Jess Heisler

Jess Heisler worked as a boat builder and a professional decoy maker. The nearly two thousand decoys he produced serve as examples of the English school of carving. Using western cedar, Heisler hollowed each three-piece decoy, grooved the tails and wing tips and raised the primaries. His earlier birds have round bottoms and extensive carving on the tails. Later birds are referred to as “rocking horse” style decoys. Heisler designed these stools for use on rougher waters and made them larger with bigger jaws and fat cheeks. Not only was Jess Heisler known for his unique carving style, but also for his precise painting.