Michael McCord
Active member
Mine were a cheap 12 pack of mallards from bass pro. They were assimilated into someone else?s spread once I started carving.
What was your first set of hunting decoys
- Thread starter anthony m coons sr
- Start date
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Dani
I have those same teal decoys, Thanks for sharing your first decoys with us.
I have those same teal decoys, Thanks for sharing your first decoys with us.
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Michael
We all started with something. And moved on to bigger and better things. But those first ones were the best to us beginners. We were now duck hunters with those first decoys. Thanks
We all started with something. And moved on to bigger and better things. But those first ones were the best to us beginners. We were now duck hunters with those first decoys. Thanks
Jeff Churan
Member
One dozen J.C. Higgins fiber mallards purchased at Sears and Roebuck in 1957. I believe they were made by General Fibre Co. in St. Louis who also made the Ariduk brand. Next Carrylite plastics in 1972>G&H>GHG Pro Grade now.
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Matt Mahoney
Active member
Do you guys remember Trendecoys? I aquired 1/2 dozen black ducks around '69/'70. They were foam filled, hard, molded plastic. They have been repainted as mallards or pintails over the years and at sime time in the past returned to their black duck heritage. I still have them and use them in my marsh rig. When the tide is running, they are the best "swimming" decoys I have ever used.
MattView attachment DSCN0995.JPG
MattView attachment DSCN0995.JPG
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Anthony~
I began hunting over my Dad's decoys. I shot my first Black Duck (circa 1965) over 7 oversize Herter's Blacks and Mallards - the balsa-bodied Model Canadas.
View attachment A 03 Decoys - SJS w Herters Black Duck CAPTION.jpg
When I was 14, I bought my first decoys: a dozen Model 72 Herter's Mallards - which I re-painted upon receipt and 2 or 3 times since. I remember that I worked as a stockboy 28 hours each week, cleared $28 - and the dozen cost $28.
View attachment sm - Herters 72 Mallard Drake.jpg
Although hundreds of others have been added to my rigs in the intervening decades, I still gun over these Model 72 Mallards on the rivers in late-season.
All the best,
SJS
I began hunting over my Dad's decoys. I shot my first Black Duck (circa 1965) over 7 oversize Herter's Blacks and Mallards - the balsa-bodied Model Canadas.
View attachment A 03 Decoys - SJS w Herters Black Duck CAPTION.jpg
When I was 14, I bought my first decoys: a dozen Model 72 Herter's Mallards - which I re-painted upon receipt and 2 or 3 times since. I remember that I worked as a stockboy 28 hours each week, cleared $28 - and the dozen cost $28.
View attachment sm - Herters 72 Mallard Drake.jpg
Although hundreds of others have been added to my rigs in the intervening decades, I still gun over these Model 72 Mallards on the rivers in late-season.
All the best,
SJS
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Jeff
Wow those decoys that you got at sears must of been great. Back in the day they carried lots of hunting stuff. I still got a Ted Williams 20 gauge my dad got me when I first started hunting. I always like carry lite decoys. Their pro grades are really nice. Thanks for sharing.
Wow those decoys that you got at sears must of been great. Back in the day they carried lots of hunting stuff. I still got a Ted Williams 20 gauge my dad got me when I first started hunting. I always like carry lite decoys. Their pro grades are really nice. Thanks for sharing.
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Matt
They are sweet buddy. I think I got one of them at a yard sale one time. Its great that you canstill use something from our younger years. Thanks for the photo.
They are sweet buddy. I think I got one of them at a yard sale one time. Its great that you canstill use something from our younger years. Thanks for the photo.
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Steve
I hunted over the 72's for years. Really get product and I enjoyed them being so light. My friend got the burlap ones I almost got a back injury picking a bag of them up. Your decoys always look like their new. We all have add tons of decoys to our collection . But every once in awhile I dig through all my decoys to find the old ones that made me a duck hunter. Thanks as always my friend. That 28 bucks was a big deal back in the good old days. Not sure what you could buy for duck hunting today with that same amount of money.
I hunted over the 72's for years. Really get product and I enjoyed them being so light. My friend got the burlap ones I almost got a back injury picking a bag of them up. Your decoys always look like their new. We all have add tons of decoys to our collection . But every once in awhile I dig through all my decoys to find the old ones that made me a duck hunter. Thanks as always my friend. That 28 bucks was a big deal back in the good old days. Not sure what you could buy for duck hunting today with that same amount of money.
D.J. Hagen
Active member
Early 70s, a dozen styrofoam shell mallards from Pamida for $0.47 each. When a wind gust blasted them, the entire spread was immediately upside down and airborne. I don't miss the decoys but I wish I had snapped a photo of the price tags.
