# Are you familiar with this vintage Herter's item?



## answerguy8 (Feb 26, 2005)

http://i7.ebayimg.com/03/i/05/cd/39/e6_1.JPG

It's an item that I have for sale on Ebay but I'm not sure that I've described it right.


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## honkertalker (Dec 7, 2004)

It looks like it is one of those things you put on the bottom of a pole and use it as a push-pole for getting through shallow water in a boat instead of using a motor. I could be wrong.


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## answerguy8 (Feb 26, 2005)

Yep, that's what it is. I'm just not sure what Herter's called it.


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

...early American Mud Buddy. :wink:

Did they call it a duck bill something?


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

Dan is correct. Anybody that remembers the names of the products in the old Herters catalog is no spring chicken. Maybe he could be called old Bueide.


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## answerguy8 (Feb 26, 2005)

Well since there is a Herters historian on stafff here I'll ask a question.
Did Herters manufacture any of the items that they sold?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :LS:US:8


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

To the best of my knowledge Herters had manufactures produce the products and they would private label for them. Any one remember the pictures of Jaucke sp Herter? He was a slick looker with a little handelbar moustache. They got in trouble in the 1960's for selling flytieing components (feathers or fur) from some critter that was banned from sale. They sold the worst sounding duck calls made. Many of thier products were very good quality. I still have a few of their products. A good skinning knife called Herters Yukon Hunter(mid 60's). There has to be some old Minnesota guys that know the story better than me. Herters was the Cabela's in the mid 20th century.

An after thought tells me that they made their own decoys. Herters decoys were the most durable ever made. I would venture that there is 50 year old Herters decoys being shot over as you read this.


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## the Bender (Mar 31, 2005)

I've got some old Guide books written by The Herters. They were published in the early 50's. There is some pretty neat stuff in there. Including some old tricks that are illegal now days, but at the time were probably very effective. Also there's a passage that says the Native Americans preferred Coots to any of the other species of Waterfowl??? I'll try to post some of the best stuff.


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## answerguy8 (Feb 26, 2005)

Everything in their catalogs was the World's Finest or World's Best, etc.
And in his advice books there was only one way to do things; his way.
Things I remember, the only way to sleep in a sleeping bag is nude any other way and you'll be cold, spitting in a charging animals mouth is the only sure way to stop it and he even had an opinion about the right way to slice bread.


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## the Bender (Mar 31, 2005)

My mistake the books I have were published in the early 60's. Here's some exerpts.

Unusual

Cover

Coots are Preferred

Booby Traps


Hope you guys enjoy.


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## greenheadfallon (Oct 19, 2005)

Gotta love the lever stick idea! :sniper:


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## answerguy8 (Feb 26, 2005)

greenheadfallon said:


> Gotta love the lever stick idea! :sniper:


You could probably still find one of those out in a remote area but it's likely protecting a pot plant these days.


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## Lil Sand Bay (Feb 2, 2005)

I used to travel down to the Herters Warehouse store in Waseca, MN. in the late 60's and early 70's. I remember their Glondo duck call needed the lung capacity of an opera singer. They got in trouble for selling Jungle Cock feathers which were banned for sale and import into the U.S. Got my first locator from them, a red box. Their styrofoam # 63 floater decoys were great, and are still being sold from Herters in Beaver Falls, WI.
They sold some of the best, and worst outdoor gear available, but you were never sure which from looking at the catalog.
They ultimately branched out into a bunch of retail stores, the Twin Cities had a couple, and that business move was the beginning of the end for them.


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## baja (Apr 7, 2004)

I have one of those attachments mentioned in the first post...have had it for years and used it ion a pole in one of my first duck boats. That duck boat was 2 matching old Packard hoods welded together. Talk about nostalgia!


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## answerguy8 (Feb 26, 2005)

Well if you want a second one you better bid soon, it's closing in a few hours on Ebay.


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## Bodine (Jan 18, 2006)

Most usefull item on the boat around here...Had a Herter's Duck Bill Push Pole Head on a 14' "Closet rod" wooden pole...Last time I saw it it was being choked down by LARGE gator after being snapped off the end of the pole..Early Mating season I guess. Replaced it with Cabelas "Duck foot".


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## answerguy8 (Feb 26, 2005)

FWIW- I just sold it for $51 on Ebay. I was a bit surprised at the price I got.


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