Taxidermy ideas

J. Overland

J. Overland

Active member
Lots of free time right now so have had a chance to think about a future mount I'd like. Thought I'd solicit some ideas from the creative minds here.

A few years ago I set up on the rocky beach of a small island I'd never hunted before. Dawn came but the birds did not. It was still an enjoyable morning with a beautiful sunrise. After I collected my decoys I took down my layout blind to put it back in the boat. Under my layout, where I had been for the past number of hours was a perfect small arrowhead. I reflected on the hunter of years past who paddled his canoe out to this very island and likely had a more productive hunt, with stick and string, than I had with all my modern tools.

I've always had it in my mind to harvest a duck in this same general area and have a mount done that somehow incorporates the arrowhead. So far I haven't come up with a fitting idea for how to have this put together. Any creative suggestions?
 
Have you ever seen straw decoys Indians used to lure ducks into arrow range? I'm envisioning a dead mount with the duck placed adjacent to a straw decoy and your arrowhead attached to an ancient feathered wood shaft arrow lying beside them. That's what my mind's eye sees.



Eric
View attachment 134512_1000.jpg
 
Last edited:
Eric Patterson said:
Have you ever seen straw decoys Indians used to lure ducks into arrow range? I'm envisioning a dead mount with the duck placed adjacent to a straw decoy and your arrowhead attached to an ancient feathered wood shaft arrow lying beside them. That's what my mind's eye sees.
Click to expand...

I really like this idea. It seems perfect. However, I did a bunch of research and can't find anyone making anything even close to those Native American straw decoys and know I personally could not come close. I know where I could have the arrow made with my arrowhead but no idea on the decoys. Anyone want to accept a commission to take a stab at making one or two?

Or any other creative ideas?
 
J. Overland said:
Eric Patterson said:
Have you ever seen straw decoys Indians used to lure ducks into arrow range? I'm envisioning a dead mount with the duck placed adjacent to a straw decoy and your arrowhead attached to an ancient feathered wood shaft arrow lying beside them. That's what my mind's eye sees.
Click to expand...

I really like this idea. It seems perfect. However, I did a bunch of research and can't find anyone making anything even close to those Native American straw decoys and know I personally could not come close. I know where I could have the arrow made with my arrowhead but no idea on the decoys. Anyone want to accept a commission to take a stab at making one or two?

Or any other creative ideas?
Click to expand...

Possibly incorporate a shadow box as a backdrop for your mount? With the inside face of the shadow box a collage of photos depicting straw decoys and arrowheads?
 
Good morning, J~


Neat ideas.


Joel Barber did a watercolor of the straw Canvasback featured in his wonderful "Legend" in the introduction to Wild Fowl Decoys. (A great piece of prose I read every couple of years....) It is shown in B&W as Plate 27 between pp. 32 and 33. It would certainly make a nice backdrop to your arrowhead and a nice mount.


It could easily be "colorized" for your needs.


All the best,


SJS





 
How about the decoys in the links below? Maybe more google digging will unearth something for your purposes.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Duck-Decoy-Hand-carved-Corn-Husk-Reed-Wood/153792015417?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225878%26meid%3D4e349619405642c68f18ad41aafdc99e%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D124001704225%26itm%3D153792015417%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebHighAdRateDecay&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114134984891

https://www.etsy.com/listing/714761901/vintage-duck-decoy-corn-husk-and-reed?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_c-art_and_collectibles-collectibles-figurines&utm_custom1=6b833100-4a80-48fb-bbaf-37d31dbde881&utm_content=go_2063076953_76452857495_367965823884_pla-352498615822_c__714761901&utm_custom2=2063076953&gclid=CjwKCAjw4KD0BRBUEiwA7MFNTYW8_XQlBgHVvaCLtwbKwFKhXkYX_-88bCle_GLv2glTvzgjf-aX_hoCbfEQAvD_BwE
 
Thanks, Eric. I had actually found those (eBay was my first thought). They all have wooden heads, which look more modern to me. The examples I could find of Native American decoys (all in museums, with one exception which I am pursuing) are fully reed/straw. I do like Steve's idea of a shadowbox with a Native American themed backdrop. I'll keep thinking. No rush at all on this project. Thanks for all the input.
 
Maybe take one of the wood head decoys and wrap reeds around it. I think you could modify one of the ebay decoys and get close enough.
 
Upon quite a bit more googling I found that there are a few Native Americans who presently craft exquisite reed decoys. Mike Williams is a master craftsman and has been honored by the state of Nevada. Another fine craftsman works under the name Stillwater Paiute Decoys. A third, non-native craftsperson, is Tara Prindle. She used to sell them but unfortunate medical problems have stopped her work. She does have an excellent tutorial at http://www.nativetech.org/decoy/DecoyInstr.htm

I have been unable to find contact information for Mike Williams, but did succeed in sending Stillwater Paiute Decoys an email.
 
Eric Patterson said:
You are hot on the trail. Hope the leads pan out.

Eric
Click to expand...

Eric,

Step 1 of your vision is complete. Joey Allen of Stillwater Paiute Decoys made this lovely reed decoy for me which just arrived in the mail. I'm very pleased with it. Now to have an arrow made utilizing my arrowhead and shoot a few ducks this upcoming season.



View attachment IMG_2406.jpg
 

J.

That's a fine looking decoy.

Plus finding arrows heads, are treasures that take you back in time like no other hunting implement.

Good luck with your quest.


If your inclined to reading - EARLY AMERICAN WATERFOWLING 1700's - 1930 by Stephen M. Miller, is a interesting read, and info you will not read elsewhere.

Page 183, From The American Sportsman, Oct. 17, 1874 "How Indians (native Americans) Catch Ducks in Nevada".




Best regards
Vince
 
Thanks for that link bomber. Let's see if I can add another project to the list without the wife knowing.
 
Step 2 is complete. I made contact with an individual who has been trained in traditional Native American arrow crafting. I received this stunning arrow today.

The arrow was made using a Red Osier tree branch, seasoned, then scraped using flint. It was further prepared by heating it over a fire, dipping it in elderberry juice, and finally sealed with a mixture of bee wax, beaver grease, and black bear fat.


The arrowhead is attached to the shaft by whitetail deer sinew, hafted with pine pitch, ashes, and deer scat (heated together to form the glue). The sinew was dried and hammered by rock, pulled into threads, and soaked in water. The fletchings are wild turkey secondary wing feathers, wrapped onto the shaft using a fine dyed thread fashioned from flax seed.


This amazing attention to detail and style adds appeal to the arrow and my future display much beyond the aesthetics of the arrow itself. I'll post again when I make more progress on my display.




View attachment IMG_2732.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top