Rising Wings

Storyteller: For some, this is the sound of a sport.

[Gunshot] For others, this was the sound of their livelihood.

[Gunshot] For a dwindling number of elderly sport hunters, this sound evokes fond memories of a bygone era of camaraderie and Canvasbacks, a very special waterfowl that are hard to spot in large numbers today.

The spectacle of thousands of wild ducks and geese soaring overhead filled the air, their calls like a wild symphony.

Hunting them gave rise to the need to use hand-carved decoys crafted by skilled and often humble individuals.

These decoy carvers would give birth to uniquely American folk art.

Today, we know them as master decoy carvers.

They turned duck decoy carving into an artform, creating collectors items that are now worth thousands, even millions of dollars.

It is a fascinating and permanent part of American heritage.

Their talents help preserve a piece of American waterfowl hunting history, an amazing history that links the conservation efforts of past generations to the challenges of today.

It is a testament to the enduring connection between humans and nature.

Hearing the forgotten stories of the past through the memories of older generations is a gift for all.

Though many in younger generations may not have heard these stories, they are waiting to be uncovered and relearned.

Throughout history, humans have interacted with these birds while they were migrating, both for food and sport hunting.

The awe-inspiring sight of these beautiful creatures soaring through the sky in search of their winter home has an incredible history.

From the cold northern regions of North America to the warm southern states, ducks and geese navigate through 4 different flyways-- the Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic-- to reach their destination.

Imagine a sky so black with waterfowl flying overhead it looks like twilight.

Warren Magruder, a 95-year-young retired Army general, still remembers those sights and sounds from his days as an avid sport waterfowl hunter in Maryland.

He recalls the thousands of ducks that would land and take off in the Chesapeake Bay region, an important part of the Atlantic flyway.

One of his favorite duck species, the canvasbacks, with their unique red eyes, were once extremely numerous.

They were known as the aristocrats of the ducks, or, as Warren puts it, the king of ducks.

Sadly, their numbers have dwindled over the years.

In Warren's youth, nearly 250,000 would spend the winter in the Chesapeake Bay, but now only a small fraction can be found there.

How have we come to this point?

In the post-Civil War era, the North American continent was home to an impressive population of approximately 100 million waterfowl, including the once abundant canvasback.

This was a time when local men relied on their skills to find the next meal for themselves and their families.

Duck hunting became one of their mainstays.

However, this seemingly endless food source was also in demand for the rapidly growing population of America.

As a result, the practice of market hunting emerged in the late 1800s and thrived in the early 1900s.

Hunters who loved the sport or who simply hunted to provide for their families could now also earn a living through their passion.

They were regarded as outstanding citizens in their hometowns, as they not only fed their families but also helped to feed many others.

As the railroads and commercial ice making plants expanded, market gunners saw an opportunity to profit from the abundant supply of wild ducks.

With birds able to be shipped quickly and without the risk of spoiling, hunters in the Chesapeake Bay region and other flyways could quickly transport their harvest to major cities.

These market activities spread throughout the country, and soon, similar practices were taking place all across the United States.

Market hunting was a profitable industry in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

This new era of commercial hunting posed a threat to the population of waterfowl across the continent as demand for these birds skyrocketed.

In Louisiana, market hunting was a thriving industry.

Boats like Lose 'Em Quick employed 10 hunters, each with a daily quota of 200 ducks, and they shipped up to 2,000 ducks daily to the French market in New Orleans via train.

It was estimated that over 1,000 market hunters in Louisiana alone were making a living from this industry.

One of the most famous hunters was Florine "Pie" Champagne, who hailed from the Lake Arthur region.

In the lower Chesapeake Bay area, Atley Lankford of Ellicott Island, Maryland, was one of the most renowned gunners of all time.

He was challenged with a daily quota of 200 birds.

The real challenge lay not in his skill or ammunition but in his physical ability to carry the ducks from the marsh, and once the harvest was collected, dragging it through the muddy terrain in a cart for miles to the collection spot proved to be an arduous task.

Despite this, Lankford averaged more than 10,000 ducks a year and had to replace his shotgun annually due to the heavy use.

His lifetime total was nearly half a million ducks.

What about sport hunters?

Starting in the late 1850s until the 1950s, the uniquely American institution of waterfowl hunting clubs was an important part of the American sport hunting and businessman scene.

In the lush and bountiful East, waterfowl hunting was a pastime that became increasingly popular among the wealthy, who formed exclusive clubs to indulge their passion.

Among the most celebrated of these clubs was the historic Currituck Shooting Club, nestled on the North Carolina coast near the Virginia border on the pristine Outer Banks.

