Shorebird Decoys and the Wisconsin Season

Decoy Corner Article

By Bruce Urben, WWA President

Decoy collectors are sometimes a strange lot. Most are totally immersed in collecting vintage waterfowl decoys, exclusively ducks and geese. Back in this country’s waterfowling history of the late 1800’s to 1928, shorebirds were a target species. They were hunted in our ocean shore areas and inland in the Midwest and decoys were readily used.

What are Shorebird decoys and why were they hunted?

Shorebirds, or sometimes called “beach birds”, are a family of different species of water birds with thin bills and skinny legs that frequent tidal beaches. Their feet are seldom webbed and have separate toes that allow them to walk on soft beach sand and muck without sinking. They feed on grubs, plant matter and insects, as well as mollusks and other invertebrates. They range in size from tiny “peeps” the size of a sparrow to curlews that are larger than some ducks. They are migrating fowl that frequent the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as well as inland waters in the Midwest.

Shorebirds were hunted for sport, food and in some cases even their feathers for women’s hats in the early 1900’s. History tells us that there was nothing more delicious than “peep pie” in those days. Market hunters in the 1900’s sold millions of shorebirds to high-end restaurants from Boston to New York to Chicago to Philadelphia. Hunters at the time found that stick up decoys depicting these birds were extremely successful in drawing flocks of them into their guns.

Some very successful East Coast carvers made very lifelike shorebird decoys in a variety of species depending on demand and season of the year.  Some with very elaborate feather painting and carving.

The pressure of market hunting and subsistence living in the early 1900’s had a huge negative impact on shorebird populations, just like with ducks and geese. Some species were shot to extinction. In 1918, the Federal government passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act banning the hunting of most shorebird species, and by 1928 the hunting of yellowlegs and plovers were also banned!

This virtually brought an end to shorebird decoys. Many were discarded, burned for fuel or rotted away in boathouses and barns.

Now nearly 100 years later, shorebird decoys like yellowlegs, curlews, plovers, snipe and dowitchers are actively sought by savvy collectors that appreciate their history and beauty.

Shorebird decoys were made in a wide range of species, postures and plumages. Some vary from being very exacting, to others that are very primitive! They are an alluring artifact of America’s waterfowling history. Currently it is not unusual to see small shorebird decoys selling for $10-$50,000 in auctions in the East and Midwest made by very notable carvers like Crowell, Bowman, Hudson, Lincoln and Shourds. Who wouldn’t want one in their collection?

Not all shorebird hunting was banned in 1928. For instance, Wisconsin currently has a steady population and season structure for rail ( Virginia and Sora species), snipe and gallinule (all considered shorebirds)! Unfortunately, hunting for these species is no longer done with decoys. Hunters stalk them in their wetland and marshland habitats in some parts of the state and many hunters are very successful in their harvest of these species.

Wouldn’t it be great to know how curlew or yellowleg pie tasted in the 1920’s? I guess we need to settle for rail pie or gallinule stew!