Table of contents for August 2022 - Equipment Annual in Wildfowl

DID YOU EVER hear the story about the duck hunter who had enough gear? Yeah, me neither. If someone ever claimed to, I wouldn’t trust them. Americans are always looking to build or buy a better mousetrap—especially when it relates to something we are passionate about. We are a nation of innovators and gadget lovers. Who hasn’t looked at their blind bag/shotgun/dog blind/duck boat and thought how they could make it so much better? This issue celebrates the Guns & Dogs & Gear disease. You aren’t a ‘fowler if you haven’t struggled with where the heck you are going to keep all your stuff, all while dreaming of more. So clean out the garage, fire-sale those shot up, sinking, decoys and dig into this, our most fun, issue. Even if…

THREAT TO POPULAR HUNTING GROUND CONTINUES The Sierra Club is reportedly heightening its push to close tens of thousands of acres of hunting land at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area If the group gets its wish, the popular 70,000-acre area will become a no-hunting National Park and Preserve. The group is said to have stepped up its efforts recently given the current political climate in Washington. FLORIDA BAITING CONTROVERSY Conflict is brewing in Lakeland, Fla., where city officials have reportedly considered placing signs warning duck hunters that the area around Lake Parker could be potentially baited. The signage could be an attempt to strike what The Ledger newspaper termed an “…attempt to strike a delicate balance between residents and hunters without passing new laws.” WHERE ARE THE GREENHEADS?…

IF YOU HAVE the opportunity to watch a real, finished duck dog work, you’ll see something special. The relationship between the retriever and its handler will involve a lot of independence, but also communication. The dog will always wait for the signal to be released, and if the downed bird or dummy isn’t located quickly, will ask for help. When help is given, the dog will keep working toward the goal. This communication seems simple enough but think about it if you add in a couple more birds into the mix. What about if there are other hunters involved, and other dogs? Not just in your party, but down the cattails a little way tucked into the next point? These dynamic situations, the kind we often face when we are…

KEIRA has tons of drive and style, and she has an excellent nose evidenced by her natural game finding ability. She is very biddable and trainable. For nearly 20 years, Bill Gibson has studied, trained and learned how to apply low-force training methods from masters in the United Kingdom, Ireland and U.S. Bill and his dogs have won Team and Gundog Challenges in Northern Ireland. He has also served as a judge for the British Field Trial Society of America. A retired law enforcement officer, Bill is the Director of Gundog Operations for Mossy Oak GameKeeper Kennels.…

Mid-December, yet there was no bit to the air as we stepped from the skiff and waded toward the duck blind covered in palm tree fronds. In fact, soon the buzzing of mosquitoes mixed with a distant roaring sound over the quiet of dawn. “Is that noise what I think it is?” I asked Garrett Wygrys, our guide out of Bay Flats Lodge. “Yup, that’s the surf. About a mile that-away,” he said, pointing south toward Matagorda Island and the Gulf. It was a wonder we could hear a thing, he’d cranked the country music so loud in his state-of-the-art shallow draft bay skiff on the way out in the dark, giving the boat ride a Nashville video vibe. A seagull had just missed taking Tim Brandt’s head off in…

I GIVE MY 16 year old a hard time on shotshells—the boy hasn't seen a box of shells that doesn't bring his wallet out of his back pocket But I get it and was much the same myself. However time in the water fowl world has taught me the value of a good shotshell and I turn my nose up at lesser loads I realize this isn't a shotshell feature but bear with me I'm painting a picture In early March my son pointed out that we had too many decoys while we were going through the garage I scoffed but he was right I'm a decoy fiend I realize I have a problem but I don't want any help The difference between his affinity for shotshells and my passion…

THE ART OF calling to waterfowl has been known to spark many conversations, arguments, and calling contests, probably since Elam Fisher patented the first duck call in 1870. While one hunter may swear by their vintage cut-down Olt and others still love their Big River flutes, newer generations may argue that nothing compares to the latest and greatest acrylics when it comes to putting meat on the table That said reality likely lays in the simple phrase to each their own Instead of basing your decision on someone else s opinion the main consid erations when selecting your next call is that it must fit your style of hunting your ability and your style Do it correctly by picking the right call and you will run it like you stole…

