A Decoy Corner Article
By Bruce Urben, President
In this month’s Decoy Corner article, I am changing it up a little. Rather than talking about a specific carver, my article talks about a “derelict” decoy. What is a derelict decoy? Well, I would define it as one that has served its purpose well, usually a very well worn decoy. One that does not have pristine paint, may have cracks and holes, but still maintains a character, style and form of what it was designed for… fooling ducks. Many times you may find this derelict decoy sitting in someone’s garage corner or boathouse, covered with dust. Discarded years ago because it was no longer being used or was so abused that it was no longer usable in someone’s eyes. In my decoy collecting, I have seen many decoys that fit this description – some that would not even go home with me if they were given to me. Below is a short story about a derelict decoy that I found at an auction in the bottom of a box that I was the high bidder for. It’s providence could not be confirmed, but I doubt it was carved by any famous carver, more likely by a hunter that needed decoys for his own use and couldn’t afford to buy them.
If only decoys could talk…
The article of mine, below, was printed this last month by the Hunting and Fishing Collectibles magazine and I wanted to share it in my Decoy Corner. I am sure many of us have a derelict decoy that means something to us. Below is my derelict!
A Box of Decoys to Understand the Hunter
As a carver I appreciate a decoy with good form, style and painting to reflect the species. But, as a waterfowler and collector I truly appreciate a vintage decoy that has seen years of use, but may not be in the pristine condition when it was carved. And…we all wish the decoy could tell us who carved him and where he was used.
Several years ago while at an estate auction in Northeast Wisconsin I happened upon a box of well used decoys on the auction trailer. After briefly looking through them and seeing the rest of the estate sale offerings, it became apparent that this owner, now deceased, was an avid waterfowler. His decoys, duck skiffs, camo clothes and other gear was up for sale to the highest bidder. I had to make a bid on this box of decoys just out of the need to understand this waterfowler’s hunting tradition. After winning the bid (yes, I might have been the only bidder) what I found at the bottom of the box was a tired looking wood decoy with most of its paint gone, but clearly carved by someone who was proud of his skill and hunting tradition.
This little decoy, 13 inches from tip of bill to tip of tail is made out of cedar, hollowed paper thin with a short paddle tail. The carver hollowed the decoy body into two halves with the seam running right through the paddle tail. There is still remnants of lead caulk in the body seam, although most has crumbled over time. The body halves were attached with nails, the pine head was inletted into the body and a dowel runs through the head terminating at the bottom of the decoy. The head is simply carved with some bill and jowl details with yellow, glass eyes. The body appears to have been chop carved, as there is a clear chop line at the back of the head seat.
The paint remaining includes a black breast and a rump with some white side pocket paint still visible. The head is painted a shade of black with a gray bill. It was probably part of a bluebill rig. The bottom of the decoy has holes where the keel was attached and there are two distinct holes near the front where, I assume, a staple was installed to attach the anchor line. As mentioned, the head carving has some delineation of the bill line, eye groove and jowls carved. Nail heads are visible in the top and bottom of the decoy.
I can’t help but wonder how this little bluebill floated on the local lakes in the Shawano Lake or Winnebago Lakes area where it was rescued and whether he had any rigmates.
Although no longer showing its brilliance, with flaking paint and cracked seams, this guy has a special place at our cottage overlooking the lake where we both can dream about its time on the water.
A derelict decoy for sure, but not forgotten!