One Hell Of A Life Outdoor Podcast

Hand-Carved Decoys, Faith, And The Hunt Experience | Mike Marino

• Tristan Vogel & Tony Vogel • Episode 170

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0:00 | 57:43

We sit down with Colorado decoy carver and pastor Mike Marino to explore how lifelike cork rigs change hunts, shape memories, and connect craft with faith. From first flawed blocks to competition wins and urn decoys that carry a retriever’s ashes, this is about experience over excess.

• origin story from bad plastics to first carve
• why cork floats, moves, and endures better
• field results versus big plastic spreads
• study methods, scaling, and build details
• pricing tiers and access for blue-collar hunters
• the “experience” mindset over shooting piles
• memorial urn decoys for dogs and healing
• mentors, materials, and starter carving kits
• faith parallels, refuge, and weekly duck devos
• legacy, gifting, and conservation donations

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Meet Mike Marino, Decoy Carver

SPEAKER_01

What's going on guys? Tristan and Tony back with another episode of the One Hove Life Outdoor Podcast. And we got Mike Marino, not to be confused with Dan Marino, on the podcast from all the way from Colorado. And Mike is a decoy carver. He's also a pastor and just has an interesting story from what I can tell. And just chatting with him a little bit. And uh Mike, we're excited that um we're having you on the podcast. And gosh, you guys gotta give this guy a follow because his decoy carving is incredible.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, no, it's it's Tristan was sharing some of that with me before the podcast, and I was telling Mike off air, I was just like, I am so super OCD about stuff, and like I couldn't find a flaw. So beautiful stuff, man. The only problem you're gonna have with that, Mike, is that you know, um, the missus might put you to work on some other things. She's like, you know, why don't you make us some new cabinets?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah, man. Like that's just it. Yeah, no, that that's just it. No, I'm I'm glad to be on here. Um, thanks. Uh I mean, um I I love what you do on the channel. I'm just uh happy to support it and just just be on here. Um yeah, so uh I mean, look like we were talking uh

From Ugly Plastics To First Carve

SPEAKER_02

off air. So I I've only been doing this, man, for for two years. Um crazy, crazy, crazy story. Story goes like this, it hasn't changed. Where I ordered some decoys, uh some some golden eyes, and they were just ugly, like just flat out, not even like trying to make it like not even trying to pretend, right? They were just flat out ugly. And I was looking at them and I'm like, man, I heard of guys carving decoys before. And so I kind of YouTube it like you could do anything now, and I found some videos. I'm like, oh okay. So I went and got a piece of cedar and I drew a picture, uh, put it on the piece of wood, cut it out, and boy, it it looked like a chicken when I got done. Um it looked horrible. It looked horrible. And and uh kind of like you, I I got so obsessed with just I wanted it to look like the real thing, right? And that that was like my thing. And then I then I got super obsessed with like taking a look at other like all these other plastic decoys, and I'm like, I I just it just bugged me. Um I'm not talking bad about any brand or anything, it just uh just for me personally, like I uh then getting into the history of like hand carved decoys, I'm like, man, if if these guys didn't hand carve decoys, we wouldn't have plastics today. Yeah, and so um, so just um so I started carving, I got better, I got like the right equipment, I got the right wood. Um, I got uh I carve all my birds now out of high density cork like they used to back in in the day. So that was

Discovering Cork And Durability

SPEAKER_02

that was cool. And uh I kind of got a little bit better and better and printed out a bunch a bunch of pictures, and this was uh the first bird that I hunted with and over. So this was my first canvas pack, Drake. Um so I I hollowed this out. Um, it's it's completely hollow, and I retired this decoy because I shot this thing like square right in the face. I mean, so I mean, it was awesome, right? Like I was stoked. Like these guys were like, oh no, you shot your decoy. I'm like, dude, that's bad, man. Like that is it's still floating, right? So um, so I I hunted it the rest of the season. Like, I didn't epoxy the holes or glue it, I kept the BB, there's like a little teardrop in that dude's face, right? Um, and so I just I I kept hunting it because I'm like, I want to see how durable these things are, and man, um it it just it it taught me a lot about decoys in in in general, but just the fact of like plastic sinks. I don't know if you guys ever tried a plastic decoy, yeah. Um and it it just sinks, but man, I I love the history behind these gunning decoys. Um, so you know they made them out of high density cork. It was a simple paint job, uh, which I I can't do simple, right? I can't, man. I just like I just can't. Um I don't know. I I think I sent you a picture of that wood duck urn that I just did, and I just like I couldn't stop myself, right? Um, but but they made them this way. So when they when they hunted, you know, paint got scratched, it got shot, you fill the hole, patch it up real quick, and then then you're back to hunting, right? You don't have to like baby these things. Like, I like I use and abuse these decoys, and some guys are like, Oh, they're do my dad. So my dad's a carpenter.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so makes makes sense, I guess, a little bit with how that can get off with the artist.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but but but here's the crazy thing I don't know how to read tape measure. Okay, I'll be I'm mad enough to say that, dude. Like, I'm totally mad enough to say that. Uh and so my my dad, you know, he built homes for a living and and stuff like that. And uh I just never got into the like construction part, but this man, I my dad's like, where did this come from? I'm like, no idea, man. But I need you to cut me out a bunch of keels right now. So but uh but but my dad's like, I can't believe you're putting those things

First Hunt Over A Hand-Carve

SPEAKER_02

in the water. I'm like, yeah, man, like so, and then with this decoy here, the first time I took this out, um it was opening day of our season, uh put it out, and uh listen, I live in the middle of the state, right? There's there should not be a canvas back around. Sure, dude. This canvas, this one Drake canvas, I have it on my Instagram. This this Drake canvas back came in and landed with with this decoy, and I'm sitting there, I'm sitting there, I'm like your face. I was making right.

