Decoy and Gunning Show this Weekend in Tuckerton

The 31st annual Ocean County Decoy and Gunning Show is set to take over Tuckerton this Saturday and Sunday and admission is free.

The two full days of events will feature "hundreds of artisans and vendors displaying and selling their goods for waterfowling enthusiasts, dog lovers, Barnegat Bay stewards and families who simply love spending time together in the outdoors," according to an article written by Victoria Lassonde for the Out and About Ocean County newsletter.

The show takes place concurrently at the Tuckerton Seaport and at Tip Seaman County Park, both in Tuckerton, with free parking and shuttles available at the Seaport, Pinelands Regional High School and Freedom Fields County Park. Events run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

"It’s a celebration of local heritage with a special emphasis on the traditional skills associated with the bayman’s way of life," the newsletter says.

Decoy carving and working decoy rigs, boating and gunning, retrieving, and goose- and duck-calling are all part of the fun, right along with wildlife art, outdoor gear and hunting and fishing supplies.

According to German Georgieff, Chief Naturalist at Wells Mills County Park in Waretown, the show’s main purpose and primary mission “is to preserve and promote the crafts and traditions of New Jersey’s waterfowlers and baymen.”

In recent years, he said, the number of vendors has ranged from 175 to 200. Music, food, demonstrations and other attractions make it a family friendly event that fits into any schedule. 

Antiques, collectibles and a decoy auction will entice browsers and buyers of that particular persuasion. Exhibition shooter Tim Bradley will dazzle with his tricks.

For more information, click on hyperlinks above.