I WASN'T BORN in a hunting family. My first exposure to the outdoors came when my babysitter's high school son would bring home a limit of greenheads. I was fascinated by their colors and would sit and listen to him spin tales about how he'd snuck up over a creek bank and let his shotgun thunder while he plucked feathers and carved away breast meat from the bone. By the time I reached high school, I was a duck-obsessed maniac. My parents could see my love for waterfowl hunting and supported the habit. My shotgun of choice — what I could afford — was a black syn thetic stock and forearm Remington 870 pump. I used that shotgun for 21 years without fail. I loved it. I was amazed when…

I’M NOT MUCH of a gadget guy. If I find something I like, I’ll stick with it, often for many years. But some of the younger hunting partners I’ve recently acquired are opening my eyes to a whole new world of accessories and technology I d only heard about never personally used While some accessories don t fit my hunting style many do In fact several pieces of gear have allowed me to expand how I actually hunt meaning more days afield and more ducks in the pot Other items have kept my gear dry and my coffee warm while still others have helped protect my already waning hearing and kept my valuable camera gear dry in the worst of conditions Accessories are simply specialized pieces of gear with a…

SO WHEN IT COMES TO gear, my buddy Ronnie Belcher (“Belch”) and I made one major purchase last year: a new duck boat. Now when I say, “new,” I mean new to us, and when I say “boat,” I mean a 44-foot, NCAA regulation crew vessel he bought from the local university last January (see WF June/July issue for the details). Belch had seen the ad for the boat listed on Facebook and talked the dean down from $100 to $20 (“pretty sure this purchase is tax deductible, too,” Belch mused at the time). To be clear, we weren’t planning to make this thing our full-time duck boat. We’d bought it to be a stasher. We had found an obscure mallard honey hole on public land the previous November, but…

Wonderful article in Wildfowl on Jack Miner. I have been privileged to harvest two of his bands (see right)… and received letters from his grandson Kirk for both, including a personal note on the second congratulating me on the pair! The marsh I hunt is in the remnants of the Great Black Swamp on the shores of Sandusky Bay in Northwest Ohio. We are blessed to see a fair number of his bands as they begin the migration. Regards, — Douglas E. Krzywicki HELLO WILDFOWL! I am an avid waterfowl hunter and a faithful reader/ subscriber to Wildfowl almost since its inception. Your Jack Miner article in the latest edition really caught my attention as I have harvested two Miner bands after 45 years of hunting in Ohio. I have…

14 According to Ducks Unlimited Canada, a blue-winged teal hen will lay between six to 14 eggs each spring. Bluewings are typically the first ducks to migrate. 29 The number of native species of oak trees that Arkansas is home to, many dropping acorns each fall into the state’s flooded green-tree reservoirs that attract clouds of migrating mallards. 36 years How old the North American Waterfowl Management Plan is, an international plan signed in 1986 by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, in an effort to conserve waterfowl and migratory birds in North America. 10,000 The approximate number of “Hen Houses” that Delta Waterfowl has in place in key breeding areas of Canada, North Dakota, and Minnesota. 3 million According to DU scientist Dr. Jim Devries, the annual population of pintails…

TYPE INERTIA-OPERATED SEMI-AUTO GAUGE 3-INCH CHAMBERED 28-GAUGE MAGAZINE 2+1 SIGHTS VENT RIB WITH FIBER OPTIC RED BAR FRONT STOCK SYNTHETIC LOP 14 3/8, DAC 1 3/8, DAH 2 1/8 CAST OFF ¼ ADJUSTABLE WITH SUPPLIED SHIMS. WEIGHT 5 LBS. 5 OZ BARREL LENGTH 26- OR 28-INCH OVERALL LENGTH 47.5 INCHES WITH 26-INCH BARREL TRIGGER PULL: SINGLE 4 LBS. 6 OZ AVERAGE METAL FINISH: MATTE BLACK, REALTREE MAX-5, GORE OPTIFADE TIMBER, MOSSY OAK BOTTOMLAND ACCESSORIES: FIVE CRIO CHOKE TUBES (C, IC, M, IM, F) SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $1,799 BLACK SYNTHETIC, $1,899 CAMO…

