Pennsylvania Game Commission

Pennsylvania --(Ammoland.com)- The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to nearly all of the 2012-13 seasons and bag limits; however, there is one group of seasons that won’t be finalized until summer: waterfowl and migratory bird seasons.

In July, in concert with federal frameworks, the Game Commission will set seasons and bag limits for September resident Canada goose and webless migratory birds, such as doves, woodcock, snipe and moorhens.

In August, the Game Commission and waterfowl hunting organizations will host waterfowl organizations, individual sportsmen and the public to attend a briefing on the status of waterfowl populations and proposed preliminary federal frameworks for the 2012-13 hunting seasons.

In addition to reviewing frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for upcoming waterfowl and migratory bird seasons, Game Commission staff, along with conservation partners, will provide updates on current and planned research and management programs, as well as past hunting results.

Based on public comments received and gathered at the meeting, Game Commission staff will prepare and present recommended composite waterfowl and migratory bird seasons, bag limits and related criteria to the USFWS for final approval. All migratory bird hunting seasons and bag limits must conform to frameworks set by the USFWS. States select their hunting seasons within these established frameworks.

By mid-August, once the final selections are made, the Game Commission will print and distribute brochures outlining the seasons and bag limits for waterfowl and migratory bird seasons to U.S. Post Offices, where hunters may purchase their mandatory federal duck stamp. The brochure also will be posted on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) along with a news release announcing the agency’s final selections by mid-August.

Blue-winged teal for the pot.

Delta Waterfowl

Bismarck, ND --(Ammoland.com)- Somewhere south of Morgan City, La., on the fabled Atchafalaya River basin, Jeff Green is navigating his custom-made 30-foot Hanko boat with a sky lounge and 250-horsepower motor as he cuts a wake through an ancient bayou on his way to his family’s half-century-old duck camp.

Greg Green, Jeff’s brother, is along for the nearly hour-long ride, as are childhood friend Mitch McHugh and three guests.

If you cup an ear and listen hard enough, as the haunting cypress swamp blurrily passes by like a cinematic ode to the Blair Witch Project, you can hear the music throbbing through his speakers as the refreshingly cool January air slithers beneath your collar and spirals down your neck like an invisible amusement park ride.

Wish I was back on the Bayou.
Rollin’ with some Cajun Queen.
Wishin’ I were a fast freight train,
Just a chooglin’ on down to New Orleans.

Born On The Bayou;
Born On The Bayou;
Born On The Bayou.

The coolers on board — and there’s more than one — runneth over with oysters and shrimp and crab and bullfrogs and doves and God knows what other exotic wild protein whose every part will be hand-spun into delicacies that will tie your tongue in knots and make your stomach scream for more.

Indeed, for the outsider whose “green” palate isn’t accustomed to the riches of Cajun cuisine (or any other delectable concoction conceived at duck camp), buckle up. Your taste buds are about to be hijacked by a savory, oh-my-God gastronomical wonderland, food as mega-calorie pyrotechnic.

For the record, the duck hunters of South Louisiana, a hard-living, fun-loving, distinctly prideful bunch, love to kill “their ducks” perhaps as much as any waterfowling demographic in North America. But the duck camp experience that defines part of the coastal hunting culture neither begins nor ends with slapping the trigger and watching a green-winged teal, an American wigeon or a drake northern shoveler (affectionately called a flathead mallard in bayou country) tumble from the sky.

Duck hunting is the tie that binds. The experience is the confluence of several cultural happenings, but food doesn’t play second fiddle to any of them.

“This is South Louisiana,” said Greg Green, at the R.J. Marcell Memorial Boat Ramp in Morgan City, minutes before departing downriver to duck camp, “so get ready to have some fun.”

South Louisiana Culture
When Delta Waterfowl Communications Director Nigel Simms and I decided to travel to coastal Louisiana in January to sample the duck camp experience, neither of us knew what to expect. Aside from what I had read and heard over the years, I knew very little about the region’s history or culture. Delta Development Director Bryan King has spent eight years as a regional director in Louisiana, particularly in its southern coastal reaches where people either work on the water, play on the water or both.

“Food is everywhere in South Louisiana because it has been woven into the culture for generations,” he said, noting he nearly put on 20 pounds his first few months on the job before reigning in his eating habits.

“Duck hunters are a big part of it. I personally have never experienced another culture in the United States that celebrates not just what it has harvested in the field, but as importantly, what that harvest will become once it’s in a big black pot and, ultimately, on the plate.”

As King spoke, serving as our defacto tour guide/cultural anthropologist, we sat at the Atchafalaya Café in Morgan City, enjoying — really enjoying — a bowl of seafood etouffee, deep-fried okra and iced tea. And did I mention the po’boy with deep-fried oysters?

A significant portion of South Louisiana — particularly its rural areas — is dominated by Cajuns, descendents of Acadian exiles who first came to the region in the late 18th century from Nova Scotia. However, Cajuns have, over time, absorbed and been influenced by other regional cultures: German, Spanish, Anglo Italian, Native American, Slavanian and more.

“It really is a stew of ethnic diversity, and its shows through in the food and music and in the diversity of language and customs,” King said. “There’s one word to me that defines the lifestyle and culture of south Louisiana: hard. Most of the people I’ve come to know embody the word. They work hard, play hard, cook hard, eat hard, drink hard and hunt hard.”

King had arranged a day of hunting with the Green brothers, both of whom are members of the local Delta chapter, and soon we were at the boat ramp loading our gear and pushing off down the Atchafalaya. Minutes after we did, John Fogarty crooned wildly through the speakers, fresh air awakened our senses and civilization as we knew it waved adios in our wake.

Green Family Duck Camp, Louisiana

Green Family Camp
The first thing I noticed when we arrived at the Green family duck camp was the sign. It was pure Old Testament: “Trespassers will be stripped, beaten, violated and abused…cooked alive, eaten and the remains thrown to the dogs.”

Thankfully, we were welcomed guests, and all that was asked of us was to help unload the gear and settle in for a night of good, clean fun before the morning’s hunt.

“What y’all think of the place?” asked Greg Green. “It’s not the Four Seasons, but it will do, don’t ya think?”

The duck camp itself is constantly becoming. Or, as Jeff Green says, “It’s constantly under construction.” Over the years, the camp has been torn asunder by hurricanes and other calamities, only to be rebuilt, augmented and rebuilt again.

The camp might not be the Four Seasons, but it’s not a tree fort on stilts, either. The kitchen has a gas range and oven, a sink, a long, rectangular-shaped island and a sturdy table and chairs. The living room has couches, lounge chairs and a big-screen television. Bedrooms and a bathroom sit down the back hall. In front, there’s a screened-in porch, and out back, a wooden deck complete with a grill and a nice view. A large generator makes the entire camp rattle and hum. Consider, too, the camp itself and its accoutrements were, at one time or another, boated in from Morgan City.

“This isn’t like going to hunt a rice lease,” Jeff Green said. “This camp has been in our family for 50 years, and ever since I can remember we’ve been putting into it as much as we’ve gotten out of it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

By early evening, all of us were sitting around the table, eating fresh oysters and a shrimp-and-oyster spread with crackers and leisurely drinking a few adult beverages, a ritual played out countless times over the years. Music, of course, was playing in the background. (The Green brothers have been known to bring in live music for special occasions at duck camp.)

