East Coast decoy I.D.

I know it isn't these guys, but wouldn't it be a strange parallel universe if it was?

https://ghdecoys.com/about-us/
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AfrikaansAlbanianAmharicArabicArmenianAzerbaijaniBasqueBelarusianBengaliBosnianBulgarianCatalanCebuanoChichewaChinese (Simplified)Chinese (Traditional)CorsicanCroatianCzechDanishDutchEnglishEsperantoEstonianFilipinoFinnishFrenchFrisianGalicianGeorgianGermanGreekGujaratiHaitian CreoleHausaHawaiianHebrewHindiHmongHungarianIcelandicIgboIndonesianIrishItalianJapaneseJavaneseKannadaKazakhKhmerKoreanKurdishKyrgyzLaoLatinLatvianLithuanianLuxembourgishMacedonianMalagasyMalayMalayalamMalteseMaoriMarathiMongolianMyanmar (Burmese)NepaliNorwegianPashtoPersianPolishPortuguesePunjabiRomanianRussianSamoanScots GaelicSerbianSesothoShonaSindhiSinhalaSlovakSlovenianSomaliSpanishSundaneseSwahiliSwedishTajikTamilTeluguThaiTurkishUkrainianUrduUzbekVietnameseWelshXhosaYiddishYorubaZulu
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One of my buddies said it most likely is a Connecticut or Long Island Bird. Still trying to find out more.
 

Not being a expert, by the type of cork, and the construction of the decoy, it appears to be Long Island in origin.

The brand most likely the owner, not the maker.

A good Dipper with some history.

my 2 cents
 
Good morning, All~


I will jump on the South Shore of Long Island/Great South Bay bandwagon, too.


The body appears to be "life preserver cork" - a slab of natural cork (bark from the Cork Oak in Portugal) that was sewn into the pockets of canvas life preservers. When ships foundered along the Atlantic seaboard, many preservers washed onto the beaches. Practical-minded baymen used the slabs for decoys.


My only hesitation is the species. Bufflehead (Butterball in the local parlance) were seldom sought back in the day. I am guessing that it may have been built as a Drake Whistler (Goldeneye) originally - and then re-painted as the smaller species. Can I just barely make out the white spot behind the bill - beneath the black paint?


I agree, too, that the brand is most likely a former owner - the brand of the current owner would be RFB ! Congratulations on a nice shelf bird.


Merry Christmas!


SJS






 
I see what you are looking at. I will check both sides closer when I get back to the club where I keep it. Season went out last weekend so may be awhile. But thank you for your infinite wisdom!
 

It would be good to have the dimensions of the decoy, concerning the cork.

The decoy looks to be made from one solid piece of cork.

All the life vest cork of this type, that I have seen, and used to make decoys, are not one solid piece.

They are several small pieces pegged/cobbled together, making for smaller sizes in the front of the life vest, and larger pieces for the back of the life vest.

A piece of cork this large may have come from a life raft, or from a cork supplier back in the day.

Either way, it is one fine decoy.

Layers of paint on the old trooper, with a snazzy last coat design.


VP
 
Robin, check out Charlie Hayden, fisherman and duck hunter from that area. Known a Split Tail Charlie in the fishing community. He was known for his split tail baits all over the world. he raised labs and hunted there.
I think his wife Maggie still lives in the area.
 
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