Founded in 1857 by a group of enterprising Northern businessmen and sportsmen led by the renowned New York attorney Philo Taylor Ruggles, the Currituck Shooting Club quickly became a beacon for the wealthy and influential.

With its stunning location and unparalleled hunting opportunities, it was no surprise that members included the likes of JP Morgan and William K. Vanderbilt, who reveled in the sport and camaraderie that the club offered.

As the longest running club of its kind in the U.S., with membership extending into the early 21st century, it remained a storied and treasured part of America's sport waterfowling history.

In the Midwest, hunting for sport also became popular as frontier societies disappeared.

In early 1850, Darius Heald, a wealthy businessman from St.

Louis, established the Hermitage Club in the Mississippi River floodplain, one of the earliest duck hunting clubs.

By 1885, the area was boasting an abundance of waterfowl, including nearly every variety of duck found in North America.

This abundance of waterfowl encouraged visitors, which helped boost the local economy.

A newspaper advertiser said... Male narrator: Waterfowl twice a year pass up and down their great line of migration, which follows the course of the Mississippi leading north and south, on their way, leaving the lakes, rivers, and plains of British America and the North in the fall for the warm bayous, streams, and marshes of the Gulf states and again in returning north in the spring.

We are located directly under the great aerial highway of the wildfowl, and in both spring and autumn, they stop in vast numbers on our lakes, rivers, and prairies.

Storyteller: Trains continued to deliver the market hunters' wild waterfowl harvest to growing cities.

Traveling in the opposite direction, the railroads poured in sport hunters, especially into the Chesapeake Bay region.

Early firearms, including muskets, featured large-diameter, smoothbore barrels designed for wing-shooting birds and were known as fowling pieces.

However, the turning point came with the introduction of the double-barreled shotgun in 1875 and the American hammerless shotgun in 1878.

These firearms ushered in a new era of sport hunting for the waterfowl in the United States.

Sport hunting was highly regarded as a social outing, often among businessmen.

It has been said that as many business deals were made during a hunting trip as on the golf course.

Waterfowl hunting provided an opportunity for sport hunters to engage in a challenging and enjoyable activity while also building relationships and discussing business.

With access to the previously hard-to-reach waterfowl environments made possible by the growth of hunting clubs, sport hunting grew rapidly and became a highly popular pastime across the country.

The rise of sport hunting and migratory waterfowl habitats created a new opportunity for communities with modest incomes, as many local families relied on seasonal employment related to the sport.

They needed the additional income generated by hunting clubs and private expeditions of Northern sport hunters.

Hunting expeditions required a range of specialized services, including guides, decoy carvers, boat builders, cooks, transportation, and support staff to manage lodges and clubs.

In the Chesapeake Bay region, for example, many watermen who fished during the summer months transitioned to roles as hunting guides and decoy makers during the waterfowl season.

These jobs helped to sustain local economies and provide vital income for families of limited means.

[Ducks quacking] However, the influx of sport hunters also put an additional strain on the already declining waterfowl populations.

It was an unintended consequence of progress.

Shooting birds in flight was seen as a prestige sport among wealthy Americans, who valued the skill and agility required to hit a moving target.

As a result, these hunters often returned from their expeditions with only a few ducks but considered it a testament to their prowess as marksmen.

In contrast, market gunners used oversize guns to target resting ducks on the water, enabling them to harvest large numbers of birds at once.

As the impact of market hunting on waterfowl populations became more apparent, rich and powerful sport hunters were forced to confront the realities of conservation and the need to preserve these species for future generations.

Henry Beasley Ansell, who was born in 1882 and was a prominent member of the Knotts Island community on the Outer Banks, wrote in his memoir that... Male narrator: Now let me give the unvarnished truth while waterfowl in Currituck, as well as elsewhere, are becoming scarcer and scarcer.

This country has 7 or 8 times the population that it had when the writer was born.

There are millions of wealthy people of speculative habits roaming the country, some for pleasure, some for both pleasure and lucre.

Then why should there be as many now as then?

There is every reason to the contrary.

In his youth, the writer could see in two square miles more ducks than can now be seen in going from Vanslyk's to the Virginia line.

If these brooding places north are not protected, soon there will be neither ducks nor other like birds to visit us.

Henry Beasley Ansell, 1903.

Storyteller: While sport hunting was becoming more and more popular, a conflict began to emerge between the two groups of hunters-- market gunners, who hunted waterfowl for commercial profit and often used aggressive hunting methods, and sport hunters, who hunted for the love of the sport and were now concerned about the impact of overhunting on bird populations.

The migratory wild waterfowl population was visibly thinning out.

The growth of big city populations brought with it a surge in commercial waterfowl hunting.

The fast growth also led to a host of other problems.

