The O.D.C.C.A. Newsletter

Upcoming Shows
Newsletter Supplement

At the turn of the century, Lorain was fast becoming an important industrial and port community. After the competition of the steel mills and the shipyards the need for a larger harbor became apparent. To address that need what is now known as the east and west breakwaters were built. Also constructed on the north end of the west breakwaters was the Lorain Lighthouse, which thanks to the Lorain Port Authority, the Lorain Historical Society and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, still stands today as beacon of man’s ingenuity.

Not only does the breakwater complex insure safe harbor to the great ore boats of today, but also provides a recreational Mecca for the sportsmen of Ohio. Large and Small Mouth Bass, Perch, Walleye and Steel Head Trout are caught in and around the break walls during the spring and summer months while many ducks and geese are taken by Ohio waterfowlers during the fall and winter.

Waterfowling has historically been a part of Lorain Harbor since it’s inception. It is a well-known fact that the early Lorain lighthouse keepers themselves were duck hunters and took many ducks and geese to add fresh game to their table during the fall months before the close of the shipping season. Also, as with many early breakwater hunters, the lighthouse keepers were carvers of their own decoys. One of these early lighthouse keepers was a man by the name of Jon Keegan. Keegan was said to have carved many Bluebill, Red Head and Black Duck decoys during his tenure as keeper of the Lorain Light. Early Lorain decoys were usually carved from life jacket cork or cedar blocks with sugar pine heads and were painted in traditional hunting decoys styles of that era.

Many of the decoys that were used during the 1950’s and early 60’s were hand crafted from slabs of insulation cork salvaged from the old Lorain Crystal Ice Company. The Lorain Crystal Ice Company stood at the foot of Oberlin Avenue and First Street that is now part of the City of Lorain’s water department.

Early Lorain Harbor Decoys are quite rare and only a few are known to be in existence today. Some fine examples of Lorain decoys are a pair of Redheads and a pair of Bluebills carved by Fred Meyer in 1931 and are currently in the possession of the Meyer Family. Another fine set of decoys is a pair of exquisite Pintails carved in 1946 by Charles "Bud" Schue , at this time are in the Schue Family collection.

The Lorain Harbor area today, is home to several nationally renowned decoy makers and wildlife artists. Decoy makers such as Mark Costilow and the late Robert Franta carved and competed on the "World" and "National" level bringing home many first, second and third place awards which places the Lorain area on the map in the waterfowling world.

Adam Grimm, age 21 is the youngest person on record to have won a Federal Duck Stamp Art Competition. Adam won in 2000 and has also placed in numerous other states and federal duck stamp contests. Adam frequently hunts the duck blinds of Lorain Harbor.

One of the first duck blinds on the west breakwall was build in or around 1918 by a man named "Chief" Harriday. Harriday was a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Coast Guard, and in charge of the Lorain station. It was said that Harriday took it upon himself to settle the petty squabbles that had gotten out of hand among the other duck hunters by rowing out to the breakwall with a can of kerosene, dousing the blinds in question, and setting them ablaze. The duck blinds would soon be re-built, but things would remain quiet for a season or two for fear of again suffering Harriday’s wrath.

Another one of Lorain’s early duck blind builders was a man by the name of Tom Todd. He also had a blind on the west breakwater around 1918 or 1919 and was known to hunt with Chief Harriday. The Todd family owned the Todd Boat Livery that operated just south of the Erie Avenue swing bridge renting twelve-foot wooden Lyman rowboats to fisherman and duck hunters.

The early duck blinds themselves were simple in construction, most being four by eight foot, tarred wooden boxes, which were roped or cabled into the rocks on which they sat. Alongside the blind was built a wooden rack in which the rowboats were winched out of the water so the drain plugs could be pulled to allow water from the spray coming over the side to drain. Most of the lumber that was used to build duck blinds was from packing crates that were gathered from the various stores along Broadway’s alleys. If a hunter was real lucky he could purchase a pre-fabricated duck blind from the Driscol Music Shop on Broadway for one dollar each. They actually were used piano crates that were disassembled and rowed out to the break wall to be re-assembled.

