One of the duck hunter’s best weapons is not his gun, but his decoys. Whether you need a handful of ducks tossed out in front of you or a large spread, a good hunter knows how important these tools are to his success. To the ducks flying overhead your spot needs to look attractive and the right decoys can do that for you. We carry a large selection of working decoys during duck season, G & H Decoys are one of our favorite brands, but stock is getting a little low now that the season is winding down. If you need some working decoys, though, give us a call and we will see what we can do.
Hunters have been using decoys for ages. Up until the 20th century when mass production and plastics came into use, the working decoys were hand made by the hunters. They were all wood or cork and some were wood with canvas stretched over a metal frame. All were made to use as tools. These working decoys have gone through a transformation in recent years from a useful item to a collector’s gem. The late 1800’s and early 1900’s styles are especially in demand. One of the best resources we have found on the history of the decoy for our region is Kroghie Andresen’s book Gunnin’ Birds. This is a big book full of wonderful historic photographs, detailed descriptions of the decoys, history of the carvers, and photographs of the historic decoys he has studied over the years. This is a great gift for any duck hunter or collector!
A local gentleman, Sam Green, noticed the interest in the classic look of the Outer Banks style decoys several years ago and began making reproductions of the style in his Frisco home. His decoys have carved wooden heads with canvas stretched over metal frames that were so popular around our islands. He started with just a few decoys and as their popularity grew he added many new designs of ducks, geese, and even a swan to his catalog. We carry several of his decoys in our shop and can order others as people request them. Check out the selection we have for you to choose from online. We love talking to people in the shop who see them and have to have one!
We hope everyone enjoys the last couple of days of hunting for the year and I’m sure there are more then a few guys and girls out there who are already counting the days until duck season starts again!
Natalie Perry Kavanagh