SPEAKER_01

I was like, how cool is that?

SPEAKER_02

It was I almost didn't shoot that bird. I'm like, this bird has to die. Like, so I guess it was meant to be. Yeah, so I got that bird mounted, but um, that's what really I mean it it spurred me on, and so um I entered in um uh our local state competition for woodworking

Competitions And Early Wins

SPEAKER_02

and stuff. My wife's like, hey, you should do it. I'm like, mm-mm, I'm not gonna do that. And uh so, like any good husband, I listened to her, and so so I did, and I ended up winning uh first place in Best of Show. No kidding, yeah. So I did it again last or last year, and I won with some pintails, and I'm like, I'm never doing this again. So I'm done.

SPEAKER_05

But uh Tyron now, Mike, I listen before we get too far into this, yeah, I've got a maybe a halfway comical thing

Do You Need Huge Spreads

SPEAKER_05

to ask.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and that is I got a question too.

SPEAKER_05

After you ask away and I want to know that if if folks that carve their own decoys are the same guys that say, Man, you don't need more than four to six decoys out there, because if not, y'all are carving a lot that's actually let me piggyback on this real quick.

SPEAKER_01

That's exactly what I was about to ask. Like, you know, there's so many like people that are like, Oh, you gotta run 12 dozen decoys. I mean, what's your thoughts on that, especially with hand carving them?

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, yes, yeah, well, I even seen Phil Robinson go against Jace one time on an episode where he was using uh his old decoys, and I don't remember if they were cork or wood or what they were. Yeah, he was using those against Jace, and he went out there and beat his butt. Uh you know.

SPEAKER_02

So yeah, so so I'll so I'll I'll tell you this. I went to um I got uh my first huge

Pro Orders And Field Proof

SPEAKER_02

order. Uh it was 24 D 24 Drake Mallards uh from Chris Aiken uh in in uh in in Arkansas. So I don't know if you know who Chris Aiken is, uh, but he's a dog world-renowned dog trainer. I mean, he's just and and here I am, right? Like this guy who just started decoy carving, and I see this phone call, and I'm like, who's this? And pick it up. And and it was a referral from my friend Chris Jobman, who is another dog trainer, world-renowned, phenomenal man. And he ordered a dozen of them for me. He was at the grand, and because I did uh an urn for his son, his son's dog that that passed.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

And so he calls me, he goes, I want a dozen of them. I'm like, okay. And he goes, wait a minute, I'll call you right back. So he tells Chris, Chris calls me, and I'm like, Chris Aiken is I'm like, you know, I mean, like, I just you just expect it's crazy. It is surreal. And I'm like, absolutely. So I told him, I said, you know what, if you're serious about ordering 24 Drake mallards, um, I I will hand deliver them to you. And so I did. And wow, very he was, man, that those guys, I cannot say enough good things about those two men. Um, where they they just want to see other people successful, uh, especially in the outdoor industry. And this is so unique. Where um Chris Aiken actually uh uh said, Hey, you know, you want to stay and hunt over them. I'm like, absolutely. I've never hunted over my nice stuff. Like I hunt over, man, listen, I hunt over like stuff that I have either uh messed up on or I get like particular. I'm like, mmm, that that tertial is just not right, so I'll throw it off to the side and I'll fill them up and I'll paint them. I mean, I like block paint them, I don't get as detailed and I hunt over those. So I've never got to hunt over anything nice and just one experience. And then um I went up to Nebraska and I hunted over a a dozen um mallards. Now, to answer your question, the first day at uh when I was hunting with Chris Jobman, we just put out my decoys. He's never hunted uh over hand-carved decoys. Uh, we had seven guns in the blind. We killed a seven-man limit of group of mallards over hand-carved decoys. Like that's amazing. Man, it was and and I tell people this all the time too. This is like it's cool. Like, decoys go back a long way, but like this is an experience, right? Like this is this is not just like to to gloat or anything. Now you you can gloat, but it's an experience, right? That you will never forget. And so so the next day we hunted over some plastics because he's like, I don't want guys shooting my decoys and stuff like that. I was like, Yeah, that's fine, I don't care. And then so we shot eight ducks that next day. Wow. So the third day he said, Hey, let's bring these back out. Let's bring your decoys out, and I'm gonna put and I'm gonna put some I'm gonna put a some plastics over here, and I'm gonna make the I'm gonna make um because he hunts on the North Platte and so on the river, and so he goes, I'm gonna make it to where the birds want to be here. I'm like, okay. And I'm telling you what, every single duck keyed on those hand-carved decoys, and they, I mean, I'm saying feet down, ready to land with them. I uh one thing I I I've learned is these I think hand-carved decoys they just project so much more life um to to your spread than than plastics do. Don't get me wrong. Plastics work, okay. Um but when when we are shooting I mean limits of mallards with four tens, like man, that's uh that says something, right? Yeah um and I learned a lot too. And you know, we did the same thing in Arkansas where we just hunted over these his 24 hand carved decoys, and um it does make a difference. Now, I'm not saying that because that's what what I do now, but I think being there and witnessing it.

SPEAKER_01

What's up, guys?

