Southern Wildlife Festival
This was the website for the Southern Wildlife Festival, a nationally recognized art show and sale featuring more than 100 wildlife artists and photographers. The festival is held in Decatur, Alabama.
Content is from the site's 2003-2007 archived pages.
Southern Wildlife Festival
1-800-524-6181
PO BOX 128 , Decatur, AL 35602
General Information Regarding the 2003 Art Show & Decoy Exhibition
2003 VIP Preview Reception
The annual artist Appreciation Party and Feedback Session 2003
Hours:
Friday, October 20th - 6PM V.I.P. Reception - Invitation only
Saturday, October 21st - 10 AM until 5 PM
Sunday, October 22nd- 11 AM until 5 PM
General Admission:
$3 Adults (Good for both days)
$2 Senior Citizens (65 & older)
$2 Students
Children under 6 are Free
-Seminars and Programs are ongoing Saturday & Sunday
Decoy Carving Competition Details
Division I Unlimited Gunner (IWCA STYLE)
- The Competition is open to all carvers. I.W.C.A. level advancement rules do not apply to this division.
- Decoys must be made of wood, cork, or stretched canvas. Machine duplicated decoys will be disqualified
- Texturing by any means will be allowed (i.e. rasping, chip carving, combing, scratching, stippling), except wood burning and stoning. The only exception to this rule is that some stoning or carving (no burning) will be allowed on the crest of any species of merganser as long as the crest remains sturdy and functional. A wood burner may be used as a cutting tool only. All undercut or fragile areas (wingtips, tails, necks, and bill) will be critically assesses by the judges for durability. Feather groups may be simply carved (back, side pockets, rumps, & breast). Only primaries, tertials, and tail feathers may be individually carved.
- Carving under the bill is allowed.
- Inserts may be used to strengthen weak area as bill, tails and crest. Any fragile area (wingtips, tails, necks and bills) will be critically assessed by the judges for durability. Primary feathers must be strong and well supported. As a guideline primaries cannot be undercut more than the uppermost part of the upper tail coverts.
- All weight and/or keels must be sturdy and non-fouling in design. Decoys must have a facility for an anchor line attachment. Keels and/or ballast weights are considered part of the decoy and will be considered as part of the judging criteria. Over-all weight will also be considered.
- Decoys must be self-righting. Decoys will be placed in the tank with their bottoms up. When the decoy is released, it must self-right. Geese and swan decoys must self-right from a side position. Any decoy that does not self-right will immediately be disqualified.
- There will be no restrictions on painting of an IWCA Hunting Division decoys. Painting must be effective at a distance of 20 feet. Painting techniques that are fast and practical are encouraged. Painting must withstand as extended time period in the water and not deteriorate.
- Any hunting division decoy that checks, splits, takes on water, and/or has paint deterioration at any time prior to the completion of all hunting decoy judging will be disqualified and forfeit any awards said decoy was awarded. All decoys in the disqualified decoy's specie and/or category would be reordered, so as to move up one place, i.e. 2nd become 1st, 3rd become 2nd, etc.
- There are no restrictions as to the number of like species of the entries.
- Decoys must have no visible markings that will identify the carver and /or painter. Please cover marks with tape.
- All Decoys must remain on display the show ends on Sunday.
My take: My grandfather use to carve decoys. In hindsight he was a very skilled craftsman. I thought he carved for his own personal use, but at his memorial service a number of old timers came up to me to say how much they cherished his carved duck decoys. Today, most duck hunters buy plastic factory-made decoys, but I am sure there are still a few purists who make and use wooden decoys. In 2004 I was in Decatur, Alabama during the Southern Wildlife Festival assisting a client who, as a show of appreciation for my work took me to the Southern Wildlife Festival which was fantastic. I met Charlie Daws who was a carver and remembered my grandfather as a fellow artist. He told me that he and my grandfather were both philosophical carvers and very good friends as a result. They were especially into the idea of existence and nothingness as argued by Aristotle, Newton, Descartes. I never thought of my grandfather in this light but I loved learning about it. We ended up having a fascinating conversation about "nothing". A chance meeting with someone who knew my grandfather really made this event special, and seeing the carving competition brought back memories of him. When I got home there was an email from Charlie with a link to a post about nothing, which I've read many times, and it now reminds me of my grandfather and his prized decoys.
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Division II Gunning Singles
- Decoys must be made of wood, cork or stretched canvas. Machine duplicated decoys will be disqualified.
- Decoys must be carved to accentuate decoying capabilities, not necessarily realistic qualities.
- Decoys will be judged on simplicity, practicality and durability.
- Decoys must be carved in traditional hunting decoy style, no detailed or fragile bills, necks, wing tips or tails. **No raised primaries, No carved details in bills, slight mandible separation will be permitted**
- Decoys must be painted in traditional hunting decoy style - brushing, ragging, stippling, combing, scratching, blending or burned cork. No feather definition other than outline will be allowed.
- Decoy must be carved and painted so as to be easily duplicated to create a shooting rig of thirty-six or more decoys. **Birds should be painted in a manner so that any duck hunter can maintain its appearance from season to season**
- Decoys themselves must be non-fouling and must be able to withstand the day-to-day rigors of hunting, careless handling, bagging, ice, heavy seas, taking shots, etc.