The stories were plentiful too, thanks to Greg Green, the self-described director of entertainment. He wasn’t lying either. There are bona fide characters in this world, and then there’s Greg Green, who speaks so fast, and is so outrageously funny, you burn calories just listening — and laughing.

Thank goodness too. Before long, he had prepared a spread of deep-fried, hand-caught bullfrogs with spicy mustard, among other dipping sauces. They were lip-smacking sublime.

Albert Einstein once said, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to vegetarian diet.”

That’s perhaps debatable. But Einstein obviously never visited a duck camp in South Louisiana and ate Greg Green’s deep-fried frog legs.

“Cold frog legs are good fried food for breakfast,” Greg Green said, still in entertainment mode. “If you boys don’t lik’em, I’ll go out and get ya a nutria.”

“Go to bed little brother,” Jeff Green instructed. “You need your sleep.”

A heavy, roof-rattling rain began to fall, and an eerie fog rolled in as we went to bed. Wake up: 4:45 a.m.

“My worst-case scenario is waking up too early,” Greg Green said.

We all laughed.

Ducks For the Pot
The Green brothers rose before the alarm went off. Coffee was quickly on the boil, and before long, we were out the door and roaring down the bayou.

The plan was for us to break into two groups, with Greg Green, King and I hunting from a platform blind already brushed with natural vegetation.

The air was see-your-breath cool and the sky was mostly clear, with nary a hint of wind. The decoys sat listless as the morning sunrise — a spectacular ball of orange bracketed by a faint shade of crimson — inched above the horizon. The freshwater marsh finally came alive, although the birds were MIA.

“We need some wind,” King said.

“We need some ducks,” Greg Green said.

As the morning wore on, the wind picked up. Soon, the ducks started to move.

“You have a lot of gun-shy ducks this time of year, but it’s only a matter of time before we work a few in close,” said a smiling Greg Green as he cradled his trusty 10-gauge like a newborn. “But I don’t need ‘em that close.”

True enough. A pair of wigeon came in from behind before swinging wide, roughly 45 yards from Greg Green. Two shots, two ducks.

“That’s two for the pot,” he said, laughing.

The action picked up quickly, with teal, gadwalls, shovelers, the occasional pintail and more wigeon vectoring in and around our spread.

“The thing about hunting these freshwater marshes in Louisiana is the number of species you see, day in and day out,” King said. “When you go hunt the flooded timber in Arkansas, your expectation is that you’re going to see and kill mallards. Not down here. It’s a gumbo of species, and I like that.”

During the 2010-2011 hunting season, Louisiana hunters filled their gumbo pots with 2.7 million ducks, the most of any state, and according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, more than all of Central Flyway states combined. That’s a per-hunter harvest of 30.6 ducks.

“We’ve had a good year,” Greg Green said. “The cold weather pushed a lot of birds down. You’ll get no complaints here. Who’d listen anyway?”

By noon, we had picked up our decoys and were headed back to camp with a nice mixed bag of puddle ducks.

“The gunning wasn’t heavy, but we did just fine,” Jeff Green said. “It was a good morning any way you cut it.”

Food, Family and Fun
We barely got off the boat and Jeff Green and McHugh were starting breakfast. The bacon sizzled in the pan and, of course, the eggs were eventually cooked in the drippings.

“Duck camp is about 75 percent cooking,” said Jeff Green, winking.

As we were eating, he fired up the grill with mesquite charcoal — he had a mess of doves he wanted to grill.

“I got a new concoction for you little brother,” Jeff Green said.

If bacon and eggs weren’t enough, he rolled out a long piece of tinfoil and placed the doves on it. He covered the birds with diced potato, onion, bell pepper and bacon, after which he splashed the dish with homemade wine and Coke, and liberally applied various spices. He formed the tinfoil into a tent and put it on the grill.

“Now we gotta give it some time,” Jeff Green said. “Time to clean some ducks.”

Beneath a peerless blue sky and the warming sun, in front of his family’s 50-year-old duck camp, Jeff Green plucked his ducks just like his Daddy used to.

“This place is about food, family and fun,” Jeff Green said. He has three daughters and a son. “I like bringing my kids out here.

It’s good for them. Kids who hunt and fish are less likely to deal and steal. It ain’t about killing, I’ll tell you that. It’s about spending time with family and friends. It’s about having a good time.”

“I’ve been hunting and fishing since I was a kid, and it’s just a way of living for us folks down here, and we’re proud of it,” added Greg Green. “I just don’t know no better.”

Tori McCormick is associate editor of Delta Waterfowl.

About:Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

Remembering Buddy the Lab - One Year Later

Delta Waterfowl

Bismarck, ND --(Ammoland.com)- He died on a Wednesday at 8:47 a.m.

I hustled Buddy’s 68 pounds from my truck’s passenger seat into the vet’s office and laid him on the stainless steel table, his aged and atrophied body on full display.

I can still feel him cradled in my arms, how his dead weight felt heavier than I expected.

He could no longer walk or control any of his bodily functions. His breathing was sporadic and labored. For each breath, his diaphragm would hit bottom with a muffled thud and contract ever so slightly. He moaned with each exhale, like he had repeatedly the night before.

“He won’t feel a thing,” said the veterinarian. “He’ll drift off like he’s going to sleep. He won’t feel a thing.”

As Buddy lay on the table, I looked into his eyes, his cold nose pressed against my own. Buddy had that unmistakable 10,000-mile stare, the kind soldiers get when they’ve seen too much combat. Buddy’s eyes were glossy and lifeless and resigned. The cancer, diagnosed only two short weeks before, was, little by little, stealing him from me.

The vet inserted the needle into his right leg. Buddy did not flinch. He just stared into my eyes, existing, as he was, in that borderland between life and death.

“It won’t be long now,” said the vet, his stethoscope listening to Buddy’s waning heartbeat. “It won’t be long.”

When Buddy was eight months old, he made his first retrieve. It was a dandy, though not by design. I was hunting the flood plain of the James River, near Aberdeen, South Dakota. The river’s main stem was a watery tempest, swollen and roiling, deep and dangerous. The shallow, docile water that spilled over its banks created perfect waterfowl habitat, and the blue-winged teal that took refuge there were as thick as summertime mosquitoes.

I had Buddy on a check chord, staked into the muddy ground behind my makeshift blind. I wanted him to observe, absorb and learn.

The morning was shaping up nicely. I killed two drake blue-wings right away, and retrieved them myself as Buddy looked on from behind the blind. He marked both birds, and his quivering body language (and occasional whimpering) suggested he didn’t much like or appreciate being corkscrewed into the ground.

Buddy had freedom on his mind.

After I retrieved the second bird, a lone Canada goose glided silently into shooting range. I didn’t see the bird right away, but Buddy did. He sat statuesque in the blind, his head swiveling slightly as he tracked the birds’ flight path, his tail, like a windshield wiper, fanning the muddy ground.

When I shouldered my shotgun the bird was already behind the blind and heading toward the river. The smart move, in hindsight, would have been to pass on the shot. I didn’t. Instead, as if driven by Pavlovian instinct, I snapped off a round and winged the bird.

