I just completed the geese this morning. Old Herters full body field.just coated some herters 63,72 and Otter Decoys as well as some old Decoys unlimited bodies that are the start of a spoonie rig.
DHBP Member since May 1999

Nice Spoonbill head! Did you carve that?

Dave Diefenderfer
Manassas, VA

"Once you set out to build a boat, throw away your square. And if you work on her after she's launched, throw away your level." author unknown

yes I did that the other day. It fits everything but the 63s. Too big. That's why i was inquiring on our pm about pre cast heads. Tupelo carves nice.
DHBP Member since May 1999

DHBP Member since May 1999

Nice work Bob!

nice work, I love spoonies.

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Carl
Mobile, AL
DHBP Member since 1998

"Life is too short to drink bad beer."
Disclaimer: This post and/or report is not a substantiation of or reflection on the true accuracy of the present surveying methods. It is only a report on or comment concerning local observation and/or results. Your results and observation may vary based on your location, local water conditions, food supply, weather conditions and migratory patterns "

Bob

Really nice work, especially on your own head. You mentioned tupelo. What dimensions are you getting your tupelo in and can you share with me the price? Also, I've always heard carvers use the base of the tree for their tupelo, but I have to wonder if the mills really separate the base from the rest of the tree. You can't tell the base from the trunk by looking so how would anyone ever know?

Eric

I am afraid I won't be much help. A carver in the Chicago area was done with his hobby and blew out all the wood in his shop. He had several large thick pieces that I got that i use for special projects. When it's gone i'll have to scrounge some more. He had this stuff for 20 years. This season when I am in Louisiana I will look for some. I think you are correct on the butt end of the logs being preferred for decoys.
DHBP Member since May 1999

Eric, there is a local around here that goes into the swamps after they are logged and cuts chunks off the base left behind from the loggers and then sells that for carving decoys. The loggers leave a good chunk of wood there sometimes 4' of prime decoy wood.



Teach someone to love something, and they will protect it. -Will Primos
Benjamin Pendleton
Northeast N.C.

Ben

Interesting. I have a decent sized stump in my wood stack that we cut a few years ago. I quartered it and there must be enough wood for several dozen decoy heads. It is dry and as far as wood goes very soft and growth rings are nearly invisible. I haven't had a piece of tupelo trunk in my hand so I don't know how it compares to the stump, but I just can't imagine it being all that different. Anyone here ever try carving wood from both ends of the log? When I see tupelo going for $25 a board foot I suspect some mills don't separate the bell shape base, instead they remove the taper and saw the entire log where it goes to the middleman who sells it to carvers who have no way of knowing, along with other consumers who don't care. Would a carver really be able to tell their wood wasn't from the base? Or does the base wood work markedly different under knife and rotary tool than the rest of the log? Carvers always make that claim, but do they really know when they didn't harvest and process the log and try working both ends?

This is just one of those things I've always heard decoy carvers say but after being around wood and mills I'm not so sure it isn't more myth than truth. Sounds like you know of one who truly does harvest the stumps, but I'm not so sure all that $25 per board foot tupelo I found for sale online truly is stump wood and that it would even be noticeable. Guess I need to drag a whole log out of a swamp and see for myself. I happen to have access to such a place.


Eric

Like you I have never had a piece that I could confirm came from different places on the tree but all the pieces I have I can not see growth rings, I wonder if that would be the e tell. The main trunk has rings while the stump doesn't.
I'll try and remember to ask the guy the next time I see him if he knows if there is a noticeable difference.



Teach someone to love something, and they will protect it. -Will Primos
Benjamin Pendleton
Northeast N.C.

In the interest of making lighter large decoys I tried my hand on canvas over wire decoys. Did some Scoters and a Canada goose. I thought maybe Buffleheads would be a good subject and I did a quick design. Prototype in work. 11 long body.

Got the skin on the prototype. I thought I would get a better feel for how it will look finished but with the ribs showing like a starving horse it is difficult to envision. I will have to give it a quick paint job to make up my mind if it is good to go or need some modification before making another 5.

Got a great deal on a bare hull 16' alumacraft with a Yamaha 40 tiller. Reran some janky wiring this weekend and will be adding a floor and livewell soon. It'll be a do all rig that will see action 12 months out of the year.

DHBP Member since May 1999

mottled ducks I started painting. Herters 72s in real bad shape had to epoxy and walnut shell the surface. Scratch painted heads will go back and highlight with small brushstrokes.
DHBP Member since May 1999

Should have taken a few "before" pics, all I have are photos of the finished piece.

AMERICAN BLACK WALNUT
12-1/4 DIAMETER BY 2-5/8 DEPTH
HAND RUBBED SHELLAC FINISH

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

Beautiful bowl, Dave. Nice piece of Walnut.


MLBob

"Art is like an ill-trained Labrador retriever that drags you out into traffic." (Annie Dillard)

....Here's to Joe Wooster, who made me realize that the useful could and should be beautiful; and who firmly believed that decoy carvers were the last free men in America.

https://www.facebook.com/KOOIdecoy?ref=hl

Thanks Bob, it does have some character going on.

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Take care, Huntindave McCann SHELL ROCK IA. ,,,,,, "As sailors grow older, the wiser ones move to smaller boats." Thomas Firth Jones, Multihull Voyaging

Came out okay. I will make a few more for this year's rig. I like that it will offer a high profile and be visible from a distance. It should hunt well.

 
Old work bench clean and ready for use.


Project on paint table.














"Art does not reproduce what is visible - but makes things visible." ~ Paul Klee, artist, 1920

Finally getting around to putting some clothes on a decoy and the cat decided he wanted to help..I think he?s regretting his decision

no matter where hi is, you will always be able to find him by the aromatics. HEHEHHEHHE Well, until the paint cures, anyway.
george@runamuckdecoys.com

Well, I finally bit the bullet and consulted a hand surgeon about ongoing carpal tunnel issues with my left hand. Has the procedure done once before on my right hand back in the late 80's

After weeks of testing, prodding, & pre-op clearences (they REALLY want to cover their a$$#$ before cutting in us old farts), I had both CT release surgery and elbow decompression surgery on my left hand & arm this past week. Seems like everything went according to plan. Five days out from the surgery now, bandages and wraps are all off and fingers feeling pretty normal. Sutures come out later this week. Trying to behave, yet keeping the hand & arm moving, flexing, and gripping without overdoing it ( alas, no serious guitar playing yet ).

I did manage a few sessions in the painting studio on one of birds I had carved and prepped the week prior to my procedure. The Panavise holding fixture is getting a good workout as an "extra hand" all the while I am painting.









Also just got word that another of my "After the Hunt" pieces has been accepted into this year's juried gallery showing at the Springfield Museum of Art. Another blow for wildlife art that breaks from the usual pattern of what galleries will feature. This is the piece:







MLBob

"Art is like an ill-trained Labrador retriever that drags you out into traffic." (Annie Dillard)

....Here's to Joe Wooster, who made me realize that the useful could and should be beautiful; and who firmly believed that decoy carvers were the last free men in America.

https://www.facebook.com/KOOIdecoy?ref=hl

[inline "CT & Elbow (3).jpg"]

Great work again this month by everyone.
Finally starting a few for this years rig