Boat U.S. - January 2008 - (Page 34) Water ont Living There is a bumper sticker commonly the festival over the years have totaled more not allowed in exhibits or on the shuttle seen while traveling on the highways and than $4.6 million, which has provided fund- buses. Retriever demonstrations are byways of Maryland’s Eastern Shore that ing to more than 50 wildlife conservation some of the most popular events. sums up the local belief in the supremacy groups through the Waterfowl Festival Grants Local hunters show off their dogs’ of the Eastern Shore lifestyle. It simProgram. skills during the demonstrations, serving ply states: There is No Life West of the up increasingly difficult retrieving challengChesapeake. es to the dogs, including blind retrieves This disdain for the hustle and bustle and directing the dog to one “duck” of the western side of the Bay, home to versus another with whistle and hand the state capital of Annapolis and the signals. Despite temperatures hovering in nation’s capital, may have its roots in the the 40s and chilly waters, dog after dog traditions of agriculture and the ideals leapt into the waters of the Easton Village of a simpler way of life. The character of ponds eager to carry out the task for the Eastern Shore, famously described which they were bred and trained. in James Michener’s Chesapeake, has New in 2007 was a “DockDogs” changed in the past 50 years, since the competition, where dogs jump from a opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge dock into a specially constructed pool, made it accessible to the rest of the going for distance. Handlers have 90 seccountry. But it still remains a land of wide onds to get their dog set, and get them open fields and numerous waterways, up to speed for a running leap using the tributaries of the toys or other lures. While Chesapeake that watersome of the dogs manmen have dragged for aged jumps of more than oysters and trapped crabs 20 feet, others reluctantly on for generations. belly-flopped off the end. Fall on the Eastern Handlers as young as Shore brings not only the eight successfully got their return of oyster season, dogs through a jump. At but also the return of the least one dog managed a geese, ducks and other jump of 23 feet, impreswaterfowl that travel the sive, but shy of the world Photo by David Bishop Chesapeake as part of At top, a retriever named Chocolate wows the record of 28 feet, 10 crowd with a leap of more than 20 feet. Developing their migration. Hunting inches. for ducks and geese using the skills needed to carve decoys good enough to The festival is made decoys, calls and retriev- fool other birds translates to sculptures of incredpossible by the work of Photo by Melissa Grimes-Guy ers is a tradition that has ible realism, above and right. 1,500 volunteers includremained even as the decoys themselves In addition to carvings, visitors can view ing local students known in festival jargon changed. galleries of paintings and prints, collections as “Duck Sitters.” In addition to awarding Before the days of plastic and inflat- of Duck Stamps, sculpture and a waterfowl- conservation grants from the proceeds, able decoys, duck hunters carved their ing artifact museum. the festival also gives scholarships to decoys by hand from wood. The laborious The festival is spread over a dozen local high school students. In 2007, 22 pursuit of the perfect imitation has result- locations in and nearby downtown Easton, students received $1,000 scholarships ed in astounding likenesses. The art of with shuttle service provided to help move from the William A. Perry Scholarship carving and painting these decoys is celvisitors along. Besides viewing the art, Fund, founded in 1997 after the passebrated annually at the Easton Waterfowl activities include a wine tasting pavilion, ing of its namesake, one of the original Festival, held in historic Easton, MD, each with vintners from all over Maryland offerfounders of the festival. To date, the fund November. In addition to displaying some ing samples, a decoy auction, fly fishing has awarded nearly $120,000 in scholarof the finest wildlife art in the nation, the and retriever demonstrations, a kids’ fishing ships. The conservation dollars remain festival is a showcase of Eastern Shore derby, carving demonstrations, duck calling local as well, funding wetland restoration living. competitions, book signings and concerts projects to improve waterfowl habitat Founded in 1971 with the support of after hours. throughout the Delmarva peninsula. In Ducks Unlimited, the festival began with While much of the art focuses on the end, the Easton Waterfowl festival is 50 exhibitors and about 4,000 visitors. ducks and other waterfowl, a good portion not just a reflection of the traditions of Today 400 nationally recognized artists focuses on the duck hunter’s companion, Eastern Shore life, but also a defender of are invited to exhibit their art to as many the retriever. Dogs are common in the them. as 20,000 visitors. The proceeds from streets of Easton during the festival, though — By Michael Vatalaro 34 BoatU.S. Magazine January 2008 EastErn shorE Expo
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