Why Hand-Carved Decoys Work

SPEAKER_01

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SPEAKER_02

And experiencing like these birds are keying in on them, you know, because they they float better, they have so much more life and attitude to them. Um each decoy I carve, it's not straight-headed, it's turned, it's tucked, it's sleeping, it's um, I mean, you you take a look at a flock of birds, they're all doing something different. So, yeah, to answer your questions, I don't think personally, I don't think you need um, you know, 24 dozen uh plastics out there, right? Well, and that just makes it miserable. Who wants to put out that uh but you you you have a dozen, two dozen hand carves, man. I would rather put out a I would rather put out half a dozen hand carves and shoot one mallard than put out 24 and shoot a seven-man limit. I mean, again, it's just that experience part where like you you get to throw that in the water and you get to see these birds come in, it's there's nothing like it. Well, I can well go ahead.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, you know, I mean, there's something to be said

Experience Over Limits

SPEAKER_05

about that, right? So we all enjoy hunting in all these different ways, and it's all about the experience, right? And I've talked a lot about how one of the things that's great about hunting, no matter what you're going after, is that there's different like ways you can approach the sport, right? And be successful. You can go hunt a deer on the ground like Fred Bear, and you can go still hunt with a recurve bow and all the primitive stuff if you want, or you can get really super technologically advanced, you know what I mean, and and use your trail cameras, do all that stuff, and but it's a different pathway, and everybody's got like this different like part of the experience that that that channels through, and no different than I now know, which I haven't hunted my dog yet, but I am now starting to get addicted to that, and you know, waiting for a whole nother year before she gets to go out and retrieve her first duck and and all that, and that's gonna be the the main part of the experience for me, you know, next year. And whether I mean I don't care if I shoot a duck, she's pick up everybody else's ducks. I don't care, but I think that's a cool way, a cool thing that you bring up is that it it kind of does the same thing, you know, just like eating your own meat and you know, all that stuff. It it ties all of that in there, and that's something I'd never even considered, yeah. To be quite honest.

SPEAKER_01

Now, one question that that spurs to me, just like hearing 24 hand-carved decoys. I mean, what what kind of time goes into it to making one, you know? I mean, it's I'm sure it's an effort.

Time And Craft Behind A Dozen

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so that that's a that's a great question. So um when I first started out, it took me like a long time. Um, and and that's because I was being because I was taking a look at pictures and I'm like, man, like how's the next sitting? How is this? And where where do the two you know, how do the primaries lay back on this? If I'm gonna paint it like this, um, and things like that. So yeah, it took me longer. Um, and I was doing it as a as a hobby, not as a how I'd make a living now, but um, but I I got quicker, I got better. Like, I I mean, when I have study bills pretty much for all the species of of birds now, but when I I usually start out with the head, and you know, I'll take some calipers and look at that study bill. So like I know now a a mallard, a Drake Mallard's bill is is about two inches long. Okay, and so um, so I I would take it, measure it here, and then you know, their little notch right here, okay. So from here to here is how how how far, and then their their nail, you know, the notch up here, this V shape here, how I mean I took I measured everything because I wanted to I wanted it to look like the real thing.

SPEAKER_05

So now scale the size and everything, right?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, absolutely. Um, and you know, some guys are like, well, your birds are smaller. I'm like, no, they're they're the actual size of the of the actual bird. Man, and I got when I first started, um, I would keep a bird, put it in the freezer, and then I would I would take measurements off of it. Wow. And and uh there was one my first Drake Mallard I did, I man, I was I had a frozen bird and I was taking measurements off of it and you know doing it to scale. And so so now I could do about three dozen in a month. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

So yeah, wow. So yeah, so I can do multiple dozen. Now, what uh how do you like how

Pricing, Keels, And Access

SPEAKER_01

is pricing work? Do you do it like the more you order, like it's a discounted type thing? And also like what I guess I yeah, just explain the pricing on them because I'm this is more like an artwork thing. It's uh you know what I mean. So if you're buying it, I understand it's like you're paying for like a quality thing here, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So that's that that's what a lot of guys uh when I first started posting. I knew guys were like so for for a single now, granted, my birds look way better than than this. Um, but uh I so for for a single gunner, I sell I sell a single gunner for $250. So that includes now, uh again, quality, right? Right. Uh I every single one of my decoys has a walnut keel on it. Um, I think walnuts are classy, it it's beautiful, it has beautiful grain. Um, and so they're getting a good deal. Even on a half a dozen, dozen, two dozen, they're getting a walnut keel. And so some guys use other forms of of wood. I I just can't, I just can't, right? It's just one of those things. It's just a quality thing. So um, so yeah, $250 for for one. Uh so then when we move up to half a dozen, it's um I think it's like it's $1320, so it's like $225 a bird. Uh, but but that includes a slotted bag that I made. So I I I designed a custom slotted bag uh for these decoys. And that bag helps uh protect the paint, you know, just protect uh it has a it has a plug at the bottom or just a hole at the bottom to allows the water to drain just so your decoys aren't sitting in water. So it it that's included. Then we move up to a dozen. Um that's uh $200 a bird. Um again, still get the slotted bag, and then uh it's like 185 or something like that for two dozen.

SPEAKER_01

So uh nice.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. So I mean, you know, and I I try to think about uh like like the blue-collar guy, you know, who's who's working, they they want nice stuff. So and you know, sure, would I love it if guys bought two dozen, yeah. But I would rather have everyone buy one and and still have that experience, you know, um and still be able to go out and and buy waiters and buy shotgun shells and buy whatever. So um, yeah, no, that's a great question.

SPEAKER_01

Well, and I think um back to kind

Art, Gear, And Value

SPEAKER_01

of experiencing hunting like in your own way, like that was a good point, you know, buying one decoy versus buying two dozen, you know, is that right there? But I think you know, waterfowl, and I I don't mean to say this like in a I don't really know how I'm trying to say this, but waterfowl, there's a lot of waterfowl hunters, it's like golf, right? Like everyone knows that this is not a cheap sport to be involved in, unfortunately, unfortunately, no matter what it is. I mean, you guys are buying $30,000 boats, buying $2,000 shotguns, just insane, just insane, insane money that's in the sport. Now, don't get me wrong, that's not us, that's not how a lot of people are, so you gotta kind of budget, you know, and back to your one decoy thing or six decoys or whatever. But I think that's what's cool about what you said is like you kind of have something for everybody in that sense, and you can still experience that with over one decoy, you know. Or if you're a guy that's gonna look at a got a big bankroll, you can get you a two dozen. Well not that.

