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What began out of necessity has been elevated to the status of art form. Hunters eager to put food on their tables began making birds from wood hundreds of years ago, hoping that the carvings would fool ducks, geese and other wild fowl; lure them in for a closer look; and make them easy targets.

These days, birds aren't the only creatures attracted by decoys; there are plenty of humans interested in waterfowl carvings, as well. Somewhere along the way, people realized that decoy carving takes true talent and that the men and women who specialize in this craft should be honored just as any other artist is. Indeed, the decoy has evolved from a hunter's tool to an object d'art.

Nowhere is that evolution more apparent than in Maryland, which not only boasts an array of museums that feature decoy collections, but which also plays host to a number of festivals centered around the carvings and their creators.

Each year in mid-November, for example, the town of Easton on Maryland's Eastern Shore is transformed into a showplace for the carvings and paintings of more than 450 waterfowl artists. The Waterfowl Festival, which began in 1970, annually attracts nearly 20,000 people during a three-day weekend. Besides serving as an excellent opportunity to purchase art, the event offers a chance for people to watch carvers at work and learn about the craft through seminars. Those festival-goers generate hundreds of thousands of dollars, which in turn supports wildlife conservation and education projects along the Atlantic coast of the United States.

Humans aren't the only ones who flock to Maryland at festival time. The event takes place at the same time as the migration of Canada geese, so the sky is peppered with V-shaped formations and the air will be filled with a honking sound.

The Waterfowl Festival is considered one of the finest of its kind anywhere in the world. Fortunately for Maryland, some of the festivals that compete for that title are also located within the state. As just one example, the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art annually coordinates the Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition in Ocean City. During that contest, more than 1,000 carvers compete for $100,000 in cash and prizes.

On a smaller -- but no less impressive -- scale, several museums and towns throughout the state incorporate decoy carving into local festivals that celebrate the state's Chesapeake Bay heritage. A complete listing of those festivals is available in the state's annual calendar of events, Maryland Celebrates.

Maryland's Decoy Collections

Decoy carving has played such a prominent role in Maryland's history that a number of museums in the state have dedicated either exhibit space or entire facilities to displays of carvings. All of them are worth a visit.

Calvert Marine Museum - A collection of duck, swan and goose decoys is among the displays at this Southern Maryland museum, which gets special marks for its child-friendly approach to educating visitors. Among its other highlights are the Wm. B. Tennison, an old oyster buyboat that provides cruises around Solomons Harbor and the Patuxent River; the Drum Point Lighthouse, which is open for exploration; and a pair of frolicking otters named Bubbles and Squeak.

Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum - Here, at what many consider a model museum of regional history, displays include boats, bay crafts and memorabilia; an aquarium of bay life; the Hooper Strait Lighthouse; and a decoy collection. The facility is one of the highlights of a trip to the quaint town of St. Michaels.

Crisfield Historical Museum - Established to honor Governor J. Millard Tawes, who called Crisfield home, this museum is a testament to both the man and his town. Exhibits profile Tawes, the local art and folklore of the area, the region's Indian heritage, and the history and development of Crisfield's seafood industry. Since Crisfield was home to the Ward brothers, known internationally for their carvings, the museum includes an impressive decoy collection.

Havre de Grace Decoy Museum - Decoys carved by Madison Mitchell, Paul Gibson and others are on display in the museum, which is located by the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. A diorama of lifelike figures of Mitchell and his friends gives visitors a glimpse of a decoy workshop, and live carvers demonstrate their craft on weekends.

Maryland Historical Society Museum - Decoys constitute one portion of the Radcliffe Maritime Museum on the museum's lower level. Items of interest within other sections of the museum include the original manuscript of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and one of the world's largest collections of 19th-century American silver.

Queen Anne's Museum of Eastern Shore Life - This museum highlights the day-to-day activities of Eastern Shore residents, from farming to working the waters. The collection includes household appliances; farm machinery; kitchen gadgets; oyster tongs, crab floats, clam rakes and other tools used by watermen; and about a dozen hand-carved decoys.

Upper Bay Museum - Tucked away in the National Historic District of North East, the museum features an extensive collection of hunting, fishing and boating artifacts native to the upper Chesapeake region. Decoys and guns are part of the hunting display.

Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art - Named for Lem and Steve Ward, Eastern Shore brothers known internationally for their carving talents, this museum traces the evolution of decoys from hunter's tool to art form. Videos and interpretive displays unravel the history and development of carving, and displays highlight the work of the Wards as well as 30 years' worth of best-in-the-world championship carvings.

Waterman's Museum - Dedicated to preserving the history of Maryland's watermen, this museum gleaned its collection from Eastern Shore residents. Exhibits explain the fine arts of decoy carving, oystering, crabbing and fishing, and a reproduction of a shanty gives visitors a better understanding of a waterman's living conditions.