DECEMBER - What's on your work bench?

wait.... is that a real photo ?? unretouched??? No wonder the bat. R u guys allowed to carry a side arm? No wonder the bat..

Phil
 
Here's a Christmas Mourning Dove that I need to deliver later tonight - even though the oil paint has not thoroughly hardened off.

I had to photograph it in the shop because it's raining outside - and calling for worse tomorrow. I always prefer diffuse natural light to avoid the shadows - if time allows.

The base is a piece of construction-grade Hem-Fir - finished with Minwax "Gunstock" stain and then varnished.

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With this flight posture I cannot decide the best angle for the photos....

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So I took a bunch.

As with all of my flyers, I provide both a stand - for a shelf or mantel - and a staple to hang it from aloft. The staple is placed to give the same attitude - but its mirror image.

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BTW: The Pintail that started this month's Bench is also done - but I cannot post it until the new owner opens it on Christmas morning.

Merry Christmas to all!

SJS
 
Merry Christmas everyone.....every year for my brothers birthday and christmas I carve him a new decoy. This year he asked for a broadbill....

 
Merry Christmas, Bill~

A great gift for your brother to be sure1 What kind of computer-guided machine do you use to paint those sweetly curving black-white boundaries?

Here is the Pintail I started the December post with. The customer was happy when he opened it this morning - and has given me the green light to post:

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Although I am finding simpler and simpler ways to paint - some birds demand that I put in a bunch of individual feathers.

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I know these white stripes are "incorrect" - but I cannot help but run them up the contours of the head.

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All the best,

SJS
 
Made a few stick up Christmas presents out of the extra sora rairs cut out . Cut six to pick out the best pair for a decorative order . Photobucket is being a pain so I'm not sure what's gonna show up but I try it . I give up , check my face book page if you want to see . Make it so hard to post here some times . I'm done

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My first ever full body redhead. I still have to put a keel on it, but you get the idea....I was all set to send this one to my sister's store in Md, but a fellow forum member has expressed an interest in it.


John
 
I know these white stripes are "incorrect" - but I cannot help but run them up the contours of the head.

SJS
Click to expand...

Dang good looking block Steve and I agree! What fun would decoys be if we just drove ourselves nuts trying to make an actual duck. My favorite decoys are stylish interpretations and always have been!
 
Thanks Dave.....I've progressed to the point in life where I can make nice looking things out of wood using sharp objects, but I'm still having trouble posting pics.....


John
 
Great-looking Canadas, Bob!

Question: When in use, is there a stake/spike on the bottom to keep them upright - or a weight?

All the best,

SJS
 
Steve,
These are used with stakes either in corn-stubble, set on the bank, or any situation where they can create the illusion of ducks loafing in the weeds.



I build a PVC sleeve into the pickleweed and carry the stakes in the box (in my case a bag that has a mesh zipper-pouch in the lid. I always throw this bag in the boat and will set out a dozen pickleweeds if the shoreline cover where I position the boat-blind calls for them. Great for walking in to potholes sometimes left when the River has been up and then drops. Oftentimes the ducks will loaf in them before they go dry again.


When the geese are in the fields, they're easy to carry in to make it look like ducks are working the stubble with them.


I'd imagine all the little tidal potholes you encounter would be ideal for a two or three decoys and a bunch of these stick ups.


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Always love those bob, I especially like the addition of the reeds to the chests. I build my field decoys the same way but extend the PVC and paint it the color of the legs.

 
Great idea, Bill! .... a wood dowel-plug end cap in the top end of the PVC is a good way to protect the cork, etc. from the stake.
 
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It's funny Bob I was hunting a flood tide a few days ago and had a black duck land down the bank from me in a pothole. As I put my binoculars on it all I saw was the high head looking around. I thought to myself, 'boy that looks just like one of those pickleweed decoys...'

Excellent work as usual!
 
Craig,


Last season, after watching group after group drop into a little cove I pulled my decoys and ran up past it. All I could see was heads sticking up around a little puddle that had been left when the River receded.


When they all jumped out, I beached the boat down a ways and walked in to it with the dog, gun, my pickleweed bag, & two decoys for the puddle. We sat in a tree line and enjoyed an afternoon of shooting as they started to filter back in in twos & threes during the next few hours. Over the next few days, I continued to gun that little puddle until it dried up. Had to be the some of the most fun over decoys I've ever had.


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