SPEAKER_05

I'm not a I'm not a gun collector, but there sure are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people that do, especially if the upland guns can't. Yeah, and and the upland game there has always been considered the rich man's sport, right? And I'm not throwing any shade by saying that. I'm just saying it's no different than a fox hunt in England, okay? Or or whatever, okay. So it's just the the label of that because it goes all the way back to king and queen days and all that stuff where it was a it was a um a unique thing that you did. But um, I'm saying where I'm going with this is like to tie an analogy to people that collect and use things is you know, I've been with people I know people that have several guns. They have they have their everyday use gun, and then they have maybe this. I mean, I've seen shotguns at some of these places that are six figures. All right. Yeah. Yeah. And and so it just if it's not for you, then don't sit there and talk about how expensive it is. All right. But that's where I'm going with it. I think that's where I was trying to go. Yeah, yeah. And not trying to, but but this is a niche market. It's a niche thing. And it's one of those things where, like, honestly, you're scaring me a little bit because if I get one and I shoot something over it, like something What's up, guys?

SPEAKER_01

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SPEAKER_05

Crazy like that happened with like you did, then dude, like that's the best salesman you could have is is like well, and it's objectively just cool, no matter what you're doing. Yeah, I know it just is. It just is it and I think it is more appealing to that person that values you you've got to value that for it to be appealing to you, right? Correct, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so yeah, and you know, guys, and so you you you bring up a really good point. So being in in and living in Colorado, like I've I've bid I've been game hunted and and all that stuff. Listen, guys will drop $30,000 on an elk hunt and not even see an elk, right? Yeah, and and like it's cool. Like I've I've shot a deer. Oh hey, thank you so much. Thanks.

Urns, Memory, And Healing

SPEAKER_05

No, I'm just kidding.

SPEAKER_02

Oh I had my wife bring this down just to wow you because I had I had everything set up in my shop, but it's not any good internet connection. Um, this is an urn that I did. Uh I'll talk about my urns here in a second. But um wow. So so yeah, there's I mean, this is all that's beautiful. Oh, thanks. I mean, and and like you said, right down to the I mean when you look at a pintail and look at how his feathers lay across the body, right? Um, but yeah, this one uh I'm sending this one out out tomorrow. But um, but guys are pintail on the head too, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Like just the the fuller cheeks and stuff. It's and the pink too.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so on and on on pintails, they have this like greenish, iridescent, purplish hue right on their back. So um, so yeah, man, I like I said, I I get I get down and dirty. I mean, you have you have your white rum feathers here. Um, so you you you got it amazing.

SPEAKER_05

I'm sitting there looking up at the wall and I'm looking at that, looking at the wall, looking at that.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I mean, like it's uh and and so you you know, guys guys can spend $30,000 on an alkant and not even see an elk, right? Right. Like I I've shot I shot an elk. Um it was awesome. I shot with a muzzle loader and it it was great, but I punched that tag, man, and I was done. Yeah, right. Like waterfowl season, you can go out 60, 90 days and and go hard. And and what's so cool about it is it's it's never you could go to the same blind then day after day, and it's always different, right? It's like the obviously the wind, the the the weather, the the ducks that come in, whatever it is, but and you're right, I think um you know, I like I said, I don't I'm not saying you have to be rich to buy one of these, right? Um I and that's why I wanted to make it affordable to where listen, man, even if you just use just one, like it's because you roll up, you can't tell me you roll up with your buddies and you pull out a hand carved decoy, they're gonna go, what the heck? You know what I mean? And so I it's just again, it's just that experience that that uniqueness of about it. Um and it uh like I want I want it for everyone. Like, yeah, Chris Chauman told me, uh, and so I he I'm giving him all the credit for for this phrase. He's like, man, I he's like, this is like the merino decoy experience. I'm like, I'm gonna use that. I'm gonna use that. Yeah, and it truly is. Like, I truly do want everyone to have this merino decoy experience to where, man, you you put a pin tail out there, you put a canvas back, a mallard, a wood duck, and you you watch those birds work, and it's just like, man, there's sometimes I don't even want to shoot because I I love watching those birds. And um, and so just to about the experience part, um, so this urn. So I started doing urns. Um, I did my first urn with a guy uh for a guy who got me introduced to um goldeneye to to diver hunting. Okay, and uh that's that's the bird I I started out carving was a golden eye because I wanted to carve a rig of 30 golden eyes. I still have yet to complete that rig, um just because just because I'm carving birds for other people now. But um but his dog passed and I said, Hey, I said, I think it'd be super cool if if we put some of uh um of his ashes and some shotgun shells, and so you can still take him hunting. I said, I said, I won't charge you, like let me let me just do this for you. He said, Okay. And um, and man, again, an experience, like like you're gonna have that relationship with your dog, right? So, like next year when your dog goes out and retrieves that duck. I mean, you know, we put we ask a lot of our dogs. Um, I have three labs as well that that I trained. And um man, I ask a lot of them. I ask them to go into freezing cold water, get up early with me, um, you know, sit in the truck for a while. I mean, all this stuff. And so I just think like like the best thing we can do as their owner, as their provider and and protector is just honor

Mentors, Materials, And Kits

SPEAKER_02

them in in in such a way. Because I tell guys this, um, when when you have to put a dog down or whatever, first of all, it's it's horrid. It is it is I I I've had to do it, and it's just the worst feeling in the world. And then they give you a little box, and then that box is either gonna sit on the shelf in your closet, or it's gonna get pushed to the back. And I'm not saying you're gonna forget about it, but but you forget, right? Uh life moves on.

