Victor decoys

Howard

Howard

Well-known member
I have become intersted in victor decoys and have decide dto see if I can collect a few. I found 3-4 mallards some years ago in the trash and about 3 seasons ago I picked up 9 black ducks with swivel heads. The mallards and blacks I am currently using as the majority of my puddle duck spread. I have also picked up a canvasback, a bluebill and a pintail. I'd like to know something of the history of the company and if anyone has any that they might want to trade of sell. the pics is part of the spread.

View attachment victorblacks.JPG
 
Howard, the first decoys I ever owned and hunted over were 3 doz Victor D-9 Mallards. I think I paid $50 for 3 dozen of them rigged and with a bag. I still like the way they ride the water and look, but I rarely use them any more since they seem to have gotten more brittle with time. I may have to toss one or two in the boat next season for old times sake. I was told that the Plastic Victors are descended from the Victor Trap company which I believe bought out the Mason decoy co, but I don't know that to be fact. I do know that I have a wooden Victor Mallard and a Mason Mallard and they are very similar. I think there was a website about the Victor Trap company, but I looked and couldn't find one. Have fun with them, you can find them at garage sales and flea markets for reasonable prices.
Ron
 
Howard,
Victor or "Animal Trap" decoys started at the turn of the century. They started making solid wood decoys in the early 1900's out of New York. Next they started drilling a hole into the chest to hollow them out and stuck a plug in the hole. These were the Victor "D-4" decoys. They were known as the "Seald-Air Decoy". The D-9 plunged them into the solid plastic decoy market. The decoy had nice lines, a four sided "star" shaped keel to wind the line on and a straight forward facing head. I think the D-10 had the swivel head and were alittle more pliable. I believe the D-10 was known as the "Majestic" line and the paint was more flat. I have had several over the years or ran across them. The bodies had good detail and paint schemes, but the plastic was very rigid and handled cold weather hooribly. A hard landing in the boat or on shore, a stray shot pellet and they were finished. They were known for cracking the length of the body when cold and dropped. I have one around here somewhere if you want it, just PM your address and I will hunt it down. Hopefully it's not cracked the length of the body.


dc
 
Had a whole rig of them until they were stolen. They were great decoys and moved great in the timber with the slightest breeze.
 
The pintail and bluebill are both cracked. I also found a hen mallard with 3 holes about 1/8th inch on both sides. The holes go into the body so I have no idea of their purpose. Perhapes a display model? It does seem to have some fading on the paint.

Address is: Holland Point Marine
3662 Pampa.Rd
Saluda, VA
23149
 
That's a cool idea Howard... in fact I have a few that I'm saving to use some day. Many of the early plastics decoys had nice shapes. They are also available at a price that makes them much easier to collect and use.
Herters also had some that looked a lot like the Victors. I think maybe they were a little tougher... if that kind of plastic can be tougher.

I know one thing about them just from handling a few and hunting around those old Herters decoys, don't shoot low. :)

Tim
 
I threw a bunch away last year. They were all mallards. I still have a few that the kids play with.
I will check them out and if they are decent enough you can have them for the price of the shipping.
 
Howard,

I remember in the 60's as a kid my dad having a rig of Victor D-9's. They all got crushed when our pothole froze up and we couldn't get to them in time. That's when my dad and uncle started using Herters foamers and never looked back. I have a hen and a drake Mallard from that time that has never seen water sitting on the shelf in the living room. I always did like the lines on these decoys.
 
Victor Animal Trap bought some molds from Mason, but I am not sure if they bought out Mason. It was a pretty neat decoy for it's time. My first rig was some Victor's that I found in a river log jam.

dc
 
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