Herters Decoys Still Available?

Rob Canady

Rob Canady

Member
cabelas has sure cut down on the herters decoys that are available for sale on thier site. Are they planning to discontinue them all? I called them about purchasing some blanks a while back and they told me they dont do that anymore. The prices have gotten ridiculous as well. I sure miss them being for sale right there in greenville when you could just drive over and pick them up for less then $100 a dozen.
 
No kidding they pulled a pretty low move. Buy up competition and close line down. I've slowly been losing respect for that company every year and go out of my way to buy from other companies.

Gene R.
 
Yes, Cabelas has shut down the Herters line of dekes. I used mainly Herters heads for my cork decoys, but have had to have molds made to continue business. I tried to buy the old molds, but Cabelas would have none of it, they really seemed like they were trying to shove little guys like me out of business. Bad news for them, I'm too dumb to quit! Hope you guys find what you are looking for, if I can help, drop me a line. dc
 
if anyones got some old model 72's they would like to sell then let me know. I dont want any high dollar perfect new in the box ones though, i plan to paint them up for seaducks and probably burlap a few as well so just the solid foam bodies of the 72s without any big holes or anything in them would do just fine.
 
The last time I saw some #72 mallards was in the Cabela's Owatonna store a few years back. What a pity that they discontinued that line of fantastic decoys. They react so well to river currents. I love the way they ride. Anyway, I guess the profitability is higher with the plastic "stuff" that they sell.
Most companies, if they can afford it, will buy out their competition. That has been going on for a long time.
It would be nice to see them come back.
Herter's was my bible back in the 1950's. Home based in Waseca, Minnesota.
Al
 
Al, I agree with your comment about companies buying others. But really, closing the blanks ands heads line down was just shitty. Like people are going to buy plastics to burlap?

Gene R.
 
I too really will miss the herters decoys. I hunt over them in my diver rig and had a feeling they were being phased out earlier this year.

I guess I have a different take on them closing the line since I am a business owner. I would assume that the decision to close the line was a simple case of dollars and cents. I doubt that the foam decoys made a very big part of the total decoys sold a year. Add to that the cost of manufacturing them when its a smaller production run and its simply is not profitable to keep the line anymore.

We as a more traditional section of the waterfowl hunting community appreciate the foam decoys for their utilitarian value and classic style. The majority of the waterfowlers that are also consumers more then likely prefer high detail plastics over the utilitarian foamers.
 
It was bound to happen. I saw a chewing gum commercial once where the the gum factory closed because the gum didn't wear out. If you make decoys that will last fifty years how will you sell replacements? Maybe if they updated the heads to different head positions and specie specific heads, they could have kept going longer.
 
It was bound to happen. I saw a chewing gum commercial once where the the gum factory closed because the gum didn't wear out. If you make decoys that will last fifty years how will you sell replacements? Maybe if they updated the heads to different head positions and specie specific heads, they could have kept going longer.
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This is the reason i like them so much.. more like an investment then anything. Sure i dont think they look as lifelike as some of the GHG models available but when your talking about divers and seaducks and decoys that need to take some shot and still perform you cant compare. I hope to one day give them to my kids, ive seen some that looked as much as 50 years old and they still perform like they did the day they were bought, just in need of a little paint.
 
I can understand why they shut them down. There's too many others that are superior at even a better price in my opinion. I'd suggest looking into buying Greenhead from Cabelas. I think it's a great decoy at a reasonable price.
 
I can understand why they shut them down. There's too many others that are superior at even a better price in my opinion. I'd suggest looking into buying Greenhead from Cabelas. I think it's a great decoy at a reasonable price.
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In what way are GHG superior to herters foams i would like to ask?

Maybe they look better when you take them out of the box but if you can paint at all then you can solve that problem and i would like to see a GHG decoy in 20 years... a herters will hunt as well as the day it came out of the box, i know this because i have some great herters that are over 20 years old.

Have you ever had someone hunt divers or seaducks (which cause 80% of your shots to be in the decoys) with you that didnt pay for your decoys not pay attention and catch them with some stray shot? GHG plastic doesnt do well with stray shot... herters keep on floating...

I guess if you plan to hunt in a swamp and go twice a year then GHG are perfect for you.. i have used them as fillers or in a marsh hole where you need a couple puddlers but in no way will they EVER be as good as a solid foam decoy.
 
Hi Dave,
What is the best paint to use on Herters decoy's? I have aproximately 10 dozen model 72's of Bluebill,cans,and 3 dozen of model 92 brant. I've experimented and latex base seems the best as oil based eats the foam! I love 'em but in the freezing weather tose tenulite heads break easy!!
Thanks,
Mitch




"REmember those who rembered who took a hit for you,even though they didn't know you!!- "VETERANS!!"
 
Capt Mitch,
Latex is probably going to be your best bet. I only work corks, but I had some foamers years ago and latex held up the best......which I'm not saying that was real impressive. dc
 
Ureaduck just came out with a replacemet for the herter and they have an introductory price that was the same price as the herters through Cabelas. Very similar body style and head style. I think they are calle "traditions" could be wrong on the name.
 
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