These included water pollution, the loss of habitat, and illegal nighttime hunting, all of which contributed to a significant decline in the population of migratory waterfowl in North America, including the much coveted canvasback.

As the debate between sport hunters and market hunters grew more intense, sport hunters began to champion conservation efforts, while market gunners defended their livelihoods and their role in feeding a growing population.

However, by the early 20th century, conservation-minded groups like the Audubon Society and sport hunters alike were calling for an end to commercial migratory waterfowl hunting.

They recognized the urgent need for more sustainable hunting practices and the importance of protecting waterfowl populations for future generations.

[People shouting] [Gunshot] In the end, the future of hunting and wildlife management in the United States was shaped by waterfowl hunting clubs and organizations like the Audubon Society that helped rescue North America's migratory waterfowl.

In 1918, their hard work paid off with the passage of the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which set national guidelines for bag limits, restricted market gunning, and outlawed the use of shotguns larger than 10 gauge, effectively banning punt guns.

Through these regulations, the age of legal market hunting came to an abrupt halt, and the path was paved for more sustainable and responsible hunting practices.

However, despite the efforts of sport hunters and conservationists to protect American waterfowl, illegal market hunting continued to pose a threat to bird populations.

This was due in part to a lack of funds for local enforcement and a prevailing societal attitude that saw little need for regulations on hunting.

Sadly, even though many duck species, including the beloved canvasback, were on the brink of extinction, the public wrongly believed that waterfowl resources were unlimited.

[Splashing and quacking] The issue of inadequate law enforcement and conservation funding was addressed 16 years later with the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act.

Under this law, stamps were issued for federal waterfowl hunting licenses, which helped fund conservation efforts and enforcement of hunting regulations.

Today, these stamps remain an important tool in the ongoing effort to protect and preserve waterfowl.

By purchasing a federal waterfowl stamp, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts alike can make a tangible contribution to the conservation of our cherished waterfowl and their habitats.

The popularity of sport hunting continued with the newly established 1918 law limits, and the hunting clubs flourished.

By 1939, there were nearly 3,000 waterfowl clubs and privately owned hunting marshes across the United States.

The Chesapeake Bay region in particular was a hub of hunting activity with Maryland and Virginia ranking second only to Illinois in the number of federal migratory waterfowl hunting permits issued.

As the 1930s gave way to the 1940s, Warren was fortunate enough to witness the vast flocks of migrating waterfowl, including his favorite gamebird, the canvasback, that still thrived in the rich habitat of the Chesapeake Bay marshes in Maryland.

Every year from December through March, the Atlantic Coast's most important waterfowl migration and wintering area was filled to the brim with ducks and geese, drawn by the plentiful wild celery beds that provided a favored food source.

Despite the ongoing decline of waterfowl populations across North America, the Chesapeake Bay region remained a haven for these wonderful birds.

For Warren, just like many other waterfowl sport hunters, his experiences in youth have been a memorable part of the heritage and culture of the Chesapeake Bay region.

[Gunshots] Warren: Shot ducks on the Susquehanna Flats with my father.

My father died when I was 15.

[Gunshot] With him one day and sat on the shoreline and shot at black ducks, and he was in a booby blind, which was offshore about a hundred yards, but I sat there by myself and shot one duck, and that was--he was so pleased, but that was the only time I shot with my father.

This is how it started in high school, where 6 of us got together and called ourselves the Old Duck Hunters Club.

Storyteller: Sometime after that, 6 young members of the Old Duck Hunters Club were given access to the great hunting grounds of the Chester River on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

My best friend Mr.

Hutchins married a wonderful lady whose uncle had a huge farm over on the Eastern Shore on the Chester River, and Uncle Jack Collins had the farm, and of course, this was a wonderful place to shoot ducks, so we started, and Uncle Jack let us use the farm, and they were fields.

We'd hunt and shoot geese there.

We shot canvasbacks along the shoreline in a booby blind, and of course we had retrievers, and then I had another friend who bought a farm down on the Choptank, and he was a hunter, so I had--he had blinds down there.

He had fields for geese, and he also had booby blinds offshore for ducks and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.

[Birds chirping] Miss that camaraderie, but that's gone because my friends aren't around.

Storyteller: As the first rays of the sun peek over the horizon, the sound of wings flapping fills the air, signaling the start of a new day.

The aroma of breakfast cooking in a hunting blind adds to the excitement as waterfowlers prepare for the adventure ahead.

For some, it's a simple sandwich from home, but regardless of the meal, the anticipation of the gunning is palpable.

After some early morning hunting, hanging out with friends the rest of the day, and best of all, lifelong camaraderie and fellowship, while the thrill of the hunt may fade, the friendships forged in the great outdoors last a lifetime.

