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I was introduced to duck hunting by a close friend in my late high school years. We began by hunting on the banks of the Coosa and Tennessee River systems in Northeast Alabama. Unfortunately at this time, in the early nineties, waterfowl populations were at an all time low. However, despite the low numbers of waterfowl we still managed to harvest a few birds which hooked me to the sport. In later years hunts have taken me to other parts of the Mississippi, Central and Pacific Flyways into Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington.
As my passion for waterfowl hunting developed it not only took me to other states but it encouraged me to further develop my skills and tools to become a better hunter. One of my favorite tools has become making my own gunning decoys. My interest to carve my own decoys was sparked through reading about the end of the market hunting era, and how the old timers were making and hunting over large numbers of hand made blocks. Unable to buy wooden birds during my college days, I decided that it would be cheaper to carve my own decoy than to purchase one. I carved my first balsa decoy in 1995. Over the next three years I was learning on my own through research and a lot of trial and error. By 1998 I began taking initiative to meet and talk to well known carvers across the country to improve my carving skills. A contact I made in 1999 turned out to be my greatest mentor, Bill Kell, from Spring Grove, Pennsylvania. With the input of Bill and other established carvers, I have made great improvements in my birds. In the Fall of 2000 I felt confident enough to enter a traditional hunting decoy competition. In that first competition, I won Best of Divers with a hen Bufflehead. As I have continued to compete, I have won several Best of Species, Best of Class, and my first Best of Show in the fall of 2002.Recognition and ribbons have been great to receive but I know that the real judges are ducks and geese that make their journey southward each year. Another mentor is Mark Costilow from Ohio, Bob Nelson, and the various Bama Carving brothers that have banded together. I enjoy hunting with and getting to know carvers throughout the country. In the last few years, I have the honor of teaching carving classes and promoting decoy carving in a variety of venues. I look forward to every decoy that I make and to the potential that every decoy has in its own future. Now as I hunt, the excitement is even greater than it was years ago, as I see waterfowl settle among a spread of my handmade decoys. If I can help with carving or water fowling in general, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Good Gunning,
Jason Russell
As my passion for waterfowl hunting developed it not only took me to other states but it encouraged me to further develop my skills and tools to become a better hunter. One of my favorite tools has become making my own gunning decoys. My interest to carve my own decoys was sparked through reading about the end of the market hunting era, and how the old timers were making and hunting over large numbers of hand made blocks. Unable to buy wooden birds during my college days, I decided that it would be cheaper to carve my own decoy than to purchase one. I carved my first balsa decoy in 1995. Over the next three years I was learning on my own through research and a lot of trial and error. By 1998 I began taking initiative to meet and talk to well known carvers across the country to improve my carving skills. A contact I made in 1999 turned out to be my greatest mentor, Bill Kell, from Spring Grove, Pennsylvania. With the input of Bill and other established carvers, I have made great improvements in my birds. In the Fall of 2000 I felt confident enough to enter a traditional hunting decoy competition. In that first competition, I won Best of Divers with a hen Bufflehead. As I have continued to compete, I have won several Best of Species, Best of Class, and my first Best of Show in the fall of 2002.Recognition and ribbons have been great to receive but I know that the real judges are ducks and geese that make their journey southward each year. Another mentor is Mark Costilow from Ohio, Bob Nelson, and the various Bama Carving brothers that have banded together. I enjoy hunting with and getting to know carvers throughout the country. In the last few years, I have the honor of teaching carving classes and promoting decoy carving in a variety of venues. I look forward to every decoy that I make and to the potential that every decoy has in its own future. Now as I hunt, the excitement is even greater than it was years ago, as I see waterfowl settle among a spread of my handmade decoys. If I can help with carving or water fowling in general, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Good Gunning,
Jason Russell