A sick feeling instantly came over me: The birds’ downward trajectory suggested it would land in the pulsing river, and it did.

It did with an echoing splash that seemed to distill all of Buddy’s disparate thoughts into a singular motivation: retrieving that lone, winged Canada goose.

In a fit of puppy pique, Buddy rocketed from the blind, pulled up the stake from the muddy ground, and was off, the check chord and stake bouncing wildly behind him like beer cans dangling from a wedding-day car.

Freedom sometimes has its price, and I was instantly worried the river’s mercurial current would swallow him whole.

A British Labrador, Buddy was smaller and less overtly high strung compared to most American-bred Labs. Still, his passion for retrieving (dummies all, at least until this day) could not be satiated. When a bird was down, he always summoned the inner drive to do what he was bred —and loved— to do.

Buddy dove into the river and, seemingly in seconds, had the withering Canada goose in his mouth. He swam with a cocksureness and athleticism that I’ll never forget.

Buddy ambled up the modest river bank with ease, his glossy black coat and rippled muscles glistening in the morning sun. He never once dropped the big bird, the size of which blotted him (head and body) out completely. It was a sight to see.

Seconds later, Buddy dropped the bird near the blind. It would have been perfect had he delivered it to hand like he had been taught. Still, perfection has many incarnations, and Buddy’s retrieve was perfection enough for me. And him too, I dare say.

It cost me $130 dollars to kill my dog, to have him interred into ash, to act as God’s proxy. For genuine dog lovers, there is no preparation for such trauma.

It’s hard to love so deeply, to care so much, but even harder to let go. A year after his death, the vestiges of Buddy’s life still surround my own. Many haunt me.

I cleaned out the bed of my truck the other day and found Buddy everywhere.

• The black and gray hair.
• His old throw-dummies.
• A muddy paw print.
• A half-empty carton of his favorite liver snacks.
• His dog dishes.
• The old check cord and stake.

Sometimes a storm grows inside me when I think of Buddy. It’s an emotion without a name. My mind can wonder from our countless good times together and, in a flash, be trumped by the events leading up to his death. It’s difficult to reconcile.

I know now what I wish I had known then: that I should have had him put him to sleep a day earlier, sparing him a night of immeasurable pain and suffering.

My best friend, a very smart girl, has told me on occasion that I have to let go and be thankful for the joyous life we lived together. She is right, of course. But how?

As Buddy lay on that stainless steel table; as we looked into each other’s eyes, his cold nose pressed against my own, I asked my dying Lab for forgiveness.

In that moment, he did for me what he knew I could not do for myself.

About:Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Annapolis, MD --(Ammoland.com)- The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) would like to remind hunters that State and federal regulations allow waterfowl hunting on agriculture fields only if they have been properly harvested or left in their natural state.

“This year’s tropical storms and hurricanes have resulted in some agricultural crops not being harvested.

These fields cannot be hunted legally if the un-harvested crops have been manipulated ─ mowed, knocked down, etc.,” said Col. George F. Johnson IV.

“The un-harvested fields can only be hunted if the crops remain in their natural state, only affected by the weather. Manipulated, un-harvested fields must be disked or plowed under, so that the grain is not accessible to the waterfowl for a period of 10 days prior to hunting.”

It is also unlawful to hunt waterfowl in areas where small grains have been top sown or broadcast on top of the soil, leaving the grain available to feeding birds. Before hunting can occur in these areas, all seeds must be germinated and growing, entirely covered by soil, or completely removed, at least 10 days prior to hunting. These situations are commonly referred to as waterfowl baiting.

Baiting also includes distributing grain on the land or water to entice waterfowl into hunting situations. It is not necessary for a hunter to know that an area is baited to be in violation of Maryland’s migratory bird baiting regulation, which is considered a strict liability offense.

It is the hunter’s responsibility to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the hunting area is not or has not been baited. NRP recommends the following:

• Hunters should become familiar with normal farming practices in the area (consult with USDA State Extension Specialist);
• Hunters should consult the waterfowl hunting guide, and farmer or landowner regarding the farming practices, and any possible baiting on or near the hunting area;
• Hunter should thoroughly inspect the area prior to hunting and leave the site if they find grain or feed.

For more information call the NRP Communication Center at 800-628-9944.

About:
The Maryland Natural Resources Police is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 247 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the NRP provide a variety of services in addition to conservation, maritime and law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include homeland security, search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland’s forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland’s effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state’s number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov

Delta Scientific Director Dr. Frank Rohwer checks a trap block nest in North Dakota.

Delta Waterfowl

Bismarck, ND --(Ammoland.com)- BISMARCK, N.D.—Dr. Frank Rohwer has a warning for duck hunters: The conditions that produced the remarkable fall flights of recent years won’t last forever, and that means fewer ducks down the road.

“Duck production is the furthest thing from hunters’ minds right now,” admits Rohwer, a professor at Louisiana State University’s School of Renewable Natural Resources.

“Duck populations are high and hunters are laughing. But if we lose the Conservation Reserve Program’s nesting cover and the prairie breeding grounds go dry, duck numbers will plunge, and hunter and managers alike will be asking what we can do for ducks.”

Fortunately Rohwer, who doubles as director of Delta Waterfowl’s scientific research program, believes he has the answer: intensive management techniques like predator management, artificial nesting structures and conservation programs that protect small wetlands.

In recent years, waterfowl scientists have been forced to acknowledge a dramatic shift in duck distribution from the Canadian prairies to the U.S. side of the breeding grounds, a trend that continued the last two breeding seasons.

The shift occurred because CRP provided 5 million acres of lush nesting cover and productive wetlands in North and South Dakota, while in Canada wetland losses are ongoing, and large, undisturbed blocks of grass nesting cover are scarce.

Delta research has found hatch rates in prairie Canada commonly below five percent. Key production areas such as Minnedosa, Manitoba are consistently less than three percent, well below the necessary 15 percent needed to maintain populations.

As a result, the U.S. has been attracting mallards, pintails, blue-winged teal, gadwalls and shovelers at a rate far above historical levels, while prairie Canada has struggled to keep pace with its long-term average for most of the upland-nesting species.

Rohwer, himself an avid waterfowl hunter, doesn’t hide his concern about what’s coming as CRP acres are put into agricultural production. At the current rate of CRP loss, North and South Dakota will slip to around 1.5 million acres by 2013.

“We can’t give up on CRP,” he says. “Hunters must press Congress to maintain a viable program. It is simply critical to waterfowl, pheasants, and lots of other wildlife. But looking into my crystal ball, with commodity prices as high as they are and the current debates over federal spending, I don’t know if CRP will continue to have the impact it has had over the last two decades.”

Lacking large blocks of undisturbed CRP cover, intensive management, like predator control, might be the most important tool in the waterfowl manager’s kit. Delta began managing predators in the 1994 breeding season, and it quickly proved to be an effective technique for boosting sagging nest success. But as the duck population expanded, thanks to CRP and unusually wet conditions, subsequent studies showed that ducks didn’t need any help in those areas. That is why Delta switched its predator management research to areas of low grass.

