Waterfowlers prepare fanatically for the season and individual hunts. We repaint decoys, check lines and repair blinds. We make sure our boat batteries are charged and trouble-shoot motor problems. We shoot frequently to hone our eyes. And we scout like fiends, noting bird numbers, location and movements. Before the first...
Waterfowlers love to talk about physically “tough” ducks — birds that shake off seemingly lethal charges of shot in the air or on water and then dive or swim to escape. The idea is a bit misleading, I think, because hunters are often responsible for creating seemingly rugged birds. Poor...
Folks casually use the expression “lightning strikes” when describing chance events. But unfortunately for some waterfowl , lightning sometimes actually strikes — with fatal results. According to an April 8 article by Nate Eaton at EastIdahoNews.com , more than 100 light geese were killed April 7 and fell into a...
In practice and concept, the act of a dog retrieving a dead duck appears simple. Real-world hunting , however, sometimes complicates the process. Poor shots, missed marks, human or canine error, and other factors often lead to retrieving adventures. And when you factor in conditions and the personality of the...
Let’s take a minute to discuss calls. No, not turkey calls — the duck and goose calls you finished using in January and, like me, probably hung in a closet. You need to inspect, clean and maintain those calls. Otherwise, they might not sound and function as well when you...
As age and time afield pile up, hunters often think less about achievements and more about experiences . In turkey hunting, that leads some folks to pursue the 49-state Super Slam. Waterfowlers are no different, though they tend to focus more on hunting exotic locales or pursuing species that don’t...
Waterfowlers typically assume, with apologies to the town mouse and the country mouse, that an urban goose remains a city dweller its entire life. However, recent research from the Steven A. Forbes Biological Station indicates that’s not necessarily true. A March 8 post on the station’s Facebook page said its...
Owning land to hunt on. It’s the American hunter's dream. And sadly, it’s common belief that dream is out of reach. It isn’t. It can be achieved. And with the help of our good friends from Whitetail Properties , we’re here to tell you how and why.
Cheer and optimism rule the waterfowling world when times are good. And why not? Bird numbers remain high, and we’ve enjoyed more than two decades of liberal season frameworks. But hunters who have seen enough sunrises in the marsh know that good times don’t always last. And although they view...
Delta Waterfowl helped bring new hunters into the fold this past season by awarding hundreds of youngsters with First-Duck Pins and certificates of recognition for taking their first waterfowl. Realtree is the Official Camo Conservation Partner of Delta Waterfowl, and the Presenting Sponsor of Delta’s First Hunt and First-Duck Pin...
In 2017, we revealed the top harvest states for mallards , canvasbacks , other diving ducks and even mergies and sea ducks . Don’t ask me why we didn’t cover the best states for puddle ducks other than mallards Let’s rectify that. Here, based on data from the U.S. Fish...
A while ago, we looked at what Grandpa got right about duck hunting and poked fun at some misconceptions from back in his day. We were probably pretty tough on the old guy, so this time, I thought we’d give him easier duty. Specifically, I wonder what Grandpa or other...
Duck and goose hunters tend to think big: large marshes, expansive sloughs, massive rivers or sprawling lakes. Yet some of the best waterfowling spots are downright tiny, including creeks and backwaters, micro sloughs or lakes, tiny spots on larger water and even pint-sized dry fields. Usually, the biggest trick to...
6:11 a.m.: Hmm. No movement. Funny how he can sleep in when he wants but I have to get up at 2:30 a.m. to sit on a frozen bog when he gets the itch. 6:23 a.m.: Pretty sure that’s snoring. Not good. I am starving. Perhaps a subtle hint is...
Connect
×