The Thousand Islands Decoy Collectors Association (TIDCA) was organized in summer 1992, largely through the efforts of Larry Lunman and Bob Rayfield, to bring together individuals who share a common interest in the history of decoy carving and waterfowl hunting along the St. Lawrence River. In addition to the Clayton Decoy Show held each year in July, TIDCA members have met once or twice a year to attend decoy presentations, share information, and participate in displays and contests. Vintage decoy displays and contests have been a feature of most meetings, with the intent of encouraging members to bring choice examples from their personal collections to be studied and enjoyed by all.
In spring 2009, TIDCA was reorganized under the mantle of the TI museum, and individuals who wish to become or remain members of TIDCA can do so by joining the museum. The goals of the association have remained the same, and are focused on discovering and sharing information on the decoys and decoy carvers of the Thousand Islands area. In recent years, two events have been held annually, both open to the public. The first event is a meeting held the first Saturday of March, the second includes displays presented at the Clayton Decoy Show held the third weekend in July. Displays of decoys by TIDCA have been presented at the Clayton Show each year since 1994. In 2013, TIDCA’s involvement in the Clayton Decoy Show was expanded to include a vintage decoy contest.
Archives of information presented at previous spring meetings, and pictures and information from previous July Clayton Shows, can be accessed using the colored links on this page or from the drop-down menu located at the word ‘DECOYS’ in the darker blue banner near the top of the museum’s home page. The Previous Spring Meetings page provides an outline of the topics covered in all the spring TIDCA meetings since 2001. By clicking on the colored links associated with each of the yearly spring meetings, PDF versions of the presentations and handouts can be accessed. The Previous Clayton Shows page shows the themes of the TIDCA displays since 2001, and the categories in the TIDCA contests since 2013. Pictures of the displays and contest winners shown on the page can be enlarged by clicking on them. Pictures and information used as part of the TIDCA displays since 2010 can be accessed by clicking on the colored links associated with the respective yearly headers.
2024 TIDCA Events:
The 2024 spring meeting and the 2024 Clayton Decoy Show were both held as scheduled. Materials presented and photos taken have been added to their respective archive pages, and can be accessed using the links on this page.
Spring Meeting: The 2024 spring meeting was held on Saturday, March 2, at the Thousand Islands Museum. Mark Malys and Roger Petrie presented a slide show on the life and decoys of Chet Schutte, Rochester, NY, and his hunting and carving associates. Their presentation included new information on Chet Schutte, dividing his decoy carving into early (1914-1920), middle (1921-1932), and late (1933-1945) periods, and discussed his casting of hollow aluminum metal decoys (1929-1931). Photos of the cork and wood body decoys made during each of the carving periods , and the aluminum cast decoys, were included. The slide show went on to review Chet’s hunting and carving friends including his son Bob Schutte, Bill Ahrens, Russell Farmen, and Harry Miller, and included photos of decoys carved by Bill Ahrens and Russ Farmen.
Mark and Roger brought a large group of Schutte and Ahrens decoys that were examined and enjoyed by the attendees both before and after the presentation. The display provided everyone an opportunity to examine decoys by these men, and to better understand the variations in style and construction that exist. There is always something new to learn about decoys, and personally examining them and discussing them with fellow collectors is one of the best methods of improving your knowledge. The decoys brought by Mark and Roger presented a wonderful learning opportunity.
Clayton Show: The 56th Annual Clayton Decoy Show was held Friday & Saturday, July 19&20, at the Cerow Recreation Park Arena. TIDCA involvement in the show included a vintage decoy contest held on Friday, and coordinating a display of vintage hooded merganser decoys from Ontario, Canada, exhibited on both Friday and Saturday.
Decoys for the hooded merganser exhibit were provided by members of the Canadian Decoy and Outdoor Collectibles Association (CDOCA), largely through the efforts of Bill Meggs. Hooded merganser hunting decoys are quite rare throughout the lower 48 States, but tend to be a bit more common in Ontario north of the Great Lakes. The 2024 display included some iconic examples by known Ontario carvers plus some examples by unknown carvers. Photos of the display and close-up photos of the decoys are included in the archive section.