SPEAKER_05

But what's you're speaking reality to me because I've got we just put one down um you know, last year, or it's been a little over a year, actually. And and right now I got a baggie over there, and all I got is a tough of hair and a paw print. You know, and and man, I wish I mean it wasn't a duck dog, but still in all, that's all I got.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and that's just it. And so there's uh so this this client um wanted so he sent me half of uh his dog's ashes, and he's taken the other half and he's uh making a call out of it, a duck call. Wow, wow, which I think that's super cool. So so I I I carve the whole decoy and then I split the decoy in in half. Um, and then I haul I hollow it out, and then I insert the ashes in, close it up, uh seal it up, and then um paint over it. But uh I figured out a way where there's no seams, like so it's completely sealed too. So yeah, so like this, so he plants.

SPEAKER_05

I mean, there's no reason to, right?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, no, no, there's no reason to, but it's it's sealed. This is there's this is uh I mean it's a solid bottom, and um, but he you know, he's gonna take this hunting uh a couple times a year, and then other than that, he can display it, you know, on his mantle and and look at uh a bird instead of a box, but remember, man, like my my dog's last retrieve, my dog's first retrieve or what whatever it was, and and also too many, it's a healing process, like yeah loss is loss, right? Um, like I got like the loss of my hair, it's lost, right? I mean, let's go, bro. Hey, let's go. Okay, cool, cool.

SPEAKER_03

All right, I'm I'm digging this.

SPEAKER_05

I don't have that problem.

SPEAKER_03

I'm kidding, I'm kidding. But uh, I'm all jacked up.

SPEAKER_05

Guys like this, like this punk us out.

SPEAKER_02

Like you probably wait on him to do his hand in the morning before hunting or something.

SPEAKER_05

Oh my gosh, I'm just joking. Yeah, like people like like I joke around people that like do all these things to their beautiful hair, and I'm just like, I don't have to pay for those products.

SPEAKER_02

That's what I'm saying, like you don't ask me to say. I haven't bought shampoo.

SPEAKER_01

I will I will say it's like 30 bucks every three or four weeks. So, you know, I mean you guys are saving some money.

SPEAKER_05

I haven't bought shampoo. I haven't got a lot of things. I don't know where they're gonna say that. But I am definitely saving, let's say, let's say 250, let's say 250 a month from Dollar General some some decent shampoo. Yeah, so dude, I'm like, I'm saving what? That's you can buy 24 birds with with a no, I gotta keep the I gotta make a list on this.

SPEAKER_01

So if if you go bald, your next step is buy some decoys. That's right.

SPEAKER_05

You're I mean on your

Chasing The Feeling Of Finish

SPEAKER_05

business plan with your wife, you put on there, say, look, I've been brushing my teeth less per year. Uh I wipe I wipe my butt less per year. Yeah, that's funny.

SPEAKER_02

I'm just being no, that's that's funny, but you know, it's uh uh and and all this just spurred out of like nowhere, right? Um, I I've never taken a carving class. Like I've had uh now I have had a lot of guys help me. Um I've called um there's this guy, um uh Luke, who is in Ohio. He has been um so gracious to me, and I can't thank him enough. Um you know, I messaged him one day out of the blue. Um, I'm like, hey, you're really good at this. What am I doing wrong? And he's just like, well, drop this here, do this. I'm like, oh, okay. Um, and now he that's where I buy all my cork from. Um, he um uh he owns and operates Coffee Creek Cork. And so if guys are looking to get into um decoy, a lot of guys message me like, hey, what do I need? Whatever. I wish that uh I had so they have carving kits, right? So where uh let's say you want to carve a canvas bag, pinch anything, um, you get a cutout body, you get the head, you get the eyes, uh, you get the pattern, and all you got to do is take everything off that doesn't look like the duck, put the head on, put the eyes in, paint it. I mean, I wish I had that back in the day. Um, but but he's been a great, great help, you know, and other guys, these other carvers um who I'm just reaching out to, I'm like, how did you get that angle or how did you do this? And um, because I'm you know, some of these guys have been carving for 40 years, yeah. And I'm like, you're not taking that knowledge with you when you die, so you might as well share it, right? And so, but there, I mean, everyone is is great, and um, but really to me, it it's almost like like chasing that drag and chasing that high again, where it's like, yeah, I will never forget that feeling for that canvas back jumped in. And and I mean, I still get that feeling when I see birds, you know, um coming in into decoys, but that's what we're after, right? Like we are we're after being successful, we're after, you know, killing a limit. And I think like what you were saying is that you there's different levels, right? Where it's like, okay, you you get all green heads, and then you kill a limit, and then you kill a seven, and then you whatever. And now I think we all get to to the point to where uh where it's like okay, I want a different experience, I want something that I've never experienced before. Um, man, but what's cool is like this stuff never gets old. Like, man, like you put out you put out hand, and what's cool is it's it's just fun. Like you pull out, you can put out half dozen, dozen whatever, and and see what happens. Um so that's pretty cool. Yeah, it's it's been a blessing. That's that's for sure.