“Ducks have done so well in areas with CRP that nesting hens simply don’t need a helping hand,” says Rohwer, “but ducks are struggling in many areas and in a couple years, we may not have any choice–low grass sites will be all that’s left.”

In 2009 and 2010 Delta shifted its efforts in North Dakota to areas that continued to attract high densities of nesting ducks but had relatively little (10 percent or less) grass nesting cover. Research also shifted to prairie Canada, where nest success is consistently low.

The results of those two years were impressive, with 28.3 percent nest success for ducks nesting in trapped areas compared to 6.4 percent for sites that had similar cover but were not trapped.

In 2011, one North Dakota site saw higher nest success on the trapped block: 35.5 percent versus 10.2. The second location, however, showed very different results. The trapped blocks came in with a 47 percent nest success. But the control, or non-trapped site, enjoyed a whopping 64.1 percent success rate.

“It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” says Rohwer. “That site shows what we’ve known for a decade: that you’ll get incredible variation in nest success from one site to another, and from year to year.

“We know from our trap sites that ducks respond to one another during the breeding season. If there’s a safe piece of ground, you’ll see a buildup of ducks nesting there because they’re keying on the other ducks using that spot.

“This area was two pieces of grass that were totally isolated–nothing but black dirt for miles in every direction. I guess there was no reason for predators to go there, and the buildup of nesting ducks was remarkable.”

Delta also trapped Manitoba the last two years. In Minnedosa, the trapped block enjoyed 49.5 percent nest success to just 2.5 percent on a non-trapped control site in 2010, and 32.7 to 0.5 in 2011.

At the Shoal Lake site, nest success was 37 percent trapped versus 3.6 non-trapped in 2010. In 2011, however, the trapped site was only 6.9 percent compared to 5.2 percent at the control site.

Says Rohwer: “The unprecedented flooding in Manitoba caused havoc with the Shoal Lake site. The trapper couldn’t get around and our students had a hard time nest searching. But that’s why we do the research and that’s why we do this work over many sites for many years, to get a solid answer.”

Delta plans to continue its predator management in 2012 on the same sites. Average nest success over the span of three years of evaluation in North Dakota is 32.6 percent nest success on trapped sites versus 16.7 percent nest success on non-trapped sites. In Manitoba, nest success on predator removal sites has averaged 31.5 percent nest success. The non-trapped sites averaged 3 percent over two years of evaluation.

About: Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

The Author's Yellow Lab at work.

Drake Waterfowl Systems

Olive Branch, MS --(Ammoland.com)- “Where the heck are those geese going?”

The flock meandering across the western horizon was the first of several that Drake Field Expert Steve Bierle and I were hoping would pay a visit to our decoy spread in a freshly turned fallow field. It was the opening morning of South Dakota’s special August season for resident Canada geese, and apparently the birds had received the memo.

Truthfully, I would have been more surprised had the first flock followed the game plan. After more than a decade of chasing Canada geese at summer’s end, I’ve come to discover that the only certainty with these birds is uncertainty.

Since 1996, South Dakota has implemented an early season to help control the growing number Canada geese that nest and raise young in the state. The big birds love to set up shop on the many wetlands that dot this prairie state, but unfortunately, they also love to munch on the surrounding fields of budding soybeans and corn.

Typically hunters have to wait until the first of September to take a crack at the resident geese, but a growing population – estimated at 227,000 breeding birds this spring – and mounting conflicts with landowners have caused the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks to open hunting for resident hunters the past two years in mid-August.

With so many geese around, it should be an easy fight, right?

It appeared that these geese were ready to come out swinging.

“These birds have been in this field for the better part of a week,” said Bierle, watching intently as the flock winged nearly a mile south off-course. “What in the world are they doing?”

Just about the time we gave up on the flock for good, the birds suddenly changed course and made a line for our decoy spread amid small stands of stubborn weeds and volunteer corn.

Steve began to work the call in earnest, and I fumbled with my camera, hoping to get the perfect shot of the first flock of the year. As the geese crossed over the southern edge of the field, it became apparent that they were setting up to land far short of our full-bodied decoys.

“Johnny, you better get on that flag,” Bierle whispered from his layout blind. I had broken rule number-one as an outdoor writer: either press the shutter release or hunt, but don’t try and do both.

I traded camera for goose flag, but the birds cupped up and dropped down in a wide, shallow swale some 200 yards down-wind.

“Crazy birds,” I said, hoping that my hunting partner would forgive me for being a tad bit late on the flag.

“Who knows what they’re thinking,” he answered. “Do you suppose I should walk those out?”

Before I had a chance to respond, the sounds of approaching geese cut through the cool morning air. A glance to the north and west told us that instead of taking a wayward detour, this second flock of the morning had drawn an immediate bead
The birds maintained a good line of approach until reaching the border of the field, when they began to slide with the wind. I flagged, Bierle called, but the geese wanted nothing to do with us. They weren’t flaring or giving any indication that they were spotting us, the geese simply did not want to decoy. After making another pass to the south, the flock of 25 birds cupped up and hit the dirt.

With ego slightly bruised, I noted that as a consolation, at least they completely ignored the other birds already on the ground, as well. The comment drew a muffled grunt from Bierle, and I thought that I even heard a sigh of frustration from my yellow Labrador, Murphy, who was sitting behind my blind. This hunt was starting to get personal.

“Here we go, another flock,” said Bierle. “This is looking better.”

A line of a dozen or so honkers was bearing down on the field from the west. The flock was considerably lower than the others, and the slowing rhythm of wing-beats led me to envision locked wings, dropped landing gear and a mob of birds backpedalling in the decoys.

That was wishful thinking.

After making a textbook swing down-wind, the birds worked against the breeze on a line for decoys, only to slide left of the spread, well out of range for either Bierle or myself.

“From behind, from behind,” came the hushed directions from Bierle, when the geese banked behind the blinds and again swung down-wind.

The big geese lumbered against the wind, but true to form, again slid left of the spread. They were nothing if not consistent.

Just as the flock cleared the left side of the blinds, the geese hooked slightly toward the backside of our decoy spread, and looked to land some 35-yards away. It was now or never.

“Take ‘em!”

Bierle and I swung around and focused on the closest birds, a pair that was just touching down. Steve crunched the left bird with his first shell, while my initial shot found nothing but air. We both tagged the remaining goose with our second shells, and I pulled on a farther bird making an escape to the right. My final load of Hevi-Metal #2’s hit home, and the goose sailed down to a crash landing on the dark soil.

With birds milling all around us, I waited to send Murphy on the first retrieve, hoping that we’d be able to convince a bird or two to return. The geese wheeled around in the sky momentarily before finally moving out in all directions.

I looked at Murphy, who was sharing opening morning with his 5th birthday, and the urgency in his eyes was what you’d expect from a dog that is being asked to patiently wait to make his first real retrieve since a March hunt for spring snow geese.

After giving the “OK,” the yellow Lab motored out of his blind like he had been shot out of a rocket. Frustrating morning or not, at the moment he was loving life.

The sky remained calm and clear for the next half-hour, and other than a wayward whitetail doe wandering close to the decoys, it became painfully clear that our opening morning had come to a quiet end.

