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14 Bob Mosher, arguably one of the most nationally famous local decoy carvers, is also an avid historian and collector of what he sees as a uniquely American art form. Like most carvers, Mosher hunted birds in his youth and began carving his own decoys as a teen. His preferred hunting ground was Hingham Harbor, where he absorbed some history while hunting alongside some of the "old timers" whose decoys were made by legendary Hingham craftsmen Joe Lincoln and Russ Burr. He explains that decoys are used to attract live birds, so the more realistic they look, the better. Groups or "rigs" of decoys are set in the water to lure birds flying by. "Ducks like decoys. The idea is to fool the bird so that it will come down, by making it think the area is safe and a good place to eat." Much like we would stop and eat at a restaurant with a full parking lot, taking that as a good recommendation, so would the birds see the decoys as a good sign and come within shooting range. In Joe Lincoln's heyday during the early 1900's, there was an active group of "market gunners" on the South Shore. A market gunner hunts to sell to the market. In the case of Hingham gunners, they Carving out a Place in the South Shore Folk Art Tradition by Maryellen Dever The art of carving wood decoys dates back to a time in Hingham's history when there were many wood craftsmen. Hingham was known as "Bucket Town" for its distinctive utilitarian wooden ware. Much like fishermen need bait and flies to catch fish, wildfowl hunters need decoys to attract live birds. The South Shore, and particularly Hingham, is home to some of the finest decoy artists, past and present, in the country. A Golden Plover carved by Bob Mosher in the Lincoln style