Winter Work at Duck Trap Decoys...
From May through October we welcome visitors to our gallery here on the Maine Coast. Since our gallery is unheated in the other months we're in our shop up the hill from the gallery. You can't beat wood heat, so when the snow flies we spend a lot of our time painting decoys close to the woodstove.
Our Decoys
We've been carving decoys for decades. Up until a couple of years ago it was in conjunction with building lapstrake boats–these days it's decoys full time. Our decoys are mostly pine and cedar, hollowed out and ballasted to ride right on the water and finished with long-lasting acrylic paints. They will attract ducks without fail though mostly ours attract duck hunters and nature lovers who decorate their homes with our heirloom quality pieces.
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We relish commissions–witness the two preening Wood Duck drakes there on our temporary painting bench. The two Least Terns in front of the reference board headed to the Land Down Under where they will join others on sandy beaches attracting Little Terns.​
Prices shown on this page include delivery within the continental US.
Some of our most popular decoys
Obviously not a decoy, Max enjoys heat from the woodstove as much as the rest of us–not to mention his nice soft bed. Max and his sister have help paint lots of decoys...
Please Note
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Our decoys are offered in a number of different poses and painted in varying degrees of realism, both of which affect the time involved in producing them and consequently the price of each one. We won't have all of these in stock at any given time, but when we don't we will notify you of the delivery time.
Mallard Drake
Is there any duck more widely recognizable than a Mallard Drake? This lifesized resting decoy is hollowed out and fitted with a ballast keel. Technically known as a slick, all his details are painted on his smooth body. Though it shows poorly in this photo, he does have dark brown glass eyes just like his living counterparts. He's hand carved and painted.
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​This specific decoy is priced at $185. Other poses range from $165-$325.
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Mallard Hen
Here's an example of a detailed decoy. Like the drake above she is smooth bodied, hollowed, ballasted, and lifesize. Unlike the drake she is finely detailed with brushwork highlighting her flight feathers, side pockets, and head.It takes several layers in different shades to make the feathers look real. It's a time-consuming process that can't be rushed, usually lasting several days.
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This was a commission that took a blue ribbon in competition before leaving for her new home. She's a prime example of a $325 decoy.
Our Clients
