WATERFALL HUNTING SEASON IS
A BIG DEAL THIS TIME OF YEAR.
JUST ASK MIKE MAX AS DUCKS AND
GEESE HEAD SOUTH, HUNTER SAID
TO THE BLINDS.
IN THE BASEMENT YOU FIND
HUNDREDS OF DECOYS.
IN THIS WEEK'S FINDING
MINNESOTA, HOW THE COLLECTION
HAS TAKEN ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN.
♪
WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN THE
MORNING AND THE SUN IS COMING
UP AND YOU ARE CALLING THE
DUCKS, WHEN THEY COME TO PASS
OVER AND LOOK YOU OVERCOMING
YOU KNOW YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING
RIGHT.
Reporter: IT IS THE TIME OF
YEAR WHEN HUNTERS CAN'T HELP
BUT SMILE.
WAS SITTING IN THE DUCK BOAT IS
FUN IT IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF
HUNTING HE LOOKS FORWARD TO.
ONE THAT PUTS JOHN IN A WILD
GOOSE CHASE OR DOG CHASE,
DEPENDING ON THE BIRD.
I IMAGINE EVERY CHIP OR
CRASH, EVERY SCUFF MARK HAS A
STORY.
THERE'S GOT TO BE.
SOME OF THE BIRDS HAVE PUPPY
CHEW ON THE BILL OR THE TAIL.
IN 1983 A FRIEND BROUGHT
RELUCTANT JOHN TO THE DECOY
SHOW.
THIS WOULD BE 1940.
Reporter: HE DIDN'T WANT TO
LEAVE.
I WALKED IN AND WELL.
AS I LOOKED AT THE DECOYS, I
THOUGHT WHO MADE THESE, WHERE
DID HE MAKE THEM AND WHEN DID
HE MAKE THEM.
I JUST GOT THE BUG.
Reporter: HE BOUGHT ONE AND
GOT A QUESTIONING LOOK FROM HIS
WIFE, JoANNE.
IT WAS A LONG BEFORE SHE WAS ON
THE HUNT TOO.
I GOT THE BUG RIGHT AFTER
THAT WHEN I STARTED GOING TO
SHOWS WITH HIM.
Reporter: TODAY THE COUPLE
HAS A DUCK LOAD OF DECOYS.
500 TO BE EXACT IN THE
BASEMENT.
THAT IS HIS MAN CAVE.
TO ANY ONE OF THESE BIRDS AND
HE WILL TELL YOU WHO MADE IT.
THIS PAIR ARE MADE BY ELMER
CROWELL OUT OF MASSACHUSETTS.
WHEN THEY MADE IT, WHERE
THEY ARE FROM.
THIS WOULD BE ABOUT 1940.
THEY ONLY MADE IT FOR ONE YEAR.
Reporter: HE'S A WALKING
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THESE TWO TOYS.
WITH SUCH ATTENTION TO DETAIL
NO TWO ARE THE SAME AND THEY
HAVE EVOLVED OVER TIME.
THE ONES ON THE LEFT ARE OLDEST
MADE IN 1885.
THE TWO ON THE RIGHT WERE
CREATED IN 2017.
BLUE, CANVAS BACKS, BILLS,
REDHEADS.
IT GOES ON AND ON.
Reporter: MOSTLY WHAT BUT
SOME ARE MADE OUT OF PAPIER-
MBCHI, CORK, PLASTIC OR RUBBER.
A LOT WERE MADE FOR HUNTING BUT
NEVER SAW THE WATER.
THEY ARE MORE LIKE WORKS OF
ART.
THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT SO
INTERESTING.
YOU NEVER KNOW AS YOU ARE OUT
AND ABOUT LOOKING FOR THESE
THINGS AND GOING TO THE SHOWS.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WILL
FIND.
Reporter: HALF THE FUN IS
WHAT COMES AFTER THE HUNT.
ONCE HE BUYS HER RARITIES.
HE WILL USE THE INITIALS OR
NAME ON THE DECOY TO LEARN
ABOUT THE CREATOR.
THEY WILL MENTION MAYBE HE
WAS A CABINET MAKER OR
CARPENTER AND YOU PUT TWO AND
TWO TOGETHER AND SAYING THIS IS
THE GUY.
Reporter: IT'S NOT JUST THE
SOUTH WORSE THAT GET INTO THIS.
THERE'S A CLUB, PROOF THAT
BIRDS OF A FEATHER REALLY DO
FLOCK TOGETHER.
WE HAVE MEMBERS FROM
VERMONT, CALIFORNIA, NEW
MEXICO, LOUISIANA, ILLINOIS.
THEY ARE ALL OVER.
IT IS FOLK ART.
IT IS HISTORY.
I MEAN, THESE ARE THINGS A LOT
OF GUYS NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY
CAN FEED THE FAMILY ON SUNDAY
AFTERNOON.
IT IS ALL PART OF THE HUNT.
AND PART OF LIFE.
Reporter: IN WEST ST. PAUL,
JOHN LAURITSEN, WCCO 4 NEWS.
JOHN MAKES SOME OF HIS OWN
DECOYS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
DECOY COLLECTOR ASSOCIATION WE