First ever decoy heads

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charlie foulds

Well-known member
Having spent the entire month of May chasing gobblers all over the Catskill Mts. I figured it was about time I started on my next journey,carving a spread of decoys. Well after reading and studying a lot of material written by many of the legends of the carving world, I finally carved out a couple of heads today. I almost finished one and started on another. I hope they look like mallards when I am finished. The semi finished head is from a pattern that was sent to me by Bob Furia.....thanks again Bob. This head is going to be a mallard tuck head,resting bird. The just started head is a Godin pattern. I am going to carve all of my heads first and then do the bodies.
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Charlie, how much time are you taking?
if making dekes, remember the kiss principle! Good playing with deco aspects, but if you are taking too long, you will grow ancinet before you have your own rig!!
Get busy--more cutting, less drawing!
 
Charlie,

Nice job. One thing I have learned to do (learned by doing it the hard way) is to leave finishing off the base of the head untill I have the head afixed to the body (or in the case of the tuck head, I might work it down while mounting it), leaving a little meat makes for a better transtion.

George, I think he's taking lessons from Ballard on how to sketch on a decoy head cut out:

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Chuck
 
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Thanks for the tip Chuck
George,What is the KISS principle ? I am hoping that with more and more heads I will be able to draw less and less on them. I have seen you carve Buffie heads at Clayton last year and was amazed at how fast you can get the job done.
Bob, Thanks, Maybe in a couple of years!!! :):)
 
Kind of the bauhaus principle--keep it simple!! Of course, it depends upon whether you are making the dekes for hunting ducks or eye candy.
 
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Nothing wrong with a good looking head. Take as much time as makes you happy. Some folks think that tools should be simple. To each there own, but I'll take a Lie Neilson over a Tool Shop.
 
Kind of the bauhaus principle--keep it simple!! Of course, it depends upon whether you are making the dekes for hunting ducks or eye candy.
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Well George, I think I would like a little of both in my decoys. To me there is nothing better than looking at a spread of good looking decoys ( not saying this about mine yet) when the action is slow. I have some great decoys (yours included) carved by some great guys and I truly enjoy hunting over them..!!
 
Looking good Charlie! Glad to hear you got a start on it! Did you find a Gobbler this spring? Worked a few here in PA but didnt connect. Keep posting those pics!
 
They look great Charlie. My first heads were used as fire starter in the wood burner. I wouldn't worry much about time spent, my first heads took 6 hours each and as previously stated, they did not make the cut. Now my heads take less than 30 minutes, so keep at it, it will get easier. Mike
 
Looking good Charlie! Glad to hear you got a start on it! Did you find a Gobbler this spring? Worked a few here in PA but didnt connect. Keep posting those pics!
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Thanks Jim, Check out my recent post "NDR Recap of the May turkey season"
 
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