Waterfowling Legacy - The Decoy Carver

Stan Balgaard is our master carver and the creative force behind Autumn Wings products. There is more to an effective duck decoy design than the replication of birds in the wild. Most carvers ultimate goal is to win a contest; Stan is not looking for prizes, his passion is to deceive ducks!

Some of our contemporaries use a potpourri of carvers depending on price and availability. Autumn Wings duck decoys reflect the creative style of one man, much the same way as many of the storied early carving shops. Stan and I met at the landing of Lake Christina in west-central Minnesota. This was a memorable occasion for me since Stan was so generous with local hunting tips, had three small children in his duck boat and he used a wonderful set of handmade wooden duck decoys. I coveted those duck decoys!

Stan lives high on a hill overlooking the lake where he likes to observe the flights of waterfowl each spring and fall. He is a keen observer of wildlife, a skilled taxidermist and possesses the unique talent to bring life to blocks of wood. For my part, I didn’t have the money to purchase or the talent to create handmade duck decoyduck decoys of his caliber. Thus began our passionate search to create premium quality duck decoys. They had to have the appearance of hand-carved wooden duck decoys (like Stan’s), yet perform better, and be made affordable for everyday use.

Stan is striving to create the ultimate duck decoy, pleasant to hold and observe on the water yet deadly deceptive to waterfowl.