Not quite the way it goes-dekes are wrapped, sleds are used to shuttle decoys to the water from the museum. They are taken care of--Set out by species-lines keep the dekes from washing ashore! Everyone enterig is aware that they must provide lines and weights--Normal depth of the water, except for one major SE gale around ten years ago, is hip deep-well, for ski anyway. Before putting back in sleds, they are rewrapped and laid inthe sled, not tossed.We do not treat our own stool that cavalierly! As far as rigs, the maker is asked to put his/her own stuff out, to best emulate how a small group of dekes would be set by them. Yep, we have waves, salt water, floating stuff, but when the dekes are put back, other than some sand on the bottoms, they are in the same shape as when they were brought from the tables.
It is your choice to or not to participate outdoors. The tank indoors is certainly a less stressful venue for folks who are timid about seeing their dekes in actual gunning water.
We have been doing the competition at the foot of the museum, simply because we thought that folks who made decoys for hunting would like something a bit better than a kiddie pool, cattle trough, or fiberglas tank. Choice is yours.
If you like, you can toss your own stuff out, even without lines and weights, which seem traditional for hunters, but if you prefer not, the tank may be your bailiwick.I have had some dents at the old northeast show, behind the museum. Know what? When all was over, they were touched up back at the shop and used in the fall!
Qualquire, hombre.
Well it was what we saw that day and that was the way it went, your description sounds great but unfortunately to those of us who saw it all unfold it was much different. Decoys were taken out in 2 sleds yes, they were not wrapped, they were all on top of each other and no wrapping as you say existed. You clearly misunderstood what I said or tried to muddy the waters here. I didn't say decoys washed up on shore due to no anchor lines, the decoys taking a beating under the pier were waiting to go out or had already been out. They were set on shore before or after which is fine and clearly understandable, what is not acceptable is when the waves were washing them in, sucking them back, bouncing them off the pilings etc. It was seen by those on the pier trust me and was the talk for some time. Never did I see a decoy rewrapped before going back into the sled either, period.
The rigs I didn't see so cannot even comment as wasn't there for that.
They were not in the same shape when they came back in sir, please. Nobody that I know is timid as you say about there decoys in gunning water to me that is foolish. Mishandling is another story, if I borrow a fellow contractors work truck it is well taken care of, not scratched and dented brought back back and tell them well it's a work truck, get over it. When it's not yours you take better care of something then when you own it yourself, at least that is what I was taught.
Tank vs the flats? That is up to the person, I was excited to see them out on the flats for the first time as I thought that was a great idea and still do but things would have to change before I would put a bird out there and the others I know who stopped doing it I doubt would either. They loved the idea as well by the way.
Stuff happens to decoys at shows, everyone knows that and has probably experienced it at least once if doing it alot, that is a different story. Ronnie who won the pool this year had a wigeon bill get busted almost clean off at Worlds last year, the person who dropped it brought it to him and offered to help him fix it and Ronnie fixed it in time to get it back out and actually i believe won a ribbon with it so yes things do happen but taking care of someone elses work always seems to be paramount at these events from what I've seen and I feel it's how it should be. Being the gentleman Ronnie is he took it in stride, never got upset and just dealt with, the sign of a humble gentleman.
I think what some fail to realize when there holding these birds is some guys make only one or two a year, like myself because due to my business I just don't have time to do more. It may take them a year to do that bird or two, they may struggle badly with painting and it could take them forever to paint a bird. When it get's boogered up it is a big deal to them because it may have taken a year to make and fight to get the paint right, or the colors etc. It's heartbreaking to them and it's not easy to just take it to the shop and repaint it quickly, it doesn't work that way. Maybe the little normal guy shoudn't be involved, the guy who only produces one or two a year? Some of my friends birds that year were going to other people, that didn't happen until much later.
There is more to it all than just a working durable bird , for some it's a years worth of work and some need to remember that. I know were nobodys in the decoy world, but we all pay to enter, we all try, and we all want to see it grow, not shrink................................