Warren's favorite waterfowl, the canvasback, was known for its rich flavor and was highly sought after.

The canvasback's aristocratic reputation was well-deserved.

It was in demand.

The Chesapeake Bay was a particularly famous wintering area with huge canvasback congregations.

While lesser quality eating birds might fetch $2.00 to $3.00 per dozen, prices as high as $5.00 to $7.00 per bird, the canvasback was a prime target for market hunters, who strove to harvest them, pushing them to the brink of extinction.

Warren: King of the ducks was the canvasback, and they were delicious eating because they fed on wild celery and not fish or shrimp or anything like that, and they were a real delicacy and desired as s table--a meal, dinner, and were sold in restaurants in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and they were on the menu, and so there was a demand for them, and therefore, market gunners were in business, and they would illegally shoot ducks at night in what we called punt boats.

Storyteller: Yes, there was a demand, and as the market got bigger, the smooth-bore black powder shotguns of market gunners grew bigger, as well.

Eventually, these guns became so large that they were essentially small cannons known as punt guns, which were mounted on boats.

These crude single-barrel devices weighed 100 pounds or more and were often made of iron rather than fine gun-making materials.

The punt guns were loaded with lead shot and used by gunners who lay flat in a flat-bottomed boat, paddling gently towards a flock of wildfowl resting on the water.

The largest punt guns had a two-inch bore and could shoot up to two pounds of shot, equivalent to the power of 25 12-gauge shells or more with an effective range of about 50 yards.

[Gunshot] Each successful sneak-up could result in the decimation of a flock of up to 200 ducks with a single blast.

However, the use of punt guns was also incredibly dangerous as the guns could occasionally explode and kill the hunter, yet for many market gunners, the risks were worth the reward as it allowed them to take advantage of the burgeoning market demand for waterfowl.

Sport hunters, on the other hand, had their own specialized hunting equipment such as the sinkbox.

This rig was designed to conceal the hunter just below the water's surface and was a popular choice among skilled marksmen.

Warren recalls his father's use of the sinkbox during his childhood, illustrating its enduring popularity among waterfowl hunters.

And there were single or double sinkboxes, and my father hunted in those, and they would put out maybe 100, 150 decoys, and in the middle of the decoys would be the sinkbox, and the gunner would lie down in the sinkbox, where he could just see over the edge, and when ducks would fly into the decoys, they would sit up and shoot the ducks.

Storyteller: Using a sinkbox for waterfowl hunting was not without its challenges.

The box was often barely submerged, and the water could easily overflow the edges, making it necessary to bail out the excess with a coffee can.

In his 1882 book "American Game Bird Shooting," the author describes the experience of using a sinkbox and the difficulties that hunters faced in remaining concealed and dry.

Male narrator: Hunting the birds in this manner is heavy labor and often the cause of disease, as the men are liable to catch severe colds or be seized with an attack of rheumatism that can cling to them for life.

Sinkbox shooting is also most disagreeable work, as the weather is often severe enough to almost freeze the wildflowers into inanimate statues, and they, hunters, dare not lift hand or foot for fear of scaring the birds away.

The result is that they are often sometimes so benumbed that they cannot handle their weapons and so stiff from lying in a cramped position on a very hard bed that they can hardly move for some time after emerging from their coffin.

John Mortimer Murphy, 1882.

Storyteller: Sinkboxes were eventually outlawed and a new, more comfortable hunting method called bushwhacking emerged.

This exciting approach to waterfowl hunting captured the attention of a young Warren, who became so enamored with the sport that with his mother's help, he purchased his own specialized boat and gear.

The term bushwhacking originally referred to guerrilla warfare common during the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

However, the term took on new meaning in the context of waterfowl hunting in the Chesapeake Bay, particularly in the northern region.

Bushwhacking became a unique and complex technique for shooting ducks on the water, developed as an alternative to the now outlawed sinkboxes.

The technique involved using a mother boat to place 150 to 200 decoys to create a landing field.

An 18-foot bushwhacking boat, painted all white and with a canvas screen about 10 inches high around the bow, would then take position for the hunt.

Warren: So the gunner, two gunners would sit on the front seat, and they were hidden by the canvas on the flare of the boat, and the guide would be in the back, sculling down with a sculling ore.

Storyteller: It was a fascinating and challenging approach to waterfowl hunting that still captures the imagination of hunters today.

Later, this technique was abandoned due to its complexity and the high costs associated with it.

After a long experience with bushwhacking and chasing down waterfowl, Warren eventually transitioned to a more traditional and simpler hunting method, the booby blind.

This time-honored technique has evolved since the 1800s, reflecting changes in hunting practices and advancements in technology.

