Expert Answers: A duck decoy is a man-made object resembling a real duck. As hunting became more common, buyers began to request decoys that were beautiful and useful. 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. On big migration days where Im trying to catch ducks attention from long range, Ill run spinners. A part of the puzzle. They get rained on and covered in snow and ice. WHAT MAKES A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE? How many decoys youre going to use depends on different things. The Most Expensive The most expensive duck call on the market at time of writing is a one-of-a-kind Paul Kingyon handmade wood call; the asking price is nearly $2,000. Remember that good decoys are an investment. And thats what it was: art. The not-so-easy aspect is locating a genuine, affordable piece in premium condition. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Interestingly, some John Blair decoys have gone for $12,000 or less, but this one mallard has been trading hands and increasing in value for years. Rule of thumb. Today, he spends time writing critical hunting-related information and advice right here on Best Hunting Advice for his faithful audience. Hence, these items are regarded as antique and vintage. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. 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. Real, live ducks. Paint wont erode. My decoys get banged up on everything imaginable. Now THATS how I want my decoys to look. John Blair was a PA native and spent most of his time outdoors when he wasnt carving duck decoys. As the years went by, decoys were mass-produced and used by commercial and sports huntersto catch prey for food and sports activities, respectively. Download our FREE pdf guide and learn what decoys you should be using. The hens have no damage whatsoever. Duck decoys are sometimes used in waterfowl hunting to attract real ducks.Duck decoys were historically . Puddle ducks, e.g. Stability, low shake, and low noise. According to specialists, most decoys in a perfect state can be worth a fortune. What are the most expensive duck decoys? RANK: MAKER: STATE: DECOY: AUCTIONEER: DATE: PRICE: RECORD: 1: . Bottom line I want them to look like ducks. But now theres a wide variety of motion decoys available. Many of them snapped off and were replaced, but this one hit such a high price point because the original beak is still completely intact. 1 1. I dont want my decoys to look like blobs of mud. The mason decoys were carved from white cedar, lathe patterned, and took pleasing shapes. In all cases, I leaned toward decoys that look realistic in the field. Buy the best duck decoys you can afford, just start by buying fewer of them. Motion decoy used to mean only motorized spinning-wing decoys known as robo ducks or, simply, Mojos. By now youve probably noticed that Avian-X keeps popping up on this list. 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. 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. Theres a ton of mystery shrouding The Eider Drake because even to this day, I cant credit the original manufacturer. If youve seen a mature hen woodie in the fall, you know they have nuanced (and beautiful) hues mixed in with all that brown. 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. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold 1 1. Cheap decoys typically have more issues with glare. If you come across a decoy made from canvas or plastic, it is likely a modern decoy. I like the way they sound. 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. I opened the box of the then-new Dive Bomb mallard floaters, took one look, and told no one but the month-old chickens in the pen in the garageDamn! In all honesty, despite the high costs of these antique duck decoys, there are some passionate decoy duck collectors and hunters with more than enough money who would immediately pick up any of these converted decoys as soon as they were put up for sale. The latest crop of cams is one of the best in years, including one unit that claims eliminate false triggers. Even the gentlest breeze got these decoys moving on the water, and the dual keel design allows them to move even more freely in any sort of current. The Dive Bomb Industries F1 Mallard Floater takes the spot as the best overall floater decoy in 2022. Head and bill positions. Theyre simple. Bigger duck decoys are likely to cost more. The Eider Drake decoy used to be the centerpiece in the James McCleery collection till it eventually sold for $767,000 in 2014. These dekes, paired with a simple wood duck call, make it possible to work and finish flocks of 12 to 20 wood ducks. $140 5 Bids. Bert Graves was a more recent carver than Crowell or Holmes because he made his last decoy in 1956. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Garage sale mallards may cost $2 each, a call-your-buddies bargain, especially if theyre in a condition where they can be immediately used. These are hunks of plastic that are going to be abused. Carvers also designed a group of decoys that appear to have legs. But, are those what you really need for your brand of fowling? (here is another example of their work) $250 5 Bids. Some duck decoys were carved for hunting, some for decoration, while a few served both purposes. What is the most expensive duck decoy ever sold? A lot of other wood duck decoys have the drakes head sticking high up above the water, like hes on alert. Face value, in part, but it never hurts to again do your homework. It was one of the few antique items that performed well during this event. