ALex White
804-307-4696
Custom Canvas Over Wire Swan Decoys
Tradition meets craftsmanship. Hand-carved and assembled one at a time for hunters and collectors alike.
About
Heritage in every curve
Handmade custom traditional Currituck style canvas over wire working swan decoys suitable for hunting or display. Made one at a time, each decoy uses juniper, Douglas fir, and pine woods with the traditional canvas over wire method and assembled with care to allow the canvas to be stretched forming a natural body profile. Heads are hand carved, rough sanded, and painted so each is unique with multiple different positions to create a natural look. Two different tail styles are also available, and each decoy can be custom ordered to produce the exact decoy you are looking for. The keels are laser engraved with the Wing & Pearl logo and individually numbered. Each decoy comes with a display base, bag, 32-ounce Currituck style weight with 8’ of cord, and a certificate.
Ordering
To place an order for a custom swan decoy, please reach out via phone, text, or email. I am constantly building decoys, so I may have what you are looking for in the garage, if not I will start on your custom decoy. Take a look at the images and choose a head style, turn, and tail style.
The Art of Traditional Decoy Making: A Legacy Preserved in Every Piece.
Sentry straight
Swimmer turned right
Feeder straight
Sleeper/Preening left
Swimmer back left
Butt
Flat
Pointed
Seven decoys at work
See the pricing page for hunter packs of 3,
5, and 7
The Process
Each body is put together with a juniper base, Douglas fir keel, and birch backbone with shaped wire.
Bodies
Not typically used in traditional canvas over wire decoys, these use Douglas fir tails in two different styles
Tails
Heads
Heads begin with laminated pine forms initially shapped with a belt sander and router
Finishing
Heads are finished by hand using a combination of Dremel, chisels, files, palm sander, and sandpaper with good old-fashioned elbow grease
Bodies are assembled to create a natural profile
Assembly
Canvas is stretched and tacked before finishing strips are added to reinforce and seal prior to painting
Canvas
Body Paint
Canvas is triple primed prior to two coats of exterior latex paint
Head Paint
Heads are hand painted with detail brushes and a mini airbrush system
Commemorative Series
If taxidermy isn't your thing, your wife has "had enough" or you have just run out of room for something big, a commemorative decoy may be for you. Black swan decoys will include either a neck collar or keel engraving, your choice. For Tundra swans, the outfitter, location, and/or date of harvest can be laser etched on the keel or a reproduction neck collar ordered.
Custom laser engraving on the keel
Black Swan from New Zealand
Add a custom neck collar with location and date of harvest, color options available