Waterfowling from a Carver’s Perspective By Scott Nemecek

The cold wind stung my cheeks as the sun dropped below the horizon on the South Dakota Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) just west of Aberdeen. My friend Duane Ganser and I began picking up our duck decoys from another successful duck hunt, I realized what a wide variety of waterfowl we had seen on that afternoon in October.

Duane and I have been hunting buddies for over 30 years. In the late ‘80’s, we began carving duck decoys and entering competitions, from the Westlake ODCCA Show to the World Competition held in Ocean City, MD. During that time, we have been fortunate to enjoy many hunting trips to the South Dakota prairie pothole country.

As decoy carvers we are always more excited to shoot one beautiful, full-plumed drake (of any species), than we are about harvesting our limit. When we are duck hunting we always carry our cameras in our blind bag. If we down a nice bird, we immediately reach for our camera and start taking reference photos. There have been many hunts when we have shot more pictures than ducks! There are many decoy carving competitions held across the country and we attend as many as our vacation days and families will allow. We usually have a good idea of what our next piece will be, and it is very important to study and know your bird before you start carving. The decoy carving shows have really grown in popularity over the past few years and there are many fine carvers. The competition is tough.

LETTER FROM PRESIDENT

As I watch squirrels frolicking in the backyard trees, and overhead a pair of Canada Geese pass honking, the sunshine is glistening on the snow, heralding a reminder of nature’s pleasures during a mid-winter thaw, and later that evening, while sitting before the evening fire, a glance to a decoy on the mantel takes me away to another time and place. These treasured memories, mere moments in our busy lives share much with our annual ODCCA Decoy Show. A time to celebrate our love of the waterfowl arts, our decoys and their traditions, the annual show passes by so quickly, but provides so many treasured memories. The tall tales and recounted legends of carvers and collectors provide us all with a common bond.

The 24th Annual ODCCA Decoy Show kicks off on Friday afternoon with an auction presented by Ted Harmon’s Decoy Unlimited.

Also, on Friday, the ODCCA proudly presents a painting seminar with world-
champion carver, Tom Christie. Tom’s seminar is already sold-out!
Our vintage seminar this year is presented by Jon Crandell, and will be featuring "Decoys of the Flats". In association with this seminar, the Bill Green Memorial Exhibit will feature decoys from the St. Clair Flats.

New this year will be a swizzle-stick-carving contest that will accompany the cocktail bird decoy contest and auction. I am told that this new contest
may cause quite a stir among the bidders at the auction. The annual Saturday night auction will include pizza and refreshments as well as
the usual opportunities to purchase decoys, waterfowl prints, and other related items. Don’t forget to check out our raffle this year, as many outstanding items are included. Also available this year, will be ODCCA
shirts and hats with the artwork of Daniel Loge, last year’s flat art contest winner.

As always, the heart of our show is the more than fifteen different competitions for carvers and collectors to enjoy. I wish everyone could see each and every competition, as this is where the "action" is.
Good luck to all competitors. Be sure to get your rules brochure or check the rules and competition information on our web site (ODCCA.org).
There is over $12,000 in prizes among the various contests, as well as, special awards and ribbons.
There will be an abundance of opportunities to learn new carving tips. Willie McDonald will be giving free carving demonstrations in the Directors’ room.
The IWCA is sponsoring a seminar on painting and combing techniques with Bob Bolle on Sunday morning. There will also be decoy head whittling and decoy painting contests, along with a shorebird carving and painting contest.

Another special contest being held again this year will be the Backyard Bird on a Birdhouse.
We anticipate more entries this year as carvers really get to show their creativity in this category. Do not miss the annual calling of the ducks and geese just before the Waterfowlers’ Contest on Sunday morning. Also, do not forget to bring your friends to see the wonderful decoys, both vintage and contemporary. Well, I am sure that I have forgotten to mention many of the special moments that will occur at our 24th Annual ODCCA Decoy Show, so be sure to read this newsletter and to checkout our website. I would like to thank Decoy Magazine and Wildfowl Carving Magazine for their continued support of our show. The 24th Annual ODCCA
Decoy Show will be included in Wildfowl Carving’s Competition 2001!

Plan to stop by the main ballroom and see the many vendors. The Federal Duck Stamp exhibit, the second annual waterfowl print contest. Last year’s winner, David Loge, of Grand Junction, Colorado; has his winning artwork gracing the ODCCA rules brochure and our beautiful 24th Annual ODCCA Decoy Show pin!

