decoys

A group of carvers got together
To try to create a wooden feather;
With a knife and a hatchet, to see if they could
Make a real bird out of a piece of wood.

A real bird they couldn't make,
But an old decoy they did create.
And when them old carvers are gone on their way,
That old decoy will be there to stay.

And if later, someone looking at that old piece of wood,
Would say I know who carved that, he was pretty--good.
Then it would be worth those lonely days
Knowing, although we've gone, part of us stays.

Wayne Davis-Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild


A lot of snow on the ground, really cold outside, more snow headed our way on Tuesday, hip hurts too bad to get outside and exercise so trying to get back to some of my birds.  Have several other bodies that need heads but have these close to completion; these just need  some final sanding, burning and painting.  Will try to keep updated pictures.  Came across the poem above and thought it appropriate for a carving site.  The Core Sound Decoys Carvers Guild also has a great web site.

I remember my first decoy was the result of me being too poor to buy one at a DU banquet; my wife stated the famous words "Oh you can make one of those" and away I went.  Of course my first pintail looked more like a quail on steroids-it still rests on a shelf in storage.  Just can't bear to part with it.  Guess that is the best thing about working with wood, if you have a fireplace, if you don't like your work, it burns well.  I had never really thought about leaving a piece of me, here after I am gone in the form of a decoy, santa or shore bird and I am sure that early decoy makers were more interested in putting meat on the table than being remembered for their work.  I have a decoy that Ed Teenor gave me; he hunted the rivers and ponds in Northwest Missouri; it has no markings as to who carved it but the decoy has character from being tossed around plus some stray pellet holes.  He also gave me one of his shotguns; he had no sons to pass them on; he was my dad's best friend so guess I was his adopted son.  We hunted quail on our farm, he always had a bird dog that made the hunting much easier.  Since the quail population has dropped in the area we have started planting native grasses as part of a Missouri Conservation Program.

I know that spring is close, mud season and black flies, so will may have hard time remembering to "measure twice and cut once".