Hunting Decoys

Hunting decoys have come a long way in 100 years. Animal scents and remote controlled decoys have made deception an intriguing business for modern hunters. They've also turned nostalgia for the simple hunting decoys of the past into an actual business: at a hunting decoy auction in November 2006, a black-bellied plover created in the 1880s by Elmer Crowell sold for $830,000.

Decoys that move

It used to be enough for a hunting decoy to look lifelike. Now motorized and remote control decoys have added the element of movement. Remote control decoys in particular are almost like children's toys. They run on 6 AA batteries, and a hunter within 30 yards of the decoy controls it via a hand-held joystick. The decoys can move forward and backward and turn in every direction.

Collecting decoys

Compared to today's moving decoys, traditional decoys are more like still-life works of art. Collectors seem to think so as well. The decoy collectables market has exploded in the past five years, with birds by the best carvers consistently bringing in six-figure sums at auction.

The Crowell plover was sold by Guyette and Schmidt, Inc., the leading decoy auction sales firm in the world. Since its establishment in 1984, the firm has sold around $100 million worth of hunting decoys.

Before you run out and buy every wooden hunting decoy in sight, keep in mind that auction prices are dictated by many factors:

• the decoy's condition
• the reputation of its carver
• the quality of the carving
• the rarity of the species
• the "pose" of the decoy

If you're considering becoming a hunting decoy collector, begin by subscribing to a publication such as Decoy Magazine or joining a regional collectors group, for example www.midwestdecoy.org. Once you're armed with a little knowledge, you can begin scouring the Internet and flea sales for big finds, or attend an auction to see how the serious collectors do it.