“Well, it sure wasn’t pretty,” offered Bierle. “But it beat not going at all.”

“My thoughts exactly,” I said. “It could have been worse.”

Chances are strong that there will be another frustrating hunt or two as late summer gives way to fall, and fall to winter. And while this first morning certainly went the way of the birds, God willing, we’ll be out in the fields and marshes again to try and even the score.

About:
When we set out to create the best waterfowl hunting clothes on the market nearly four years ago, we knew immediately that a standard warm coat wouldn’t be near enough to impress the hard-core hunters that spend day after day in the field. We needed something to meet every condition a hunter can face… we needed a “SYSTEM”. This was the beginning of Drake Waterfowl Systems. Visit: www.drakewaterfowl.com

Top Ten Tips for Introducing Kids to Waterfowl Hunting

Delta Waterfowl

WINNIPEG, Manitoba --(Ammoland.com)- Delta Waterfowl President Rob Olson has a message for adults thinking about introducing kids to waterfowl hunting: Just do it.

“I really believe you can’t start’em too early,” said Olson, who hunted ducks and geese with his father well before he was old enough to pull the trigger.

“One important thing we’ve learned with our First Hunt program is that hunting participation soars in families where parents hunt. The more you can nurture the culture when they’re young, the more likely you’ll have a kid who hunts over their lifetime.”

Olson recently took his son Benjamin, 4, and nephews Petey, 8, and Joey, 6, to Delta Marsh in Manitoba to hunt ducks. “They had an absolute blast, and we didn’t even shoot at a single bird,” said Olson. “In many jurisdictions across North America, there are age restrictions on when kids can start hunting waterfowl. Restrictions or not, there is nothing stopping you from bringing the little ones along for a hunt. My advice is to just do it. You can’t imagine how rewarding the experience will be—for you and the kids.”

Here are ten tips Olson recommends considering when you bring youngsters into the field:

1. Keep it short. “It’s like training a young Lab—short is always best,” said Olson.
2. Pick the right day—this isn’t the time for a tough, cold day in the marsh.
3. Make it fun. “Keep the focus on the kids and make sure the experience is fun and upbeat,” said Olson. “Bring a football in case the birds don’t cooperate.”
4. Start teaching some basic skills, but concentrate on safety.
5. Bring lots of calls, and let the kids blow them as much as they want. The outing isn’t about bagging birds. “Bring some ear plugs too, because it’s probably going to get loud,” Olson said.
6. Bring lots of snacks. “Kids always want something to eat,” said Olson.
7. Bring a dip net. Yes, a dip net. “If the birds aren’t flying, switch it up to a frog or water bug hunt. It doesn’t matter to them.”
8. Take a lot of photos. They are certain to become family heirlooms.
9. Bring a change of clothes because your kids are likely to get wet.
10. Get your kids to help clean the birds, and eat them that same day. “If you do, they’ll get hooked on eating game,” said Olson.

Editor’s note: Click here for more information about Delta Waterfowl’s First Hunt Program

About:Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

Hans Albert Hochbaum, Delta Waterfowl's first scientific director, was a tireless advocate for the protection of small, ephemeral wetlands he believed were the engine that drove prairie duck production.

Delta Waterfowl

BISMARCK, N.D. --(Ammoland.com)- In 1938 a promising young graduate student named Hans Albert Hochbaum traveled at Manitoba’s Delta Marsh to face the challenge that would ultimately define his life and shape the field of waterfowl management.

His assignment: To establish a research program to unravel the mysteries of the duck breeding grounds, a daunting task considering how little was known about the breeding ecology of ducks at the time.

Failure was not an option. Albert’s advisor was none other than Aldo Leopold, the father of modern wildlife management, and his chief benefactor was James Ford Bell, the wildly successful Minneapolis businessman who founded General Mills.

The story of Hochbaum’s 32-year career as director of the Delta Duck Station is chronicled in a special commemorative issue of Delta Waterfowl magazine marking the organization’s 100-year anniversary. Many of the stories are based on old letters, manuscripts and station documents contained in a collection housed at the Archives of Manitoba.

The Hochbaum era began in 1938 when Bell, an avid canvasback hunter, offered his Delta Marsh hunting camp at the lower end of Lake Manitoba as a research facility. Leopold selected Hochbaum, a brilliant and multi-talented graduate student from Cornell, to establish the program under the sponsorship of the American Wildlife Institute (AWI), which had been established just three years earlier.

Hochbaum was immediately enamored with the marsh, writing to Leopold a week later, “I can’t begin to tell you what a wonderful place this is. I would like to spend 10 years here.”

During those early years Hochbaum, fellow Leopold student Lyle Sowls and others unraveled the mysteries of the prairie breeding grounds one discovery at a time. They identified homing and re-nesting tendencies and territorial behavior, and examined botulism, predation, crippling loss and the impact of lead shot.

“It’s important to remember they were starting from ground zero,” says Dr. Frank Rohwer, Hochbaum’s 21st-century counterpart. “Everything they saw was new. Most of the research done to that point focused on the wintering grounds.”

Hochbaum lived by a simple credo: “Research is the search for the truth, and management is the application of truth,” and had little tolerance for anyone who didn’t play by those rules.

“He was entirely principled and was not one to be put off by authority,” says Rohwer. “He didn’t back down from anyone.”

Hochbaum’s propensity to stand his ground when others were retreating manifested itself early and often. “I have strong personal convictions concerning the conduct of wildlife research and the application of its findings,” Hochbaum wrote to Bell in 1942.

Easily Hochbaum’s most important observation during those early years was the critical importance of small wetlands to breeding ducks. He also discovered a unique method of aging and sexing ducks through cloacal (intestinal cavity) examination and was a driving force behind creation of the spring breeding population and habitat survey.

Hochbaum is remembered by many for his gruff, uncompromising persona and his squabbles with waterfowl managers who didn’t share his views; others recall him as a gifted researcher and relentless advocate for ducks.

“Al was a fabulous scientist,” says Dr. Rohwer, a former Delta student who enjoyed the hospitality of Hochbaum and his wife Joan on numerous occasions. “He was one of those really bright, gifted people. He could write well, was a great artist and a strong advocate for what he saw on the prairies.”

His first book, “The Canvasback on a Prairie Marsh,” published in 1944, won the Brewster Medal of the American Ornithologists’ Union and the Literary Award of the Wildlife Society.

Other books include “Travels and Traditions of Waterfowl” in 1956, “To Ride the Wind” in 1973 and “Wings over the Prairie,” published posthumously in 1994.

He also critiqued the collection of essays that would later become Leopold’s famous “A Sand County Almanac.” It was at Hochbaum’s insistence that Leopold wrote his most famous essay, “Thinking Like a Mountain.”

Thanks to his influence, the Delta Marsh became the inspiration for many of the world’s top waterfowl artists, including Sir Peter Scott, F. L. Jaques, Richard Bishop, Ogden Pleissner and federal duck stamp winners David Maass and brothers Jim, Joe and Bob Hautman.

Hochbaum retired in 1970 to concentrate on his writing and painting, and continued to fight for small wetlands until his death in 1988.

The program he created has trained more than 350 scientists who have published 700-plus peer-reviewed research papers.

About:Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

Drake Waterfowl & Xpress Boats Migration Nation Boat

Drake Waterfowl Systems

Olive Branch, MS --(Ammoland.com)- Drake Waterfowl and Xpress Boats have teamed up to create the ultimate series of duck boats.

The 2012 Xpress Boats Drake 16 and 18 foot duck boats, inspired by the needs of television’s Drake Migration Nation.

The serious hunter requires a comfortable, stable platform, designed for virtually any hunting condition.For years, the Xpress HD Duck Boat hull has been the gold standard for rugged, hard-nosed boating.The Drake 16 and 18 is that perfect blend of functionality and versatility.

These boats are a direct result of what dealers and customers have been looking for.A rugged, maneuverable boat built to be sturdy and comfortable.

J. Paul Jackson, host of the Sportsman Channel’s “Drake’s Migration Nation is thrilled what has been accomplished: “As host of the of Drake’s Migration Nation television show for the last two years, if I have learned anything about the good folks at Drake Waterfowl Systems during that time, it is that they take the company motto, “Innovators in Waterfowl Hunting”, very seriously.Every product in the Drake line features innovations that the competition just can’t match.

At Drake, we are constantly striving to build new products that are of the highest quality and functionality.

Therefore, when we decided that we wanted to partner with a boat manufacturer to build the ultimate boat for the Migration Nation, Xpress Boats was the obvious choice.From their quality all welded designs to their smart standard features and useful optional accessories; Xpress Boats has truly become America’s premier aluminum boat manufacturer.The result of combining Drake’s innovation with Xpress’ superior quality and craftsmanship produced a boat that even exceeded my high expectations, the new Limited Edition Drake’s Migration Nation Boat by Xpress.”

Key Features of the Drake 16 and 18 Models:

• Innovative hull design is suitable for both outboard and surface drive motors
• Handling capabilities and the durability and timber-toughness that made Xpress duck boats famous
• Xtreme Coat paint
• Longitudinal rib construction
• All-welded design
• Foam-injected floors
• Floatation pods
• Xpress step transom
• Multi-functional platform ideal for hunting, fishing and pleasure all in one boat

More videos, photos, and updates on the new Xpress Boats – Drake 16 and Drake 18 models coming soon. Sign up Here

About:
When we set out to create the best waterfowl hunting clothes on the market nearly four years ago, we knew immediately that a standard warm coat wouldn’t be near enough to impress the hard-core hunters that spend day after day in the field. We needed something to meet every condition a hunter can face… we needed a “SYSTEM”. This was the beginning of Drake Waterfowl Systems. Visit: www.drakewaterfowl.com

Lone black brant, flying low over water and grassy shoreline. Chris Nicolai/USFWS photo.

California Department Of Fish And Game

California --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds hunters the north coast black brant hunting season is open from Nov. 7, 2011 through Dec. 6, 2011.

An error in the California Waterfowl Association’s 2011-12 Waterfowl Hunter’s Pocket Guide shows the season beginning and ending a day earlier.

A brief list of season dates and bag limits are on the 2011-2012 Waterfowl Hunting Season Summary at www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/11-12-waterfowl-sum.html. The complete, detailed regulations are on the Fish and Game Commission website at www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/current/waterfowlregs.aspx#502d5D1.

The 20 to 30-inch black brants appear similar to the Canada goose but are smaller and shorter-necked, lacking the white cheek patch of the latter.

Black brants breed in coastal Alaska and the Canadian Arctic in summers, then spend winters along both coasts of the U.S., and as far south as Mexico.

They feed primarily on eelgrass and other marine plants, so seldom stray far from salt water. The greatest threat to the species is loss of winter habitat to development.

Again, the correct season dates for the Northern Brant Management Area are Nov. 7, 2011 through Dec. 6, 2011.

Ohio Department Natural Resources

COLUMBUS, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Ohio hunters should have good opportunities to take some of the most popular species of waterfowl, based on the findings of biologists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The spring pond index for the prairie pothole region of North America (Kansas to central Saskatchewan) and breeding duck surveys indicate a better than average reproduction year for most duck species. Ponds are housing above normal numbers and good production has been noted from most of the primary breeding range.

Closer to home, the Upper Great Lakes states and eastern Canadian provinces showed good to excellent mallard nesting and brood rearing habitat conditions and breeding populations similar to 2010. The Upper Great Lakes are the primary breeding range for mallards harvested in Ohio. Mallards are Ohio’s most harvested duck and can be found throughout the state.

Wood ducks, which are the second most harvested duck in Ohio and the state’s number one breeding duck, appear to also have had a good production year.

Canada geese are overall the most harvested waterfowl in the Buckeye State and can be found in good numbers throughout Ohio. In-state giant Canada geese had the highest population estimate this spring and all indications are there was fair to good production across the state. Migrant interior populations (Southern James Bay and Mississippi Valley) of Canada geese have also had good production. With proper weather, the hunting outlook is good to very good.

With good habitat conditions, Ohio hunters will enjoy a liberal 60-day hunting season again this year. Pintail continued to increase in population which will allow a two-bird bag for the second year in a row. Scaup showed a slight increase in population, and will see a two-bird bag for the entire 60-day season. The canvasback population increased slightly, and there will be a full season in 2011.

The success of Ohio waterfowl hunters has more to do with weather conditions and local habitat conditions rather than continental ducks populations. State wildlife areas are in good condition with excellent fall food potential.

Details of the waterfowl and all other hunting seasons can be found in the Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and in Ohio Waterfowl Hunting Seasons Publication 5295. Hunters can also review seasons and regulations online at wildohio.com.

The ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- The preliminary 2011 North American waterfowl survey, released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in late July, totaled 45.5 million, up 12 percent from last year’s 40.8 million.

These counts are based on aerial surveys of breeding waterfowl conducted annually since 1955, and each year the information helps determine the hunting regulations on season length, dates and bag limits.

Several hundred of the country’s 553 national wildlife refuges welcome waterfowl hunting as a traditional recreational use and wildlife management tool under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997.

Many hunters name refuges such as Edwin B. Forsythe in New Jersey, Anahuac in Texas and Lower Klamath in California among their favorite waterfowl hunting destinations.

At scenic Lower Klamath Refuge, established as the nation’s first waterfowl refuge in 1908, hunt program coordinator Stacy Freitas says it’s easy to see the refuge’s appeal to hunters. “We are one of the first stops in the Pacific Flyway when birds return in the fall from nesting areas in Canada,” says the biological science technician. Ducks and geese flock to the refuge’s marshes and grain fields located in the shadow of 14,000-foot Mt. Shasta. Some hunters take aim from refuge pit blinds and free-roam areas; Freitas and her husband prefer to shoot from a layout boat.

“For most hunters, it’s not just about shooting birds,” she says. “It’s about watching the sunrise, listening to nature, the whole experience. You kind of feel one with nature, but hopefully you get dinner out of the process.”

At Anahuac Refuge in Texas, huntable species include blue- and green-winged teal, mottled ducks, gadwalls, pintails and shovelers, as well as snow geese, greater white-fronted geese, Ross’s geese and Canada geese. American coots are also fair game. Hunting areas can be reached by foot or by boat. An accessible hunt blind is available for hunters with a disability. . All waterfowl hunters, 16 years of age and older, must buy a $15 federal duck stamp each year; the proceeds support wetland conservation. Hunters also need a current state license and, in some cases, a refuge hunting permit. Hunters must use non-toxic, lead-free shot.