The TIDCA vintage decoy competition held on Friday was very successful with excellent competition in all three categories. Judging took place at 11:00 AM on Friday with Mike Martin, Joe Engers, and Larry Lunman serving as this year’s judges. The recently acquired vintage decoy category (i.e., a new decoy in your collection) had 12 entries including three pairs, a total of 15 decoys. First place was a Stevens drake widgeon owned by Eric Pitman, second place was a Gus Rogers drake canvasback owned by Tom Eckert, and third place was a Gus Wilson drake red-breasted merganser owned by Tim Sieger. The vintage mallard category had 14 entries including two pairs, a total of 16 decoys. First place was an Elmer Crowell oval brand drake owned by Tim Sieger, second place was a Bert Graves preening hen owned by Tim Sieger, and third place was a Roy Conklin drake owned by Bruce Bolger. The four goldeneyes by four different makers had 10 entries, a total of 40 decoys. The first place group including an Addie Nichol hen, Bob May drake, David Kavanaugh hen, and DW Nichol hen, all owned by Bill Meggs; the second place group included a Bill Cooper hen, a Ray Andress hen, an Orel Leboeuf hen, and a Frank Coombs hen, all owned by Bruce Bolger; and the third place group included a Chauncey Wheeler hen, a Gus Rogers hen, a Fairman Davis hen, and a Rosh Douglas hen, all owned by Mark Malys. Group photos of the decoys in each of the categories, photos of the three winning decoys in each category, and photos of the contest judges are included in the archive section.
2025 TIDCA Events:
Spring Meeting: March 1, 2025, Thousand Island Museum, 312 James St., Clayton:
The 2025 spring meeting was held as scheduled on March 1. Similar to previous years, the meeting started at noon with decoy displays and an informal gathering, which included snacks, followed by a slide presentation beginning about 2 PM. The 2025 presentation was given by Tom Eckert.
The 2025 presentation was divided into five unequal sections. A modified and expanded version of this presentation is now available, and can be accessed using the Previous Spring Meetings page, or the link at the bottom of this page. Parts one and two provided brief updates on two carving groups covered in previous spring meetings, with part one providing some updates for the Gove family, while part two provided some updates and corrections for the Schutte school of decoy carvers. The third and primary part of the 2025 presentation consisted of a review of the LaFlair family from the Ogdensburg/Lisbon area of the St. Lawrence River, concentrating on the four members of the family who were known decoy carvers. The LaFlair family was also associated with Tick Island, a small island about six miles down-river from the City of Ogdensburg, and one of the islands removed from the river during the 1954-58 construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Part four of the presentation provided some thoughts about the changes that have occurred over the years due to the proliferation of online auction sales and how that relates to decoy collecting. Part five provided a review of decoy shows and sales that would be upcoming over the spring months.
Decoy displays are a traditional part of the TIDCA spring meetings and include decoys that fit the topics covered in the presentation as well as a limited number of decoys that are for sale. In 2025 we were fortunate to have a wonderful display of LaFlair family decoys and miniatures brought by Dick Hollis. Included were examples from Dick’s personal collection as well as examples from other northern New York collections which he was able to borrow for our meeting.
Dick Hollis with some of the LaFlair family decoys and miniature carvings that were displayed at the 2025 TIDCA spring meeting (click the photo to enlarge it)
Clayton Decoy Show: July 18-19, 2025, Gordon Cerow Recreation Park Arena, Clayton:
The 57th Annual Clayton Decoy Show has been scheduled for July 18&19, 2025. TIDCA involvement in the 2025 show will include a decoy exhibit to be displayed all day Friday and Saturday, and a decoy contest to be held on Friday. Help with setting up the displays, registering the contest decoys, and supervising the exhibits and explaining them to the public, is always appreciated. If you can help, please contact Tom Eckert (315-408-8835) or the Thousand Islands Museum.
The 2025 TIDCA decoy exhibit will feature decoys by Chauncey Wheeler, Alexandria Bay, NY. The exhibit will focus on some of the better remaining examples of his work; decoys in good original paint and in good physical condition. Museum members and show participants with one or more choice decoys they would like to be considered for display are asked to contact Tom Eckert (315-408-8835).
The 2025 TIDCA decoy contest will be held on Friday, July 18. The contest is open to everyone, and each person may make two entries in each of the three specified categories. A matched pair (hen and drake) count as one entry unless the category description specifically states otherwise. The entries may be brought in person to the TIDCA tables and registered from 9-11 AM, or may be mailed to the TI Museum according to the same procedures established for the Hunting Decoy Contests.
Entries in the contest will be judged by a panel of three experts beginning at 11 AM. Ribbons will be awarded to the entries judged to be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, in each category, and the winning entries must remain on display until 5 PM Friday. The contest categories selected for 2025 are quite broad, and were intentionally chosen that way to encourage more participation.
The three 2025 decoy contest categories are:
- Three vintage black duck decoys by three different makers (just one decoy per maker); any area or maker, made before 1970.
- Vintage Alexandria Bay high-head decoy: any species, any maker from Alexandria Bay, made before 1970.
- Decoy by any maker included in the book Great Lakes Decoy Interpretations by Gene and Linda Kangas; any species by any maker included in the book.
