Duck decoy Question/Opinions wanted

[Ikillit]

I know I'm asking for it looking for opinions but here goes. I am wondering what you guys think of the selection and variety of types of decoys on the market. Are you satisfied with the styles? positions? Is there anything you would like to see different, like if you could go to a decoy manufaturer and say hey I'd really like to have something that looked like....... The reason I ask is, I have started carving my own decoys and have come up with a couple nice patterns, one I think is fairly unique and I'm working on some others and was just wondering if there was anything that you guys would like to see that you've maybe never seen before. The one I came up with was a floating feeder, that wasn't a "duck butt" just a "puddling duck" kinda like a headless decoy but with the head stuck out front with the neck stretched forward. One of these days when I get my basement project finished I'll get my blank cut out and get started carving it. Anyway, just let me know if you guys can think of anything unique you'd like to see and maybe I'll design a pattern and see what you guys think.

Gary

[calling4life]

somebody already makes a decoy like that.

For me the poses are already here, I am going with a ton of sleepers this year.

Really for water duck decoys there aren't any poses that are going to alarm them, so any will work fine.

However I want to test out and see if a high ratio of sleeping decoys will work well, definitely will take some pics and tell you guys how it goes.

If I was you, I would try some calling hen heads, there are some out, but you could make some pretty interesting decoys in that aspect.

[snow shooter]

No-headed goose feeder.

preener (http://forum.averyoutdoors.com/showthread.php?t=41871)

here are three more:
The Stretcher
the looker/feeder
the walker
http://forum.averyoutdoors.com/showthread.php?t=41988

not sure if GHG beat ya too it, but i would want a few of these in my spread

[nh-hick]

what about one that looks like it just hit the water with wings tucked up?

[Ikillit]

Callin4life, I'm sure someone makes one, I looked a bit but didn't search extensively, it was just a pose I thought of when taking pictures of ducks this spring. I have some good pics I'll try and post an example of it.

Snow Shooter, I'm working on a couple different duck preeners, I'm planning on making a few goose patterns to try out, the only problem is the size, getting chunks of wood that big is almost impossible, and if you do get them they are pretty expensive, most of the time I use cedar 2x10's and glue them up to get the size I need.

The No headed gooze feeder I assume is a floater? that wouldn't be that difficult to do, but the stretcher would be a little bit of a problem, mainly because of the same issue with wood size.

NH hick, I guess I'm not catching on to what you mean, by wings tucked up? Most of the time when I see birds hit the water they are dead :D

Heres a pic like what my feeder looks like
http://www.circleofdeath.com/albums/album22/aak.sized.jpg

[calling4life]

Look at the new FA bluewing feeders, they look just like that. Well close I guess.

Not meaning to crap on your parade or anything, but you asked so I will tell out of honesty.

[Ikillit]

Well I can see why, those are bluewing teal in the picture, and those FA dekes are very nice, mine is a mallard i just didn't have a pic of a mallard in that pose. I just took a look at the avery forum and they were asking about new product ideas and it seems that no head feeders in most species and skimmer feeders and goose butts were kind of a thing that people were looking for. There was also some mention of more pintail poses, which is what my two newest patterns were going to be, a preener and a sleeper pintail.

I would think that there would be more no-head decoys out, beings they should be easier to mold and paint. I think a canada goose no head feeder would be simple to make.

[Ikillit]

Here's my first attempt at a no head decoy this one is a goose, It's only the side view cuz I ran out of paper I'll have to do the top another day.

http://www.circleofdeath.com/albums/album22/aal.sized.jpg

[Ikillit]

Hmm that picture makes it not look as long as it really is. oh well you get the idea

[grinder]

I don't know if it's made yet.. But No matter how many live geese you look at in a flock on the water, but when a pair, or 3 or 4 geese land into another spread of real canadas, they allways do the long stretched up caller and the low to the water but stretched honker as well.. Kind of like the hardcore signature series decoys, but for water.

[calling4life]

If you did that long stretched pose, that head is going to be easily broken, will definitely have to figure out a way to take care of it.

Same thing with having a mouth open decoy, the top and bottom of the beak may be "delicate" if you will, so keep that in mind.

[Ikillit]

Yeah, you do have to be a little more careful with hand carved decoys than with mass produced plastic ones, you can't just grab em by the neck and toss em in the trailer. Depending on how much time I have this summer I'm planning on donating a few to my local DU banquet, but at the rate I'm getting **** done right now I'll never have time to sit down and carve anything, let alone paint it.

[Ikillit]

Heres the complete No head goose Pattern. Above water dimensions are 10 x 6 x 21

http://www.circleofdeath.com/albums/album22/aam.sized.jpg