Ocracoke, North Carolina, circa 1910, carved and painted wood, incised BF and A brands.

Length 17 in.

Root head decoys are rare and highly prized folk art. Ben Fulcher made this decoy for his own hunting rig as it is branded BF. It later became part of the Junius Austin's rig as it bears his incised A brand. Junius was born in 1917 in Hatteras but moved to Ocracoke where his father was the lighthouse keeper. He probably began professional guiding under Gary Bragg and later married one of his granddaughters.
Exhibited at Duke University 2023.

Old gunning paint, multiple age checks in body and head, chipping to tail.