Columnist Susan Snyder: Vandals had better learn to duck

Monday, Oct. 20, 2003 | 8:19 a.m.

Woe to the vandals who destroyed the ancestral lands of our Nevada tule duck decoy.

And $1,000 to the first person who can lead Bureau of Land Management investigators to their door.

For those who haven't lived here long enough to know, or have lived here too long to care, Nevada has an official state artifact.

It is not the interstate system, but the 2,000-year-old tule duck decoy. Paiutes wove decoys from tule (bullrush) stems and used them in Humboldt Lake, southwest of Lovelock.

Get out the map. Lovelock sits on Interstate 80 about 100 miles north of Reno.

The decoy was proclaimed a state symbol in 1995 by the Nevada Legislature, presumably at a time when discussing ancient duck decoys was less contentious than funding education.

Archaeologists excavating Lovelock Cave in 1924 found the decoys, which resemble canvasback ducks. The cave was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The BLM has enhanced the area to help visitors understand it.

However, some visitors have a different idea of how the additions should look. Since May, vandals have burned the information kiosk, destroyed the interpretive sign, a picnic table and part of the cave trail, and gouged the surrounding landscape with off-road vehicles.

Pretty obnoxious damage to the memory of ancient people who obviously were an innovative, dexterous bunch, judging by the steps for weaving a tule duck decoy posted on the state's official website:

"1. Tie off a 2-foot bunch of tules, 2 inches in diameter, in the middle with the dampened cattail leaf, twisted into a cord.

"2. Twine into three bundles with cattail cord, about 3 inches from the middle. The first bundle should use half of the tules, the second bundle use two-thirds of what remains, and the third bundle uses what's left."

(Re-read Steps 1 and 2, and e-mail me if you figured them out.)

"3. Bend the bundle in the middle and continue on across to the other side, twining into three parts going from smallest to largest."

(Or from sane to felon, whichever comes first.)

"4. Twine a second row of six bundles (there's a second row?) across the whole duck's body, about 3 inches from the first row. Then tie the whole body together another 3 inches from this second row with a cattail cord. Sculpt the body to shape, making sure the base is open and wide. Cut off the excess tail at an angle."

(Mine's got a tail like a capuchin monkey. What about yours?)

"5. Use tulle to make the basic head shape (We don't have a head yet?), with each coil of tule passing through the top of the body. Make sure the neck sticks up only about 2 inches. Then wrap with dampened cattail leaf or split tule until the desired shape is achieved. Finish by running the end of the wrapper into the body and tying it off. Add paint and feathers as desired."

(I got an ashtray. What'd you get?)

Once caught, the culprits who damaged Lovelock Cave should not only have to pay for the damage they inflicted.

They should be locked in a cell with a supply of bullrush stems and cattails and made to weave decoys until they get one that turns out right.

Call 800-623-1500 if you know where they are.