Warren recalls those days fondly as the memories of his time spent hunting with his friends in a booby blind remain a cherished part of his life, reminding him of the joy and camaraderie that comes with this time-honored pursuit.

The gunners would put decoys out in front of the blind, and then 2, 3, 4, 5 gunners would be sitting on a bench, and when the ducks would land in the decoys, they would stand up and shoot, but to encourage the ducks to get to the decoys and come around the blind, we would put out corn, and this was legal, and you were allowed to do this, and we would take 200-pound sacks of corn, put them off the stern of-- they had a little tent outboard boat, about a 14, 16 foot, and circle around in front of the blind and drop this corn, and then almost overnight, the ducks would come to it.

Federal government outlawed it first, then the state second, so it was legal to put out bait at one time according to state-wrote gunning laws but not federal, but eventually the state agreed, and then you couldn't bait at all legally.

It didn't stop people from putting corn out at night or in the dark and not put too much out and hope they wouldn't get caught, and there were famous game wardens in the Maryland area that were known and their reputation was known, and they were very strict and would lock up people for just a few kernels of corn when they would drag for corn, which they did in front of the blinds.

Storyteller: Well, today, booby blinds on the water, shores, and land are still going strong, but of course, baiting them is illegal.

And then the next step in shooting came to us on the flats was body booting, where there would be a mother boat that would take you out, towing a boat with decoys in it.

The decoys would be put out, and then in the middle of the decoys there might be 1, 2, occasionally 3 stands, a large long pole with a little platform on the top, and the hunters would be in rubber suits all the way up to the neck, and on this pole, the top of this pole, was a ledge, where you could lay the gun, and you would stand in the water, and you couldn't do this in rough water, high seas, but you were in the water in the middle of the decoys, body booting, and ducks come in and you take the gun off and shoot them, and then the small boat will come down, pick up the ducks, and go back, but you didn't stay-- they changed--changed in and out of those.

You weren't in the water maybe 45 minutes, an hour or something like that, and then you'd switch off, and other gunners would go in in wetsuits or actually more than wetsuits.

They were--I think they were probably suits introduced by the Navy and total rubber, and so--and you would dry, you wouldn't get wet, but you couldn't do it on really rough days.

Storyteller: This traditional style of duck hunting is still practiced, which is more affordable and accessible.

It involves wearing chest waders or a diving suit, hunkering down, and blending in with a large spread of decoys in knee- to chest-deep water.

Of course, just as in all sports, there are a few other extreme sport hunting techniques that are not for the uninitiated.

There's sea duck hunting off the rocky ledges of an island in New England.

There's solo hunting, using the lost art of marsh skiing in the frozen Wisconsin marshes, or there's green timber duck hunting in Arkansas and Louisiana, where hunters search large stands of flooded timber for ducks using flooded tree openings as resting places.

Now imagine a time when hunting waterfowl was a matter of survival, but the task was no easy feat.

The ingenious solution-- enter duck decoys and duck calls.

These tools not only revolutionized the way humans hunted, but they also tapped into a deeper connection between humans and nature.

Waterfowl hunting is a complex and challenging activity that requires luring birds.

While decoys have long been central to the sport, another critical tool is the duck call.

[Duck call quacking] These specialized devices, which imitate the sounds made by ducks and geese, can attract certain types of birds.

Researchers believe that mechanical duck calls originated in the mid-1800s, but mouth calls were also used by Native Americans dating back centuries.

Native American tribes have also been using decoys to improve their duck hunting game for over 2,000 years.

In 1924, archeologists discovered 11 ancient decoys made by the Bishop Paiute, a Numic Native American tribe, providing remarkable proof of their ingenious hunting techniques.

These decoys stand as a testament to the resourcefulness and skill of their creators.

Today, the legacy of the ancestors of this modern-day tribe member lives on as a reminder of the ingenuity and creativity of their forefathers.

What is so important about decoys?

That's where the speed of flying ducks comes into the picture.

The typical ground speed of most migrating waterfowl is 40 to 60 miles an hour.

Migrating mallards are true speed demons, capable of reaching up to 100 miles per hour with a 50-mile-per-hour tailwind.

It's no wonder hunting flying ducks with a bow and arrow or shotgun is nearly impossible.

Their small size, ranging from 20 to 26 inches, fast speed, and high altitude make them a formidable challenge for even the most skilled hunters.

As the shooting range of shotguns increased, the flying altitude of migratory birds also went higher, making it even more impossible to hunt them.

Waterfowlers found a clever solution to this problem--decoys.

When the birds need to rest and eat, the realism of a decoy gives them a sense of confidence in their decision to land in an area where decoys are spread.

