North America’s spring breeding duck population decreased in 2018, but Delta Waterfowl said the overall picture remains positive. The 2018 Trends in Duck Breeding Populations report, released Monday, and based on surveys conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service, estimated the 2018 breeding duck population...
Waterfowl hunting journals let us relive our days afield, reveling in previous success, laughing at past folly and mentally transporting us to treasured places. But if that’s all they accomplish, we might have missed a great opportunity. A complete waterfowl journal should document the facts and circumstances behind every hunt,...
Good waterfowl mounts immortalize birds and extend our memories of special days afield. Bad taxidermy, however, only serves to embarrass a substandard artist and perhaps a hunter who wanted to save money. No serious waterfowler wants to be that guy, of course. When we save a bird for taxidermy, we...
We can feel it. Duck season approaches, and our long national nightmare will soon pass. When that opening bell rings, life will take a familiar turn : early mornings, chilly boat rides, brilliant sunrises, muddy dogs and fresh protein. Yet even during duck season, nothing stays the same. Instead, we...
Some folks greet get-in-shape-now-for-hunting-season blogs and articles with not-so-subtle eye rolling, and it’s easy to see why. Most duck hunters are preparing for early-morning boat rides, not high-country sheep hunts. But if you do any walk- or wade-in hunting — think jump-shooting, free-lancing prairie potholes or lugging gear into fields...
I’ll cut to the chase. Yes, this story is about the ABCs of hunting early — that is, September — Canada geese. But here’s the one thing you must know to hunt these oft-fickle fowl: scout. It’s that simple. The truth? In September, Canada geese really don’t do much. Why?...
During the heat of summer, when almost everyone thinks more about boating and barbecues than hunting, some folks are busy preparing for waterfowl season . Just ask Realtree pro Chad Belding, host of The Fowl Life , which airs on the Outdoor Channel. He doesn’t get all that compelling duck...
Delta Waterfowl and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks have joined forces for a pilot program to boost wetland habitat in private land near several wildlife management areas in the Mississippi Delta. Under the 2018 Mississippi Private Land Wetland Incentive Program, Delta and the MDWFP will offer incentive...
There’s no way around it. I love teal. Would I rather shoot seven greenwings or big, fat bluewings than the same number of greenheads ? Yes. There, I said it. And that’s not because teal are dumb. It’s not because they’re easy. And it’s certainly not because teal fall into...
Make fun of mergansers all you want. One industrious Minnesota hen has become an online sensation for her incredible matriarchal prowess. Mama Merganser, as she’s been dubbed, gained fame this past week when photos of her leading 76 ducklings ran on social media and many print and online news outlets,...
Grandpa and other hunters of his generation have provided us with deep waterfowling knowledge gleaned through long experience afield. Still, we’ve wondered now and then what he might think of the modern duck and goose hunting scene. As someone recently pointed out, he’d probably be most astonished by the way...
There’s a great satisfaction from calling in an animal with a call you have fashioned yourself. I admit I’m no duck-call maker. That takes years of trial and error, knowledge of toneboard structure and many other variables. It’s way too much for me to delve into, especially when there are...
We often laugh at the silly behavior of coots. However, video from Delta Waterfowl shows the seemingly goofy water birds in a new light. The footage, captured in 2016 as part of Delta’s Manitoba canvasback/overwater-nesting duck study , shows coots harassing hen canvasbacks, destroying nests and attempting to attack ducklings...
Food plots serve as a big part of what I do each season. They can be used to feed deer. They can be used to kill deer. It all depends on location, orientation and design. But one thing remains constant regardless of the purpose of the plot: You need the...
