Things to do at the Churchill County Museum...

Just for Kids

Tule Duck Decoys

Tules (pronounced “too-lees”) are reeds that grow in and around the Stillwater Marsh. For hundreds of years these plants provided the local Native American peoples with food and shelter. The roots of the tule plant can be eaten at different times of the year and the pollen that forms at the top of the plant in the fall was eaten as well.

Native Americans made their homes using tule reeds as well as canoes, bags used to collect ducks eggs, and more. Another popular use for the tules was in making duck decoys. When used for hunting, instead of for display, the tule duck body would have been covered by the actual skin of a duck, making them look very real from the air. Tule reeds float, so a group of decoys anchored in the water would encourage live ducks to come and join them and the hunters would get their prey. This is exactly how today’s duck hunters hunt their waterfowl.

Try making your own miniature tule duck decoy by following our directions and by looking at the photographs. Have fun!

Make a Tule Duck Decoy

Materials needed: tules (damp) or long drinking straws · raffia or string · scissors

Take a small handful of tules or long drinking straws (about 6). If using tules each handful should be about 1 foot in length. Fold another small handful over the center. Using raffia or string tie the second handful tightly near the first.

 

Step 1a	Step 1b	Step 1c
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Spread the first handful of tules slightly open. With raffia or string twine* the tules and tie to the center. Repeat on the other side. These twined portions form the wings.

 

 

Step 2a	Step 2b	Step 2c	Step 2d	Step 2e
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Now tie the tail tightly. Keeping the most rounded side of the body upward use your fingers to form a slight hollow on the underside. Now trim the tail at an angle with the longer portion at the top.

 

 

Step 3a	Step 3b
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To form the head and neck of the duck, bend a piece of tule in two places: the top of the head and the base of the bill. Now wrap the tule with raffia to shape the head.

 

 

Step 4a	Step 4b
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Carefully poke the neck into the body. Secure underneath if necessary.

 

 

Step 5

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*Basic twining

Your duck is now finished!