Please bring your best decoys, best memories, best memorabilia, and best buddies to help us celebrate this year’s annual show. Next year will be our Silver Anniversary Show, we are already planning many special events but we need your help. If you are a past "Best of Show" winner in any contest send us a note and/or picture stating which contest and when you won. Also, if you have special memories of any carver or collector, please share those memories with us. If you have any special memories of the show or any memorabilia to share please do so, send the information to one of the board members or myself or to our website. If you have any ideas about ways we might further enhance our Silver Anniversary, pass those ideas along to us as soon as possible.
Thanks for your help.

As anyone can see, this 24th Annual ODCCA Decoy Show will be a busy one. I would like to thank all "the board and committee members", and "the volunteers" for their dedication and fine work. Thanks for creating such a wonderful event for us decoy fanatics and "thanks for the memories".

Tom Whitlock, President

By Bob "Old Goose" Lund

This years show pin will feature the flat art contest winner of the Canada Goose by Daniel Loge’of Grand Junction, CO. The Giant Canada Goose has been featured in past shows and it was felt that one of the Canada Goose eleven sub species should be chosen as the show bird. At the wrap-up meeting for last year’s show, at Winous Point, I was looking around the meeting room, there sitting on a shelf, was a mount of the smallest Canada Goose anyone had ever seen. The Richardson’s Goose was chosen as the show bird for 2001.

The Richardson’s Goose belongs to the Branta Canadensis Species of which there are eleven races. The Branta Species consists of the Atlantic, Interior, Dusky, Vancouver, Giant, Western, Taverner’s, Richardson’s, Lesser, Aleutian and Cackling Geese.

The Richardson’s Goose is the second smallest goose, which many bird watchers say is the size of a mallard weighing anywhere from 3 to 7 pounds. The mount at Winous Point Shooting Club and two mounts at Magee Marsh, Migratory Bird Center supports the small size of this goose. This goose has a medium gray breast, black neck and front of head, with white cheek patches. The male and female have the same markings. The Richardson’s has a neckband that makes it stand out from the other geese. The bill length of a male is 33.7 mm and the female is 31.6. The giant drake has a bill of 60.7 mm. You must however look very carefully at this goose, if you see one from a distance, it will resemble the Interior and even the Giant Goose.

There are several nesting areas in Meville Peninsula, Southhampton, Baffin and Ellesmere Islands, Canada and western Greenland, they winter in Texas and Mexico. Their nesting area is near water on a raised area, it occurs from April until June. The clutch size is 4 to 6 eggs with incubation lasting 24 to 26 days.

There are very few spotted in the Ohio area, as most of the flight patterns are over the Mississippi valley, according to Mark Shieldcastle, a Biologist with the Ohio Wildlife Department. If you spend time looking up information on the net you will see them spotted occasionally just about anywhere. Rare bird alerts show that the late Laurel Van Camp, spotted one in Ottawa County and more recently one was spotted by Adam Grimm. Most people see them in Texas where they spend their winters.

The Richardson’s Goose flyway is the Tallgrass Prairie and the Shortgrass Prairie Flyway. The Tallgrass extends from North of the Arctic Circle to South of the Tropic of Cancer. Winter grounds are Texas and as far south as Tampico, Mexico. The Shortgrass population travels the Western Canadian Arctic, south and southeastward across Saskatchewan and Alberta to western Nebraska through eastern Colorado. The wintering grounds are the Northeast corner of New Mexico and to the Texas panhandle.

The Richardson’s and the Lesser goose travel greater lengths then most geese to move from wintering grounds to nesting areas.

Sources for information on the Richardson’s goose were obtained from a book by F.C. Bellrose, titled, Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America and Canada Geese in the Mississippi Flyway. The Internet provides an excellent source of learning more about this great little goose.

The goose was named by Sir John Richardson in 1831 for Dr. Thomas Hutchins, English naturalist and surgeon of the Hudson Bay Company. The former name was the Hutchins’ goose.

I have to ask our collectors if there are any vintage Richardson’s Goose decoys. I do know that today’s carvers are carving and painting them.

One thing that I have learned is that I must pay closer attention to the Canada Goose, so that I too, can add the Richardson Goose to my list of birds.

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

O.D.C.C.A. Committee Chairpeople

Auction - Ky Kraus 330-673-4562

Bill Green Memorial Display - John Purvis 586-725-2179

CONTESTS

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 586-725-2179

Division XII Cocktail Bird and Swizzle Stick

Bob Lund 419-874-3671

John Mercer 740-674-6923

Division XIII Flat Art -

Gary Luman 419-878-8011

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 304-873-2609

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

Pam Przyojski at 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 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.

PUBLISHING 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.

