A native of Yonges Island, South Carolina, Tom Boozer has been carving decoys for over twenty-five years. He learned the craft from a family friend and local hunter, Olin Ballentine. Ballentine taught him much about the traditional decoy wood, white cedar, and showed him how to select the right tree. Every two years, usually in December or January, Tom goes to a private tract of land on the Congaree Creek to cut his own trees. Following the cutting, Boozer then allows the wood to dry for two years before he begins carving his decoys.

Finishing the Head | Digital Traditions
Episode 5

Video

Boozer discusses the application of the glass eyes to the decoy's head and finishes carving the head. Footage courtesy of SC Educational Television.
Tom Boozer Photos | Digital Traditions
Tom Boozer Photos | Digital Traditions

Photo

A native of Yonges Island, South Carolina, Tom Boozer has been carving decoys for over twenty-five years. He learned the craft from a family friend and local hunter, Olin Ballentine. Ballentine taught...
Tom Boozer Video Transcript
Tom Boozer Video Transcript

Document

Video transcript for: Shaping The Decoy Body Undercutting The Primary Feathers Hollowing Out The Decoy Body Carving The Decoy's Head Finishing The Head Painting Techniques Native American Origins...