In the 1960’s, although the boat racks were still in use, a newcomer appeared in the Lorain area. The newcomer was the American bred Chesapeake Bay retriever. The dogs made the retrieval of downed birds much easier as the boats could remain in the racks and the hunters did not have to constantly launch the boats to go after downed birds. Although boat racks are no longer in use today, due to larger and stronger boats with larger and heavier out board motors. Chessies and Labrador Retrievers are still commonly used in Lorain Harbor.

Most of the duck boats that were used to hunt Lorain Harbor in the early days were launched off the beach at Harmons or were rented from Todd’s Boat Livery, or could be rented or launched from Heimans Boat and Bait Livery located in or around where the Hot Waters Marina is today. Floyd Heiman himself was an avid waterfowler and had blinds on both the east and west breakwaters.

Next to Heimans west wall blind was duck blind build by a young and "Tough as Nails" commercial fisherman by the name of Robert Jaycox. Captain Jaycox would later go on to become the Lorain Harbor Master and owner of the Majestic Fishing Fleet.

Jaycox, along with hunting partners Kenny Easton, Don McReady, Dick Meyer and Joe Barry started hunting the break wall in the 1930’s. These early Lorain hunters were also members of the Interlake Boat Club their clubhouse stood at the base of Harmons beach. The club members built several duck hunting and fishing boats at this site.

Captain Jaycox was believed to have been the owner of one of the first outboard motors used for hunting the breakwaters in Lorain. Jaycox vividly remembers the old motor shaking so badly, that it literally tore the boat apart. He later purchased a two and one-half horsepower motor direct from Elgin. Jaycox said the motor ran great even after they dropped it overboard in twenty feet of water, the motor started right up on the first pull after we fished it out.

One hunt remains transfixed in Jaycox’s mind. It was during a gale Nor’easter in December of 1942, the same day that the barge "Clevco" sank east of Avon point. Jaycox said that the weather had blown up something terrible, but the birds were moving really steady so they decided to stay out for awhile. "We kept hearing three shots followed by a short pause coming from the east break wall", said Jaycox, which as everyone knows is the hunters distress signal. The Coast Guard was notified and Floyd Heiman and his hunting party were rescued after their boat was sunk by the high seas. If it hadn’t been for the blind those boys would have died. This incident is believed to be the only recorded rescue of a duck hunter in the 80 year history of waterfowling in Lorain Harbor.

Another group of early Lorain hunters, Fred Meyer, Tommy Todd and Harry Limes, started hunting Lorain Harbor in 1931, building their first duck blind on the east breakwater. Meyer himself was quite an accomplished decoy maker and boat builder. When the old "Lakeshore Lien" was dismantled he salvaged several of the old cedar telegraph poles. He took them to his shop teacher at Lorain High School, who permitted him the use of the band saw to cut out decoy bodies and heads, he then hand carved them into a rig of Bluebill and Redheads.

Meyer also said that his mother gave him a few cents a day to buy food for his lunch, but that he never ate lunch. Instead he saved the money to buy a box of shotgun shells at the Sears-Roebuck store on Broadway.

Meyer also fondly remembers Lorain’s early lighthouse keepers. "The Lighthouse Service had a house over on Kansas Avenue near the old "Lakeshore Lien" where the men and their families stayed on the off shifts. We spent many wonderful moments with those guys out on the light, fishing and telling stories. We even helped paint and clean and do many odd jobs, it was a different world back then. Those guys just loved to have company, it must have been a very lonely job.

Sometime around 1940, Meyer and Tommy Todd build their second blind, this time on the west breakwater. Todd was already a second generation break wall hunter as his father Tom senior was one the first duck blind builders in Lorain. This was about the time that Harry Limes started with us, Meyer said with a laugh, "I still remember when Harry dropped a bran spanking new Winchester Model 12 overboard, and how he striped down to his skivvies and went swimming for that gun. He almost froze himself to death trying to get that gun back.

Meyer also built boats, or "starboats" as they were called. Starboats are a sleek, fast form of sailboat. In 1947 Fred Meyer went on to become "Commadore" of the Lorain Yacht Club.

By the 1960’s and early 70’s the hunting of Lorain was quickly changing. With the advent of bigger and stronger boats with more dependable out board motors and with factory made decoys that were larger and more lifelike, progress was replacing traditions.

