The Pascagoula Decoy Company owned by L.C. Winterton was one of several decoy manufacturing operations known to have existed in Pascagoula. The company is often confused with the Animal Trap Company ( later to become The Woodstream Company) which produced decoys at a plant in Pascagoula. The area in and around Pascagoula had an abundance of tupelo gum and pop ash trees, wood which is extremely buoyant, light and easy to carve.
The Pascagoula Decoy Company which began operations in 1941, produced thousands of decoys that were sold under the trade name “PADCO”. These decoys were sold by jobbers, hardware dealers and sporting good stores all over the United States. A wide range of decoy styles were made in at least four grades. They also manufactured and advertised for sale canoe paddles and boat oars. The company made the last wooden decoys in PascagOUla in 1962, before switching to solid foam decoys. The company ceased operations by 1970.
For additional information
American Factory Decoys, 1981 by Henry A. Fleckenstein.
Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway, 1981 by Alan G. Haid.
Decoys – A North American Survey, 1983 by Gene and Lindy Kangas.
North American Decoys, Winter 1976.
Pascagoula Decoys, 2003 by Joe Bosco.