NEVER BEFORE HAS there been so many duck-specific, waterfowl hunting boats and motors on the market. Just ten years ago, waterfowl hunters had to simply make-do with whatever predominately fishing boat companies brought to market and the table scraps they threw at waterfowl hunters in the way of things like a gun box. Now, waterfowl hunters can buy boats from manufacturers specifically designing them to make a hunter’s time on the water enjoyable and leave it up to the owner on how they want to use their boat during the off-season So with that in mind check out the options below and put together that duck killing machine you have been building in your mind ❚ MALLARD MARINE MAGNUM MARSH RAT Mallard Marine’s Magnum Marsh Rat was designed for the…

I WAS EIGHT years old when lead shot was banned for waterfowl hunting, but I remember, vividly, crumpling monster Canada geese with 2 ¾-inch #2 shot. Though I only got to experience lead ammo on fowl for a single season, it sure was fun and deadly Then things changed Early steel shotshells worked better as Maracas Rattles than they did for killing ducks and geese The steel was terrible and when the hull was shaken the steel shot inside rattled terribly Thank God things have gotten better Not only are modern day all steel loads remarkable but top end ammo makers are using other metals like bismuth and tungsten to create loads that pulverize ducks and geese Some of these loads are standalone — all bismuth or all tungsten and…

IT’S BEEN QUITE a roller coaster ride over the past 24 months, a journey full of ups and downs, encouraging headlines one day and sobering reports of a crash the next. And no, we’re not talking about the state of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, although we certainly could be. Instead, this discussion will center itself upon the state of the duck factory and how duck production looks for 2022 after a couple of topsy turvy years that have seen soaring highs and precipitous declines in the northern U.S. and prairie Canada, the fabled duck factory of waterfowl production for a great portion of North America. In general, the duck population roller coaster ride is on the upswing in 2022 after a late winter and early spring boost to…

INGREDIENTS (4-6 SERVINGS) • Two Canada goose breasts, approximately 1 pound each • 6-8 large cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and smashed • Dry white wine • Two sprigs of fresh sage • Two sprigs of fresh thyme • Four dates, halved • One shallot, sliced Brine ingredients: • 1 gallon water • 1/2 cup kosher salt • 1/2 cup brown sugar SOUS VIDE COOKERS have been around for decades though only recently have become all the rage. While it’s my understanding prominent steak houses have been using sous vides to prep their steaks since the 1990s, only recently did a large segment of home cooks add this piece of equipment to their arsenal. What is a sous vide exactly? Simply put: A vertical cooking device with heating coils at…

IT HAS OFTEN BEEN SAID that the eyes are the window to the soul. In dog training, this statement is, to me, particularly true because I believe a dog can read you through your eyes. Developing and maintaining eye contact is a trait that should be developed in the earliest stages of training and main tained throughout the dog’s life. This brings up one important point; you cannot establish eye contact with your dog when you are wearing sunglasses. Therefore, you should never wear sunglasses during training. I start developing eye contact when a pup’s focus is on the task at hand, ensuring that the pup has eye contact with me prior to giving a command. Each day, I extend the time that eye contact is maintained while pup stays…

Since 1937, volunteers have been the lifeblood of Ducks Unlimited. Over 60,000 of our volunteers help to raise more than $50 million dollars for North American wetlands each year. Additionally, becoming a DU volunteer is a fun way to meet new people who share your passion for the outdoors and hunting heritage. Learn how to become a leader in wetland conservation by visiting ducks.org/volunteer. ❚ ALPS OUTDOORZ LEGEND LAYOUT It wasn’t so long ago when the layout blind revolutionized field hunting. Low profile and highly portable, layouts are still effective today. The Alps Legend layout blind combines comfort and portability at a high level, making it a great choice when being on the X is the only successful option. A zero-gravity chair design coupled with a waterproof floor keeps you…

WATERFOWL HUNTING IS FUN Waterfowl hunting with a dog is fantastic Having man's best friend by your side when whistling wings can be heard overhead adds another element to the hunt that can't be captured with words Of course taking a dog afield means more gear and more things to consider Not only is the dog your responsibility which means months and months of training but you'll also need a litany of gear We have you covered from training dummies to launchers to e callers to food and supplements Give the following a read and find some products your pooch will appreciate ❚ SPORTDOG BRAND CONTAIN+TRAIN SYSTEM A system that will work as well in the field as it does in the backyard, SportDOG's Contain+Train System is engineered to provide…