The profound effect on waterfowling in Lorain Harbor, aside from the invention of the out board motor, was the construction of the "Hot Waters Public Launch", which was a joint effort between the City of Lorain and the Lorain Polish Fishermen’s Club.

Public access had quickly and quietly ended an era of waterfowling history on the break walls of Lorain. A new era was to begin.

In 1971 there was seventeen duck blinds on the east and west breakwaters in Lorain Harbor. Although duck hunting had always been a rather expensive sport, it seemed as if everyone wanted that small piece of nostalgia that was once known as "Long-lining" for ducks on the Lorain Breakwall. Men came from all over the state of Ohio to hunt the legendary wall.

By the early 1980’s the number of hunters using the Lorain harbor seemed to have declined. This fact was probably due to a shorter hunting seasons, the implementation of "Steel Shot" and more stringent hunting regulations. In November of 1982 plans were made by the remaining waterfowlers to organize and thus the Lorain Harbor Wildfowlers Association was formed. The association quickly met in a public forum with Lorain City Council, the Lorain Port Authority and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to formulate a plan to preserve the privilege to hunt Lorain Harbor for future generations.

Later that year, the City of Lorain wrote into law by amending the City Charter to allow hunting of waterfowl in Lorain’s inner harbor and the open waters of Lake Erie, with all duck blinds becoming "Public Property" and open to the public.

Many waterfowlers have come and gone over Lorain’s 80 plus year history, although many of the men that hunt Lorain Harbor today can honestly lay claim to being the third and fourth generation of that family to do so. These Long Liners are an extremely proud and tough breed. Waterfowling to them is not something just as simple as a hobby, but a way of life, handed down from generation to generation over an 80-year history that boasts of only one recorded rescue and not one hunting related accident.

President - Tom Whitlock 330-650-4059
Executive Board Chairman - Bob Lund 419-874-3671
Director - Gary Joe Bryan 740-453-3940
Director - Cliff Kastl 440-324-7812
Treasurer - Carole Kmetz 440 885-0311
Secretary - Lorrie Johns 419 660 1383
Vice President Collecting - Dave White 419-668-3672
Vice President Fund Raising Ky Kraus 330-673-4562
Vice President Show and Sale Scott Wodrich 419-862-3469
Vice President Carving Dave Forrest 440-842-1535

Auction - Ky Kraus 330-673-4562
Bill Green Memorial Display - John Purvis 810-725-2179

Division I Floating Decorative

Duane Ganser 440-460-0986
Scott Nemecek 419-732-2244

Division II Rest of Marsh

Curt and Lorrie Johns 419-893-7931

Special Contest - Betty Odine Backyard Bird and Bird House

Bob Lund 419-874-3671

Division III Hunting Decoy

Gary Joe Bryan 740-453-3940
Mark Costilow 440-998-4114

Division IV Gunning Shore Bird

Gary Joe Bryan 740-453-3940
Mark Costilow 440-998-4114

Division V Wildflowler’s

Cliff and Audrey Kastl 440-324-7812

Division VI Shooting Stool

Cliff and Audrey Kastl 440-324-7812

Division VII Free Standing Field 

Cliff and Audrey Kastl 440-324-7812

Division VIII Shore Bird Carving & Painting 

Dave Forrest 440-842-1535

Division IX Head Whittling

Jim Moore 419 625-7832

Division X Decoy Painting

Jim Moore 419 625-7832

Division XI Vintage

John Purvis 810-725-2179

Division XII Cocktail Bird and Swizzle Stick

Bob Lund 419-874-3671
John Mercer 740-674-6923

Division XIII Flat Art

Gary Luman 419-367-0035

Vintage Contest Chairpersons

Ken Cole 810-604-2827
Joan Hoeft 734-426-8365
Alan Muhic 216-286-8315

IWCA Representative

Gary Joe Bryan 740-453-3940

Membership

Pat Costilow 304-659-2895

Raffle

Jim Wilson 419-897 9070

Carving Seminar

Duane Ganser 440-460-0986

Collecting Seminar

John Purvis 810-725-2179

Table Sales:

