell duck decoys is your next step in starting your duck decoy pool. You can usually find them at local sports and hunting stores, flea markets, thrift stores, marketplaces, and antique shops. But, since the invention of the Internet, export duck decoys has become a much simpler process. I recommend using online shops and auction places for finding quality, hard-to-find duck decoys.
If you are shopping for antique duck decoys, be sure to closely examine the decoys. Take note of any flaws or cracks in the decoys which could possibly decrease the value of it. But, don’t be turned away from decoys if they have any small flaws. Remember, some of these duck decoys are over a hundred years ancient, so of course they are going to have some wear!
Duck decoys are made from a variety of different materials. You can find them made of hand-carved wood, plastic, foam, cork, and other materials. The wooden duck decoys are usually the better looking decoys, and most of the old ones were made of this. The plastic decoys can usually withstand a bit more wear and tear than the wooden ones.
If you like collecting new decoys, there is a wide range of decoys with unique abilities available to choose from. Some have realistic head-moving action, and others can make duck sounds. These can be a fun addition to any pool.
When you first start your pool, try to keep all your decoys in a safe, protected area. Keeping your duck decoys in their best condition will help your decoys stay valuable, and sought after by other collectors. You should be able to find actual duck decoy storage containers online.
Collecting duck decoys is fun leisure activity that can be shared with all your family, friends, and loved ones. I wish you the best of luck with your new pool!
Stay our website to shop for duck decoys and antique duck decoys.