Jett Brunet A Journey from Champion Decoy Carver to Conservationist

Decoy carver Jett Brunet in his workshop. Photo by Zach Eshleman, DU

In the swamps and salt marshes of Louisiana’s Lafourche Parish, where Cajun culture runs deep, waterfowl are part of the heritage. For Jett Brunet, this landscape and the ducks that depend on it inspired a career that blends art, hunting, and conservation.

Born in Galliano, Louisiana, Jett grew up surrounded by water and waterfowl. His father, like many people in the area, hunted ducks to feed his family, and he also carved his own decoys. “I was about seven or eight when I watched him use two ice picks he’d sharpened himself,” Jett recalls. “He’d heat them over a gas stove and burn feather barbs into the wood. I was mesmerized.” His father never stopped carving, even as plastic decoys took over the market. Instead, he shifted from decoys to decorative sculptures.

Carving became a legacy for the Brunet family. Jett and his brother, Jude, followed their father into the world of competitive decoy carving. Jett became the youngest champion in history at age 21 and went on to win five world titles, just like his father. Jude claimed two world championships of his own. Together, they became the only family to produce three world champion carvers.

For Jett, carving is as much about patience as it is precision. He starts with a solid block of tupelo or cypress, sketches his design on tracing paper, and cuts the basic shape with a bandsaw. From there, it’s all hand tools—a hatchet, carving knife, and meticulous burning techniques. “Remove anything that doesn’t look like a duck, and you’ll end up with a decoy,” he says, echoing advice from his father.

But Jett’s impact goes beyond competitions. As Louisiana began losing coastal marshes, he saw the places he hunted as a boy disappear. That’s when Ducks Unlimited became part of his story.

Jett has been producing replicas of his original decoy carvings for Ducks Unlimited since 2000. His decoys have been chosen as DU’s Decoy of the Year 11 times. Over the past 25 years, these masterfully crafted decoys have helped raise millions of dollars for wetland conservation projects through DU’s fundraising banquets and direct marketing programs.

“I now see Ducks Unlimited building terraces and restoring the marsh in the same place where I learned to hunt,” Jett reflects. “I am so honored to help raise funds for an organization saving waterfowl right in my own backyard.”

Jett’s story is rooted in home, family, and conservation. It is a story that has truly come full circle.