    Ballroom

    Wayne Baldwin 419-674-4361

    Poolside -Vintage

    John Purvis 810-725-2179

Volunteers

Pam Przyojski 419 874 2729

Newsletter Publisher

Bob Lund 419-874-3671

Editors

Carole Kmetz 440-885-0311
Ky Kraus 330-673-4562
Duane Ganser 440-460-0986

Ribbons

Richard Kmetz 440-885-0311

Show Archiver

Johanna Moore 419-625-7832

Web Master

Duane Ganser Web Site:www.odcca.org   home phone 440-460-0986

The O.D.C.C.A. Newsletter is published four times a year by the Ohio Decoy Collectors and Carvers Association for the benefit, education, and enjoyment of its members and other interested parties.

PULISHING DEADLINES: Winter - December 15th Spring - April 1st Summer - July 31st Fall - October 1st Send your articles, letters to editor, business card, classified or display ad preferably camera ready to:

Bob Lund, 140 Southwood Drive, Perrysburg, OH 43551 or e mail boblund@prodigy.net.

Membership info

Dues are $15 a year or $40 for three years for family and individual memberships and renewable February 28. This entitles you and your immediate family free admission to annual show, newsletters and current club information. Fill out a membershipapplication form and make your check to the O.D.C.C.A. and mail to:
ODCCA Membership Rt. 1 Box 612 Pennsboro, W.V. 26415

Email: pcostilow@citynet.net

        LETTER FROM PRESIDENT
Tom Whitlock

Passion! We have a passion for living, for our sport, for our hobby, and for our waterfowl heritage. We also have a passion for carving, collecting, preservation and conservation. These passions are the driving force of our organization. It is this passion that keeps each and every one of us returning year after year to volunteer. It is also this passion that keeps our many faithful members and friends returning, to the ODCCA Decoy shows. Each year a few new members appear smitten with our passion, we, of course, welcome them for we understand their passions. In fact, we always need a few more good volunteers to help with the show. It is this "new blood" that helps infuse our organization each year with new vitality. It is renewing for us passionate old birds to see the new crop of recruits taking wing with the same passion for our show each spring.

We have wonderful plans, hopes and visions for our future. But we need, not only the old-faithful, but, the many new recruits to carry forward. So fellow members invite and bring a hunting buddy, friend or colleague to the show - they may likewise become smitten with our "passion".

Our 25th "Silver Celebration" is fast approaching next year. Many plans are already underway to make this show a very special one. We need many "new", as well as the "old guard" to lend a helping hand. If you have memories of past shows, write them down and send them to us. If you have memorabilia of past shows please bring it to display at the show this year and next. If there is a certain carver, or collector you would like to see profiled or an article about a certain subject, let us know.

As many of you know we have a tradition of presenting excellent seminars on collecting and carving each year. This year Mr. Tom Christie, multiple blue ribbon winner and World Champion Carver, will again present a carving seminar. I ‘m sure all bird carvers will want to participate in this seminar. We will also have an excellent collecting seminar with Jon Crandell, his presentation is entitled "Decoys In the Flats". He will be sharing his great collection of St. Claire Decoys for all to admire!

We are in the midst of planning some "new" very special events for this year’s show so watch each edition of the newsletter for announcements. We have an excellent web page @www.odcca.org, make sure to check it out for any late news on the show. Our show results, rules, updated show schedule and events are also on our web page.

We continue to strive to improve our organization and our annual show for you the carver and collector. So come

and join us in our passionate pursuits I want to thank the board members for their tireless efforts in putting together our wonderful show, our newsletter and web page - dedicated men and women like this are just like the Marines, The Few, The Good, and The Chosen.

Good Decoying!

Tom Whitlock

ADAM GRIMM’S  HOMETOWN EVENT

By Duane Ganser

As we all know by now Adam won the Millennium 2000-2001 Federal Duck Stamp contest. He was honored by the following: members of the U.S. Congress, State Representatives, State Senators, Chief of Wildlife, Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, the local postmaster, Ducks Unlimited and his art teacher, Emily Kennard.

