Larry Lange was born near Star Lake, Dent MN, in 1939. After serving four years in the U.S. Navy, moved to Perham MN.  Still lives there with his wife Joan,  they have 3 children, two boys and a girl.  Larry was employed at Barrel O' Fun as the plant engineer for 28 years, retiring in 2001.
 

 

    Always interested in hunting and fishing, he got started spearing and making decoys by his uncle Bernard Bergraff.  Larry considers Bergraff to be his mentor for both spear fishing and decoy making.  His favorite spearing lake is still Star Lake, with his biggest northern speared weighing a little over 19 pounds.

 

    Larry has been carving decoys for the past 54 years, starting in the early '50s. He has carved over 3000 decoys to date, now makes 200 to 300 a year. For the past 8 years have been making working decoys to sell and realistic decoys for competition at national decoy contests.

 

    The fish decoys made from basswood or white pine. Painted with air brush and water based acrylics.  Sizes range from 6 to 12 inches in length, with prices from $20 for a daily working to over $100 for a realistic decoy.
 

 

   
Larry is a multiple award winner at several decoy shows, (The John Jensen Nationals, Perham), (Park Rapids Decoy Show), (Bob Johnson Invitational, Brainerd), & (Bill Green Invitational, Grand Rapids).  Has been written up in several fish decoy books, and in the local newspapers.  He is a lifetime member of the National Fish Decoy Association.  For the 2004 NFDA World Championship Point Series, Larry placed in the top 10,( 6th place).

 

    Along with carving, decoy makers are collectors, Larry is no exception. Collecting makers of the past, some 50 to 60 years old, and buying or trading for carvers of

the present. Larry also collects Bear Creek and Ice King made decoys.  His entire collection numbers around 500 decoys, and gets bigger every year.

 

    Besides making decoys Larry is a avid wood worker, when not hunting of fishing, spends a majority of his time in his wood shop behind the house.  Also makes duck

and goose calls, deer grunt calls and hunting knives.  Larry has said that he is busier now in retirement, than when he was employed at Barrel O' Fun.

 

    What he enjoys most, is the camaraderie with other carvers and competing in the various contests. Larry plans on carving as long as he is able.

Contact Larry:

436 3rd St SW Perham, MN 56573

(218) - 346 - 6143  e-mail  blange@eot.com