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 membership application 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

by Pat Costilow

Membership dues for 2001 are now due and payable by the 28th of February. When you receive your membership renewal statement return it promptly as all members who get their dues in prior to the show will be entered in a drawing for a Free Three-Year Membership. The winner’s name will be displayed at the membership table at the show. Dues are $15 for one year and $40 for three years for an individual or family membership. This entitles you, your spouse and children under 18 to free admission to the show and sale the entire weekend.

I will send your membership cards as soon as I hear from you and remember you can use them for free admission to the show until the expiration date. With your support the O.D.C.C.A. will continue to grow. Please make your check payable to O.D.C.C.A. and send to Pat Costilow Rt. 1, Box 612 Pennsboro, WV 26415

Rewards of Volunteering

By Bob Lund

After each show the organization puts on a feed for all the volunteers who have worked so hard putting on the best show in the country. After warming up on some great appetizers many of which our volunteers bring, we fill up on a delicious main meal. The organization then conducts an auction with everyone bringing an item or two. The item(s) must be waterfowl related, found in your closet or some other out-of-the-way storage place, hidden for years by a cover of dust. This past year I sat waiting for just the right item on which to bid. I did bid on items, but got cold feet. There was one item left, and the group encouraged me to bid until that item was mine. The item was wrapped in a box and as I unwrapped the package a silence came over the room. I was nervous as I have seen some really off the wall stuff. Out of the box came a hand carved, hen teal working decoy, with weight attached and from over my shoulder came a comment from the person who submitted the item for auction, "In addition you are to be my guest for the opening of Teal Season on Saturday at WPSC". "What did you say", I excitedly yelled! "Yes, you are to be my guest for a special hunt," came the reply.

September 2 arrived and I was told to report to the hunting club, which is the oldest waterfowl hunting club in the United States, for an afternoon hunt. When I arrived my hunting partner and his dog were working out in the yard doing some retrieving work with a dummy.

The punters started to arrive in the parking area and conversations started about the morning hunt and how the other hunters had done.

Finally it was time to begin our hunt. I was told to come to the punters building. I was told to sit on a stool and put on my hip boots. It was as this point that I became the victim of a perfectly harmless practical joke, which seems to be the punters’ way of welcoming newcomers to the club. Although I cannot divulge their secret, I can tell you I found it just as humorous as they did. Off we went to the powerboat where I was put into the member’s seat facing the back of the boat. My host and the assistant manager of the WPSC were my punters for my hunt.

We motored across the bay and ended up in our hunting area. I was told to get into a punt boat and again sit in the members’ chair and told to keep still, as my host punted us across the marsh area.

As we traveled, the first flock of shorebirds took off, which were yellowlegs. Around the bend we saw dowitchers and other shorebirds. I wish I would have thought to bring my bird book and my field glasses. At any rate, I would do my best to see the birds I had never gotten a chance to see this close in the past.

We arrived at the hunting area and a small spread of hand carved teal decoys were put in the water. Included in the spread was the decoy that I had gotten at the auction. My host had told me be sure to bring the decoy!

Braces of ducks flew by. Then came a flock of blue teal. We all took a shot, and a hen blue wing fell.

What a great day it was, the sun was setting in the west, I saw an immature bald eagle flying. The eagle mad several magnificent passes into the evening sun.

"A pair of Grebes, coming up to the decoys," the assistant manager quietly stated. The pair of Pied-billed Grebes proceeded to stay with us until the hunt was over.

Later, we saw Yellow-crowned Night-Herons flying over the marsh area to roost in a tree across the marsh. I had never seen them flying in a flock before. I wish I would have remembered those field glasses.

"Teal coming in, get ready Bob", and ready I was, I pulled up and shot a hen blue wing. "Wow, this is great", I expressed to my host. "I cannot tell you how much fun this is."

We talked about hunting and about decoys for the duration of the hunt.

Finally it became time to pick up the decoys and get into the punt boat to return to the powerboat. We talked about the hunt and the many birds we had seen. We talked about the marsh, which very few people ever get to hunt.

We arrived in the dark to dock the boat and go to the building to clean our birds after the hunt.

