Will Kirkpatrick's Decoy Shop

New Jersey Decoys

Beach Haven Feeding Yellowlegs (left)
Beach Haven Standing Yellowlegs (right)

 Beach Haven Feeding Yellowlegs - 13 inches long, tack eyes, hand rubbed patina. $110.00 (Item #57F) DISCONTINUED

Beach Haven Standing Yellowlegs - 12-1/2 inches long, tack eyes, hand rubbed patina. $110.00 (Item #57S) DISCONTINUED

The birds are reproductions of yellowlegs decoys originally made by members of the Cranmer family of Beach Haven, New Jersey around a hundred years ago.

New Jersey carvers made their shorebirds simple and functional. Delicate beaks, for example were often wedged into place so they could be easily tapped out and replaced when broken. Simple paint jobs could be easily touched up. The same techniques are used to make these yellowlegs.

Considering the restrictions mandated by the conditions of usage, the form of these birds is remarkably graceful and accurately captures the nature and motion of the live birds.

The barrier islands from Bay Head to Cape encase the fabled gunning flats which have provided sustenance for millions of gamebirds over thousands of years. Market hunters often spent the night in a Barnegat sneakbox, a twelve foot sailboat which carried 3 dozen hollow decoys, ammunition, and gear.

Shourds Shorebirds. Amazingly, Harry V. Shourds (1861-1920), carved over 70,000 ducks, geese, and shorebird decoys. Harry worked out of his home, and his daughter testified that at tim4 every room, including the parlor, was filled with carvings. Entertaining boy friends was difficult!

  1. Shourds Curlew - 14" long, species of shorebirds, gunners rarely painted eyes, bill tenoned through head, distressed handrubbed patina. $160.00 (Item #54) DISCONTINUED
  2. Shourds Beach Robin - 7" long, carved hardwood bill tenoned through head, painted eyes, fancy paint, distressed patina. $75.00 (Item #69) DISCONTINUED
  3. Barnegat Godwit - 15" Long, craved hardwood bill tenoned through head, painted eyes, distressed patina. $ 145.00 (Item #25) DISCONTINUED
    Because Hudsonian godwits decoyed readily to other species of shorebirds, gunners rarely carved them. (The term, godwit, is used to designate any bird with an upturned bill.)
  4. Barnegat Goose - 23-1/2" long, hollow construction, glass eyes, and handrubbed antique patina. $450.00 (Item #59) DISCONTINUED
    Barnegat Bay decoys were compact and hollow so as many as possible could be crammed into the tiny sneakbox. Will's decoy incorporates some of the best elements of the styles of famous area carvers.

Hollow Decoys

Some of the old-timers hollowed out the bodies of their decoys, making of them lighter to carry but more costly in terms of time to produce. Will places a spent shotshell primer in each hollow decoy.

[Home Page] [How to Order] [Shopping Bag]