The Proverbial 'Now What' - part 2

I think the most responsible thing I can say first is that I'm not a great or even good decoy carver.  What I am is someone who enjoys the art, and believes that each decoy I gain a new knowledge on the subject that will help me years from now.

In my last article The Proverbial 'Now What' I showcased a fine hunt, and at the same time lamented the fact I'm now in search of something to do until fall rolls back around.  Considering all the decoys I need to be carving, I figured it was a fine time to write a "workbench" article.  As my interest and skill in decoy carving grows, I hope this becomes a popular read each time I sit down to show a few decoys.

I guess I'll start with a few patterns I have drawn out.  I'm all over the board, jumping from one interest to the next, but I'll eventually get to them all.  *Note* these are rough drawings, none of which I've come back to in order to enhance for actual use.  All are free-handed with nothing but photos of God's creations and my own imagination of what I want them to be as a guide.

The first is a coastal Maine style Red-Breasted Merganser.  This bird was drawn after seeing a George Huey Red-Breasted Merganser, and also after seeing Keith Mueller's interpretation of the same.  I have not decided on a paint scheme for the side pockets, but they will be dropped and I want to pull off an almost  "flame" yet "folky" look - think bonfire painted on a Mustang.  The head/neck will be "inletted" in the traditional ship builder style of the area:

The next several patterns are my interpretation of the John English/Florence School (i.e. Delaware River) style birds.  Thanks to carvers like Jode Hillman, Sean Sutton, George Strunk and Geoff Vine (found in the 'Links of Interest' to your right) I have truely found an area of decoy carving history I both enjoy reading about and attempting to emulate.  Jode actually took the time to answer several questions, and they (along with a few of his decoys) are found here: Interview With Master Carver Jode Hillman. For the historian, there are a lot of twists, turns and intrigue in the Delaware River birds.  I plan on writing about it one day soon.

In any case, here are my paltry interpretations:

Delaware River high head canvasback

 Contented bird

Canvasback sleeper

Lesser Scaup contented bird and sleeper

Left hand bird - preening Lesser Scaup

I wanted to say a few words about the right hand bird.  It is a combination and my interpretation of what would happen if a John English ruddy duck was carved with a Lee Dudley influence.  I believe no one on the planet has created a decoy that screams Ruddy Duck more than Lee Dudley of Knotts Island, NC.  I don't think a man should create certain decoys without having a bit of those who really mastered "that bird" in them.  Shang Wheeler sleeping blackducks and Joe Lincoln wood ducks have the same appeal to me.

After scratching out these patterns, turkey season came on...and, so did the desire to have a turkey decoy.  Many will remember I've set out to kill every species of waterfowl on the North American continent over my own decoys.  Recently, I've added turkeys to the list as I've seen the Slams, and have seen them accomplished by folks shooting handmade bows...why not a decoy.  Why not?  Well, there's no good reason.

If the picture is good enough, you'll note all kinds of eraser marks.  I had an awful time with the form of a hen turkey.  It wasn't until my first hunt of the season (which resulted in my first kill of the season, found here: Second Chances ) that I got to watch a hen in action, really focusing on the way she behaved.  I watched every move she made and figured out exactly how I wanted my decoy to look.  I wanted her in a leaning position that depicted natural movement, and the pattern is also my interpretation of what a Delaware River turkey decoy would look like:

I admit to still having some things to work out with this decoy.  The big thing is the allowance for movement, by decreasing "bulk".  I have some ideas, and will give them a try.  I'm sure in 30 years (give or take) I'll have it down to a science.

The last pattern I'll share today is a mini greenhead a friend of mine commissioned for his wedding cake.  I'll cut this bird out this weekend and start on it.  Again, my ideal of a Delaware River bird.  Pete, he'll be ready, you have my word....but, like the caption says (hehe).

Lastly, I don't normally do this because things look so terrible at this point - even more than my finished birds - but I'll show you two birds on the bench.  They will be named "the Elder Rig" due to the John Blair and John English influences on both.  I plan on writing about them in full when they are done, until then, the roughed out birds:

Blair influenced blue wing on left, English influence blue wing on right

Two little blue wing teal with differening styles, captured by men in the late 1800's and early 1900's hunting the same river - the Delaware.  I'm carving and painting these birds as practice for a couple of blue wing teal rigs I have been commissioned by friends to make.  Hope everyone has a great end of the week and weekend.  Check back often and tell your friends.

-Justin 

The Proverbial 'Now What"?

My limit maker

Had a fun hunt this morning, albeit a very quick one.  It was truly the type of hunt that when it's over, you're actually left wanting more.  

Making my usual listening spot, I waited almost 30 minutes and had yet to hear a gobbler sound off.  Around 7 a.m. I decided to slip through some 12 year old pine timber, and set up on a plot to listen and wait.  I knew a good bird was in the area, and figured I'd do as much good listening as I would anything else.  While getting myself situated, getting the Therma-Cell turned on, and getting the calls chalked up, I thought I heard a bird in the distance.  After roughly 5 minutes, I figured it was the wind or an old hound dog.

