Overview

Delbert Lee "Cigar" Daisey (March 6, 1928 – April 19, 2017) was an American maker of decoys and a noted waterfowl craftsman who lived and worked on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Often called simply "Cigar" Daisey, he produced nearly two thousand carved and painted birds over a career that bridged practical use and collectible art. His pieces were intended as working decoys for hunters as well as objects appreciated for their form and finish.

Style, materials, and technique

Daisey worked in traditional decoy-making materials, favoring cork and various woods and beginning with balsa for his earliest efforts. He carved both individual birds and matched pairs, typically rendering drakes (males) and hens (females) together. His subjects included common Atlantic flyway species such as:

  • mallards
  • black ducks
  • redheads
  • ruddy ducks
  • red-breasted mergansers

Carvers who make working decoys balance realism with durability; Daisey’s pieces are characterized by straightforward silhouettes, careful paint layering to suggest plumage, and a focus on the shapes and poses that make decoys effective at sea or on marshes. Collectors value these practical attributes alongside aesthetic qualities.

Life and career

Born in Chincoteague, Virginia, Daisey learned to carve at an early age in his father’s woodshop and completed his first duck in 1940. He spent much of his life on the Eastern Shore and was associated with local institutions such as the Refuge Waterfowl Museum, where his work and stories about the region’s hunting and maritime culture were preserved. Over decades he produced roughly 1,900 carved ducks and became known regionally and nationally among carvers, hunters, and museum curators.

Collections, recognition, and conservation

Examples of Daisey’s decoys are held in public and private collections; the Smithsonian has acquired examples for study and display. In addition to his craft, Daisey’s life reflected a long connection to the outdoors and, later in life, active support for habitat protection and wetland stewardship—roles often associated with waterfowl conservationist efforts.

Notable facts and legacy

His nickname arose from incidents in his youth tied to local hunting customs; he gained the name "Cigar" after leaving cigar butts as a provocation while poaching on nearby islands. Daisey’s work is valued for straddling two traditions: the functional decoy used by hunters and the decorative carving collected by enthusiasts. Museums, regional historians, and decoy collectors continue to cite his carvings as representative of mid-20th-century Chesapeake Bay carving traditions.

Further context

Delbert Daisey’s story sits within a longer American craft tradition of decoy carving that blends subsistence, sport, folk art, and conservation. Researchers and enthusiasts looking for regional context may consult local histories of Chincoteague and Virginia wetlands, study the practices of waterfowl hunters and decoy makers, and compare his methods to other wood carver practitioners. Details on hunting practices and the use of decoys appear in broader resources on waterfowl hunting and fieldcraft.