Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson dies; His inventions changed hunting forever

Phil Robertson, the patriarch of Duck Dynasty, has died at the age of 79, leaving behind him a legacy of not just the popular reality TV show, but a list of inventions in the field of hunting technology, starting with the Duck Commander duck call.

Specifically, the reality star died months after his family revealed he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease back in December, and his daughter-in-law Korie Robertson – married to his son, Willie Robertson – shared the news of his passing in a Facebook post on May 25.

Phil Robertson hunting tech

As a reminder, Robertson rose to fame through his invention of the Duck Commander duck call in 1977 and his family-owned eponymous duck hunting business – and later through the reality show Duck Dynasty. That said, his inventions include more than just the Duck Commander.

Specifically, after the duck caller patent, which closely mimics the sound of a mallard hen, approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in 1979, he invented another duck call apparatus in 1991 (approved in 1993), which simulates the call of various species of a mallard drake.

In 2003, he developed a gun support apparatus (approved in 2005), which securely holds a rifle or shotgun in an upright position, as well as a fuel dispenser error detection device, system, and method in 2005 (two patents approved in 2005 and 2006), incorporating a flow switch that works alongside a fuel meter to detect discrepancies between actual fuel flow and meter readings.

All things considered, Robertson’s innovations reflect his deep understanding of hunting and outdoor activities, as well as his education at Louisiana Tech University, contributing practical and popular solutions that today enhance the effectiveness and reliability of hunting equipment and practices.

Meanwhile, his patents are a reminder that real-world innovation often starts far from Silicon Valley, just like many open-source hardware projects we cover, including a home-made Raspberry Pi elevator, a plasma tube made from a kombucha bottle, and even light therapy gear – just to name a few.