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. Arthur Anderson grew up in rural Indiana, where he spent much of his time going on hunting trips with friends from a young age, and braving the outdoors to get the most authentic hunting experience possible. 7 7. Learn More . Soon after Congress approved the North American Wildlife Actand North American Migratory Bird Actin 1920, carvers stopped producing many decoys in 1920. If you hunt big-water mallards and are willing to pay top dollar, you wont do better than these. The Eider Drake Decoy On Monhegan Island. The Avian-X body positions look much more natural and relaxed. If you wanted to build a spread of, say, five dozen full bodies, it would cost you $2,000. Take a glance at the top 50 decoys ever sold with Guyette a& Deeter, Inc. Top 50 Sold. What are you going to hunt? Auction houses and antique affairs are the primary buyers and sellers of these historical folk art pieces. 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. Though as low as $80 and as high as $150 is common. A duck hunter without duck decoys is just another odd fellow who gets up stupid early on the coldest of mornings, dresses funny, and enjoys the company of dogs well above that of people. Hence the reason why most of them are sold for $100 or less. To date, the record price for a decoy is $856,000, sold in 2007 by Guyette & Deeter in a joint auction with Christie's. 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. Non-mallards. 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 unless your name is Elon Musk, theres an awfully good chance youre going to be giving that price tag the ole once-over. The concluding activity in this straightforward process involves sanding, priming, and painting the fowl in natural colors. Still, the Pulsator does muddle up the surface, making it look like an avian free-for-all. To create the head, the carver uses an ax to cut off a small woodblock. Like all DB silhouettes, the M1 Mallards look great. Today, duck decoys are no longer used as hunting strategies, thanks to modern technology. There are only two knocks on this decoy. Mallards. This is the most expensive decoy bundle ever sold to date. Their makers are top carvers who practiced for years to attain their renowned reputation. If its Sandusky Bay bluebills on the menuwell, then, eight or 10 dozenor moredrake bills might be in order. You want soft-to-the-touch realism from a decoy without breaking the bank? The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan . As far as the number of decoys to use, 12 to 24 puddle duck decoys is a good range for most people, with fewer than 18 being about right for a solo hunter to set up alone. Full-bodies and silhouettes can be used both on dry ground and on the water, the latter with some modifications and improvisations, both of which can be and typically are a royal pain in the behind. No spam, we promise. Hard. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. . The Eider Drake Decoy On Monhegan Island, 4. GHG might have built the perfect mallard decoy with their Pro Grade XD Series Mallards. Let me put it this way. Vintage and antique duck decoys have different designs, depending on their intended purpose. The Graves antiques are more recent than the Holmes or Crowell pieces. Post author: Post published: October 5, 2022 Post category: high temp wood stove paint Post comments: pre built log cabins for sale in alaska pre built log cabins for sale in alaska Because these decoys are larger, theyll be more visible, so you can get away with a smaller spread in many situations. Crowell has been the only one to fetch over a million for a decoy purchase, but that was a pair even then. Its nothing compared to some of these world-famous decoys, but the Graves Mallards brought in $218,500 at another G&S auction. Factors That Affect Antique Duck Decoy Values, Vintage Sarah Coventry Jewelry: Identity, Value and Price Guide, Vintage and Antique Piggy Banks: Complete Value Guide, Antique and Vintage Ashtrays: Complete Value Guide, 10 Rarest Vintage Breyer Horses: Value and Price Guide, 10 Most Valuable Vintage Perfume Bottles: Value Guide, 15 Most Valuable Vintage Postcards: Complete Value Guide, Sports Memorabilia Price and Identification Guide, Olympia Typewriter: History, Models, and Value, Most Valuable Antique Swords: Identification & Valuation, How to Identify Victorian Furniture Styles, Goebel Figurines: Marks, Identification, and Value, White Sewing Machine 101: Everything you need to know. Its believed that this is because Americas history continues to go on and on. The hunters who lie in wait would then capture the live birds that approach the dummy. Glare off a decoy is a deal breaker. It currently holds the record for the most costly single decoy ever sold.

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