Handcrafted decoys for conservation

I'm drawn to so many aspects of the outdoors that I can’t even begin to cover them here. One that has always resonated with me is our ability to handcraft — be it shaving a longbow from a tree, building a canoe from bark or canvas, crafting a fishing rod from a willow branch or a high-modulus graphite blank, or carving a bluebill decoy from a wood block. Creating with raw materials connects us with the natural world. Waterfowl decoys, for example, have a long and storied history in everything from Indigenous hunting to folk art. Some storied decoys are still being used in the field and on the water. Others, however, are now gathering dust in a basement, being displayed on a shelf at a cottage, or experiencing renewed utility as a door stop. The OFAH Foundation is offering a new option. The Crafted for Conservation Campaign is welcoming donations of antique waterfowl decoys in support of conservation and outdoor education here in Ontario. Each decoy will be professionally appraised before a charitable tax receipt is issued for its value. Once collected, the decoys will be showcased and auctioned in the fall of 2026. Collectors from across the country will have the opportunity to give these heritage pieces a new life. Whether a single piece or part of a larger collection, every donation can make an impact. Each donation not only preserves the past but supports the future of Ontario’s outdoors. You can read more about the program in, “Decoys that keeps on giving,” by Steve Galea. For those interested in donating, visit hfhc.ca/duckdecoys or reach out to Brad Ferren at: brad@hfhc.ca Your thoughts Ray knows that people who tell you to get all your ducks in a row have clearly never tried to organize a boat full of decoys in pre-dawn darkness. What’s your favourite hand-crafted aspect of the outdoors? Email me in 150 words or less and include a photo, and we’ll run some responses in the next issue. For more waterfowling insights or just to complain, reach Ray at: ray.blades@oodmag.com Originally published in the Walleye 2026 issue of Ontario Out of Doors For more voices click here Click here for more outdoors news Watch on-demand videos anytime on OFAH Stream