Hello all, first post, I hope it's ok to post this here.
I'm a decoy carver from the Baltimore area and I use pine cants.
I like to use plantation /eastern white pine, paulownia works as we'll, little to no heart.
The cants are various sizes 4x6, 5x7 etc. These would be cut down to various lengths to fit in a duplicating lathe, 12-18 inches depending on the species of duck.
Thanks Jeff
Welcome to the forum! Making decoys sounds like fun work. :)
Wish I was closer, no plantation pine but some nice syp. Son in law is an avid duck hunter, I would like to see some of your decs , welcome to the forum, and look forward to seeing your work!
Thanks,
I think I added some pics in my gallery.
Nothing like hunting over traditional wood decoys
Welcome to the forum spencer decoys
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37569/image%7E11.jpg)
Here is one of those pictures, nice work! (sorry I should've rotated that, my bad)
I sawed some basswood for a decoy maker. He used 6x8 and 4x6, no heart and made goose decoys. He said he had a hard time with pitch from white pine. You're a little south for the basswood range.
I use basswood for the heads, might have to look you up Ron.
Thanks Sandhills, their upper bay (Chesapeake) gunning style decoys.
My BIL is a Cree in northern Ontario and one of the things they do there is a traditional Canada goose hunt. They make head and neck decoys each time out of fire blackened driftwood. I don't know if they carve them much but in the pictures I saw it was amazing how goose like the decoys looked standing in the tall marsh grass.