Bill Burkett
Active member
Trenddecoys?
Does anyone know what happened to this Jacksonville Fla based firm? When I visited it in the 1970s a Kevin ONeil was manager and graciously took time to show me around, then gave me a 24-inch "coastal" mallard after I bought one of his bluewing teal decoys, first commercial one I'd ever seen. Used the giant mallard as a toller on the Susquehanna and Chesapeake to catch the eye of passing birds...finally put a 72 Herter's goose head on it and added it to my goose fleet. The little bluebill swam so well in the lightest currents that in its first day overboard on the Susquehanna it decoyed...two other hunters! They stalked the length of the island convinced a duck was paddling happily in an unoccupied decoy rig (hunters still left their rigs out week-round in those days).
My first Trends, that led me to Mr. Oneil, were hollow one-piece bluebills of the same size as Model 72 Herter's that looked as if he'd used 72s to set up his plastic mold. The flat bottoms adhered well to the surface. Always wondered what happened to him and his small upstairs plant after I moved west. He was a yarnspinner, native Irish, so imagine that! his first decoys were rectangular European motor oil cans (same size and shape as a big tin of Coleman fuel. He painted them flat black, tied off anchors to the handle, used rocks for anchors,and poached the local lord's fen, who did not county petrol jockeys among his weekend shooting guests. When the gamekeeper took time out from schtupping the lady of the manor (poetic license there with a nod to Lady Chatterley) to harass poachers, Oneil could simply grab his birds, shell back and exit stage left. He said they worked just fine but created a hankering for real decoys.
Interesting guy--sure would like to know the rest of his story. This is the first place where I've thought there might be a chance somebody would know/remember him.
Bill Burkett
Does anyone know what happened to this Jacksonville Fla based firm? When I visited it in the 1970s a Kevin ONeil was manager and graciously took time to show me around, then gave me a 24-inch "coastal" mallard after I bought one of his bluewing teal decoys, first commercial one I'd ever seen. Used the giant mallard as a toller on the Susquehanna and Chesapeake to catch the eye of passing birds...finally put a 72 Herter's goose head on it and added it to my goose fleet. The little bluebill swam so well in the lightest currents that in its first day overboard on the Susquehanna it decoyed...two other hunters! They stalked the length of the island convinced a duck was paddling happily in an unoccupied decoy rig (hunters still left their rigs out week-round in those days).
My first Trends, that led me to Mr. Oneil, were hollow one-piece bluebills of the same size as Model 72 Herter's that looked as if he'd used 72s to set up his plastic mold. The flat bottoms adhered well to the surface. Always wondered what happened to him and his small upstairs plant after I moved west. He was a yarnspinner, native Irish, so imagine that! his first decoys were rectangular European motor oil cans (same size and shape as a big tin of Coleman fuel. He painted them flat black, tied off anchors to the handle, used rocks for anchors,and poached the local lord's fen, who did not county petrol jockeys among his weekend shooting guests. When the gamekeeper took time out from schtupping the lady of the manor (poetic license there with a nod to Lady Chatterley) to harass poachers, Oneil could simply grab his birds, shell back and exit stage left. He said they worked just fine but created a hankering for real decoys.
Interesting guy--sure would like to know the rest of his story. This is the first place where I've thought there might be a chance somebody would know/remember him.
Bill Burkett