Duck decoy weights have been around as long as duck decoys and hunting. The early weights were put on the keel of the decoy and some later decoys had a water weighted keel that kept the duck upright in the water. Decoy weights can be made out of many different items and are a necessity to keep your decoys in place.
Duck hunting is an American heritage that once was a way to feed the family. Now it is a tradition passed down from fathers to sons all over. There are two main ways you can hunt waterfowl. You can use the sneak approach or pond jump which can be successful at times.
The other way to hunt ducks involves getting up early and going to a pond, river or lake. You can use waders or small water craft like a canoe to set an arrangement of decoys up. The decoy weights helps hold the decoys in position so the ducks think they are real.
You pattern these in a spot the ducks will see flying overhead. A duck call can be an instrumental tool in attracting the duck to the decoys. When the decoys are set up and weighted to the bottom of the pond or river the hunter will sit in his blind. The blind hides the hunter from the ducks flying near by. When the duck flys close enough the hunter will pop out of his blind and shoot.
Decoys and decoy weights have came along way over time. Decoys started as crude pieces of wood made to look like a duck. They advanced to carved wood and later factory made wood that were painted. Plastic and rubber decoys were introduced after this.
These decoys were lighter and easier to handle. The lighter decoys definately needed a weight to stay in one spot in the water. Modern day decoys are very life like and fool the weariest waterfowl. Decoy weights can be almost any heavy metal object.
You pick up old decoys with nuts and washers tied on them for weights. Factory weights are generally made of lead and can be bell shaped or flat bars. Early companies casted weights that would fit on the decoys head when not in use.
The decoy weight is a valuable item to the duck hunter. It also is the item that never gets credit for anything. If it does not do its function a duck hunter will not be successful.