They get bounced around the bottom of boats and in decoy bags. Here, decoys numbers equal what youre hunting, and where. Love it (! Of the ones that he did make that were aware of, their beaks werent the best. The Crowell two duck decoys were carved by Massachusetts native Elmer Crowell. This is the most expensive decoy bundle ever sold to date. Vintage and antique duck decoys have different designs, depending on their intended purpose. Silhouettes. Stability, low shake, and low noise. Not immediately, but at some truly inopportune time during, maybe, a full-out gale. Youll still be money ahead. When youre scouting, pay close attention to how and where the ducks are positioned. By the mid-19th century, the style and construction of decoys began to vary based on the region and the carver. They were carved sometime around 1915-1917, shortly after he began carving and have held their aesthetics and shape for over a century. As for hunting with spinning wing decoys, theyre not the silver bullet some hunters believe them to be, especially now that so many hunters use them and ducks see them all the time. This wood duck was sold for $187,000 in 2004. I want a variety of body postures per dozen. Gus did not make hundreds of decoys like his counterparts, and the majority of the ones he carved did not possess the best beaks. 5 5. Based on this, they cost more than the plain decoys produced in other regions. If you didnt know, A. Elmer Crowell was a Massachusetts native, who had an eye for carving. Keep em cleancold clear water, NO SOAP, and a bristle brush worksand show em a little care afield, and you shouldnt have any problems. Glare off a decoy is a deal breaker. 4 4. Clich? When the first colonists settled in North America, they observed that the natives of the land used bulrushes, fowl carcasses, and mud to create duck and fowl-like figures. And so it goes from there, but its a good thing, really. Puddle ducks, e.g. What you hunt and where you hunt those birds play a major role in what you buy and how many. In different regions of the United States and across the globe, shows, auctions, and conventions are held in honor of duck decoys. 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. 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. Most duck hunters should be more concerned about how their dekes hold up to regular hunting conditions. Body shapes and profiles are good. Rig em individual, or on 40 droppers for long-lines; either way, these are the cats meow. Shape. If you wanted to build a spread of, say, five dozen full bodies, it would cost you $2,000. What makes a Guinness World Records title? Do a little homework, answer a few to-the-point questions, and youll be well on your way to filling that shop, floor to ceiling, with dozens upon dozens. Why It Made the Cut: When I opened the box and saw them for the first time, I said D..A..M..N! The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. This wooden hen sold for an insane $856,000 and held a record as the most expensive decoy sale for quite some time. Higdon offers a foam filled option for these decoys, which Id highly recommend. According to specialists, most decoys in a perfect state can be worth a fortune. Branding. 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. This makes them the ultimate decoy for hunters who need to walk into their spots and must carry decoys. Crowell began his carving career in the early 1900s and continued carving excessively till he kicked the bucket in 1952. You can always count on the . That all depends upon how seriously you target woodies. It might take you several years to build up a full spread, but thats fine. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? Theres a ton of mystery shrouding The Eider Drake because even to this day, I cant credit the original manufacturer. You should also check the markings on the decoy. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The beefy, weighted keel ensures it will handle any chop. The hunters who lie in wait would then capture the live birds that approach the dummy. First, youll notice the colors. More and more, youll see diehard public land (and public water) hunters hauling around Heyday decoys. 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. 2 2. Holmes spent his time as a ships carpenter for years, which allowed him to grow his proficiency in woodworking. Research past prices of Antique Duck Decoys to buy or bid confidently today! On record, this is the most expensive decoy purchase to date, but it comes with some interesting and unique details. Paint wont erode. Bluetooth remote, long-life 6V lithium ion battery, magnetic wing attachments SCORE one for the home team there! Finally, I repainted most, if not all, of them as drake bluebills, and they enjoyed another life as big water divers. Avian-X nailed that with this series. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. To create the head, the carver uses an ax to cut off a small woodblock. 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. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. Ive hunted with these decoys for several seasons now and I beat the ever-loving hell out of them. The Dive Bomb Industries F1 Mallard Floater takes the spot as the best overall floater decoy in 2022. Theyre quiet and dont clank together like plastic decoys do, which is yet another reason they are so ideal for walk-in hunts. Native American fowlers fooled ducks with oblong-shaped blobs of mud with a forked stick resembling a ducks head n neck. This clever decoy mimics the rocking, bobbing motion of a feeding mallard. 2. Here are the new year's top models. Is the paint going to flake off almost immediately? You can always add more decoys; its what we do. At 44 ounces, the XS Pulsator is reasonably light, making it a possibility for the mobile fowler. Some of the master carvers of duck decoys such as Ben Schmidt, Joe Lincoln, Walter Ruppel, Adam Anger, Addie Nichol, Alain MacDonald, Albert Laing, Art Chilton, Babe Strubinger, Bert . Im not mentioning the same creators over and over again, so for the sake of transparency, its also important to note that Lothrops Ruddy Turnstone sold for $470,000 back in 2000. GET IN TOUCH WITH A RECORD SPECIALIST (Opens in a new window), How to set or break a Guinness World Records title. Singles and pairs will lock into a regular mallard spread. 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. Expert Answers: A duck decoy is a man-made object resembling a real duck. 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 latest one was made less than a year ago, in 1956. In my humble opinion, duck decoys are all about two thingsvisual realism, and durability. Sometimes, it could depend on the pose of the decoy; some duck decoys are carved in feeding, swimming, and even sleeping positions. As with all antique items, the rare models of duck decoys which are often hard to locate, tend to cost a whole lot more than others. Vintage duck decoys can be ridiculously expensive. Its bottom of the boat beating around. Oh, and the square handle (box style) stake. They wont crack or immediately fade. That means the decoys tend to run on the more expensive side. Hunting isnt easy. Created by Gus Wilson, this antique item broke one of the antique duck decoy sales record recently. And what about divers, the canvasbacks, redheads, bluebills, goldeneyes, and buffleheads? Continue with Recommended Cookies, All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. Joe Lincoln painted decoys well into his 70s and remains an underdog in the decoy world. 