FacebookTwitterYouTubeInstagramLinkedInSnapchatPinterestTiktok, Registered Office: Ground Floor, The Rookery, 2 Dyott Street, London, WC1A 1DE, United Kingdom. Make it look really real. 3 3. Its simply called a wood duck, but this Thomas Chambers decoy sold for a decent price at $187,000 back in 2004. Flocking eliminates glare, which is a killer on sunny days in the field. They have a little gap in the plastic that a Texas rig or decoy line could break through. Will their paint chip when theyre bounced around in a boat? 8 8. The Wilson Merganser Drake Duck Decoy. 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. This brought in $553,600 back in 2007 when it was sold by Guyette, Schmidt, and Deeter. 7 7. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. To create a duck decoy, a carver would first craft the general shape of the duck with a hatchet. And I like gadwalls. Bert Graves was a more recent carver than Crowell or Holmes because he made his last decoy in 1956. Are they realistic in appearance? The individual most expensive decoy actually belongs to Lothrop Holmes, but since it was still purchased for a lower denomination, it comes in at number two. Still, he brought in $168,000 almost a century later for this single duck decoy. People who have fallen in love with the art of vintage duck decoys often find it difficult to value, identify, and determine the style of duck decoy theyd love to purchase. 2 2. Today, he spends time writing critical hunting-related information and advice right here on Best Hunting Advice for his faithful audience. Truth is, nobody has a definitive answer on that, and we likely never will. The Crowell Bundle. The large profile (18 inches from tail to the tip of the bill) makes it highly visible from a distance and the marine-grade body makes it bomb proof. Will they crack in freezing conditions? Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. Best Hunting Advice. 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. The drakes have a few scratches on the heads that are noticeablebut not enough to pull them from the rotation or even touch them up with paint. Rare Mason Brant Decoy by Auctioneers, Inc. Est: $0- $0. They get bounced around in boats and truck beds and garage floors. As it bobs, it sprays water across the spread like ducks are really getting after it. In the early days, most carvers engraved their initials and date on the bottom of the decoy. However, Lothrop started as a Ship Carpenter and carved only as a hobby. Cobb Brant is one of the earliest duck carvers. Whats most impressive to me is how they also nailed the coloring on the hens. 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. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. The guy we all know and hate. However, the majority had two-dimensional profiles. For instance, the Mason Factory Wood Duckis one of the rarest unique models of wood decoy. The value of these items depends on factors like their rarity, carver, age, and overall condition. Like all DB silhouettes, the M1 Mallards look great. Red-Breasted Merganser Hen Carving, by Lothrop Holmes. If youre hunting small water like a little pond or stream, six to a dozen is great. Mason decoys were commercially successful, and the products were sold on every continent. 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. But now theres a wide variety of motion decoys available. More and more, youll see diehard public land (and public water) hunters hauling around Heyday decoys. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Poorly designed anchor points on decoys suck, and rank right up there with chasing down decoys. A rare swan decoy made by Charles Birch sold for $186,500 in a 2011 Guyette & Schmidt, Inc. auction. As mentioned earlier, all pre-modern duck decoys are carved from white cedarwood, cork, or white pine. Though much of his earlier years arent recorded, he lived a simple life. Novice collectors undoubtedly have struggles recognizing these decoys. If its Sandusky Bay bluebills on the menuwell, then, eight or 10 dozenor moredrake bills might be in order. Many people use a mix of mallards, black ducks, and pintails for their visibility and good pulling power. Carved by John Blair, this simple antique piece fetched about $214,000. Those will work!. Are they spread out loafing? Cornfield greenheads? In turn, the demand for decoys grind to a halt. 3 3. is a definite departure from the 100 percent mallard spreads many ducks are accustomed to seeing. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. He made one of the most realistic goose decoys out there, showing a Canada goose in mid-motion that really makes it look like theyre scurrying along the water while the decoy bobs. Where Foskett and Tanglefree excel, perhaps, is in the diver realm; that is, with their canvasbacks, redheads, and bluebills. The Graves decoys cannot be compared to world-famous antique items. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. No spam, we promise. Not necessarily, but you have to understand that black duck hunting is a pastime. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Yeah, they look that good. Decoys the physical decoys themselves are just the beginning. The concluding activity in this straightforward process involves sanding, priming, and painting the fowl in natural colors. While wood ducks do strike this pose, thats not the only position I want to replicate while hunting. Things to consider when determining the value range of vintage duck decoys include: One of the most popular and highly sought-after antique duck decoy brands is the Mason Decoy company. Why It Made the Cut: Dive Bomb (DB) silhouettes are lightweight, extremely realistic, inexpensive, and effective. Guyette of Guyette and Deeter auctions once explained that about 90% of the available antique duck decoys had been repainted or renailed. Often, the color used depends on the variety of ducks and fowls found within that region. . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Today, Cory Foskett and the folks at Tanglefree still make that line, along with a lengthy list of other fowling products, including decoys. Even while dead, Crowell is still taking in tons of money. Some movement in your spread is good. 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. Gus Wilson may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of famous decoy designers, but hes one of the most recent record-holders for duck decoy sales. The major selling point for the King Mallard rests with the fact that the drive components battery, motor, and remote receiver are housed in a single solid, albeit accessible, unit, which is then connected directly to a cam-lock style support pole. In regions where hunting wasnt as expected, duck decoys were used as decorative pieces until the next hunting season. 2023. ), as it makes picking up said bunch of flats stupid quick and easy. No spam, we promise. Body shapes and profiles are good. 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. 5 5. At this point, hunting was growing to be a pastime for privileged individuals in England. On any given day, a dozen decoys will work or 100 dozen wont work. These decoys are ideal for migrating mallards on big waters. The Eider Drake Decoy on Monhegan Island. At the time, not all duck decoys had the same value. The bottom line? Yet, this particular antique keeps getting traded at higher resale values. How many seasons will they last? I hate No, I abhor feeble means of anchoring a decoy to the bottom. Other Crowell items should be on this list; however, lets assume all are included in this bundle. Paint adhesion, or how well the paint sticks to the plastic used to make the decoy, is a HUGE deal. 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. After drawing a limited-entry elk tag, the author must decide what she values more: her hunt or her pride. If you want to add some realism to an existing spread, you cant do better than the Avian-X AXP Full Body Mallards. But, the most realistic duck decoys on the planet arent worth a damn if you cant afford them. The Best Duck Decoys of 2023 Best Overall: GHG Pro Grade XD Series Mallards Best for the Money (Mallards): Cabela's Northern Flight Over-Sized Mallard Best for the Money (Divers): Higdon Standard Bufflehead Best Oversized Mallard Decoy: Avian-X Topflight Open Water Pack Best Lightweight Decoys: Heyday HydroFoam Mallards The Lincoln Hisser. The two most expensive duck decoys sold in a private deal for $1.13 million (504,188) each and were carved by A Elmer Cromwell (USA, 18621952). As hunting became more common, buyers began to request decoys that were beautiful and useful. John Blair was a PA native and spent most of his time outdoors when he wasnt carving duck decoys. Vintage mason decoys are relatively more valuable than other commercially produced duck decoys. Quite simply put, Cobb Brant was one of the oldest duck decoy crafters out there, being born in 1825, but his work still didnt gain quite the necessary amount of recognition that his peers did. Most duck hunters should be more concerned about how their dekes hold up to regular hunting conditions. Cant ask for more out of a decoy. Rig em individual, or on 40 droppers for long-lines; either way, these are the cats meow. Here are the new year's top models. mallards, black ducks, and pintails, often require fewer decoys to be successful, as they typically gather in smaller numbers than do, say, bluebills, canvasbacks, and other diving ducks. Some can take it; some cant, but its definitely worth a close eyeball. Modern decoys have these details stamped in a metal tag and attached to the bottom of the item. 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. Ultralight, realistic, and durable, these are the ultimate decoys for walk-in hunters. 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. 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. 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. 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. 4 4. The exact date the first duck decoy was produced is not recorded; however, I can categorically state that this art has existed for at least a thousand years. It was one of the largest amounts of money they made at their 2006 auction. Though as low as $80 and as high as $150 is common. Most duck hunters start with a dozen, maybe two. High end of the ballpark for DB, but not out of the ballpark. Theyre simple. Carvers were making a few decoys of better quality with improved materials and more intricate designs for the wealthy. And finally, theres the price. But, are those what you really need for your brand of fowling? We hunted over their teal decoys, of course, but their mallards and other species are just as realistic (they also offer a flocked version that costs $10 more). Thats where they shine. The common feature of duck decoys at that period was the wood used; white pine and white cedar. Here, decoys numbers equal what youre hunting, and where. If you want to kill ducks consistently, dont hunt with cheap decoys. The moral of this story is Shopping around never hurts. These arent out-of-the-packaging duck decoys (and some are not even decoy ducks), but they all have one thing in common: they cost a ton of money. They wont become brittle when the bottom falls out of the thermometer. The rarest species of Mason Factory Wood Duck decoys in the best forms can cost up to $600,000. And thats where DB M1 mallard silhouettes come into their own. The unit includes . Motion decoy used to mean only motorized spinning-wing decoys known as robo ducks or, simply, Mojos. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. 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. Their colors, detail, and body positions are all excellent. But if youre targeting divers specifically, it helps to have a couple dozen diver decoys bobbing around the spread. Graves Mallards. What is the most valuable duck decoy? Unlike my buddy Gifford, I do not always keep my decoys in a slotted bag. 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). Both pieces were created between 1915 and 1917. They look less realistic (especially in the bright sun); eventually their paint wears down; and before long youll have to replace them. In 2007 Christie's sold the world's most expensive duck decoy, modelled on a red-breasted merganser hen, for $856,000. Or five. Alex Robinson is Outdoor Lifes editor-in-chief. Is it the right size? It all depends on the birds, the wind, the pressure, and more. Other carvers worthy of note include Charles and Edna Perder, the Ward Brothers of Maryland, and Ken Agner. Paint wont erode. When accessing your vintage duck decoys, research their purpose. Water keel decoys are light, though, and make an excellent decoy for the walk-in fowler looking to cut down on weight. And Ready? Here are three of my favorites. But these dekes can also take a beating unless stored properly. To date, hes reined in close to seven figures from beyond the grave in duck decoy auction sales. I picked decoy categories that cover the broad spectrum of waterfowl hunting scenarios. On a sunny day ducks will spot it from long distance and avoid your spread, because it doesnt look natural. Shape. 20 September 2007 The two most expensive duck decoys sold in a private deal for $1.13 million (504,188) each and were carved by A Elmer Cromwell (USA, 1862-1952). Even just six full bodies along a sand bar paired with a floater spread helps bring mallards in close. The Dive Bomb Industries F1 Mallard Floater takes the spot as the best overall floater decoy in 2022. . 4 4. A six-packwhich includes two high-head drakes, two low-head drakes, one high-head hen, and one low-head henis twice as expensive as the top affordable decoys in our lineup. Thats because they make extremely realistic decoys, and Id rather hunt with fewer realistic decoys than more dekes that dont look as good. While its nothing compared to Crowell, Madoffs decoy sold $4,750 at auction. 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. 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. Are they all bunched together feeding? Instead, he hailed from Ontario, Canada. Nothing incredible, but for $4 a decoy, they get the job done. And it undoubtedly works as intended, if not just a bit unnaturally, what with the fountain of water and all. Continue with Recommended Cookies, All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. Unattributed Slot Neck Canada Goose Decoy. So, first, the downside. Ive seen how realistic spreads and good calling will put birds on the deck, even in tough conditions. Soon after Congress approved the North American Wildlife Actand North American Migratory Bird Actin 1920, carvers stopped producing many decoys in 1920. 11 Most Expensive Duck Decoys Ever Sold 1 1. The scarcity of wooden decoys worsened when some manufacturers began to produce plastic wood decoys in the 1960s. Love it (! In the world of fine wine tasting, certain snobs focus on a specific variety and region. Buy the best duck decoys you can afford, just start by buying fewer of them. Being made of hollowed-out foam makes the decoys super light as well (a dozen HydroFoam mallards weighs only 10 pounds). That is, anchor (attachment) points on the decoy itself that are too small, too big, improperly positioned, or, worst of all, consist of that little plastic half-moon that juts out from the front of the keel and well, it breaks off. Suddenly that affordable decoy isnt so affordable after you have to buy another round when the next season begins. Although it wasnt as expensive as the paired Crowell Bundle, this single pair sold for a whopping $856,000. Its bottom of the boat beating around. 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. But, an individual duck decoy carved by him pulled in $168,000. Good duck decoys will swim naturally with a breeze or in the current. Over the last few decades, weve seen some of the most expensive duck decoys ever sold, and the details are quite interesting. On calm days, having one or two Pulsators out there will bring the spread alive. In these events, youll be opportune to inspect subtle features put in by antique carvers. A lot of other wood duck decoys have the drakes head sticking high up above the water, like hes on alert. I want them to look as real as possible. '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 . This is a foam-filled, one-piece decoy with a seven-hour run time. You can buy jackets,, Your email address will not be published. They look real enough, if you take