Bluebill decoy I just finished up......3 years in the making!

Terry Desilets

Terry Desilets

Active member
Here's a Bluebill that I just finished up. I still have to float and keel it, but it'll be ready to hunt next week. This was carved about 3 years ago, and I lost interest, so it sat on the shelf along with a couple others. I made a vow not to start on any new decoys until I finish up the ones I have laying around. It was starting to look like Geppettos toy shop!

Critiques are welcome, I'm always looking to advance my skills!

Hollow White Cedar, Jansens acrylic paint
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Terry,
good to see that the stuff up on the shelf is getting a bit of work.

I like it. Nice simple gunner and when you hunt scaup you want a bunch of them.

What did you use for reference on this one?
 
That broadbill looks great. I like the paint job.

I didn't even notice it at first, but yes I would add some nostrils.
 
I like that second pic---nice angle. While looking at the beautiful decoy I would imagine that you 'll only need one--that one, to shoot your limit. Nice work!
Al
 
There are some amazing craftsman on this site, yourself included Terry. This is a great hobby that I'm thinking about picking up. The thing that astounds me is how you guys actually use them as decoys. You spent three years making it and now it goes in the decoy bag. I'd have a hard time doing that. The idea of using wooden decoys is pretty new to me. I imagine a little more care goes into trasporting and using them than with the plastic 40 bux-a-dozen decoys, but isn't their weight an issue? How many can you bring with because there are times i like to layout a 3-4 dozen decoys and i couldnt see having enough room in my boat for that many wooden decoys.
I'd be so damn careful with those decoys i wouldnt have room for anything else in the boat.
 
Terry,

HOW'S IT GOING???

Nice bird. I'm finishing up a few of those myself. And I made myself the same promise.... why's it so much easier to START birds than it is to FINISH them!!!!

Good luck - that bird will serve you well!

Steve P.
 
Brian:
Thank you for the compliments. I probably wasn't very clear, the decoy didn't take 3 years to carve, it's more like 15 hours or so, another couple to paint it. I had it (along with 2 others) 90% carved and kind of lost interest in the design/species, so on to the shelf it went.

My rig consists of 36 decoys, all hand carved cork and wood, there are a few high end foam decoys by E. Allen and Columbia River Decoys in there as well, but no plastic. I transport the decoys in 6 and 8 pocket decoy bags, this minimizes the wear and tear of bouncing around a boat as it is towed down the road. So, yes, more care and inconvenience is involved. I deploy them pretty much like any plastic decoy, except that I don't throw them. It's a sand bottom where I hunt, so there's no need to. As for them being "valuable"? Decoy carving is my hobby, it's an expensive hobby as hobbies usually are. But then I figure it's pretty cheap therapy. Keeps me outta the headlines! LOL I hunt them because that's their purpose, I also carve cooking spoons out of exotic woods (great gifts for family that are tired of decoys!), they see daily use because that is what was intended. If I happen to blast a decoy, I'll fix it or I can make another.

It's a very fulfilling hobby, just don't get into it thinking A) It's cheap, B) You can carve them cheaper than buying, C) It's Cheap

Best of luck!
 
Thanks for all the comments guys!

George - Thats quite a compliment! Pretty much the direction I was headed. I'm loathe to say I'm in your camp, but this bunch that I'm finishing right now is all that.

Rich/John- Yeah, I can see that I need some little nostrils, I'll paint them in before I seal it up.

Al- I'm finishing up the other two as a hen and drake, that should round out a small diver rig I'll deploy outside of my puddlers.

Steve- Yes, it's much easier to start 'em!!! Carving is a lot more relaxing, although I am starting to like painting now that I have a bit more confidence.
 
Nice Terry. It's just enough and the blending on the head really makes it pop. Good to see you getting some work done...
 
Terry, great looking decoy. I also would add some more detail to the bill. Im my humble opinion you have a cross between a "slick" and a "decorative". If it had a little more detail to the tail I would call it a "decorative". If the combing was removed along with the beautiful job on the head shading.....I would call it a "slick'. Either way, it's a great looking decoy and by 2043 you will have a perfect dozen scaups to hunt over. Just kidding, great work. dc
 
I made a vow not to start on any new decoys until I finish up the ones I have laying around.
Click to expand...

Terry

I have made a vow not to make promises I have no intention of keeping...and the above statement would fit that bill! The best part of a decoy shop is all the half finished projects and bright ideas that didn't seem so bright once you actually start them, all laying around, begging for attention.

Great looking decoy, and I believe you finished it just a hair faster than Dave Robinson can finish a decoy too.

Best
Chuck
 
"Critiques are welcome, I'm always looking to advance my skills! "


Ya know Terry, it seems to me that you need to HAVE skills first before you can advance them. Bwaaaaaaaaaaa

Ok, nice bird. ;)
Later partner,
Lou
 
It's about time you actually made a decoy!! Still taking way tooooooooooo long..Perhaps, your grandkids will have a rig to gun over! hehehhehhe

Btw, if you are making greaters, you can omit the vermiculation on sides.
 
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Terry,
He is simple, yet refined, stoic yet reposed, girthy yet hydro dynamic. I think he will look cool on the water as well, right up to the time that your gunning buddy shoots him in the lips ; )
 
Hey Brian! I have no problem with people shootin' their own stuff, so I tell 'em ..............I don't take American Express, but I will accept cash!
 
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