Hagerbaumer update

W

Worth Mathewson

Active member
I am sorry to post that Dave Hagerbaumer, at age 93, most likely will not be with us much longer. During the past year he has gone downhill at a rapid rate. Aside from health issues due to his age, he is now, on some days, suffering from serious dementia. On many days he doesn't know close friends, and thinks he is back on Midway where he served as a Marine during World War II. For those who do not know Dave's Midway experience, he was on the beach when the first wave of Japanese planes arrived. He had a 30 cal. A two crew dive bomber dropped its bomb on the airfield, then circled out over the ocean to make a run up the beach to machine gun our Marines. Dave has told me he couldn't believe his luck. The plane passed right in front of him, very low. In his words, "it was like an old mallard on its final approach to the decoys." He got them both as they passed. "I guess you could call it a left and right."
I have been friends with Dave for about 40 years. While I view him as one of our best artists during the past 60 years, I also rate him as about the best waterfowler still alive. He started in 1928 taking care of his uncle's live decoys. Most important to me, he didn't hunt clubs, he always used Barnegats and hand carved decoys. That old guy saw and did it all!
While he may or may not be able to understand letters, if anyone wants to drop him a line at the rest home he is currently in, his address is: Dave Hagerbaumer, Apt. 112, The Bridges, 301 S. LaVenture Rd., Mt. Vernon, WA 98274. Best, Worth Mathewson
 
Worth,
Sad news, but thanks for the update. I have read his books with great interest. In addition to being a great watrercolorist he was a fantastic author. To anyone that hasn't read his books, I would urge you to do so.
 
thanks for the post

I have one of his prints, from the setting and the bird, I would swear he was looking over my shoulder when I shot my first grouse way too many years ago.

He situation is also a reminder that this could be the last Veteran's day weekend for many of the remaining WWII heros.

God bless them all
 
That's sad to hear Worth... My copy of Wildfowl Decoys of the Pacific Coast (every chapter starts with one of his painting's) is one of my most guarded treasures...I'd say even above my guns. You'd be hard pressed not to find one of his prints on a wall in my place. A real West Coast waterfowling icon...just darn sad to hear. -Seth
 
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Its always sad to hear such news.
While I have never met the man I feel like I have known him for years.
In 1979 Novembers issue of Outdoor live there was an article Fine art of waterfowl gunning.
It was about Dave his decoys and duckboats.
I read that he used and loved the Barnegats. I was interested to learn more about the Barnegat so I went to a local boat yard Areo boat yard here on Long Island they made fiberglass duckboats the boat they made was a Barnegats and the boat I saw was a boat they were making for Dave for his son inlaw or brother inlaw. I was impressed.
If it was a boat Dave desired I wanted one. I asked the price for there 1 man Barnegat it was $1200.00. At that time it was way out of my price range I could only dream. Every year at the beginning of the duck season I would read the article that was as close as I thought I would ever get to that boat.
Today I have 2 Barnegats the one man and the two man
 
Dave will be in my thoughts and prayers. A incredible human being, outdoors man and artist. "Waterfowling These Past Fifty Years Especially Brant" is one of my favorite books, and I will always cherish the letters he wrote to me, as we corresponded years ago. For sure I will drop him a line or two soon. Very sad news indeed......
 
Worth
I had the pleasure this year of talking to Dave. I have his picture of the Armistice day storm and we discussed both having lived thru that. He would lapse in conversation at times but still has a great sense of humor. What a humble man he is and an honor to have talked to him this late in his life.
wis boz
 
Worth,
Thanks for the update on Dave.

Tough to hear this. Those prints I got from you are hanging out in the studio. Years ago, seeing the "Pintails over the Decoys" painting provided the inspiration for the very first pickleweed birds I did - and every time I look at it, the "Mallard Shooting" print takes me right to any number of sloughs off the Ohio that I have hunted over the years.:
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Dave was one of the artists whose "being there" gave all his work the feel that appeals to so many waterfowlers. Can remember seeing some jaw-dropping pictures of his gunning rigs at Joe Wooster's, confidence birds and all. No doubt about him being one of the best in both categories, art & waterfowling.
 
Sad to hear this news--we all grow older. If I can make another twenty years like he has done, I'll call it good. I did not know the story of the Japanese "mallards" but what a great story! My first exposure to his work was a Portland boat show, where one of his hunting boats was on display amid all the gaudy water toys, complete with art and camo and decoys. I seem to recall there was a sculler there too. The fellow manning the booth wasn't any older that me, for some reason the name Reid sticks in my mind.
I wrote a story about finding duck boats in a conventional boat show for Fishing and Hunting News, my employer back then. Always meant to look for his artwork but it's one of those things I never got around to. Somebody needs to write his biography if they haven't already. He was a true original.
 
Worth, thanks for keeping us up to date on Dave. Sad to hear that his health continues to decline. Here is a picture of Midway for Dave. If you ever get a chance to visit the islands you will be amazed how small the islands are and how significant the challenge of defending them was to those brave men. This was taken on Eastern Island and is a fitting tribute those brave souls on Veterans Day.
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Mr Hagerbaumer has been a supporter of the Washington Brant Foundation for many years. He has generously donated many of his original paintings and prints for our yearly auction fundraiser. My favorite, "Padilla Bay-Black Brant", sits on my frontroom wall, and is admired daily. He is probably the most respected waterfowler out here in the Northwest because he has done it all, and done it well for a very long time. He is leaving us with a rich legacy.

Gibby
 
That's too bad to hear. I had only met him twice, at last years and the year before brant foundation event.

Absolutely love the paintings in my waterfowl decoys of the pacific book. The hog ranch brant one is my favorite and have always wanted to get larger one or one similar but Id have to save up.

The best I can describe it, I was looking at a print and mentioned to a friend how he had hunted up here and I swear his paintings are exactly where I've hunted. Buddy just laughed and said I think all his paintings "feel" like you've hunted that spot. So true. Must be the mark of an amazing and talented man

My favorite one of his. I never got to hunt brant from the beaches here because they got shutdown but in my mind that's how I pictured it and then saw this print and just said wow

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Mr Mathewson, a card will be on the way, but please be sure to thank Mr Hagerbaumer for his service in the Marines and let him know that his writings and illustrations have brought so many of us hours of pleasure and 'only if' moments.

Best - Paul
 
In this part of America, people with a life's resume' like Mr. Hagerbaumer's are referred to as: "A good man in the woods!" It is the highest compliment you can pay someone, reflecting a life well lived!
 
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