The Book of Duck Decoys: Their Construction, Management, and History (Classic Reprint)

Explore the history, design, and enduring craft of duck decoys across Britain and Ireland. This book surveys where decoys were built, how they worked, and the stories behind famous sites from Lincolnshire marshes to Ireland’s noted estates. Rich with detail on pipes, flooding channels, and the people who managed these early hunting works, it reveals a long, practical tradition shaped by landscape and season.The pages frame a practical guide with historical context, showing how decoys fit into farming, drainage, and sport. It traces the rise and decline of decoys, notes memorable locations, and shares glimpses of life around these gathering places—what decoys looked like, how they operated, and how they affected local communities. Though steeped in historical detail, the text remains rooted in the realities of making and using decoys, offering readers a window into a distinctive hunting culture. How decoys were planned and built, including the layout of pools and pipes Examples of decoy sites across Ireland and England, with notes on their features Historical context for fen drainage, wildlife, and local industry that shaped decoying A sense of the people, places, and landscapes that defined this artIdeal for readers of historical hunting lore, countryside history, and those curious about traditional methods and the places that shaped them. Read more