When you’re on the X and times are good, decoys can become an afterthought. Throw a few over there. Toss a few upwind. Heck, make a J if you feel inspired. During tougher times and when chasing educated birds , however, your fakes become more important. That stiff, motionless J...
Snows and blues have pushed into the northern United States and Canada. Here's Delta Waterfowl 's final 2018-2019 migration report. Click here for more Realtree waterfowl hunting content. And check us out on Facebook .
We talk often about introducing youth and other newcomers to waterfowl hunting . Yet when the time comes to go afield, that job can seem intimidating. Aside from the logistical concerns of transporting extra gear and people, you must find ideal situations that let newbies stay comfortable and engaged in...
Every off-season, I make the big dig. That is, I empty my blind bags to clean them up and assess the status of my equipment. Doing so reveals much about seemingly inconsequential but essential gear that keeps me warm, safe and successful afield . In that spirit, here’s a quick...
A poor 2018 snow goose hatch has resulted in few young birds and difficult hunting during the 2019 conservation season . Every day has been a battle for the Fowled Reality crew, as they try to fool educated adult birds. But that hasn't kept them from hunting hard. Click here...
You won’t remember every duck you shoot. You might, however, recall with regret every time you whiff at an easy target. That’s understandable. You practice hard during the off-season and make good on most opportunities, so it hurts when an easy one slips past. “How could I have missed?” you...
Ring-necked ducks in Delta Waterfowl’s groundbreaking research project have started their northward journey toward the breeding grounds. During the March 7 through 17 reporting period, 31 ducks had begun spring migrations, according to an online update . The first started north in late February, and 21 more headed north in...
Hunting journals let us revel in past hunts. Better, they provide tremendous insights for future efforts. I’ve written about this before , telling waterfowlers what details they should record in their journals and how they can interpret that to improve hunting. But while paging through my records recently, I wondered...
Camo. If you’ve seen one pattern you’ve seen them all, right? Wrong. Absolutely not. Not even close, Jack. Some say there’s a science to creating quality camo patterns. And there is if you look at the technology side of designing patterns. But if you’re looking purely at how well a...
Snows and blues are on the move in the Central, Mississippi and Atlantic flyways. Here's the scoop on the latest hotspots, courtesy of our friends at Delta Waterfowl . Click here for more Realtree waterfowl hunting content. And check us out on Facebook .
Spring might seem like a distant rumor to Northern states, but Delta Waterfowl’s marked ring-necked ducks have already started their spring migration. From Feb. 21 through March 6, according to an online update of the organization’s groundbreaking ringneck project, three of the effort’s birds were on the move. The extreme...
Duck hunting might seem strange without pre-dawn boat rides, headlamps illuminating decoy setups and the sense of anticipation that arrives with first light. But sometimes, you can’t hunt the early morning or last-hour flights. In fact, during some situations, it actually makes sense to hunt during midday rather than holding...
