Working Birds: Decoys and Their Carvers

By Alec Widmer, Collections Assistant

The art of decoy carving on the North Carolina coast is a tradition that stems from the abundant waterfowl, such as ducks and geese, that flock to this unique geographic area. The industry originally known as market hunting became extremely popular because of the high waterfowl population, and as a result, hunting clubs began popping up all over the coast, providing opportunities for their members to hunt birds. The hunting clubs were significant in the decoy-making industry in several ways. Often the carvers themselves belonged to a club, but even when that was not the case, decoys were purchased from individuals who hand-carved these works of art.

Left: Circa 1929 redhead drake carved by Bob Morse from Church Island. The head was carved by Robert Crain. Right: Decoy associated with Enoch Fearing (1882–1952) or Fred Fearing (1914–2007) of Elizabeth City. Many Fearing family decoys were used at John Wood Foreman’s hunting compound in Currituck.

Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle

The art of handcrafting waterfowl decoys is diverse and can be unique depending on the carver’s style. There is no definite way of carving a decoy, and as a result, even within the Albemarle region, there are numerous carvers who all have personalized the process, making their decoys distinct. Details like size, body shape, head shape, and color are some of the aspects that can change due to the carver’s artistic decision. To learn more about decoys, visit the exhibit Working Birds: Decoys and Their Carvers at the Museum of the Albemarle, opening November 3.