Any of you with the same disease I have?

Al Hansen

Al Hansen

Well-known member
About two weeks ago, I received my Cabela's and Mack's Prairie Wing's waterfowl catalogs. As is normal, I began leafing through them one page at a time. Yesterday I had an email from Roger's Sporting Goods telling me all about their "Truck load" sale on every dream item a duck hunter would ever want.

Well, I have been known to wear clothes until they were threads. I don't mind if my waders have patches or gobs of glue to fix a hole. I own one shotgun because one seems to be enough. 2 3/4 inch Dove load 12 gauge shells are plenty powerful enough for me because I like looking at their outstretched feet before I pull he trigger. However, when it comes to decoys--it is another matter all together. Now common sense tells me that the decoys I presently own will get me through the next decade of duck hunting but why is it that I always feel the need to buy more? For the past two weeks I have been drooling over the new decoys put out for this year. I also get that same feeling when I see those hand carved beauties that are displayed on this website. No season seems to be complete unless I begin it with at least a few new decoys!

In 1955, I ordered a half dozen Herter's pintail decoys from Herter's catalog which was my bible for many years. Darn it! It's a terrible disease that I have had most of my life but I guess I'll just have to put up with it.
Al
 
1st step in kicking this disease is to admit you have a problem. Good Job. Second step is to rid yourself of all your temptations. If you PM me, I'll send you my address that you can send the 1955 Herters decoys to to start to get rid of your problems. No need to thank me. Just looking out for a fellow duck hunter. Trip
 
Al,

I know what you mean. I certainly don't NEED anymore decoys - 150 should be enough , but one never knows. As a matter of fact, I'm heading out in about 30 minutes for a day of shopping at Cabela's. I've got a whole list of "wants" and enough Cabela's Bucks for about half of it.
 
It not just You Al. I have had a Decoy problem for Years.

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Problem, why is this a problem? If it is a disease, I'm doomed!

I love looking at all the new stuff. Some I get a kick out of, some I drool over, and some I do desire. I'm a gadget guy - love em. Maybe it's my nature or the job I do but I love innovativeness. My most recent passion are lights. From spotlights to area lights, I'm into lights. Found a great new spotlight from Stanley just this past week and had to have it. I rigged up some new LED lights in my boat for this year. In the process of figuring out how to better light the interior of my flip over ice house. Cap lights, key chain lights, trailer lights and so on. It never ends. Someone help me.

Not trying to solve your problem Al but you could always get off those mailing lists. I know this is drastic and all and I don't think I could do it.

Mark W
 
Al there is no cure but you must feed the sickness.
That is why Im in the middle of selecting my new field rig of Canada's and Mallards for this up coming season. LOL
 
I would diagnose myself with the same disease. I just ordered 3dozen dekes from cabelas myself. For diver hunting this year I am looking to start with around 100 decoys. I also received cabelas and macks prairie wings, bass pro came today. So many decisions??? Unfortunately between duck hunting and deer hunting (bow/gun), it can drain the wallet. Emptywalletitous I would call it. Will there come a time in the future where you look in the mirror and say, " I have everything I have ever wanted". Doubt it.
 
I believe majority of us on here have decoyitis and duckboat disease, well at least I know I do with about $30,000 invested
 
tsk, tsk, Pete, Pete
I didn't realize you were a minimalist duck hunter when I met you at the Lacrosse get together a couple of years ago. I guess that beautiful boat of yours clouded my eyes. Only 150 decoys! How can any self-respecting duck hunter get through a season with so few. Heck, you need at least 5 dozen for each boat, 2 or 3 dozen for carry-in hunts, plus 3 or 4 dozen for emergency situations. That's 30 dozen mallard decoys right there and you haven't even begun to touch on pintails, widgeons, gadwalls, and woodies. And add at least 100 divers (canvasbacks?, redheads?, bluebills?) and 3 or 4 dozen goose floaters to make a nice little spread . Of course there's probably some type of shoreline or sandbar nearby that will require field decoys. Goldeneyes and buffleheads are an absolute necessity for late season...
 
I thought I cured myself of the disease last weekend when I sold all my plastic duck decoys. I'm guessing the pile of cork and cedar sitting on the floor in the garage is an indicator that the disease morphed into something far worse and is spreading.


~Dave
 
I continue to fight the disease. Last week I bought a new VHF radio for the boat and I have been puttering with decoys the last couple of months. It is time to shift gears and get ready for the annual bow hunt for moose. It is only six weeks away. This Friday I will pull out the duck boat and fire it up. Talking with the guys last night we decided to drag my jon boat north and take it to a large lake we found last year that was full of ducks. There were miles of wild rice and hundreds of ducks. A shotgun and a few decoys will mean that we can do a little duck hunting in between moose hunts. We can also cross the lake and hunt moose on the back side in an area that is otherwise inaccessible.

You know you are addicted to duck hunting when you try to find ways to squeeze in a hunt or two on a moose hunting trip.
 
Good post Al. Any good hunter worth his salt must have replacements, right? Thats my story and ..........I have been hunting for 30 years and not once do I remember setting out every decoy I own, but that doesn't stop me from buying a dozen or two each year.
By the way are you related to any Dupuis' from Louisiana (my wife's maiden name)? She has been telling me that I have a disease for 30 years now.
 
Your disease will be cured when you have too many decoys and you get tired of setting them all out any picking them up again. However, if this translates to more birds in the bag it could be a good problem. Then again, selling some and buying nicer ones is something you may not get over. Any of these things could happen until the spouse tells you, Thou Shall Not Buy Anymore!

.
 
Very funny....I on the other hand I unloaded 5 doz. Herters decoys and a smattering of other foam and plastics along with all sorts of hunting equipment I assumed I'd never need again before moving to Florida 2 years ago. My wife was bound and determined we were going to spend our twilight years basking in the sun drinking Mimosas and Arnold Palmers watching the dolphins swim by our condo as we swayed to the beat of the steel drum from the not to distant Tiki bar. I would keep a couple of doz. Teal decoys and beg Dani Beth or Hitch to take me to the lights of Cape Canaveral and hunt in gator infested waters and fish for Red's and Trout in the shallows of the Palmettos. Well I did have a blast for two years until reality sank in and we took paying jobs back in Illinois. So we have now returned to our beloved home on the island in the middle of the Mississippi River. Funny how I complained about the heat in Florida to my wife and we get back up here only to find it's hotter here this year than in Florida. Well, I've managed to muster up a couple of dozen Mallards and a few goose floaters and I still have my teal decoys. I did find one relative that was willing to sell back a 1/2 doz Herters Woodie decoys I sold to him. So along with my coat fetish, boat fetish, boot fetish, bow fetish, fishing fetish and guitar fetish it's only right to once again add decoy fetish to the list. See you guys in Lacrosse next weekend. Anybody got any decoys for sale?...;-)
 
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