Your Guide to Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges can help you find a hunt location and the conditions you want. Many refuges, such as Parker River Refuge in Massachusetts, hold special youth hunts each year to teach conservation, shooting skills and safety to beginning hunters. Some refuges, such as Bombay Hook Refuge in Delaware, designate special hunt days for hunters with disabilities. Others, such as Sherburne Refuge in Minnesota, have special blinds for people with disabilities. The hunting guide also includes wetland management districts open to waterfowl hunting in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Montana.

Other wildlife refuges popular with waterfowl hunters include:

• Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, AR
• Delta National Wildlife Refuge, LA
• Devils Lake Wetland Management District, ND
• Iowa Wetland Management District and Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge, IA
• Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, MA
• Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, TN
• Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, CA
• Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, MN
• Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge, MN, WI, IA, IL
• Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, AK

More 2011 waterfowl hunting information is available from the Division of Migratory Bird Management and the Office of Law Enforcement.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page, follow our tweets, watch our YouTube Channel, and download photos from our Flickr page.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Michigan duck hunters will again enjoy a 60-day season this year as the Natural Resources Commission approved upcoming waterfowl seasons at its August meeting Thursday.

Duck season will begin Sept. 24 in the North Zone (Upper Peninsula) and run through Nov. 18, then re-open Nov. 24-27.

• In the Middle Zone, duck season is set for Oct. 1 – Nov. 27 and Dec. 3-4.
• In the South Zone, the season is Oct. 8 – Dec. 4 and Dec. 10-11.

The seasons were established under the federal framework through consultation between the Department of Natural Resources and the Citizens Waterfowl Advisory Committee.

Bag limits are unchanged from last year. Hunters may take up to six ducks daily with no more than four mallards (no more than one of which may be a hen), three wood ducks, two redheads, two scaup, two pintails, one canvasback and one black duck.

The early Canada goose hunting season begins statewide Sept. 1 and runs through Sept. 10 in the North Zone and in Saginaw, Tuscola and Huron counties; and through Sept. 15 in the rest of the state. The daily bag limit is five.

The regular Canada goose seasons – with the exception of designated goose management units (GMU) are Sept. 17 – Oct. 31 in the North Zone; Oct. 1-8 , Nov. 24-27 and Dec. 3-4 in the Middle Zone; and Oct. 8 – Nov. 10 and Nov. 24 – Dec. 4 in the south zone. The daily bag limit is two.

The goose seasons in the Saginaw County GMU and the Tuscola/Huron GMU are Oct. 8 – Nov. 10, Nov. 24 – Dec. 4, and Dec. 31 – Jan. 29. The daily bag limit is two.

The seasons in the Allegan County GMU are Nov. 12-30, Dec. 10-20, and Dec. 31 – Jan. 14. The daily bag limit is two.

At Muskegon Waste Water GMU, the seasons are Oct. 11 – Nov. 13 and Dec. 1-11. The daily bag limit is two.

The late goose season – in the South Zone only – is Dec. 31 – Jan. 29. The daily bag limit is five.

Hunters may take 20 snow, blue or Ross’ geese daily and one white-fronted goose and one brant during the regular and late seasons in respective zones or GMUs.

Continental duck populations increased 11 percent from 2010 as a result of exceptionally good wetland conditions in the mid-continent prairie and parkland regions. Most duck species are above their long-term averages. However, about 75 percent of Michigan’s mallard harvest is from ducks produced in the Great Lakes region. Michigan’s mallard population was down 34 percent this year from 2010 and 40 percent below the long-term average. Therefore despite very good predictions for continental fall duck flights, Michigan duck hunters will likely encounter fewer ducks, especially mallards, this season.

Michigan’s Canada goose harvest is derived from primarily three flocks, including local giant Canada geese, the Mississippi Valley Population (MVP), and the Southern James Bay Population (SJBP). Michigan’s giant Canada geese make up approximately 70 percent of the state’s goose harvest. Michigan’s Canada goose population estimate is down about 42 percent from last year. The MVP and SJBP flocks breed largely on Hudson Bay, Ontario, and account for the majority of Michigan’s migrant goose harvest. MVP numbers are significantly down this year and SJBP numbers are similar to last year and remain stable. In general, goose hunters are likely to see smaller numbers of Canada geese throughout Michigan’s goose hunting seasons; however some local areas have good giant Canada goose numbers and will provide excellent opportunity.

For more information on waterfowl hunting in Michigan, go to www.michigan.gov/hunting and click on Waterfowl.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.

New Jersey Fish and Game

Trenton, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife has posted the PDF version of the 2011-2012 Migratory Bird Regulations Booklet on its website.

The print version will be available at license agents by the beginning of September.

The booklet can be downloaded at http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/pdf/2011/11-12mig_booklet.pdf .

For information on the upcoming migratory bird seasons, see http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/artmigratory11.htm , also on the division’s website.

New Jersey 2011-2012 Migratory Bird Regulations Booklet

New Jersey Fish and Game

Trenton, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- An article about the upcoming 2011-2012 migratory bird seasons has been posted on the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife website.

Waterfowl biologist Ted Nichols provides detailed information on the population status of the state’s waterfowl species and how the waterfowl seasons are affected by population status.

Among significant changes this year will be the duration of the woodcock season (increased from 24 to 36 days) and the brant season, which will be closed during part of the duck season in all zones.

The bag limits for the various duck seasons are noted, as is information on Canada and light goose seasons.

The article can be viewed at www.njfishandwildlife.com/artmigratory11.htm on the division’s website.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that applications for reserved hunts on managed waterfowl areas will be accepted from Aug. 1-28.

Reserved hunts are held both mornings and afternoons of the opening weekend of the waterfowl hunting season at Fish Point, Harsens Island, Nayanquing Point and Shiawassee River State Game Areas.

These reserved hunts offer a great opportunity for waterfowl hunters to have a guaranteed hunting spot on one of the first two days of the duck hunting season, at some of the best duck hunting areas in the state.

The maximum party size is four hunters. For morning hunts and the second-day afternoon hunts, successful applicants must have appropriate licenses and stamps and be accompanied by one to three other appropriately licensed hunters. Youth have a special opportunity because the opening-day afternoon hunts are for those 16 and under. Successful applicants for the opening-day afternoon hunts can have up to two adults who are 18 years of age or older with appropriate licenses and they must have at least one youth 10 to 16 years of age with the appropriate license.

Reserved goose hunts for the mornings of waterfowl hunting opening weekend are also available at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.

Waterfowl reserved hunt applications, which cost $4, are available at all license agents or online at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings. Hunters may only apply once. Drawings results will be posted at www.michigan.gov/huntdrawings on Sept. 19.

Hunters have an additional opportunity to get a reserved waterfowl license by applying for the 2012 Pure Michigan Hunt drawing. Each application is $4 and you may apply as many times as you like. Three lucky winners will receive a hunt package that includes a reserved waterfowl, elk, bear, turkey, and antlerless deer license. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/puremichiganhunt. Season dates and regulations have not yet been established for the 2012 hunting seasons.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/dnr.

