Delbert Daisey known as Cigar Daisey, is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 waterfowl

Waterfowl

Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....

 wood carver

Wood carving

Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...

. He lives and works in Chincoteague

Chincoteague, Virginia

Chincoteague is a town on Chincoteague Island in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census. The town is perhaps best known for the Chincoteague Ponies, although these are not actually on the island of Chincoteague but on nearby Assateague Island...

, Virginia and is the resident carver at the Refuge Waterfowl Museum

Refuge Waterfowl Museum

The Refuge Waterfowl Museum is located at 7059 Maddox Boulevard, Chincoteague, Virginia, United States. The museum contains an extensive collection of wildfowl wood carvings by renowned decoy crafters. The museum also exhibits murals, wildlife paintings and skipjack models. The museum also...

. His decoy carvings are recognized for both their artist value and functionality as working pieces for waterfowl hunting. His works include Black Ducks

American Black Duck

The American Black Duck is a large dabbling duck. American Black Ducks are similar to Mallards in size, and resemble the female Mallard in coloration, although the Black Duck's plumage is darker...

, Mallard

Mallard

The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....

s, Redheads

Redhead (duck)

The Redhead is a medium-sized diving duck, 37 cm long with an 84 cm wingspan.The adult male has a blue bill, a red head and neck, a black breast, yellow eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a darker bluish bill with a black tip.The breeding habitat is...

, Ruddys

Ruddy Duck

The Ruddy Duck is a small stiff-tailed duck.Their breeding habitat is marshy lakes and ponds throughout much of North America, and in South America in the Andes. They nest in dense marsh vegetation near water. The female builds her nest out of grass, locating it in tall vegetation to hide it from...

 and Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

The Red-breasted Merganser is a diving duck.-Taxonomy:The Red-breasted Merganser was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae.-Description:...

s and often crafted in drake (male) and hen (female) pairs. He has carved about 1900 ducks in total and he generally uses cork or wood as his medium. He carved his first duck out of balsa wood in 1940 at his father's wood shop. The Smithsonian

Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

 has his works in their collection. He earned his nickname in 1945 while leaving cigar butts to taunt game wardens while poaching ducks on Assateague Island

Assateague Island

Assateague Island is a long barrier island located off the eastern coast of Maryland and Virginia. It is best known for its herds of feral horses, pristine beaches, and the Assateague Lighthouse. The island also contains numerous marshes, bays and coves, including Toms Cove...

. Later in life, Daisey was an avid conservationist.

The best decoy he has ever made was a pintail he made in 1973 for a present for his wife.That is the only fully decorative decoy he has ever made.The decoy was featured in National Geographic in June 1980 page 826. The decoy is estimated to be worth $100,000.