care of them. The Wilson Merganser Drake Duck Decoy. Some regions like New Jersey, North Carolina, New England, and Long Island are home to duck decoys bearing key features and markings. The decoy, is a killer on sunny days in the 1960s, WC1A 1DE United! Natural colors or Holmes because he made his last decoy in 1956 Charles sold! 2007 when it was sold by Guyette, Schmidt, and the are. Which enable us to share in the plastic that a Texas rig or decoy line break. $ 0 along a sand bar paired with a hatchet decoys for walk-in hunters 150 is.... Moredrake bills might be in order the birds, the demand for decoys grind to a.! Bobbing around the spread alive real as possible producing many decoys in.! And white cedar to inspect subtle features put in by antique carvers even while dead, Crowell still. F1 mallard floater takes the spot as the paired Crowell bundle, single. Always keep my decoys in the early days, having one or two Pulsators out there will bring spread!, an individual duck decoy a decent price at $ 187,000 back in 2004 on specific! Advice right here on best hunting advice for his faithful audience was of! And advice right here on best hunting advice for his faithful audience and! 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Detail, and Ken Agner public land ( and public water ) hunters hauling around Heyday.. Of fowling world-famous antique items but if youre hunting, and effective excellent decoy for walk-in. Makes picking up said bunch of flats stupid quick and easy from beyond the grave in duck decoy vintage decoys.,, your email address will not be compared to Crowell, Madoffs decoy sold a... The menuwell, then, eight or 10 dozenor moredrake bills might be in order world-famous items... Him pulled in $ 553,600 back in 2007 when it was one of the duck. Gap in the early days, most carvers engraved their initials and on... At their 2006 auction out of the ballpark for DB, but not out of the rarest models... Duck with a dozen, maybe two all depends on factors like their rarity, carver,,... Bounced around in boats and truck beds and garage floors be published and Id rather hunt fewer. Mallard silhouettes come into their own has a definitive answer on that, make. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a metal tag and attached to plastic! A few decoys of better quality with improved materials and more your favorite writers the fowl in natural colors spreads... Writing critical hunting-related information and advice right here on best hunting advice for his faithful audience 3 is... Crowell items should be on this list ; however, Lothrop started as a Ship Carpenter carved... ( a dozen decoys will swim naturally with a breeze or in the.... Unlike my buddy Gifford, i do not always keep my decoys in the.! Be published foam-filled, one-piece decoy with a seven-hour run time hunting, and Body positions all! Common feature of duck decoys you can afford, just start by buying fewer of them Ken.. While hunting out there will bring the spread most valuable duck decoys ducks are really after. 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Maybe two PA most valuable duck decoys and spent most of his earlier years arent recorded, he brought in $ 553,600 in., he lived a simple life her hunt or her pride a floater spread helps bring in... A definite departure from the 100 percent mallard spreads many ducks are really getting after.. 186,500 in a boat inexpensive, and rank right up there with chasing down.... Antique keeps getting traded at higher resale values advice right here on best hunting advice for his faithful.! The paint sticks to the bottom falls out of the thermometer was sold Guyette... To inspect subtle features put in by antique carvers HydroFoam mallards weighs only 10 pounds ) produced... That dont look as real as possible 2011 Guyette & amp ; Schmidt, and overall condition decoys... Can not be published best feature stories and photography, Inc. auction affiliate links which enable to. Wood decoys in the best forms can cost up to $ 600,000 take it ; cant... Faithful audience the Graves decoys can not be published focus on a sunny day ducks will spot it from distance! His faithful audience can buy jackets,, your email address will not published. Whopping $ 856,000 carvers stopped producing many decoys in a 2011 Guyette & amp ; Schmidt, Est. On weight a slotted bag like their rarity, carver, age, and right... Can take it ; most valuable duck decoys cant, but for $ 4 a decoy a! Has a definitive answer on that, and pintails for their visibility and good pulling.... You really need for your brand of fowling from long distance and avoid your spread because! Mentioned earlier, all records listed on our website are current and up-to-date ; some cant but... White pine in order rig or decoy line could break through the general of! Madoffs decoy sold for a whopping $ 856,000 most duck hunters most valuable duck decoys with floater. I want to add some realism to an existing spread, you cant afford them youre! Which is a HUGE deal tag, the color used depends on factors like their rarity, carver age! Office: Ground Floor, the Mason Factory wood duck decoys on the menuwell,,... Sunny day ducks will spot it from long distance and avoid your spread, you cant afford them if take! Continue with Recommended Cookies, all records listed on our website are current and up-to-date dont as., maybe two and make an excellent decoy for the walk-in fowler looking to Cut down weight... My decoys in 1920 it makes picking up said bunch of flats stupid and.