Bob Lund said a few words of praise to Adam and presented a check from the ODCCA in the amount of $500 for Adam to donate the wildlife area of his choice for habitat improvement.

Adam has been very busy this year, attending the many events scheduled during his year of having the best of show duck stamp for the new century.

Adam has been commissioned to paint the 2000 Alaska Duck Stamp. This will be rendering of common eiders riding the icy swells of Alaskan waters against a backdrop of glistening, snow-capped mountains. We cannot wait to see this.

Eric Jay Dolin, author of the "Duck Stamp Story" was also in attendance.

Bob Lesino, Federal Duck Stamp Program Director will be bringing the 2001 winning stamps to our show. So, make it a point to look him up at our 24th annual ODCCA Show. He will be in a prominent spot in the ballroom.

We wish all of the best Adam!

I.W.C.A. NEWS

The annual I.W.C.A. board meeting was held on August 26, 2000 at the Chicago O’Hare Hilton Hotel. Present at the meeting were Bob Bolle, Jim Burcio, Gary Joe Bryan, Mark Costilow, Laurie J. Gmyrek, Cathy Hart, Vick Kirkman, Bob Kroese, Neil Stoneback, Bobby Sutton, Bryn Watson and Fowler Young.

Bob Sutton spoke about the 2000 National Hunting Decoy Championship Contest, which had 101 entries, by far the largest number in the history of the competition. Bob gave much of the credit to Mark Costilow, Gary Joe Bryan and the Ohio Decoy Collectors and Carvers Association for their tireless hard work.

Some new rule changes are:

No carver can win either the novice or intermediate carver of the year contest more than once.

The IWCA board also voted to establish a novice and intermediate International Decorative Championship Contest in addition to the carver of the year contest.

The rules will be the same as the hunting decoys; one blue ribbon entitles the carver to enter one bird in the contest.

It was voted to have the 2002 International Hunting Decoy Contest at the Pacific Flyway Decoy Show, held in Sacramento, CA.

The board approved adding multi-year memberships, 5-year membership @$20 and a life-time membership @$49.

There will be several free painting seminars to be held at the California Open, ODCCA Show and East Carolina in the year 2001.

The 2001 Annual Board meeting will be held at the Chicago O’Hare Hilton.

O.D.C.C.A. Representative

Gary Joe Bryan

During the summer the glass tower that has held many vintage decoys during past ODCCA shows was moved to the Sportsmen’s Migratory Bird Center at Magee Marsh, Oak Harbor, OH.

The first exhibit contained a pair of Tom Christie Pintails, a pair of Ruddy Ducks by John Race and a pair of American Mergansers by Paul Foytack. Hall’s Tool Grinding, Toledo, OH, loaned these decoys to the exhibit.

In addition the I.W.C.A. Hunting Decoy, Best of Show 1999, Bufflehead Drake was also on display with all of its ribbons.

After the Lake Erie Wildfowlers Festival, the winners of the Maumee Bay Carvers Decoy Contest held on September 24, were placed in the case for viewing until December 31, 2000.

The following decoys are now in the exhibit.

Best of Show Winner- Avocet carved by Gary Luman, Grand Rapids, OH

2nd Best of Show Winner- Marbled Godwit carved by Jim Wilson, Maumee, OH

Best of Show Winner - Canvasback Decoys carved by Bud Shell, East China, MI

Best of Show Winner - Redhead Drake carved by Charlie Prinz, Dayton, OH

Best of Show Winner - Bufflehead Hen carved by Bob Lund, Perrysburg, OH

Working Class Decoy Open Class - A Mallard Drake carved by Rick Johannsen, Port Clinton, OH.

The press in many of the local areas ran articles telling about the exhibit. We have had very good response about the exhibit from the viewing public.

Bill Fissell is busy restoring the Mason Coot that had been painted as a Common Gallinule. This decoy was chosen as the first to be restored in the collection at the Bird Center.

We urge all members and their friends to visit the Bird Center.

Our goal is to rotate decoys in the exhibit several times throughout the year. Our thanks go Charlie Hall for providing his input and supplying the decoys to make the first exhibit a success. Thanks to Scott Wodrich for transporting the glass tower to it’s new home.

