Waterfowl and Shorebird Decoys

Below you will find a selection of some of the decoys I have made, each created with traditional hand tools and painted in artist’s oils.

Preening Pintail, 2023

Hand-carved from Atlantic White Cedar, hollow, painted in oils.

 

Wood Duck, 2022

Hand-carved from Atlantic White Cedar, hollow, painted in oils.

 

Mallard, 2024

Hand-carved from Atlantic White Cedar, hollow, painted in oils.

 

Rig of Canvasbacks, 2024

Hand-carved from Atlantic White Cedar, hollow, painted in oils. Dove-tailed walnut bills for added strength.

 

Harlequin Duck, 2024

Hand-carved from Atlantic White Cedar, hollow, mortised hardwood raised wingtips, painted in oils.

 

Common Loon Pair, 2023

Hand-carved from Atlantic white cedar, hollow, increased carving detail in head and neck. 

I design all of my decoys to work in the water; below the pair of loons are tested near my home in Maine.

 

Brant, floating and standing, 2024

Hand-carved from Atlantic White Cedar, hollow, painted in oils.

 

Wigeon, 2023

Hand-carved from Atlantic White Cedar, hollow, painted in oils

 

Drake Pintail, 2023

An example of a “Gunning Grade” working decoy, hollow cedar, weighted and rigged, painted in oils.

 

Swan, 2022

Hand-carved from Atlantic White Cedar, hollow, painted in oils, mortised head and neck

 

Pair of Pintail Decoys, circa 2010

Diver Rig, circa 2008

 

Bufflehead Pair, circa 2006

 

Drake Pintail, 2023

My take on the iconic Ward Brother’s early “humpback style” pintail, circa 1920s. Carved in cedar and painted in oils, “antiqued” surface.

 

Brant Decoy

Hand-carved from old-growth Pacific Redwood, hollow, painted in oil; rigged, mortised head, inlet bill with dovetail. “Antiqued” surface.

 

Canvasback “Wingduck”, 2023

 

Pair of Blue-Winged Teal, 2024

Working “antique” decoy pair, hollow cedar, rigged with leather ties and lead weights on bottom.

 

Antique-Style Common Loon, 2022

Carved from cedar, hollow, painted in oils, “antiqued” surface.

 

Ruddy Ducks, various years

Trio of Shorebirds (Whimbrel, Yellowlegs, and Tern), 2023

Hand-carved from cedar, hollow, include various joinery (sliding dovetails, drawbored-sliding mortises.)

 

 

 

 

Artwork and photography copyright 2022-2024 by Joshua S. Brewer, D.O.