SPEAKER_05

Now, Mike, I want to know, and I don't know why I feel it's calling on me or tugging on me a little bit, but you know, obviously, you know, you're you're a man of God, believer in Christ, and everything. And um, I'm just curious. And if I'm tapping too hard, let me know. But it have you been able to find that connection of what I mean where you're at spiritually is like is has the decoying been a part of an interconnection there with uh with your your religious experience? I'm just curious.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah,

Faith Woven Into The Craft

SPEAKER_02

so great, great question. So um I was uh so I actually just went into full-time decoy carving um uh two months ago. Yeah, and so I was I was a children's pastor, and I was seeing we were seeing about 500 kids uh a a weekend, um, and and it was great. I loved it. Um but uh when I started carving, I started to realize a lot about myself as I was carving. Um so that and then I would just relate it, and I and truthfully, when I was taking wood off the head or sealing a bird, everything about decoy carving points back to Christ. And people are like, Well, how does that make sense? I'm like, Well, let me tell you. Um, yeah, so when when when I'm taking off wood, right, I'd sit there and go, Man, like, well, this is what This winter, elevate your outdoor pursuits with Williamson Outfitters, offering professionally guided experiences along Florida's Forgotten Coast.

SPEAKER_01

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SPEAKER_02

I can take this bird that's all shot up and wrecked and ugly, and I can fix it. Why? Because I know the bird, I I know how I carved it and I know its purpose, right? Um, and so I I can fix it just like Christ could, you know, and and he does fix us. But the the biggest thing is uh I I named my company just one more. Um, and one, it just fits in, right? How many times did you just need one more bird for a limit, man? Like there's I don't have enough fingers and toes to right. Um and just one more step from a deer.

SPEAKER_05

I mean, honestly, like yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I it just just or or like what about just one more hour, just one more hunt with a with a dad or a grandpa or a dog, right? Um, and and I was thinking about all this as I was driving back from Tennessee from a ducks from the Ducks Expo with my wife, and man, it just it just hit me like like a ton of bricks. I'm like, just one more. Uh I we've all had that experience, but my whole goal and in all this is is just uh is to lead just one more person to Christ through these decoys. And so listen, I'm not people like you're the next Duck Dynasty, is like, no, I said uh Phil Robertson made the duck hauls, I'm just making the decoys. Um you you gotta have you you gotta have you can't have one without the other. And so, but I can't tell you, and I put out these, I call them duck devos. Um, so once a week I I put out a duck devo that relates to carving and and God, whether like this last one I did was about a refuge, right? And I I learned so much about duck refuges and and why they're so important to us. Um, well, I mean, Christ is our refuge, right? Yeah, and it's so funny because I'll get in the blind with guys and um you know they're cussing or whatever, and they're like, hey, what do you do? I'm like, I'm a pastor and I carve decoys. Why?

SPEAKER_03

And I'm like, which that's like my favorite part, man. That's like my favorite part.

SPEAKER_02

But but but my even my my favorite favorite, my favoritist part is going, hey, listen, it's okay, you don't even be sorry about nothing. Because if these mallards dump in here and put their feet down, I might say a choice few words. So like, first of all, I am no better than you, okay? I'm seriously no better than you. The the but what

Community, Generosity, Legacy

SPEAKER_02

I do tell them is um the one thing is that I I know who I am, right? I know I'm a man, I'm a sinner in need of a savior. And um we all are for sure. Which man, and we are, and so uh so ministry-wise, like this is my ministry now. Um, like this is how I provide for for my family. Yeah, is it is it uh some people think I might be crazy, and I'm like, yeah, a lot of people thought Phil Robertson he was was crazy, right? But but but the thing is how many guys are out there that duck hunt or hunt in general that would never step inside a foot of a church, right? I could probably I can name like a hundred of them right now. Yeah, but the thing is I man, I'm just me, right? And people like, oh, you're a pastor. I'm like, listen, time out. I I don't even like that title. Um, I'm just a person who loves a duck hunt and loves God, loves decoys, but I just realized that um man, I'm a I'm a I'm a wretched individual. And the thing is, uh man, the Bible says that there's no one, no one is good, right? There's not Paul writes, there's not one of us that is good. We have all sinned. And I'm like, all. That's ever that's the definition of all. And so when I realize that and knowing, I'm like, you're going one or two places, right? Uh, and if I love people, then I better tell them about it, right? And I'm not the kind of guy who's gonna shove it in your face or down your throat, like it's just this is just a conversation, right? Right. Um and so I get to have these conversations all the time with with guys, and I think about um all these men who are in a blind uh on Sundays, on Saturdays, and I've been there too. Yeah, but some people like, oh well, I don't want to, you know, I gotta miss church. I'm like, buddy, we could do church right here.

SPEAKER_04

Right.

SPEAKER_02

But like this is church, man. Like you get to be in God's creation, and we get to see things that uh people will never get to see, right? Like, how many beautiful sunsets or sunrises have you seen? And like watching the the the woods come alive is unreal, right? Man, that's hot like to me, that's like like the pulling the trigger and killing part is like a bonus to me. Like getting to see and experience the rest of that stuff is is is it. And so like this morning I went and spoke at uh an FTA, uh fellow Christian athletes at a middle school, and I and I agree with uh then you used to go to events.

SPEAKER_01

We we used to have like events at the school and yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. High school middle school not events, like more like meetings. It was like uh 7 30 a.m.

SPEAKER_02

Like kind of that's it, yeah. Yeah, so I I mean I bring decoys and and that's what I talk about. And really, what the first thing that came to me when I was carving decoys is man that like God spoke all this into existence, right? Genesis chapter one, and so God spoke like the mallards and the pintails and camp, he spoke all that into existence, and here I am trying to like, how do you get the iridescence, God? I'm like, dude, you spoke this into existence, right? And I'm sitting here like struggling, uh trying not to cuss because I'm getting so frustrated, right? But but you spoke into existence, and then then we turn to Genesis chapter two, uh, verse seven, it says, Let us make man in our own image. And then it says that God formed man out of the dust of the earth. And I'm like, wait a minute. And there was a time where I sat back and forth, I flipped back and forth between one page doing this for like half hour, and I realized something that God spoke everything into existence, but we are the only thing that God got off of his throne with and handmade is that he formed us, right?