- **Decoys will be tossed into a large body of water and must self-right from the position that they land. Decoys will be disqualified for failure to self-right. Weights and keels must be practical and non-fouling. Decoys must have a facility for an anchor line attachment and must be equipped with six feet of line and an anchor.
- The Goose and Swan class is the only exception to the self-right rule. They must self right from the side position or the back, and will be set in the water instead of tossed.
- .**Decoys will be judged by species. Contestants may enter only one hen and one drake of any one species. First, second and third place birds in each species will receive ribbons. Only first place birds of species will be entered in Best of Class.
- **JUDGES WILL BE LOOKING FOR THE BEST DECOY THAT INCORPORATES ALL THE QUALITIES OF A TRUE HUNTING DECOY.
12. One drake and one hen per specie.
Division III Gunning Rigs
1. ** Shooting Stools will be judged by class. The four (4) Decoy Classes are: Marsh Duck, Diving Duck, Sea Duck, Goose and Swan. Only Species listed in the Wildfowlers rules will be judged.
2. **Contestants must enter three (3) decoys from the same specie with AT LEAST ONE DECOY BEING A HEN.
3. No more than one rig per specie.
4. Decoys must be equipped with short 2 lines as they will be attached to mother lines.
5. Decoys must be made of wood, cork or stretched canvas. Machine duplicated decoys will be disqualified.
6. Decoys must be carved to accentuate decoying capabilities, not necessarily realistic qualities.
7. Decoys will be judged on simplicity, practicality and durability.
8. **Decoys must be carved in traditional hunting decoy style-no detailing or fragile bills, necks, wing tips or tails. **No raised primaries, No carved details in bills, slight mandible separation will be permitted**
9. Decoys must be painted in traditional hunting decoy style - brushing, ragging, stippling, combing, scratching, blending or burned cork. No feather definition other than outline will be allowed.
10. Decoy must be carved and painted so as to be easily duplicated to create a shooting rig of thirty-six or more decoys. **Birds should be painted in a manner so that any duck hunter can maintain its appearance from season to season**
11. Decoys themselves must be non-fouling and must be able to withstand the day to day rigors of hunting, careless handling, bagging, ice, heavy seas, taking shots, etc.
12. **Decoys will be tossed into a large body of water and must self-right from the position that they land. Decoys will be disqualified for failure to self-right. Weights and keels must be practical and non-fouling. Decoys must have a facility for an anchor line.
13. The Goose and Swan class is the only exception to the self-right rule. They must self right from the side or back position and will be set in the water instead of tossed.
14. **JUDGES WILL BE LOOKING FOR THE BEST DECOY THAT INCORPORATES ALL THE QUALITIES OF A TRUE HUNTING DECOY.
JUDGING CRITERIA:
The following will hold true for all three divisions. A separate panel will assess the decoys for conformity of rules before actual judging takes place.
** Only birds listed in each class will be judged.
Marsh Class: All species of black duck, gadwall, mallard, pintail, shoveler, teal, widgeon, & wood duck.
Diving Class: All species of blue bills, bufflehead, canvasback, golden eye, mergansers, redhead, ring neck & ruddy.
Sea Duck Class: All species of eider, harlequin, old squaw & scoter.
Goose & Swan Class: All species of brant, geese & swan.
**In the shoot off 1st, 2nd & 3rd Best of Show will be judged from 1st place birds from the 4 (4) classes.
Decoys entered in the Gunning Singles contest will not be eligible to be entered in Gunning Rig competition. Carvers may not move decoys from the Gunning Rig into the Gunning Singles Contest, or vice versa. All decoys must have been made within one year of the show date and must be the possession of the carver.
Decoy anchors will be supplied to mail in entries only to reduce shipping expenses.
All Decoys must remain on display until the end of the show on Sunday.
Judging for divisions II and III will take place at Swan Creek or at the Riverwalk Marina, etc. ON THE RIVER! Judging for division I will be in the indoor tank.
Entry Fees:
Division I: $20 entry fee first decoy, $10 per additional entry with one drake and one hen per specie.
Division II: $10 entry fee first decoy, $5 per additional with one drake and one hen per specie.
Division III: $20 entry fee first rig, $10 per additional with one rig per specie.
AWARDS:
Division I: Cash prizes of $300.00 for BOS, $200.00 2nd BOS, and $100.00 3rd BOS with rosettes. Best of species and category ribbons for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
Division II: Cash prizes of $200.00 for BOS, $100.00 2nd BOS and $50.00 3rd BOS with rosettes. Best of species and category ribbons for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
Division III: Cash prizes of $200.00 for BOS, $100.00 2nd BOS and $50.00 3rd BOS with rosettes. Best of species and category ribbons for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
2003 Exhibiting Artists:
Lyn St. Clair painting on location at the show.
