Pintail drake decoy by William “Bill” Goenne (b1944 -), King City, California. Decoy is signed by the maker and there is a hunter’s initials. This oversize decoy was crafted from redwood, has glass eyes, a large wooden keel, and outstanding all original paint. There are a few rubs and dings from its use as a hunting decoy.

William “Bill” Goenne is a master decoy carver from King City, California. He has carved many handmade wooden working decoys from redwood. Often branded “WRG”, with glass eyes and wooden keels. His known species include mallards, widgeon, pintails, cinnamon teal, green-winged teal, blue-winged teal, and wood ducks.

His work appears regularly in auctions and decoy dealer inventories, valued for solid craftsmanship and originality.

Goenne represents an important but underrepresented tradition — the California/West Coast decoy maker — whose work reflects the Pacific Flyway hunting culture rather than the more heavily documented Chesapeake Bay or Illinois River schools.