SPEAKER_05

That's right.

SPEAKER_02

So check that out. And it blew me away. And I'm like, so he pre and look how much detail we have, right? Yeah, I mean, it's not and could he have spoken us into existence. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05

The intricacies of the human body are sometimes unfathomable.

SPEAKER_02

It's it's crazy.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

It's crazy. Yeah. And to think that he spent the time to do that for with me and for me. And then we have the only thing animals don't, which it says that he breathed the breath of life into us. And so not only are we created in his image, but but we have his breath of life. Now then people get into like, well, why did God, why would a loving God send people to hell? Well, I'll hold on a second. You you love your son, right? I I have two sons now, and I have a six-year-old and a uh I have a six-year-old, a four-year-old daughter, and then a five-month-old uh son. Uh and so I look at my son going, man, you look like me, man. Like bald in everything. It's great. Like and so I'm like, I I helped create you. And and to think about what I would do for my son, sons, right? Like I would do anything for them.

SPEAKER_04

For sure.

SPEAKER_02

And so because we sinned, God's like, man, I created you by hand and I love you so much that I'm gonna give up my son to die for your sins. And all we need to do is repent of our sins and quit being heathens. Like it's simple, right? Like it's so simple. Right. Um and so, but yeah, man, that that's how I like like my my weekly content I put out is is a is a thought in my head that I get while I'm painting or carving. And I'm like, that's for me, God. I bet I better say that or better, you know, post this. And um it it it does, man. I've uh one thing I I've I've realized is that we can search and look for everything to make us happy, right? Um but there's only one thing that's gonna save us from ourselves. We can't save us from us, right? And so um, but no, it's great being in the blind talking about it. I don't I don't push it on people, um, but you know, that's my story. I mean, that's I mean, these these decoys are are everything to me. And there's some times where I I sit back like this pentail. I uh I sit back and I I bring it inside the house to kind of I look at it to see if if the feathers are right and all this other stuff, but I'm like, how in the world did I just do that? Like I've I have no idea, and truthfully, people don't believe me that I'm like this is my second year doing this. That's crazy, man.

SPEAKER_05

It's a it's a gift. Well, and and then and the thing that I'm sitting here admirably thinking about with you is you know, now the way that we've had this conversation, um, it hits a little bit different for me. This earned thing, right? Um, whether it be for a loved one, um, your animal, whatever it is, think about. I mean, like, like I don't even want to go down the rabbit hole of like the whole like this happens, one thing happens, to one thing happens, and God knows it all. But I'm just saying to it's gotta be super gratifying to know that hey, you know, this person for some reason I first of all, I started doing this, and second of all, now I've got a place for somebody as to help them heal, yeah. You know what I mean, or whatever it is. And I just think that in itself to me, it is hitting a little different as we're talking, yeah, you know, versus just the urn, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's um to to hear to to hear these guys. So, like when Chris Jobman called me when when he got his urn, he said that he opened up that box and he said he he cried. Like him, his son cried. I'm like, what? I'm like, you cried. I'm like, and and he's like, Man, you have no idea like what that did for us. And then when I was in Arkansas, he he sent me a picture of his son. Um uh he went out and and hunted it the very last spot where where his dog picked up his his last retrieve, and he shot he sent me a picture, and dude, that just gave me like the chills, right? It just it just gave me just the chills um to to know that like he got to hunt with his dog again, right? Wow, that's super cool. Yeah, it was it was uh but it's just a carved decoy.

SPEAKER_05

You know what I mean? Like the guy sitting out there, the guy that man, it's just carved decoy. What's the whole hype behind the carb decoy? Listen, I've learned so how long we've been on this podcast? 40 minutes. I've learned more like I'm in shock myself, to be quite honest. I mean, just um is and of course, enjoy the the the spiritual connection of that is incredible too, and because I mean uh it's a very important to Tristan and I as well, you know. But but man, um it it's more than just that, right? And and the other analogy that I just wanted to speak of real quick that I think will help people relate is art, right? Yeah, music and art, right? So you can go to Walmart and get a duplicate of something that's mass-produced that cost you six dollars to put on your wall, right? Or for example, Papa Tom, my dad is a professional artist, you know, or you know, he had a one of his his his his uh um oil paintings went for um I don't know what was $350, $400 at a at a Delta Waterfowl convention, helped not, I mean they didn't have any mind. I mean, big shout out to Stacy and her husband, but they didn't have any problem paying for that art. Yeah, do you know what I'm saying? Yeah, it's got unique, and that's the same thing I think uh again that you that that's the customer um right there.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, and and you're right. It this and I forget, like I I'm glad you brought that up because I do forget that this is art. Like my like my dad still is like in shock every time I bring him over one. I'm like, check this one out. He's like, what? And I'm like, and and and again, it it is art. And to there's so many people that just collect decoys just to put it in their house, right? Yeah, um, but like you said, so like your dad's art to to where he I mean he painted that. I mean, and and it's so crazy to think about that. Now I'm going down a rabbit hole. It's crazy to think because I'd never thought about myself like this. I have stuff up here, yeah, but to make it come out and to where I can like touch it, feel it, and like see what I was thinking of is it it's a that that hits different. That it's it's totally different. Um, you know, I I donate one to our local Ducks Unlimited chapter uh now every year. And you know, I I I love to give back too. Like there's um this dad who reached out to me and he was saying his son has cancer and uh he wants to buy one for me. And I'm like, man, let me just carve you one, dude. I don't, I don't like like don't get yeah, sure, sure. Could I use the 250 bucks? Absolutely. I gotta put diapers on my son. But I'm like, you know what? I would rather bless him. Like, I could, and and that's like the that's like the the the weight of it sometimes, right? Like it's it's still so like this this urn, uh the client was messaging me and I said, Hey, you just let me so his dog didn't pass it, but he was like, he was like right there, right? Saturday morning, uh one Saturday, I rolled over and I see a text message from him, and he shot me a picture of of of him and his dog hunting again, and then he sends me a text right after, and he's like, Hey man, um Reed just passed, and I'm like, bro, heck, I'm like, what? I'm like, was that an old picture? He's like, no, he he passed, you know, on a retrieve.