Each decoy brings an added element of confidence for ducks that relays the message "It's safe here.

Come on down."

This brings the ducks within hunting range.

Duck decoys have become an iconic symbol of uniquely American folk art, but they had humble beginnings.

In the early days, decoy makers crafted simpler carvings for hunters with extra effort put in if the customer was an important person.

Over time, however, working duck decoys evolved into highly prized collectors items, with some pieces selling for thousands of dollars.

Despite their increased popularity and value, decoy makers have remained true to their roots, with many still hand-carving each piece with care and precision.

Among the decoy carving masters of yesteryear, few are as highly regarded as Elmer Crowell.

Based in East Harwich, Massachusetts, Crowell made a living as a working duck decoy carver, guide, and developer of hunting camps.

When he passed away in 1952, his estate was modest with little more than a wood-burning stove and no more than $100 to his name.

However, in the years since, Crowell's decoys have become some of the most highly sought after in the world with some pieces fetching upwards of $1 million.

Despite his humble beginnings, Crowell's legacy as a master decoy carver lives on today with his work celebrated as a pinnacle of American folk art.

[Waves lapping, ducks quacking] The Chesapeake Bay region is renowned for its natural beauty, abundant waterfowl life, and talented carvers, who have crafted duck decoys of unparalleled beauty and realism for generations.

From the past to the present, the region has been home to master carvers, who have created working duck decoys that are still highly prized by collectors today.

The carvers of the region are true artisans, who have mastered the art of decoy carving and brought it to new heights.

They have blended their skills with the unique culture and traditions of the region, capturing the essence of the bay and its wildlife in their works of art.

Their legacy lives on today as collectors continue to appreciate and admire the decoys created by these talented carvers.

One of the most notable carvers in the Northern Bay was Madison Mitchell, who lived in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Mitchell, a funeral director in the Susquehanna River Flats area, crafted decoys in his garage with meticulous attention to detail.

His works were highly sought after, and collectors still treasure them today.

Warren's passion for hunting led him to Madison Mitchell's workshop at a young age, where he quickly became a loyal customer and admirer of the skilled carver's creations.

[Quacking] Madison Mitchell's legacy as a master decoy carver serves as a shining example of the rich history and cultural heritage of the Chesapeake Bay region and a testament to the enduring power of the art to transcend time and place.

In the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay, a pair of brothers from Crisfield, Maryland, left an indelible mark on the art of decoy making.

Stephen Ward and his brother Lemuel Ward Jr.

were both barbers by trade, but it was their work as master makers of hunting decoys that truly set them apart.

Their modest house served as a makeshift studio with a one-room barbershop adjacent to the room where Lem painted the decoys.

In the back of the house, Steve meticulously carved and prepared the decoys for Lem to paint.

Although neither brother had any formal art training, they went on to become known as Nature's Counterfeiters and used this title for their business, as well.

It was a testament to their skill in creating incredibly realistic hunting decoys.

In fact, over the course of 5 decades, their decoys evolved from functional hunting tools to genuine works of American folk art.

It's hard to overstate the beauty and realism of the Wards' duck Decoys, which remain a stunning testament to their talents.

Despite describing themselves as two dumb country boys, the Wards' decoys demonstrate a level of artistry and craftsmanship that would impress anyone.

Today, their work is celebrated for its contribution to the world of working decoy making and American folk art.

Crisfield is a unique marshy town that owes its existence to the seafood industry.

Built on a foundation of discarded oyster shells, the town thrived with the introduction of railroad and steamship lines that transported the area's abundant seafood to the big cities in the Eastern United States.

However, Crisfield's rich history doesn't end there.

In the early 1900s, trains brought in the waterfowl hunting clubs and their members.

The town became a popular destination for sport hunters.

Among the visitors was Alonzo Galloway Decker, a Baltimore native and co-founder of the famous Black & Decker Tool Manufacturing Company.

He had a factory in a nearby town, Easton.

Decker was particularly drawn to the artistry and beauty of the Ward Brothers' decoys, which he used during his hunting expeditions and gifted to his friends during Christmas.

Decker's appreciation for the Ward Brothers' work led him to take them and their creations to the 1948 New York National Decoy Makers Contest and Exhibition, where they won awards in every category in which they were entered.

This recognition propelled the Ward Brothers to national renown, firmly establishing their reputation as masters of the art of decoy carving.

Today, the Ward Brothers' decoys are treasured works of art, celebrated for their beauty, craftsmanship, and historical significance.

Collector decoys are highly prized not only for their beauty and craftsmanship but also for the life stories that they carry.

When we handle these decoys, we connect with them on a physical level, but their emotional value comes from the stories of a bygone era that they tell.

