Abstract: An apparatus for simulating a waterfowl in flight includes a pulley disposed at a first position well above the surface of a body of water, and a motor disposed at a second position near the surface of the water, where the two positions are horizontally separated by about 50-200 yards. The motor includes a drive shaft operable to rotate in response to torque produced by the motor. A capstan is attached to the drive shaft of the motor for rotating in response to the rotation of the drive shaft. The apparatus includes a loop of flexible line formed into an oval having first and second ends. The first end of the oval is looped over the pulley and the second end is looped over the capstan, such that the loop is held in tension between the pulley and the capstan. Attached to the flexible line is a waterfowl decoy made of buoyant material shaped to resemble a type of waterfowl in flight.

Abstract: A waterfowl decoy towing system moves a floating waterfowl decoy along a circuitous route on a surface of a body of water. The system includes a flexible line formed into a continuous loop, where the line is constructed of a material which is suitable for prolonged submersion in the body of water. Line guides support the flexible line at distributed positions which define the circuitous route. Anchors are attached to the line guides to anchor the line guides below the surface of the body of water at the distributed positions along the route. The system includes drive transfer means, such as a capstan attached to the shaft of an electric motor, for transferring a pulling force to the line to cause the line to move about the circuitous route as the line passes through the line guides. A decoy tether is attached to the flexible line for tethering the decoy. The direction and speed of the line movement is controlled by a motor controller disposed in a nearby duck blind.