How many in your hand carved rig?

K

Kris Schaumburg

Well-known member
I've seen Pat Gregory talk of how many hand carved birds he maintains before. How many hand carved birds do the rest of you carvers run. Pictures welcome!!
 
Approx. 30 right now. Hopefully will have 50 more carved before season. At least that's what I am shooting for.
 
i have >50 carved birds... i hunt with 2-3 dozen tops because i'm pulling them on a sled. When I'm in a boat I take more.

just depends on the situation i guess. I'm looking forward to having 300+ to choose from each trip :)
 
depends upon species, but from what i did in basement and garage storage areas, there are around 400 in my own rig--Mind you, that is what is here and we do not use ALL, for sanity's sake!
Since starting, i have made around 6000 dekes.
 
Seems like every time I am making headway on mine something will happen. One will get donated for a worthy cause, someone makes me a Don Corleone offer, electrician comes by and does work on trade for a bird (three times this year). I could throw about 50-60 birds right now 1/3 of those or more birds that I did not even carve. Trade birds are even more fun to hunt over!!!
 
I took a look last night because I have kept a list of what I have carved over the years. I do need to update it but it looks like I am between 50 and 60. The first 40 were really really rough but they still hunt. I got serious about improving two years ago and this last year starting carving rigs for myself.
Thinking about slipping in another dozen before season.
 
it seems everyone but me hunts over my birds. Been trying to make a rig for my self for years. Never get a chance to. I get to hunt one or 2 of my birds a couple time a season then someone comes by and takes it away. its a double edge sword!
 
Ditto what Brandon said.
When I look at some of my earliest decoys I am almost embarrassed how crude they are. They
only go out in late season high number situations. Seems like all my best birds are given away.
I hung on to about 70 birds that get hunted, John
 
At my peak, had 100 Bluebills , 72 Brant,32 Canvasbacks. 30 Mallards,20 Golden eyes, 10 Wood ducks,26 hollow Canada Geese,20 Buffleheads. These were all part of the hunting rig my sons and I hunted over. Carved many more that we sold or gave away.My boys always were telling Dad that we needed a few more decoys for next season, so we kept on carving!
 
At my peak, had 100 Bluebills , 72 Brant,32 Canvasbacks. 30 Mallards,20 Golden eyes, 10 Wood ducks,26 hollow Canada Geese,20 Buffleheads. These were all part of the hunting rig my sons and I hunted over. Carved many more that we sold or gave away.My boys always were telling Dad that we needed a few more decoys for next season, so we kept on carving!
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What a sight it was seeing all them decoys hanging in your shop bob!
 
Last season I had 40, all cedar or cork. I had to retire one due to a poorly aimed swat shot, and then several were lost to trades. I hope to have the same amount this year, I will displace some of my earlier creations with new and improved versions.

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I've seen Pat Gregory talk of how many hand carved birds he maintains before. How many hand carved birds do the rest of you carvers run. Pictures welcome!!


That has to be a feeling of total fulfillment. I was just thinking what it must be like to sit in a blind with your own hand carved decoys and watching a flock of ducks come in with feet down and wings backpedaling. I guess the ultimate would be having competition with another group of hunters in the area and having the birds coming into your spread only!
Al
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the flock grows every year, about 2 dozen blacks ,mallards and gadwalls and about 60 divers mostly bills, if its not wood its not in my boat.
 
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