For collectors and readers who take their sporting literature seriously, Dale’s Decoy Den offers one of the more personal used and out-of-print hunting book collections you’ll find online, curated by someone who has spent a lifetime immersed in the same subjects the books cover.
Our inventory includes both new and used sporting titles, spanning waterfowling, upland game hunting, retriever and bird dog training, decoy carving and collecting, and the broader history of American sporting culture. Because the collection includes such a wide range of titles, we’ve organized everything alphabetically by author’s last name, split into nine browsable groups from A-B through W-Z, so you can go straight to the section that interests you rather than scroll through an unsorted list.
Many of the authors represented in our collection wrote from firsthand experience in the field, not just as observers. That includes writers like George Bird Evans, the celebrated grouse and woodcock hunter whose own life is chronicled in A Sporting Gentleman by Catherine Harper, a biography we carry in our collection. Evans’ books, along with those of his contemporaries, remain touchstones of upland hunting literature decades after they were first published.
Because Dale’s own collecting interests run wide, spanning decoys, calls, shotshell boxes, prints, lures, reels, rods, and guns, alongside books, our hunting book inventory often reflects that same range. You’ll find field guides and instructional titles alongside biographies, regional hunting histories, and books focused specifically on decoy carving and collecting, a subject Dale knows about as well as anyone, having carved roughly fourteen hundred working decoys himself over the years.
Condition and edition matter in book collecting just as they do with sporting art or decoys. A first edition in a dust jacket, a signed copy, or a book that’s simply been well cared for over the decades can carry meaningfully more value than a well-worn reading copy. When you reach out about a specific title, feel free to ask about edition, condition, and any inscriptions or signatures, since we’re glad to go into that kind of detail on request.
Our book inventory turns over regularly as new titles come in and others find new homes, so if you don’t see a specific book listed in your author’s alphabetical section, don’t assume we don’t have it, or can’t find it. Dale has spent decades building relationships across the sporting collectibles world, and tracking down a specific title is often more a matter of a phone call than a lost cause.
Whether you’re building a themed collection around a favorite subject, hunting down a specific title you’ve been searching for, or just getting started as a sporting book collector, Dale’s Decoy Den is a good place to start the conversation.
Looking for a specific title, or want to know more about what we currently have in stock? Call or text Dale at 740-698-5060, or email dalesdecoy@yahoo.com. If you can’t find the book you want listed, call; that’s usually the fastest way to get an answer.
Many of the books in our collection come from other collectors and estates over the years, which is part of why the selection can be a little unpredictable from one visit to the next. That unpredictability is part of the fun for regular customers, who often check back periodically just to see what’s turned up since their last visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How are the hunting books organized?
A: Books are organized alphabetically by author’s last name, split into nine browsable groups from A-B through W-Z, so you can go directly to the section that interests you.
Q: Do you carry both new and used hunting books?
A: Yes, the collection includes both new and used sporting titles, including out-of-print books that are harder to find elsewhere.
Q: What if I can’t find the book I’m looking for?
A: Call Dale directly at 740-698-5060. Inventory turns over regularly, and tracking down a specific title is often more a matter of a phone call than a lost cause.
Q: What topics do the hunting books cover?
A: The collection spans waterfowling, upland game hunting, retriever and bird dog training, decoy carving and collecting, and the broader history of American sporting culture.