During the last board meeting we discussed waterfowl related items, including carved wooden punt boats with hunters, dogs with decoys, hunters with their shotguns, walking sticks and wacky ducks. Please let Wayne Baldwin know if this would be of interest to any one of you for our 2002 show. Guess what, he likes it so much that he wants to chair the contest. But, we must have the interest. Call him at 419 674 4361 or e:mail kab@dbscorp.net

COCKTAIL BIRDS AND SWIZZLE STICKS

To the cocktail bird contest we have added another fun item, i.e. swizzle sticks, that could be a punters paddle, duck heads or other parts on the stick. Anything you can think of that is waterfowl related and will fit in a cocktail glass. Any questions, please contact -

Bob Lund 419 874 3671 or John Mercer 740-674-6923.

MEMBERSHIP TABLE

If you are a member of the ODCCA and you have a decoy or carving you wish to sell at the show, please contact Wayne Baldwin @419 674 4361. There will be no charge to volunteers wishing to put items on the member’s table to sell.

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE SHOW

1. Send your hotel reservation envelope today. Do not wait to call Scott and tell him you need a card.

2. Read the rules and get started carving or getting that vintage bird picked out and ready.

3. VOLUNTEER to help out at the show. We need your help! Pam is waiting for your call!

She can be reached @419 874 2729.

Any member is invited to attend any meeting and give us your comments or suggestions,

There will be two meetings held prior to show time and they are as follows:

January 14, 2001, at 10AM, at

Magee Marsh Migratory Bird Center, Oak Harbor, OH

February 25, 2001 at 10AM, at

The Holiday Inn, Crocker Road, Westlake, OH.

SPECIAL NOTICE TO

VINTAGE COLLECTORS

A FIRST FOR THE OHIO SHOW!!!

TED HARMON WILL BE HOLDING A SPECIAL

50-100 DECOY AUCTION. HIGH QUALITY

DECOYS ON FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2001.

NO JUNK, JUST THE REALLY GOOD STUFF

THAT COLLECTORS WANT.

MORE INFORMATION WILL FOLLOW!

FEATURED ARTICLE NEXT ISSUE ...

WATERFOWLING FROM A CARVER'S PERSPECTIVE

by SCOTT NEMECEK

COLLECTOR PROFILE

George Williams
of Dover, Delaware

by Ky Krause

From a Galaxy Far, Far Away. . .

Is all we need to identify our selected carver of the month, Mr. George Williams of Dover, Delaware. You see George has proclaimed himself as the Great Obe-Wan Kenobe, leader of the east Coast Runamuck Decoy Carvers Association and keeper of the secrets of the Force. He can be seen at most major decoy shows in the country in his brown Star Wars robe sporting his famous or (infamous) green (runner-up) ribbons. Although George may complain about a lot of contests he truly is a first class competitor with his own style of gunning decoy. This is why we selected him as our featured carver in this month’s newsletter.

In real life George is an art teacher at Redding Intermediate School. He is married and has grown children. He began making decoys about 25 years ago. George makes simple durable gunning decoy fashioned from cork using Golden Acrylic paints. He applies the paint using an impressionistic technique when finished has an almost Bauhaus look. His decoys were originally made because he leases 900 acres of Salt marsh in Delaware near Slaughter Beach. So he had real judges to impress and to satisfy the demand for a simple, effective decoy for his club.

He received his first Best of Show in 1979 at the annual Chincoteague Easter contest with Les Kouba judging his crudely made rig of pine and cork bluebills and calling them "the best bluebell decoys he has ever seen". This obviously lit the fire inside George, since then he has won over 500 ribbons with numerous Best of Shows. Included in that is the victory at Westlake, and the inaugural Chesapeake Challenge at the Ward Museum in Salisbury, Maryland.

George is the leader of the infamous Runamuck Decoy Gang. Which is made up of Mike Smyser, Jeff Coates, Tim Bombardier, Bob Barrow, Howard Gaines, Mike Moore, and Sandy Allen. It is his belief that he champions the cause for the simple decoy.

In conclusion if you see a guy at the Ohio show walking around looking like Sir Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobe) with a number of Jedi Knight followers it is probably George Williams. Congratulations George, and keep up the great carving.