BillS
Well-known member
There was a post that resurfaced about favorite bluebill decoy not long ago. I got thinking with Pats recent post about the St Charles show what are some of the decoys that inspire me. My favorite canvasbacks.
John Graham, this is probably from his heyday as a carver. Clean smooth lines, simple paint pattern, roman nose, iron keel, is branded JC Sloan(unkown). The lines and carving on this decoy are some of the best Graham did. It dates to about the 1870's.
View attachment 1-Grahan can sloan brand2-002.JPG
John "Daddy" Holly, this well used decoy with layers upon layers of gunning paint bird probably was reheaded by his son Jim at some point. While is not the prettiest thing to look at, it was a work horse and it does carry something special to prove it.
View attachment 1-Holly Reckless.JPG
The brand "Reckless" this is the famous gunning scow of the late 1800's on the Susquehanna flats. This was my "holy grail" for decoys, just think of the history of this bird.
View attachment 1-reckless mine.JPG
These next birds are from contemporary carver, with quite a resume Harrold Duebbert. He was stationed in the prairie pothole region for close to 30 years conducting research on waterfowl. He has authored and co-authored over 60 research papers on waterfowl biology many have a direct impact on what see out hunting each fall. He began carving at age of 12 and has always felt a connection to the past and carved decoys that honored them. With a hatchet and knife he has produced over 1000 decoys, making hunting decoys for himself, friends and family. I got to see Harold briefly again last month and he told me how special it was that the decoys he made for me rode the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and still keeps the picture in his shop. For those like to read about historical duck hunting accounts in retiremnt he compiled a collection of stories titled "Wildfowling the Dakotas". It a great book of stories from an area not often read about n the pre 1900 era.
View attachment 1-106.jpg
I don't have any pics of other favorite Cans in my current rig, but included in there is one of my first decoys I bought from a modern carver, my friend and mentor George Williams. Couple years later after moving to Maryand he invited me over and I got to watch carving techniques and discuss philosophical insight to what makes a hunting decoy. Philosophies that I hold everytime I grab a chunk of wood.
John Graham, this is probably from his heyday as a carver. Clean smooth lines, simple paint pattern, roman nose, iron keel, is branded JC Sloan(unkown). The lines and carving on this decoy are some of the best Graham did. It dates to about the 1870's.
View attachment 1-Grahan can sloan brand2-002.JPG
John "Daddy" Holly, this well used decoy with layers upon layers of gunning paint bird probably was reheaded by his son Jim at some point. While is not the prettiest thing to look at, it was a work horse and it does carry something special to prove it.
View attachment 1-Holly Reckless.JPG
The brand "Reckless" this is the famous gunning scow of the late 1800's on the Susquehanna flats. This was my "holy grail" for decoys, just think of the history of this bird.
View attachment 1-reckless mine.JPG
These next birds are from contemporary carver, with quite a resume Harrold Duebbert. He was stationed in the prairie pothole region for close to 30 years conducting research on waterfowl. He has authored and co-authored over 60 research papers on waterfowl biology many have a direct impact on what see out hunting each fall. He began carving at age of 12 and has always felt a connection to the past and carved decoys that honored them. With a hatchet and knife he has produced over 1000 decoys, making hunting decoys for himself, friends and family. I got to see Harold briefly again last month and he told me how special it was that the decoys he made for me rode the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and still keeps the picture in his shop. For those like to read about historical duck hunting accounts in retiremnt he compiled a collection of stories titled "Wildfowling the Dakotas". It a great book of stories from an area not often read about n the pre 1900 era.
View attachment 1-106.jpg
I don't have any pics of other favorite Cans in my current rig, but included in there is one of my first decoys I bought from a modern carver, my friend and mentor George Williams. Couple years later after moving to Maryand he invited me over and I got to watch carving techniques and discuss philosophical insight to what makes a hunting decoy. Philosophies that I hold everytime I grab a chunk of wood.
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