To my host, I will never forget this hunt, and that decoy which I hunted over, now rests in my collection. Thank you, as you are so special and so are the people of the WPSC, for making my once in a lifetime hunt so enjoyable.

by Duane Ganser

The Board of Directors decided after last years show to look into purchasing new tanks for all the floating competitions. The old tanks, made from wood, covered in fiberglass, have been around for a very long time. They were very heavy and awkward to move with less than a small army. So lighter aluminum tanks were discussed and a motion was made to find a fair price on three new tanks. One, for the Decorative floating contest and two for the Hunting Decoy contests. Sizes were discussed and various options thought about. The new tanks must be stackable, with a drain hole in the bottom, to make for easy removal of the water after the contests are completed. Several companies were contacted and Lakecraft Corporation, of Port Clinton, Ohio, was found to have the best price. They have been purchased and can be seen with decoys floating in them on March 17. We know they will be a welcome addition to the show especially for those who had to move the old ones.

by Duane Ganser

Wildfowl Carving Magazine will again sponsor the People’s Choice Award. The Award is $250.00 and it goes to the carver whose’ carving receives the most votes by the viewing public. Voting takes place on Sunday, in the "Club Room". Stop by to view the carvings in the Floating Decorative and Rest of Marsh competitions, and while you are there, vote for your favorite carving. The ODCCA Executive Board and Committee Chairmen appreciate Wildfowl Carving Magazines support and interest in our show; please show your support by VOTING for your favorite carving.

by Ky Krause

A special 70 to 100 decoy auction will be held on Friday, March 16, at 12 noon in the main ball room. This special auction will be conducted by Decoys Unlimited Inc., Ted Harmon, West Barnstable, MA. Please contact Ted concerning this new exceptional vintage bird auction. If you wish to volunteer working the auction please call me at 330 673 4562.

by John Mercer

I hope all you have started to make that special swizzle stick for our Cocktail bird contest. You can use your wild ideas to make that special cocktail stick. Look to the west coast for ideas or make up your own. Oh well enough with the ideas, we hope to see you with swizzle sticks and cocktail birds in hand. See you at the show.

by Duane Ganser

Plan on attending the John Crandall seminar covering Decoys from the St. Claire Flats. He will also be featuring the decoys in the Bill Green Exhibit during the weekend. The seminar starts at 1:30 PM Saturday and will be held at poolside.

Bob Bolle will be giving a seminar on the painting and combing of decoys beginning at 8 AM Sunday morning in Audio Visual Room.

Best of all both these seminars are FREE, thanks to ODCCA and IWCA.

John Sharp

Carver, Sportsman

by Ky Krause

This month’s featured carver in the Carvers Corner is John Sharp. He is known not only for his decoys or painting abilities but for his interpretive wood sculpture. John was awarded the distinction of World Champion from the Ward World Championships sponsored by the Ward Foundation at Ocean City, Maryland a record seven times. His work is world renowned garnering him the distinction of Master Wildlife Artist, putting him the same league as Robert Bateman, David Maas, Les Kouba, etc.

His works have appeared in every major gallery featuring prominent wildlife artists. He is a soft-spoken man with a keen eye for nature sprinkled with a whimsical sense of humor. He is a long-standing exhibitor and supporter of the ODCCA. His studio in Kent, OH where he resides with his wife Deb (a pretty darn good artist herself) and their two dogs, turkeys, horses and chickens.

His medium is Black Walnut, a tree that is as hard to find and difficult to carve as evidenced by this recent episode:

Most recently, he came across a tree that he had earmarked over twenty years ago in his many journals. At that time the owner was not interested in selling the tree, but said if anything happened to the tree he would sell it to John. As luck would have it, progress stepped his way and the Ohio Department of Transportation decided to expand the road next to the tree. Well, that is only part of the story, you see John had been long forgotten by the landowner and the tree was scheduled to be donated the local Lions Club for a firewood project. By chance John was coming home from one his hunting trips and decided to check on that Ol’ tree.

To his surprise it was on the ground. This created an even bigger problem for John, how do you move a Black Walnut tree six to eight feet in diameter and twenty feet long, weighing five tons. John rented a flatbed trailer and a crane and moved the tree. It now rests in his back yard drying and we will see this "Tree" in about five to seven years in the form of some beautiful sculpture.

John’s inspiration comes from the nature he is surrounded by. He is always in the great outdoors hunting and fishing. During the months of January through August, John is usually fishing somewhere, whether its’ walleyes on Lake Erie, Bluegills and Bass on Lake Rockwell owned by the city of Akron. During the September - December time frame its’ ducks, geese, rabbits and deer.

John’s work utilizes the crotch of the trunk of the Black Walnut Tree primarily because of the grain of the wood. His sculpture is unique in that it captures the essence of the outdoors. Whether it’s simple lily pad with a droplet of water or a springing teal. All his pieces are finished with John’s own special recipe oil finish, this finish captures the naturalness of the subject matter.

One of his sculptures "Roadkill Pheasant" depicted a dead pheasant on the side of a road. The piece was so creative the judges at the competition saw carpenter ants coming out of the breast of the Pheasant as if on cue. Although this was not scripted it just shows the uniqueness of John’s talent.