Niece's first duck, decoys

[Dave Hughes]

This is my 12 year old niece Ashley. She her twin sister and my 12 year old daughter passed their hunt tests this past September. This was her second duck. Her first one was a hen bufflehead. She is getting it mounted. She was very proud of the drake. She really enjoys hunting with her grandfather there next to her.

Here are some black ducks swimming around. They landed just outside of the decoys and hung around for about an hour or so.

Here are some decoys I have been working on, very slowly. Green wing teal, front two are Jersey Coastal Style, back two from patterns from Grayson's patterns stretched to somewhat of a Delaware River Style. I carved two teal in a carving class last year. So these are numbers 3 thru 6. Hollow Cedar.

Here is a Black duck almost finished paint. It is my second attempt at a black duck. I guess you can say Delaware River influenced ..maybe...?

Backside view

Here is the work bench shots, first are some Shovelers

Golden eyes

mix of teal, buffleheads, and hooded mergansers.

 

[Gary Tanner]

Your decoys are great, but hunting with your niece, and that photo...just awesome. good for you!
Gary

 

[Al Hansen]

Dave, I think what you are doing is just fantastic. Ashley has to be so proud of taking that beauty. I'm glad it will be mounted. That picture with her grandpa is a prize winner!
I'll bet when you get those black duck decoys in the water, "they" will come!
Al

 

[Tom Modin]

Great stuff

 

[Bill Burkett]

Great photo of the young distaff duck hunter and her bufflehead trophy! Good looking blocks too--I never had the nerve to try cedar. The black ducks hanging around are a tribute to your spread! Given that our beards are similar, if you were guesting at my old club they would grumble to put a face mask over those Santa whiskers!
'course you probably did while the hunt was on. A same we get grey--my original dark beard was excellent camouflage.

 

[Carl]

Very nice! What a smile!

 

[jode hillman]

Congrats to your neice Dave! Blocks are coming along nice. keep it up!

 

[Victor Duskin]

Congrats on the drake!

 

[TimJ]

Great post! Congrats to Ashley.

Tim

 

[tod osier]

That is a great shot!!

 

[Dave Hughes]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Jode that means a lot thanks. The more I look at the picture the more I think it needs an 8X10 made up and framed for Christmas for my dad and my niece. We are going halves paying for the Bufflehead to be mounted for her Christmas present.

My dad was wearing a facemask, it was one of those neck gator things, he pulled it down for the pic. Otherwise yes he would flare some birds. ha.

Dave

 

[MLBob Furia]

The more I look at the picture the more I think it needs an 8X10 made up and framed for Christmas for my dad and my niece.

Dave,
I think it merits a 16 X 20!! What a great memory for them.