I first struck this bird around 730 using an Eddleman box call.  The call will flat "get up and through" wind, and considering the windy conditions I was met with, I needed something that could cut through it.  And, it did just that.  The last yelp of the sequence was met with a gobble, some 200 yards down in a hollow.  

 The Eddleman call amidst some feathers and spurs

Knowing I couldn't get closer to the bird, I backed up in the pine timber.  I have fooled with this turkey before, and knew that if I could get him to come up the hollow I'd have him, as I was finally on the right side of his comfort zone.

From the time I sat down, to the time I was standing over the bird took less than 15 minutes.  I called a few times, and with each answering gobble, I could tell he was on the move having business at hand.  The terrain didn't allow much vision outside of 30 yards, and I first saw his fan coming straight to me at around 50 yards.  He stopped and strutted behind a pine tree, and then stepped out in full view...and, in full strut.  A simple cluck/purr had him sticking his neck out to gobble.  He was shot mid-gobble and the hunt was over...too fast, just too fast.

10" beard, 1 1/4 and 1 3/8" spurs

 The super-hunt crew know the meaning of this photo

The proverbial "now what"...I guess I'll just have to tote the camera and "shoot" them that way for a spell. 

   

"Pals"

If you've hunted long enough, you've probably come to the same conclusions about hunting partners that I have.  There are people I hunt with, be it being dealt the days pit line-up or paying back a favor, and there are people I like to hunt with.  The former is generally calling to see if you have anywhere to take them, the latter is just glad to be going and generally is a lot of fun to go hunting with.  I'll admit, I've had a lot of folks I find myself hunting with, but not really many I enjoy sharing my time outdoors with.  I'm positive many other people can say the same thing about me.

My buddy Busky is one of the guys I truly enjoy hunting with.  He not only stays in touch during hunting seasons, but also afterwards, always wanting to know how my family is doing.  That's important to me, because that tells me he's more worried about a friendship than what I have to offer as far as hunting opportunities.

We've traveled a few times to hunt turkeys, and I can always count on Busky pulling his share of the load.  Like take the times we've woken up and left at 3 a.m. to get to a western spot in time to roost birds.  He's always there talking it up making sure I stay awake while driving....

 

Busky keeping me awake on a long road trip.

I think another reason we get along so well, particuarly on long road trips (that sometimes end in futility...well, several times have), is the fact we share a certain perverse sense of humor:

 

Is anyone really surprised???

 

Busky's fool-proof method for cattle enclosure - on sale now.

But when it's all said and done, Busky's one of the few folks I turkey hunt with, with any regularity anyway.  He's a good turkey hunter that never expects (nor asks) to be the shooter.  He seems to just enjoy the outdoors, any way he can. 

We have this running argument, that's gone on for more years than I can count.  Every turkey hunt we've made together, with the exception of our out-of-state hunts, he leaves his gun in the truck.  I've started watching for it, and reprimanding as best I can.  Yesterday, I honestly thought he had his gun with him. 

We met at our usual meeting spot around 6 a.m., and he loaded his stuff up in my truck - the gun was there.  We get to where we park the truck, and I heard the gun being fooled with, so I assumed it was being loaded...and, that was the last I thought about Busky's gun. 

Busky and I tend to do as much story-telling as we do hunting, but at the appointed hour, he looks at me and said, "did you just hear that gobble?"  I hadn't, to be honest.  A minute or so later, he heard it again - again, I wasn't sure, but I know Busky.  He's not the type to say he "hears" something if he doesn't.  I walk about 100 yards towards where he thought he heard the bird and listened.  Busky stayed in the original spot to keep listening there.  I heard nothing, Busky heard 2 more, pointing in the general direction.  Not knowing exactly where they were roosted, my plan was the split the difference and not get too deep in their territory at first light.

Reaching the area I thought was best to set up in, the dawn was shattered by a gobble.  We both looked at each other and said, "we need to move back in the timber more."  The bird was walking the same path we did on the way in.  I looked at Busky and was like, "dude, get your gun!"  His reply, "it's in the truck, sit down and shut up."

Within minutes, it was over.  The bird worked like you want them too.  He gave us a bit of a show, with some strutting and gobbling, and I gave him a face full of Heavi-Shot.

I scolded him pretty good on the gun deal - AGAIN - but his hard-headed butt could care less.  He's there for the show. 

It couldn't have been 20 minutes later when our walk was cut short by yet another gobbler.  Quickly getting setup, I had to throw the gun at Busky to get him to take it.  We got hammered by more gobbling over the next hour than I've had all year.  We got the bird well within range, but Busky wouldn't shoot because he didn't have a good clean shot.  THAT'S Busky, in a nutshell.  At one point, the gobbler hammered 4 times in a row, and the only other sound I heard was Busky chuckling under his breath.  A hen ended up taking the ol' boy off, and that was fine - we both got what we came for - my second bird of the year and Busky got a show.

 

"Pals"

-Justin Harrison