Bill Neal has a long history of crafting decoys in the San Francisco Bay Area, and his influence on successive generations of carvers is widespread. When Bill moved to Blackpoint, California he began his carving career making decoys for use on the estuary where the Petaluma River enters the San Pablo Bay.
Before World War II, Bill sold his decoys at the Redwood Sport Shop in San Rafael to supplement his income as an apprentice house painter. Upon joining the Armed Services in World War II, Bill sold his entire inventory because, as he says, “I wasn’t sure if I would be coming back!” Indeed, he came back to the Bay Area after the War, and embarked on the lifelong pursuit of carving unique and beautifully crafted decoys.