A perfect example of this can be found in a couple of decoys carved by the Caines Brothers in the late 1800s, which have captured the hearts of collectors and are now worth a staggering million dollars.

These decoys have a rich history that dates back to the shores of the Caines' South Carolina home in the late 1800s.

Their story is as colorful as the decoy pair itself, and it adds to the allure of these collectors items.

It's a story of an era and a time when decoy carving was not just a means of livelihood but also a way of life.

The Caines Brothers' decoys are a testament to the artistry and skill of the carvers of the past, and their life story is a reminder of the cultural heritage and tradition that these decoys represent.

This slightly oversized unique female mallard decoy's head and neck form a delicately feminine arch, bridging the upper back.

During a major decoy auction, Dick McIntyre, a well-known collector, decoy broker, and expert on the Caines Brothers, talks about decoys, their history, and the Caineses.

He speaks of the nuances of style and form and the unique characteristics that set the Caines Brothers apart.

He shares their story and the legacy that they left behind.

His passion for decoys is infectious, and his knowledge and insights are a reminder of the importance of preserving this uniquely American cultural heritage.

The drake, which is the male duck of this pair of ducks, is what is referred to in the decoy collecting community as the snaky neck mallard, and it has a neck that's-- it's very serpentine like a snake almost.

The snaky neck drake is a very revered carving in the state of South Carolina.

It's--the logo on my business card is the snaky neck mallard drake.

The preening hen mallard to me is probably even more of an artistic element.

The preening hen has all of this facial scarification carving, which is probably an emulation of African facial scarification, but it has a very sublime body with a neck that reaches over the back of the bird and creates a very feminine, genteel appearance.

Storyteller: The decoys' sculptural presence as an authentic hunting decoy is unmatched.

Dick: The preening hen has all of this facial scarification carving, which is probably an emulation of African facial scarification.

Storyteller: As Dick explained, it combines the Afro-influenced facial scarification marks into the detailed head, bill, and wing carvings.

These West African facial scarification elements were undoubtedly a result of the Caines Brothers' intimate contact with the enslaved laborers in Georgetown, South Carolina's, rice culture.

Not to be left behind, the drake also displays an equally beautiful presence.

The significance of this uniquely Southern historical material culture design elevates these floating sculptures to their status as icons of American folk art.

As for the Caines Brothers, these master carvers' journey started in Winyah Bay's vast marshlands just off Georgetown, South Carolina.

The Caines Brothers' ancestors had settled on Frazier's Point, a strip of land east of Winyah Bay.

The settlement residents going back to the 1700s mostly were Caines family members.

They lived there through the centuries and became a part of South Carolina's history.

in the late 1800s, there were 5 Caines Brothers who were commercial fishermen and gunners.

They lived hard.

Their nicknames were as colorful as the decoy pair and its history.

They were Joseph Jenkins "Hucks" Caines, Richard Randolph "Sawney" Caines, Edmund Alston "Ball" Caines, Robert "Bob" James Donaldson Caines, and Moultrie Johnson "Pluty" Caines.

The Caines Brothers actually began their-- their, I guess, sporting careers-- they were commercial fishermen and hunters, and they didn't do this really for sport.

They did it as a living.

They would shoot ducks, and they would shoot marshians, which we call railbirds,, and sell them commercially in the markets in Georgetown, and then when it wasn't hunting season, they would fish, they would run--catch shad and catch sturgeon and all sorts of, like, channel bass and trout in the sounds right there in nets, but they were commercial fishermen and hunters, and then after the Civil War, when they were no longer--they didn't need to be employed on the plantation to help, I guess, mind the people who did all the labor, they became sports guides because there were people that were--that owned property, and there were-- you can find early advertisements in some of the sporting publications prior to the beginning of the last century that advertised for people to take people duck hunting, and that's what they-- they became guides, and from that point on, it became, I guess, a necessity for them to-- you needed decoys if you were gonna hunt, and they didn't want to have to buy them, and if they were good enough carvers, they just carved their own, and so it became a natural progression for them to make these decoys to use to take people hunting, which was their profession now as guides.

Storyteller: General Edward Porter Alexander owned the lands of South Island Plantations near where the Caines family lived.

Edward Porter Alexander owned South Island Plantation.

His wife was from New York, and he continued to own the plantation after the Civil War.

He was a retired Confederate general.

When he purchased this property, the plantation itself, it was indeed an island.

He hired some local people, the Caines Brothers, to help with hunting elements, which most of the people in the South after the war, because there was no slavery any longer, they didn't grow rice, they had rice fields, and there were still-- there was still rice that came up in it, but they were no longer really in the rice production business.

