Lane Meyer
New member
I am looking to do some research on who carved the first decoys in Alabama! What kind of info do you guys have on this subject?
History of Decoy Carving in Alabama
- Thread starter Lane Meyer
- Start date
Have you contacted Vic Daily? He wrote the book "Fall Flight in Alabama" which covers the history of Alabama Duck Hunting in depth. I have a copy and just thumbed through it but didn't find much on decoys. We may have some history, but nothing like the Eastern Seaboard. Jason Russell might know some details. He's been at it for over 20 years now and I bet would know who you should talk to.
Eric
Eric
In my 22 years in the Mobile area, I never read or heard much about "known" decoy carvers from that area.
I'm sure there had to be someone carving down there given the long history of waterfowling the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Mobile Bay & Mississippi Sound.
About the most "historic" decoys I ever saw in shops were old paper mache and a scant few Mason/Mason-type factory wooden decoys.
Bayou la Batre had a reputation as a sporting destination for duck hunting at the turn of the century, before the hotels and casinos were destroyed by a hurricane in the early 20's, had to be someone carving down there.
I also heard that the visitors center/museum in either Orange Beach or Gulf Shores has photos of duck hunting Little Lagoon & lower Perdido Bay back in the 30-50s. From what I heard from a member of an old Orange Beach family, the duck hunting on Perdido Bay back then was fantastic for scaup, redheads and cans. Actually, it's still decent now if you can find a place to shoot that is outside safety zones.
my 2 cents.
I'm sure there had to be someone carving down there given the long history of waterfowling the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Mobile Bay & Mississippi Sound.
About the most "historic" decoys I ever saw in shops were old paper mache and a scant few Mason/Mason-type factory wooden decoys.
Bayou la Batre had a reputation as a sporting destination for duck hunting at the turn of the century, before the hotels and casinos were destroyed by a hurricane in the early 20's, had to be someone carving down there.
I also heard that the visitors center/museum in either Orange Beach or Gulf Shores has photos of duck hunting Little Lagoon & lower Perdido Bay back in the 30-50s. From what I heard from a member of an old Orange Beach family, the duck hunting on Perdido Bay back then was fantastic for scaup, redheads and cans. Actually, it's still decent now if you can find a place to shoot that is outside safety zones.
my 2 cents.
Carl
I always sort of figured hunters in Mobile gunned over Victor factory decoys made by Animal Trap Company out of Pascagoula, MS. No evidence, just makes sense given the close proximity.
https://unlimitedducks.com/...l-trap-decoy-company
Are you aware of any market gunning in the Mobile Delta? That seems to be the big ingredient for decoy history. I have never heard of market gunning going on in North Alabama. For sure the TN River was good duck hunting before the dams and population, but there wasn't an industry of market hunting or guide services, like on the Eastern Seaboard or on Big Lake, AR.
Eric
I always sort of figured hunters in Mobile gunned over Victor factory decoys made by Animal Trap Company out of Pascagoula, MS. No evidence, just makes sense given the close proximity.
https://unlimitedducks.com/...l-trap-decoy-company
Are you aware of any market gunning in the Mobile Delta? That seems to be the big ingredient for decoy history. I have never heard of market gunning going on in North Alabama. For sure the TN River was good duck hunting before the dams and population, but there wasn't an industry of market hunting or guide services, like on the Eastern Seaboard or on Big Lake, AR.
Eric
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There is a section in the book about old carvers which I thought was interesting. I would have to dig the book out to find the pages that was written on. Eric is correct in the Fall Flights of Alabama book being a good start. We are not traditionally a decoy heritage state. Now, there are a few guys making their on blocks and a growing interest to some level. I have gone back to making most of recent decoys with hand tools once the bandsawed out. The Alabama Council for the Arts has allowed me the opportunity to help new carvers get started over the last several years. My vote on who made the first decoys in Alabama would be the Native Americans. They stacked up rocks and tied reeds together to make a functional decoy that would draw the ducks close enough to provide a meal.
Now that you mention it, it does seem like every antique shop down here has an early plastic Victor decoy or two in it. I have a mallard one I found in the Delta, a buddy of mine found a canvasback one as well. And now that I checked out that link, I bet some of the "Mason-type" wooden ones I've seen were wooden Victors as well.
I never heard about market gunning on Mobile Bay but I am sure it had to have happened given the close proximity to the market in Mobile. Lots of lost history.
I never heard about market gunning on Mobile Bay but I am sure it had to have happened given the close proximity to the market in Mobile. Lots of lost history.
Lane Meyer
New member
That definitely makes sense that down doubts would have had a better market for duck hunting in the past. I will have to do some research about the bays down in Mobile/Orange Beach area. Surprising that there isn?t much up north along the Tennessee River and Guntersville Lake since those have become decently popular spots nowadays. Thanks for the insights I will definitely be checking out that book.
Lane
Good luck and if you uncover anything please share it back with us.
Eric
Good luck and if you uncover anything please share it back with us.
Eric
One thing to remember about the TN river valley area: it was all large free flowing rivers and flood plains before the TVA dams were built. So the conditions for market hunting was not the same as open bays like up on the Chesapeake, Long Island and Delaware. By time the dams were built, market hunting was over.
I'm of the belief that the creation of the TVA lakes & Tenn-Tom waterway impoundments "short-stopped" a lot of the open water waterfowl (divers, coots, pintails, gadwall & widgeons) that used to winter on the AL & MS coastal bays. But I dont believe anyone has done an analysis of the historic data to figure out if this is true or not.
I'm of the belief that the creation of the TVA lakes & Tenn-Tom waterway impoundments "short-stopped" a lot of the open water waterfowl (divers, coots, pintails, gadwall & widgeons) that used to winter on the AL & MS coastal bays. But I dont believe anyone has done an analysis of the historic data to figure out if this is true or not.