The Delta Marsh Canvasback...

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Pat Gregory

Well-known member
Lately I've taken a deep plunge into the history of the Delta Marsh, specifically around the Delta Research Station. Starting with the vision of James Ford Bell, the Delta Research Station was a landmark for waterfowling research history. Legends like Dr. Miles Pirnie, Aldo Leopold and Al Hochbaum were all part of this rich and important history. I've enjoyed pursing this history from three vantage points, first, from a conservation perspective. Secondly, from a decoy perspective and, lastly, a waterfowling perspective.

In addition, the Delta Marsh and the Delta Research Station had several decoy carvers as part of it's history to include Miles Pirnie, Duncan Ducharme, Dan Ducharme, Little Joe Ducharme, Bruce Chartrand and Torry Ward. Peter Ward, Torry's brother, once the caretaker and Director of the Research Station was also an artist, as was Hochbaum. Peter painted many of Duncan Ducharme's decoys.

Friday, I was able to bring a Duncan Ducharme canvasback decoy home. It was a great homecoming. This decoy was once part of the Gaylord Rig. The Gaylord's owned Waterhen Lodge on Lake Winnipegosis. Robert Gaylord Sr. served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation that oversaw the physical operations of the Delta Research Station.

Pictured here are Robert Gaylord Sr. and Pat Chartrand...

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Waterhen Lodge on Lake Winnipegosis in the early 1950's...

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Ducharme Canvasback Hen Decoy with a copy of The Canvasback on a Prairie Marsh by Al Hochbaum. Both are classics...

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Duncan Ducharme in the 1960's holding one of his decoys...

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For some time now I have had it in my head to visit the Delta Marsh area and root around for a bit. Thanks for bringing it a little closer and giving it some life Pat.

On a separate note, I read The Legend and Lore of Waterhen Lodge and enjoyed it immensely. The whole area is rich with history.
 
Paul - I'm with you, hunting the Delta Marsh has been on my bucket list and, I'm finally going to get to do it this season. Preparing a special rig of hand carved divers for the occasion. Several carved in the Delta Marsh style. Plan to even float a few of the vintage Delta decoys. Will be a real special time to drop that first can in the decoys on the Marsh. Can't wait... Pat
 
Pat,
Thanks for new insight on the Delta Marsh. Was just in search of a new book to start so I ordered this one tonight. Cant wait to see your write up this fall after your travels.
 
Pat - Jeff Churan here. I check this site from time to time, but seldom post. Like you, I am a waterfowling history buff. The Delta Marsh story is particularly interesting. I first hunted Delta Marsh in the early 1970s at Rod Ducharme's Green Head Lodge. Rod also provided guides for Jimmy Robinson's nearby Sports Afield Duck camp. It is still going. I have hunted there several times recently and highly recommend it. The guides there are decendents of the Ducharmes and Lavalees. The lodge is a virtual museum with plenty of old decoys and photographs.

I was interested in your comment about Robert Gaylord (don't forget he was president of DU too) calling his lodge on Lake Winnipegosis, Waterhen Lodge. I belong to an old club about five miles north of the Gaylord place that is called Waterhen Lodge. It was established in the 1940s after WW II, and has always been called Waterhen Lodge. It has a rich and interesting history that I wrote about in a little book called The Lore and Legends of Waterhen Lodge. Our members have always referred to the Gaylord place as simply Gaylord's or The Red Lodge, so I was surprised to see the photo of the ducks on the cabin and the sign. That lodge is still there and is owned and occassionally used by Miles Ward, Peter Ward's son.

Good stuff.
 
Jeff - Great to hear about your firsthand history and, hunting the Delta Marsh. Those pictures came right out of Robert Gaylord's log book. I'll be posting more pictures and history. The cabin in the picture was their first cabin from 1953. They built another cabin in the 1960's that was painted red. I'll post up some pictures from it as well as some entries from his journal. I'll also post up some pictures of them trapping/banding ducks.

I look forward to hearing more about your history. Sounds like I need to pick up a copy of The Lore and Legends of Waterhen Lodge. Any chance I can get an autographed one?

Lastly, have you ever seen the film "Once upon a Marsh"? Rod and Duncan Ducharme are both in it as well as Al Hochbaum. Great documentary from Canada...
 
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Pat - The Canvasback, and the Delta Marsh have interested me for many years. Yet in all my travels to and from Manitoba, and Sask. I have yet to hunt there. My book and magazine collection about the area is good, but nothing can replace Being There. Thank you for your keen interest, and information. Enjoy yourself full filling your dream.

Jeff - Thank you for your knowledge and history of this important area as well.