SPEAKER_00

I'm like, what? Oh my gosh, bro. I'm like, no way, hopefully not from a hunting accident.

SPEAKER_02

No, no, no, no. So he was no no, so he he was old, super old dog, and uh, I think he had cancer bad, and but but the dog loved, I mean, he he just I believe it, dude.

SPEAKER_05

They love it, and and I hope that's the way I die, honestly.

SPEAKER_02

On my last move, my last hunt or whatever. I'm like, you just ruined my day. Like, like, I'm sorry, but but you know what I mean? Yeah, so like but but but to think about like just not only like the healing process, but like when he looks at this this duck now, he doesn't see like a dead dog, right? He doesn't see his his dog who just he was he was actually retrieving a wood duck and he went out there, went to grab it and just passed. But um it's uh wow, yeah, right. And and then I think about this, like uh Colorado had no ducks this year. It it sucked, man. Like it was horrible. I pulled it through, I pulled the trigger three times this year in Colorado. It was horrible. Wow. And and to think about some guys like, would you wouldn't you rather be hunting? I'm like, little do you know, I'm hunting every day. They're like, what? I'm like, yes, I am. I'm like, I get to be a part of other guys killing birds, like right.

SPEAKER_01

I mean get those possible pictures, yep.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I'm like, I'm killing birds without even pulling the trigger. And like, I I just get I get so much satisfactory out of out of the joy that's being had and the memories that that that are being made. Um, this is the uh let's see if it'll focus. Focus, there he goes, yep. So that's the urn I made for his son and had a handful of ducks on it, you know, in his other hand. And so uh so yeah, that that yeah, that's on my Instagram.

SPEAKER_05

But I mean, when I when I get pictures like that, I'm like dude, that's something that will be there for for generations. Do you know what I'm saying? I mean, really, I mean, think about how often do we have the opportunity, and I know you probably have already recognized this, but how often do we have the opportunity to be part of either even your own family's name and conversations

History Of Decoys And Wrap

SPEAKER_05

generations on, right? You know, I mean, I guess it's really easy if if you know I hit the lottery, you know, and you'd be like, you know, dad hit the lottery, and that's why we have this farm or whatever. But I'm just saying, what a great opportunity for you to to also have that part of it. You know what I'm saying? Like people will pick this up and go, Who's that guy?

SPEAKER_02

You know what I mean? Like, oh wow, you know, so well, and and there's a guy who just or and you and I'm glad you brought that up. There's a guy who who just ordered a dozen of them from me, and he's like, Hey, I'm I'm buying these for my son, and I'm like, man, that is I I can't tell you how many I just finished up a birthday present. Uh it's a Drake Mallard, uh, for a guy who bought it for his son. Like, and that's what I think about. Like, not only I'm not just carving these decoys to to get a paycheck, like I like I love talking to clients. I'm like, why do you want this decoy carve? What do you like for for what reason? Like, yeah, what's the purpose? And man, when I get to hear the stories behind like why, like the why, um, like this guy wants a dozen of them for his son. So um just as a gift, like man, if my dad ever bought me a dozen decoy hand carved decoys, right? Like his son can pass that on to his kids and his kids, you know what I mean? Just just like what you said, and it's uh man, it's it's a it'll live on forever. These things they'll outlast me, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_01

Um that's awesome stuff, man. And yeah, we'll we'll have to do this again because I feel like honestly, like we could talk about this for another two hours.

SPEAKER_05

Oh man, I know I'm like, I no, I I know I know you guys gotta even go like let's make sure we do because I want to go down like we did some chat GPT before we're going, and dude, just a simple fact, and I want to I don't want to burn down this rabbit hole because we're short on time, but uh I just want to hit the stat with people to set you up for the next conversation and you too, Mike. Yeah, the first animal decoys ever made were 4,000 years ago, yeah. Hand-carved decoys um in Egypt.

SPEAKER_04

Yep.

SPEAKER_05

All right, so we've got a lot to talk about. Yeah, my point.

SPEAKER_02

I I got uh got a lot, a lot to say. Yeah, I got some I'd love to share some more about that stuff with you too. So yeah, um, but uh, but yeah, please. I I'd love, yeah. No, thank you guys. And if anyone's interested, yeah, they could just visit me at uh merinodecoys.com. They can look me up on Instagram, Facebook, all that fun stuff.

SPEAKER_01

So perfect, man. That's awesome. Well, Mike, we really appreciate it, man. And uh it seems like you got an awesome thing going on there, and so looking forward to get this conversation out to people. That's right. That's right.

SPEAKER_05

We'll connect and get you in here for part two. Absolutely, man. I look forward to it. All right, brother. God bless. Take care of you, family, and that little one. Thanks, man. You too.

SPEAKER_01

Take care, man.

SPEAKER_05

See ya.