Waterfowl decoys have been an integral part of hunting for many years. Hunters use these ducks to help attract prey to certain areas. In recent times, however, these decoys have become more detail oriented. For this reason, many people now use waterfowl decoys as decorative pieces for their home or office.

As mentioned prior, the biggest difference between a hunting decoy and a decorative decoy is the attention to detail. Hunting decoys will often be caught in a hunter's line of fire, being destroyed at the simple pull of a trigger. Since they are meant to lure animals in shooting range, hunting decoys need to be designed so that members of the animal kingdom will mistake them for real life organisms. Decorative decoys, on the other hand, are carved for aesthetic value, and thus must be lifelike enough to trick the human eye into thinking that a piece of wood is in fact a real animal.

The question remains, how do artists make such realistic decorative decoys? The following are techniques that carvers use to fool people into thinking that a wooden sculpture is a duck:

• Using accurate dimensions: Carvers will take measurements of waterfowls to guarantee that their statue is exactly the same size as the actual animal. For example, if a certain duck has a beak size of .901 inches, the artist will accurately design his or her decorative decoy with a beak length of .901 inches.

• Looking for particular poses: Waterfowls tend to place their neck and bodies into unique stances. When creating a decorative decoy, artists will be sure to carve the duck in a way that appears as if the animal is indeed alive, but not moving.

• Precise painting: Painting decorative decoys may be the most important aspect of the entire process. A wood carving is only as good as the paint job that will go on top of it. Artists will take into account each and every color and shade that a waterfowl has and paint the decoy accordingly.

A decorative decoy can add a special, nature-like feel to any house. Since there are many places that have wood carvings for sale, but be sure to choose the one that will truly fool people into thinking that a duck is living in your home.