Decoys

DUCK DECOYS, SHOREBIRDS AND MINIATURES

For many years I was an avid waterfowl hunter as well as a decoy collector. While I am still a decoy collector, I quit hunting some years back when we rescued, adopted and raised Quigley and Aflac, our two pet mallards. Quigley was killed by a hawk about 4 years ago, and Aflac died in his sleep just before Christmas, in his kennel in our house after watching TV with us in his basket on the coffee table. Flac spent 7 years providing fun and enjoyment for us as well as our neighbors. Seven years is a long life for a wild duck; even a pampered one. Needless to say, I’ll never shoot another duck.

During the years when I was a hunter, I carved and used my own decoys. My designs were taken from the very best of the old time decoy makers and from some of the old decoys in my personal collection. The designs were refined over time to suit my own taste and to adapt to the hunting conditions we encountered. Over the years many of my friends and hunting companions wanted to buy my decoys and I occasionally sold a few. Without exception, these ended up on mantels and never saw the marshes again.

Also, during that time I carved a lot of miniature replica decoys which were based on classic decoys by the all-time greatest decoy makers from various regions of the country. I did several sets of “classic miniatures” as well as individual decoys. Many of these were sold in limited edition castings through Ducks Unlimited, Big Sky Carvers, the Hamilton Mint, and even Abercrombie and Fitch, when A&F sold classic shotguns, fly rods and top of the line outdoor gear.

I also carved many shorebirds. Some are replicas of old time classics and some are my own design, but in all cases they are made to look “antique.”

Recently I picked up some unfinished carvings in my workshop and realized how much I enjoyed working on them. I also realized how much juniper I have stacked in my shed and decided to start carving again when I’m not working on paintings in my studio (or playing baseball).

So…

I will be offering a limited number of decoys for sale here on the website. These will include decoys from my own hunting rig that I actually used, as well as decoys based on prototypes from my rig, replicas of classic old decoys, and occasionally an actual old working decoy from my collection. I will also offer a selection of shorebird decoys for sale. Some of these will be replicas of classic old timers and some will be my own designs. I will provide a “history” of each decoy, similar to the histories behind the paintings and prints on the website.

Miniature decoys will also be available, both original wood carvings and cast replicas, often in limited editions. These miniatures will be carved, painted and antiqued by me personally, as will the limited edition castings.

I’m excited about this new addition to my website. If you would like to speak with me about any of the offerings, please call me at 910-395-1862 or e-mail me at jseme@bellsouth.net .