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. Valuable Antique Duck Decoys 1.The Crowell Bundle 2.The Eider Drake Decoy 3.The Merganser Hen Carving 4.The Wilson Drake Duck Decoy 5.Cobb Brant Mallard Duck Decoys 6.The Blaird Mallard decoy 7.Graves Mallard Decoys 8.Simple Wood Duck by Thomas Chambers Final Note The History Of Antique Duck Decoys No spam, we promise. Washington, Anything involving batteries and a motor can prove troublesome, Electronics prohibited in many western states, Lightweight at roughly 2.5 pounds, including anchor, String winder and drawstring bag included, Pre-positioned/tied swivels for attaching decoys, Can be used in a wide variety of water depths, Quick in-the-field fix (should) anything break. One must instead learn to differentiate an actual bait from a modern decoy. 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. AXP mallards lead the category with a true-to-life flock of hens and drakes designed by world champion decoy carver Rick Johannsen. Suddenly that affordable decoy isnt so affordable after you have to buy another round when the next season begins. The texture also differed based on region. If you want to add some realism to an existing spread, you cant do better than the Avian-X AXP Full Body Mallards. Both carvers are renowned for their excellent accomplishments in the carving industry. It all depends on the birds, the wind, the pressure, and more. 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. They wont become brittle when the bottom falls out of the thermometer. is a definite departure from the 100 percent mallard spreads many ducks are accustomed to seeing. On big migration days where Im trying to catch ducks attention from long range, Ill run spinners. Bottom line I want them to look like ducks. 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. The market is continually evolving, so todays price may not be tomorrows. ), as it makes picking up said bunch of flats stupid quick and easy. This piece pulled in enormous amounts of money at the 2006 G&S auction. Famous carvers including Ben Schmidt, Walter Ruppel, Art Chilton, Bill Goenne . Replicate this when you set up your spread. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold. Crowell has been the only one to fetch over a million for a decoy purchase, but that was a pair even then. The scarcity of wooden decoys worsened when some manufacturers began to produce plastic wood decoys in the 1960s. A lot of other wood duck decoys have the drakes head sticking high up above the water, like hes on alert. Search knutsondecoys.com or parkercoatings.com, buy some colors that suit you, and touch em up. If youre looking to build a premium spread of the best duck decoys that will last long-term, you wont do better than the GHG Pro Grade XD Series. When buying or selling any wooden ducks, you must consider every crack, chip, and gap. When it comes to duck decoys, Im like that second type of wine drinker; Ill try anything, at least once. Just $1 per month , These decoys will have puddle ducks and divers coming in hot, We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. 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. There are a lot of companies producing duck decoys nowadays. 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. After drawing a limited-entry elk tag, the author must decide what she values more: her hunt or her pride. 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. 3 3. This combined with the intricate painting that goes into each model makes the Hydrofoam decoys look incredibly realistic on the water. 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. Its a fetching decoy, but nothing like Crowell or Holmes could make, yet it still sold for a hefty price tag of $767,000 back in 2014. Oh, I have to have four or five dozen divers, minimum. most valuable duck decoys. It was the highest ticket item at an $800,000 auction, bringing in $299,000 individually, which greatly surpassed the average for the dozens of other items in the auction. The 750 gallon-per-hour bilge pump at the heart of the Pulsator is powered by a 12V lithium ion battery, which, says Higdon, will provide up to seven hours of service, and, whats better, will recharge in 180 minutes. 8 8. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. This decoy was purchased in 2017, whereas most of the others on this list were bought about a decade ago or longer. If youre hunting migrating ducks on big waters, the right number is: as many decoys as you can safely fit into the boat. Lifes hard when youre a duck decoy, but the DBs appear to be handling it well. Whats the Difference Between Vintage And Antique ? We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. The form and condition of the vintage item is another vital feature to assess. Orwhat the hellmaybe a dozen mallards, and then a half dozen pintails, gadwall, widgeon, and green-wing teal. 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. Ive also seen cheap decoys wear out after a single year. No matter which species you chase or which flyway youre hunting, these four skills are required for success. Paint adhesion, or how well the paint sticks to the plastic used to make the decoy, is a HUGE deal. Ducks move around, even when theyre loafing on the water. In turn, the demand for decoys grind to a halt. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Replicate live birds the best you can and make sure you have a little landing zone (known as a kill hole) set about 20 yards out, right in front of the blind. Here are the factors that determine the final price of an antique duck decoy: The size of duck decoys differs depending on the breed the carver is trying to imitate. 8 8. Sometimes, it doesnt matter if the duck is hand carved or factory-made; what determines the price is its condition. And that, typically, isnt a bad thing. Alex Robinson is Outdoor Lifes editor-in-chief. Unlike my buddy Gifford, I do not always keep my decoys in a slotted bag. Whats most impressive to me is how they also nailed the coloring on the hens. Think you enjoy this fowling gig? Duck decoys are sometimes used in waterfowl hunting to attract real ducks.Duck decoys were historically . And finally, theres the price. Today, he spends time writing critical hunting-related information and advice right here on Best Hunting Advice for his faithful audience. Their lightweight design doesnt sacrifice durability, either. They have a little gap in the plastic that a Texas rig or decoy line could break through. Some of the lures in this range were handpainted in eye-catching natural shades, which were easy to spot. With their affordable foam-filled design, theyre an excellent bargain. Other than that, theyre great. 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. But now theres a wide variety of motion decoys available. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes.

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