Ross E. Shourds, son of Alvin Shourds and nephew of Harry and Raymond, entered the world of decoys at the age of 10 as an apprentice in his uncle's shop, The Duck's Nest in South Seaville, New Jersey. For the first couple of years, Ross' tasks included sanding decoys (most carvers' least favorite part of the job), miscellaneous chores such as feeding the lives ducks and geese that his uncle kept at the farm, and carving items such as dolphins and whales. By the time he was 14, Ross had begun carving decoys for his uncle's shop in the same traditional family style though he remembers many of his early attempts becoming firewood. Ross soon mastered the art of decoy carving and continued working for his uncle until he was 24.

Throughout his twenties and thirties Ross continued to carve and sell part-time, while working "regular" jobs to support his young family. During this time, he and his family moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, where Ross discovered a demand for song birds, as well as the traditional duck decoys and shore birds for which his family was known.

During the past several years, his children now grown, Ross decided to rededicate his efforts to being a full-time carver. He now sells his carvings in galleries and shops throughout the Northeast, as well as to private collectors all over the U.S. In addition to carving, Ross loves to teach others to carve and has performed several demonstrations and workshops over the years, most notablly for a traveling folklife exhibit for the past 2 years, hosted by the Smithsonian Institute. In 2006, Ross recieved an Artist Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, which is awarded for lifetime achievement. And in 2007, Ross was nominated by U.S. Congressman John Peterson's office for consideration for a National Heritage Fellowship, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. These fellowships will be announced in the Sping of 2008.

Ross cares deeply about preserving the family carving tradition, and has begun teaching his son, Garrett decoy carving. Garrett has shown natural artistic ability and likely will become a gifted carver in his own right.