University student Aaron Koenck brings ease and functionality to the waterfowl hunting industry with his innovative new technology for creating duck and goose decoys.
Koenck, a history and political science junior, is a Leesville native and wanted to maintain his connection with his hometown.
“I’m from a small town,” Koenck said.  “My dad used to take me hunting back on the creeks.  From there, I was hooked, and I started hunting with my buddies from high school.  That’s how I keep in touch with some of them.”
Koenck said he used to deer hunt, but he doesn’t do it as much anymore because duck hunting became a passion and a priority.
His business, Louisiana Decoy Company, offers a one-of-a-kind waterfowl decoy. 
“Almost all decoys on the market right now are completely hard-shell, so they take up a lot of space,” Koenck said.  “What I did was make them collapsible, and I designed a special piece that allows the decoy to float when you expand it.”
This is a big change in hunting decoys because it brings versatility to the table, allowing more ease for hunting in different situations and
environments, Koenck said.
“Because they’re collapsible, it eliminates the need of other equipment like trailers, lots of bags and multiple types of decoys,” Koenck said. “Now you only need one kind.”
Koenck partners with a manufacturing factory that produces his decoys.
Louisiana Decoy Company’s products are also less expensive than most of what is on the market.  Koenck’s decoys run at $90 for a pack of four, while the majority run at prices upward of $100 for a pack of four, Koenck said.
Though Koenck just launched his product and company this month, he did extensive research, development and networking for the past ten months before launching the business.
Koenck currently runs Louisiana Decoy Company as a sole proprietorship, but he has mutual commercial partners.  Dark Cloud Outdoors and SM Waterfowlers both help Louisiana Decoy Company.
“To build our networks, we advertise and market each
other,” Koenck said.
Koenck has big plans and many goals for Louisiana Decoy Company.
“I definitely want to do this for the rest of my life,” Koenck said.  “I am going to get my juris doctorate and pass the bar exam, but I’d rather travel all over North America doing this.  I want to hunt in different places and meet new people through the company.”
Koenck wants to make his way to big retailers like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s but said his primary concerns are getting his product to smaller retailers in small towns and making his way to the LSU 100, a list of successful business endeavors by University students.
Each year, the list identifies and celebrates the fastest growing student-owned or student-led businesses from around the world.
Right now, all purchases are made online through the company’s website.
Koenck hopes to eventually incorporate marketing agents and additional employees once the business gets larger.
“My family is very supportive.  As a student, it’s really hard to get a business like this going.  I got very lucky,” Koenck said, referring to his older brother Johnathan who helped fund the company.
Koenck also wants his business to help people in need.
“One of the things I want to focus on is doing charity work through the company — taking kids hunting, donating the game to needy families,” Koenck said. “There are a lot of organizations throughout the country that
do that.”