Every social situation has unique protocols, and duck camp is no exception. Sure, a waterfowl hunt with buddies is typically much looser than a day at the office or a family dinner, but you still have to act accordingly. Follow these dos and don’ts the next time you’re on a...
Duck hunters love classic tales of grand timber hunts, when fat mallards parachute from the heavens like clouds of mosquitoes. Likewise, adventure stories of gunning cans and bluebills on big water during howling winds and driving snow leave us longing for the season. But now and then, our stories lack...
Seeing a successful hunt through its many stages — scouting, planning, setup and execution — is one of the great joys of waterfowling. And many times, that process is fairly simple and straightforward. But at the risk of making things too complicated, let’s agree that many stumbling blocks can quickly...
Waterfowlers obsess about fall. We look ahead to days when the leaves turn golden and brown prairie grasses sway in a north wind, and we post pictures of frosted grain fields or half-frozen lakes and long for weather that stings our cheeks and numbs our fingers. But unless you slip...
Many factors contribute to successful waterfowling. Of course, when duck and goose hunters discuss the keys to filling straps, the question of importance arises. It’s not a fair question. Critical factors vary based on habitat, the flyway, phase of the season and even hunters themselves. But just to stir the...
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have proposed opening about 248,000 acres to hunters and anglers at 30 national wildlife refuges in 21 states, and Delta Waterfowl applauds the move. “This is likely the most sweeping increase in opportunities for U.S. waterfowl...
I’ve punched holes in the air all around ducks and geese . Over them? Check. Under them? Yep. Behind them? Certainly. Heck, I’ve even shot in front of them. And sometimes, I’ve missed so badly I questioned whether my shells held any shot (cue muffled laughter from my hunting buddies)...
By: Boone and Crockett Club Legal defense costs are an increasing drain on conservation funding today. Alarmed by the trend, the Boone and Crockett Club has launched a new examination of federal statutes that enable ongoing litigation at a high cost to wildlife and the American taxpayer. The Club’s primary...
While constructing a recent blog post about lightning killing snow geese in Idaho, I thought about other odd ways in which waterfowl die. Diseases play a big role. In some high-density situations, boats might fatally strike roosted birds before dawn. And most folks are aware of aircraft smashing into geese...
Old-timers love to give advice, and why not? After all, they’ve been around longer than most of us, and maybe they figure it’s part of their civic duty to pass on wisdom. Of course, if you’re not an old-timer, you often ignore guidance handed down by elders . But when...
They sicken me. Those who think they own wildlife. That they own all the deer on their land and all the deer around it. Am I talking about the captive cervid industry? Yes and no. I wholeheartedly disagree with it. The fact that individuals are in essence violating the North...
I remember when my parents bought their first computer. I was a kid. And I didn’t know much about them when I first started using one. (Obviously.) But I quickly got the hang of the deer hunting game my parents bought me for Christmas. And I’d be lying if I...
Although duck and goose hunters closely study and observe their favorite birds, we often know relatively little about the intricate details of their physiology and life history. In that spirit, let’s review some fun facts about a few of our favorite fowl. The Old Honker's Home? Everyone knows honkers can...
I was very nervous about my first dove hunt. I was in my early 20s at the time and had never shot anything that moved. When I was a child, my father and I spent sunny afternoons shooting cans and other small objects with his .22 rifle, but I had...