Show Chairman - Beverly Newton* of Trinity, AL
Artist of the Year - Harold & Bettie Huie of Hazel Green, AL
Wes & Rachelle Siegrist* of Townsend, TN
Steve Harmening* of Meridianville, AL
Steve Burney* of Town Creek, AL
Joey & Beverly Newton* of Trinity, AL
Larry Chandler* of Huntsville, AL
Joan Heflin Rankin* of Lacey's Spring, AL
Luke Buck* of Ninevah, IN
Martiena Richter* of Oronoco, MN
Danny O'Driscoll* of Batesburg, SC
Jeanie Stephenson of Dechard, TN
Euyless & Aurora Holcomb of Falkville, AL
Lyn St. Clair of Brandon, VT
The Alabama Wildlife Federation
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2005 Show Highlights | Seminar Schedule
 A Group of artists birding in Wheeler Wildlife Refuge. Thanks to Dwight Cooley for his time and leadership! |
 Lavanna Story-Brazil |
 Luke Buck |
 Danny O'Driscoll |
 Steve Harmening |
 Euyless & Aurora Holcomb |
 Kenny Vermillion |
 Rachelle Siegrist |
 Linda Kent-Rous |
 Martienna Richter |
 Terry Smith |
 Joey Newton |
 IWCA Style Hunting Decoys BOS winners at the St. Clair Flats 2005 decoy competition |
 Gunning Singles Decoys BOS winners at the St. Clair Flats 2005 decoy competition |
2005 Seminar Schedule (2006 Posted in early Fall)
Saturday, October 15th:
11:00 am - Raptors, McDowell Center
12:00 pm - Wild Game Cooking, Ron Casey
1:00 pm - Raptors, McDowell Center
2:00 pm - Butterfly Gardening, Master Gardeners
3:00 pm - Raptors, McDowell Center
Sunday, October 16th:
11:30 am - Wild About Wildflowers , Featured Artist Joan Heflin Rankin
12:30 pm - Wild Game Cooking, Ron Casey
1:00 pm - Rediscovering the Ivory Bill Woodpecker, Bobby Harrison
2:00 pm - Butterfly Gardening, Master Gardeners
3:00 pm - Rediscovering the Ivory Bill Woodpecker, Bobby Harrison
Feathers in Focus
The Southern Wildlife Festival would like to thank its 2005 Sponsors for their much appreciated support.
Please show them your support by patronizing their establishments. Thank you!
- Aaron's
- Barnhill's Buffet
- Decatur Art Guild
- Decatur Concert Chorus
- Decatur Daily
- Decatur Engravers
- Decatur General Hospital
- Domino's Pizza
- Fire Mountain Restaurant
- Huntsville Symphony Orchestra
- Java Jaay's
- Lowes Home Improvement Center
- Master Gardeners of Morgan County
- Morgan County Fair Bd. of Directors
- Pepsi Cola
- Petco
- Ron Casey, Executive Chef, Decatur Country Club
- Subway
- The Other Side
- WalMart
- Wiley's Sporting Goods
2005 Exhibiting Artists:
 Kim Shaklee beside her "Best of Show" sculpture for the 2004 show. |
 2004 Featured artist John Orehovec speaking with collectors. |
The following Artists exhibited in 2005:
2006 Participating Artists will be added @8/ 2006
Artist of the Year 2006- Beverly Newton* of Trinity, AL
Show Chairman - Beverly Newton* of Trinity, AL
Mary Booth Cabot of Roswell, GA
Lavanna Story-Brazil of Birmingham, AL
Thomas Brooks of Lakeland, FL
Dan Bruegemann of Henley, MO
Luke Buck* of Ninevah, IN
Steve Burney* of Town Creek, AL
Bobby Castlebury* of Brookston, TX
Larry Chandler* of Hartselle, AL
Leigh Ellis of Arnoldsville, GA
Vicky Ferguson* of Altamonte Springs, FL
Frank Gee of Gallatin, TN
Doug Goodell
Joan Heflin Rankin* of Lacey's Spring, AL
Steve Harmening* of Hazel Green, AL
Euyless & Aurora Holcomb of Hollywood, AL
Ron Holyfield of Dayton, TN
Harold & Bettie Huie of Hazel Green, AL
Reggie Kemp of Decatur, AL
Joe Mac Hudspeth* of Brandon, MS
Eileen Melton of Doniphan, MO
Carolyn Mitchell of Birmingham, AL
Joey & Beverly Newton* of Trinity, AL
Danny O'Driscoll* of Batesburg, SC
John Orehovec of Williamsburg, VA
Todd Reed of Harrison, TN
Martiena Richter* of Naperville, IL
Elizabeth Scott of Somerville, AL
David Aaron Sercel* of Ethridge, TN
Kim Shaklee* of Brighton, CO
Wes & Rachelle Siegrist* of Townsend, TN
Terry Smith* of Land O' Lakes, FL
Jim Turgeon* of Odessa, FL
Kenny Vermillion of Terre Haute, IN
David Whikehart
Nancy Williams of Moulton, AL
The 2006 list of artists is now being added as exhibitors are confirmed!
The 26th Annual Southern Wildlife Art Festival
Decatur, Alabama - October 19th - 21st, 2007
Featuring: Larry Chandler, in memorium - Artist of the Year