More Delta History...

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Pat Gregory

Well-known member
I feel very honored to have acquired a great piece of Delta Waterfowl History. Yesterday I picked up a canvasback drake decoy made by Duncan Ducharme for the rig of the founder of Delta Waterfowl, James Ford Bell. To imagine who shot ducks over this decoy and it's rigmates is incredible.

Ford Bell was the founder of General Mills in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a hunter and conservationist that hunted the famed Heron Lake in Minnesota. When the canvasback population dwindled at Heron Lake, he moved his hunting to the Delta Marsh and started the famed Delta Research Station. http://www.startribune.com/james-ford-bell-s-waterfowling-legacy/279478022/

As a waterfowler, I am honored to own such a piece of history. And, I appreciate all Mr. Bell did for waterfowling and the people that followed him. I believe we are blessed today by their hard work...

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Rick - In an 1963 article in Hal Sorenson ' s Decoy Collectors Guide, Ducharme reported he used cedar fence posts. Pat
 
Lots of wind & rough water make birds fly and decoys flip. Most likely shooting a cripple in the decoys. More than one old decoy has been tagged that way with lead shot. Boredom ya shoot hats, not decoys...
 
one more reason to hunt with a trained retriever ;-)

save a decoy - shoot a duck - send the dog
 
Very cool, Pat.

Its no wonder Mr. Bell, and many others, have abandoned southern MN hunting. Here is a slide I use on some of my presentations of the southwest side of Heron lake from 1885 and 1985 showing the loss of wetlands due to drainage

Heron%20Lake%201885-1985_zpsvlhgwfak.jpg


67 days until we head up to Delta
 
Very cool, Pat.

Its no wonder Mr. Bell, and many others, have abandoned southern MN hunting. Here is a slide I use on some of my presentations of the southwest side of Heron lake from 1885 and 1985 showing the loss of wetlands due to drainage



67 days until we head up to Delta
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wow - that's a dramatic example - i hope it makes the point
Click to expand...
 
Hat shooting! I find that offensive! My brim has been with me since 1984. On the other hand I have a few clunker deeks that deserve to be shot... and stomped.
 
We have a tradition with our sporting clays group, first time you shoot 90 or more, you get your hat shot. Taking off first of course...
 
Pat - Now your talking! That's a fine tradition. Many waterfowlers hats are offensive (including some of my own) and a good peppering always makes them better.


I most certainly agree about retrievers. Even with two good Chessies doing their best, when multiple birds are down and some wounded. Prior to the dog work, birds need dispatched pronto, decoys be damned. When limits are large, as they were in the past, batting clean up was a important job. Or dogs and gunners were in for a long day.

Canvasbacks decoy like no other ducks, it's a joy to behold as most of us know. When the law says you do not have to stop at one, or two, and there are two shooters, things can get very interesting quickly. Batter UP!
 
I sure liked reading that article about Mr. Bell, Pat. Thanks for including it. It quickly reminded me of the time I hunted with a retired General Mills vice president back in the fall of 1957.

Congratulations on securing that decoy that is steeped in a very rich tradition.
Al
 
Good morning, Pat~

Thanks so much for the article about Bell and Delta. I have long been a fan of Hochbaum but never understood the context - Lake Manitoba being a long haul from the Atlantic tidewater....

All the best,

SJS
 
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