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
D.J.
For that price they can blow over all they want. I would of worked out something to keep them up right. They might of not been much. But I bet you was proud of them. Thanks for sharing.
For that price they can blow over all they want. I would of worked out something to keep them up right. They might of not been much. But I bet you was proud of them. Thanks for sharing.
D.J. Hagen
Active member
I had limited engineering skills at age 12. [
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]anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
DJ
So true , If you knew then what you know now. You be one smart twelve year old my friend.
So true , If you knew then what you know now. You be one smart twelve year old my friend.
in 1968 I found a wooden mallard decoy floating down a creek in Pinole California
It wasn't hunting season so I picked it up and took it home
A couple years back I started hunting with my dad at the bay for divers
We had no decoys we would jump shoot them when they came close to shore we would get a few every now and then
Anyway I took that mallard decoy home and painted to look like a blue bill
My dad and I hunted with that one decoy for another few seasons and I still have it today .
When I got a little older i would dig up yards to get them ready for a garden to earn a little money it was then that I went down to Longs Sporting Goods
and was able to buy a set of Victor duck decoys I was sure happy to have them ! and I still have them also
Another few years after that I ordered some Herters pintail decoys they are plastic of some sort and was the best looking decoy I had ever seen
and of course I still have them too !
It wasn't hunting season so I picked it up and took it home
A couple years back I started hunting with my dad at the bay for divers
We had no decoys we would jump shoot them when they came close to shore we would get a few every now and then
Anyway I took that mallard decoy home and painted to look like a blue bill
My dad and I hunted with that one decoy for another few seasons and I still have it today .
When I got a little older i would dig up yards to get them ready for a garden to earn a little money it was then that I went down to Longs Sporting Goods
and was able to buy a set of Victor duck decoys I was sure happy to have them ! and I still have them also
Another few years after that I ordered some Herters pintail decoys they are plastic of some sort and was the best looking decoy I had ever seen
and of course I still have them too !
The first decoys I bought was when I was 22 and living in South Florida. I hunted at Loxahatchee NWR and around Lake Okeechobee, and always rented a boat to go as I didn't have one. I bought 6 G&H black ducks with removeable heads and 3 Carrylite coots. The ducks were for a generic duck and was close enough to a mottled duck, and bluewinged teal and ringnecks were the ducks I shot most commonly. The coots I had to have because before I moved there I had no idea there were that many coots in existence. Those G&H were the best plastic decoys I ever owned, and lasted close to 25 years. It was a great little rig and worked well there and when I moved back to the northeast a couple of years later.
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
leonard
That my friend is a great story. Hunting with your dad with the same decoy is so cool. We all move on to bigger and better. But the ones that got us there is always the best. Thanks for sharing
That my friend is a great story. Hunting with your dad with the same decoy is so cool. We all move on to bigger and better. But the ones that got us there is always the best. Thanks for sharing
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Greg
Coots were all over this area years ago. But rarely do we see many today. Having decoys that you can look back and see your youth is great in its self. But having old decoys still work for you is even better.You come a long way my friend.
Coots were all over this area years ago. But rarely do we see many today. Having decoys that you can look back and see your youth is great in its self. But having old decoys still work for you is even better.You come a long way my friend.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, Leonard~
Great tales!
Your Herter's Pintail decoy reference caught my eye. Were/are they foam-bodied or hollow? If the latter, I'm guessing they are Model 50s. I agree that Herter's made several gorgeous Pintail models. I discuss some of them on my site:
https://stevenjaysanford.com/pintail-rehabbing-herters-smaller-decoys/
BTW: I have a bunch of old (1940s, 50s, 60s) Herter's catalogs and would be happy to help you nail down your model.
All the best,
SJS
Great tales!
Your Herter's Pintail decoy reference caught my eye. Were/are they foam-bodied or hollow? If the latter, I'm guessing they are Model 50s. I agree that Herter's made several gorgeous Pintail models. I discuss some of them on my site:
https://stevenjaysanford.com/pintail-rehabbing-herters-smaller-decoys/
BTW: I have a bunch of old (1940s, 50s, 60s) Herter's catalogs and would be happy to help you nail down your model.
All the best,
SJS
Tom Johnson
Active member
Hunted with my father and brother in '60s...borrowed Ken Anger bluebills, blacks, swing weights worked great on Lake Erie. Thought I'd "upgrade" to lighter Herters with my lawn mowing money...model 72s. What was I thinking "upgrading" from Anger's decoys??...into a burlap bag, on the water, then put back into the fellow's garage...working birds, never thought that they were valuable...young and stupid. Followed rehab guidlines for Soule decoys on this site, that's what I use now.