Most of the properties that were bought and sold were bought for sporting purposes and hunting of course, and the Caines Brothers were experienced with this, so General Alexander had the Caines Brothers employed at South Island to help him with hunting properties, and what they did was it may have been that even before they went to work for General Alexander, they probably made their own decoys, and it may have been that they actually made decoys for other people, but it's the first time that anybody knows that they made his decoys is because he was a wealthy guy, and when he did the property transfer when he passed away and they sold South Island, the decoys that were at South Island went with the property transfer, and that's how we know that the Caines Brothers made them because they were documented in the property transfers as part of the physical property of South Island.

Storyteller: The mallard hen and drake decoys adorning General Alexander's mantel today have become a collector's dream.

While it's difficult to confirm, Dick believes that they were carved by only one of the Caines Brothers-- Sawney Caines.

After General Alexander sold the South Island Plantation in 1905, the decoys passed through several owners, including Detroit businessman Joseph Wheeler and William H. Yawkey.

Tom Yawkey, who later owned the Boston Red Sox, eventually inherited the property from his uncle, and of course, the mallard hen and drake decoys came with it.

The Caines Brothers continued to work on the plantation as hunting guides and likely continued to carve duck decoys.

Dick: People didn't document, I guess, their workers' work.

I mean, it's--the fellas worked on the plantation, and whatever Yakey needed them to do, that's what they did.

I mean, if they needed to put fences up or control water levels in the rice fields to feed the ducks, that's what they did, but back a long time ago, 150 years ago, carving decoys, no one collected decoys.

People just used them to shoot ducks with, and so the decoys themselves weren't really a material item.

It wasn't something that somebody even considered anything of value other than the fact that you could put them in the water and shoot ducks with them.

Storyteller: The history of the two duck decoys crafted by the Caines Brothers is fascinating, especially since they fetched over $1 million at a 2018 auction.

Both decoys were half of a pair originating from South Island Plantation and had passed through the hands of several owners.

Dick shares what's known about their background and Tom Yawkey's ownership of them.

One pair of these decoys were put on the mantel in what they called the playhouse, and the other were kept in the house, and when Tom Yawkey's adopted daughter moved away from South Island at the age of 16, she took a pair of these decoys with her to Boston, where she attended finishing school.

That's where one pair came from, and the other pair were left on the mantel at the playhouse at South Island.

[Gunshot] Storyteller: This was the sound of the livelihood of all yesteryear's decoy makers.

It was not about the big money or fame.

That came after they passed away.

[Gunshot] The same sound still carries different meanings today.

It still affects the lives of many and has become a part of the memories of millions in America.

Sport hunting is no longer just for men as more and more women are joining in and reshaping the sport for the 21st century.

Today's hunters use modern equipment, and plastic decoys are now the norm while handmade decoys are considered American folk art.

This new generation of hunters is also more aware of the importance of conservation.

Despite their efforts, however, waterfowl numbers continue to decline due to environmental factors such as water pollution, which has devastated plant life that waterfowl rely on for survival.

Wild celery, canvasbacks' favorite, has all but disappeared from areas that harbored large amounts of wild celery such as the Susquehanna Flats on the upper Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Wisconsin's Lake Koshkonong, and Lake Surprise in Texas.

Due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss, the waterfowl population, which had numbered nearly 100 million in the past, plummeted to only 20 million by the 1930s.

Fortunately, conservation efforts had helped the population rebound to 40 million by 1955.

However, the situation worsened when over half of the wetlands in the U.S.

and 30% in Canada were destroyed by 1985.

To keep track of the birds, scientists use methods such as flying planes and helicopters to survey from above and walking around on the ground, covering an area almost as large as Alaska.

Despite the progress made in the past, the challenges facing waterfowl today have been further compounded by climate change, which has made it increasingly difficult for these birds to survive.

For example, in recent years, a severe drought in Canada made it more challenging for waterfowl to find food, water, and breeding grounds.

Protecting waterfowl and their habitats is important for everyone, not just hunters.

These birds can tell us a lot about how healthy our planet is, and by taking care of their homes, we are also taking care of things like the air we breathe and the water we drink.

As we move forward, it's up to all of us to work together and face the challenges ahead to make sure these amazing creatures continue to thrive for generations to come.

The camaraderie among duck hunters is timeless, uniting generations and defining the spirit of the sport.

As Warren passes the baton to the new generation, we honor the cherished tradition of sharing the hunt with friends and loved ones and the timeless connections between all hunters.

Male narrator: Conservation means development as much as it does protection.

I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land, but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob by wasteful use, the generations that come after us.

Theodore Roosevelt, The New Nationalism Speech, 1910, Osawatomie, Kansas.

Announcer: This program was made possible in part by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in Saint Michael, Maryland.