May I also add these publications - Canvasback of Minnedosa, Jon Tennyson and Charles S. Potter, Jr.
Prairie Ducks, Lyle K. Sowls
Wildfowling In The Mississippi Flyway, chapter 5 Manitoba, by Jimmy Robinson
Magnificent Voyagers Waterfowl of North America, intro by H. Albert Hochbaum (Eye Candy for Waterfowlers)
 
I enjoy the blocks and the style. I made a rig of cans for Manitoba out of my telephone pole pile and painted the drakes in a juvenile style for early September.
 
Pat - The Lore and Legends is not available for sale. If you will give me your mailing address I will be happy to send you an inscribed copy.

I am interested in how you came by Gaylord's log book...that's awesome. I was not aware that they had built two cabins. The story up there was that the cabin was originally a Hudson Bay Company outpost that was moved from nearby to Gaylord's site.

It will be of interest that the same man who found the Delta property for Mr. Bell, also found the property for the first owner of our Waterhen Lodge cabin, a log structure built in the late 1930s. That owner passed away and the cabin was put up for sale after WW II ended. It was purchased by Croil Hunter, president of Northwest Orient Airlines. He ran it privately for two years and then offered a club set up to some of his pals, who jumped on it. Some of the founders in addition to Hunter, included General Jimmy Doolittle, aviation pioneer Harry Guggenheim, and lumberman Fred Weyerhaeuser. We are still going strong today with 21 members, all of whom enjoy spectacular diver hunting on the big water.

As I'm sure you know, the Gaylord family had a nice duck property on the Illinois River, across from Henry. Not too long ago, they sold it to their neighbor, the Swan Lake Club. The Swan Lake members raised the funds through an interesting land swap and donation that is too complicated to explain, but very clever.
 
Pat - I received your message and will put a copy of the book in tomorrow's mail.

The pictures are awesome. Looks like the original cabin was on site at the time of purchase. Note this was about 10 years after Croil Hunter bought our lodge.

He says the red lodge was "moved," lending credibility to the story that it was a Hudson Bay Post in an earlier life.

Are you in possession of Gaylord's log? I'd love to see it.

Jeff
 
Pat - very interesting and informative. I have often wished that I could see and experience some of the places I hunt maybe 100 years ago or at least the late 40s, early 50s. Your post is a great glimpse into a waterfowling place and time with a rich tradition. The closest that I ever got was the Dauphin Lake area in Manitoba. Hope you have a great trip this fall !
sarge
 
Thanks Dick! And, I agree. The fact is, each of us are creating a legacy in what we do and with the people we come in contact. Enjoy the creation we're endowed with and be good stewards to that which we're given dominion.

Good to hear from you brother! I hope you and yours are well. God bless! Pat

ps... I'm missing some of those wonderful photos of yours. Sometime, you need to bring that camera west to the Illinois River in the fall. Bring your gun too! :)
 
Pat, every time I see a photo run of Delta Marsh style cans they catch my eye. I have never been a big fan of stylized decoys, but these always remind me that when you blend style and function, something truly striking can result. The likely ride well in rough conditions created during a blow on large expanses of open, shallow water where they originated.

I recall reading somewhere that most of those Delta Marsh can decoys were made from old telephone poles.

Dr. Miles Pirnie decoys are contained in the MSU museum collection. There used to be a display case diorama of Michigan based carvers in the hallway opposite the lab I worked in after graduate school at MSU. I cleaned-up and painted some duplicarved copies off a Miles Pirnie mallard master as part of an agreement with a Forestry Prof. I used to hunt with. I was supposed to get half of the completed decoys. After completion he transported them up to his cabin between Ludington and Pentwater for a series of planned joint hunts on Bass Lake and the Pentwater marsh . Never saw them again or heard from him...
 
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Rick - You are correct, they are made from old telephone poles. Ducharme hand chopped them with an ax and finished them with files. There is actually video footage of him carving/painting a can decoy in the documentary, "Once Upon a Marsh". This footage also stars Al Hochbaum and includes not only Duncan Ducharme but, Rod Ducharme as well. It also includes actual footage of the Delta Research Station from back in the 50's.

I've seen pictures of a rig of Ducharme canvasback decoys from Jimmy Robinson's club. They accurately represent canvasbacks on the water.

Good hearing from you! Pat
 
The Ducharmes and the decoys of the Delta Marsh by Donna Tonelli, in the Sept./Oct. 2003 issue of Decoy Magazine, is about as good a article and research, as you will get about Ducharme decoys, and how they came to be. Very good reading indeed, and the decoys on the cover are Classic.
 
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