Banded Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- National hunting guru and renowned television host Chad Belding is set to launch the inaugural 2011 Banded Calls North American Tour – presented by the Sportsman Channel, Otis Technology, HEVI-Shot, and HiViz.

The tour will be hosted by Scheels All Sports, Cabela’s and Mack’s Prairie Wings sporting goods stores, with the first three stops coming at Scheels in Fargo, N.D. (7/29), Mankato, Minn. (7/30-31), and Sioux City, La. (8/5-7).

Belding will be giving hunting seminars to share his knowledge and insight with fellow hunters and enthusiasts while promoting his Banded Nation brand endeavors – including his custom designed duck and goose calls (Banded Calls), hunting gear (Banded Gear), and hunts (Banded Hunts). Belding will also be showcasing his newest series on the Sportsman Channel Dead Dog Walkin’ and third season of The Fowl Life with Chad Belding.

“Banded Calls is honored and humbled to have partners like Cabela’s, Mack’s, and Scheels carry our product lines,” Belding said.

During his appearances, Belding will be signing autographs and taking photos with fans at each stop. There will also be giveaways that include t-shirts and posters from The Fowl Life with Chad Belding and Dead Dog Walkin.’

“Everything is happening so fast,” Belding said. “We just started the company in January of this year and five months later, we are delivering hundreds of calls to the top retailers in the country. We understand what this means to our brand and the added credibility it gives our company.”

Upcoming Tour Stops:

• Fargo, ND – July 29 | Scheels
• Mankato, MN – July 30 & 31 | Scheels
• Sioux City, IA – August 5-7 | Scheels
• Kansas City, MO – August 12-14 | Cabela’s
• Dundee, MI – August 19-21 | Cabela’s
• Sioux Falls, SD – August 26-28 | Scheels
• La Vista, NE – September 16-18 | Cabela’s
• Stuttgart, AR – September 23-25 | Mack’s Prairie Wings
• Stuttgart, AR – September 30 & October 1 | Mack’s Prairie Wings
• Gonzales, LA – October 1 & 2 | Cabela’s
• Stuttgart, AR – November 25-27 | Mack’s Prairie Wings

About Chad Belding:
Chad Belding’s success started with his reality hunting show called ‘The Fowl Life with Chad Belding’ which launched on Sportsman Channel and WILD TV in 2008, and airs in more than 40 million homes in North America. Fans across the nation have watched as Belding and his crew hunt in more than 15 states across the U.S., incorporating a local guest in each location who offers advice on their local hunting ground and participates in the hunt. Now approaching season three, ‘The Fowl Life with Chad Belding’ is becoming the must-see reality series for hunters across the nation. Belding also launched a new show focused on predator hunts and wildlife conservation called ‘Dead Dog Walkin,’ which began airing on Sportsman Channel and WILD TV March 2011.

About Banded Nation:
Launched in January 2011, Banded Nation is comprised of hunters, editors, graphic designers, producers, videographers and on-camera personalities dedicated to bringing a new approach to outdoor television and outdoor style. Banded Nation was founded by renowned outdoor hunting show host Chad Belding and acts as the parent company to a wide variety of properties including Sportsman Channel and WILD TV’s award winning national television series ‘The Fowl Life with Chad Belding,’ the new predator hunting television series ‘Dead Dog Walkin’ and Banded Gear. Visit www.bandednation.com for more information.

Banded Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- WHAT: National hunting guru and renowned outdoorsman Chad Belding, host of Sportsman Channel’s new series Dead Dog Walkin,’ and The Fowl Life with Chad Belding is set to appear at the 28th Annual World Deer Expo in Birmingham, Ala., beginning Friday, July 15.

Belding will be partnering with Central Kansas Outfitters and assisted them with booking hunts in Kansas.

Additionally, Belding will be promoting all of his Banded Nation brand endeavors – including his duck and goose calls (Banded Calls), hunting gear (Banded Gear), and hunts (Banded Hunts). Belding will also be showcasing his new series Dead Dog Walkin’ and third season of The Fowl Life with Chad Belding. His booths will be located on the Main Hall downstairs at numbers 2311 and 2312.

The show will begin Friday, July 15 from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. CT; and continues Saturday, July 16 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and concludes on Sunday, July 17 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. This year, the World Deer Expo has 200 more exhibits than last year, and it continues to be the largest consumer hunting show in the country.

For more information on the show can be found on their website at : www.birminghamdeershow.com.

WHEN: Friday, July 15 – Sunday, July 17, 2011

WHERE: Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, 2100 Richard Arrington Junior Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203

WHO: About Chad Belding: Chad Belding’s success started with his reality hunting show called ‘The Fowl Life with Chad Belding’ which launched on Sportsman Channel and WILD TV in 2008, and airs in more than 40 million homes in North America. Fans across the nation have watched as Belding and his crew hunt in more than 15 states across the U.S., incorporating a local guest in each location who offers advice on their local hunting ground and participates in the hunt. Now approaching season three, ‘The Fowl Life with Chad Belding’ is becoming the must-see reality series for hunters across the nation. Belding also launched a new show focused on predator hunts and wildlife conservation called ‘Dead Dog Walkin’ which began airing on Sportsman Channel and WILD TV on March 28 of this year.

About Banded Nation:
Launched in January 2011, Banded Nation is comprised of hunters, editors, graphic designers, producers, videographers and on-camera personalities dedicated to bringing a new approach to outdoor television and outdoor style. Banded Nation was founded by renowned outdoor hunting show host Chad Belding and acts as the parent company to a wide variety of properties including Sportsman Channel and WILD TV’s award winning national television series ‘The Fowl Life with Chad Belding,’ the new predator hunting television series ‘Dead Dog Walkin’ and Banded Gear. Visit www.bandednation.com for more information.

Delta Waterfowl

Bismarck, ND --(Ammoland.com)- Duck hunters will find plenty to cheer about in the annual breeding population and habitat survey, which was released earlier today.

Conducted each May by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service, this year’s survey reveals the second-highest pond count and a record 45.6 million ducks, the most since the survey was started in 1955. Blue-winged teal, shovelers and redheads soared to record levels, and if that’s not enough, mallard, pintail, canvasback and gadwall numbers rose substantially from 2010.

But not all is well across the U.S. and Canadian prairies.

While water is great for ducks, excessive snowpack and heavy spring rains produced extreme flooding across much of the prairie breeding grounds. From the Canadian prairies to the Dakotas and eastern Montana, tens of thousands of homeowners have been displaced by swollen rivers, millions of acres of cropland remain unplanted and hundreds of miles of roads are under water.

2011 Duck Numbers“Our hearts go out to all those affected by flooding this spring,” says Delta President Rob Olson.“This has been an indescribable hardship for the people living in the Prairie Pothole Region.”

The closely watched May ponds total, the second-highest ever, doesn’t do justice to the unprecedented flooding still terrorizing residents of the breeding grounds. Across the U.S. side of the region, the last three years have been the wettest since pond counts began. The 3.2 million ponds inventoried in the U.S. this spring were the most on record.

The 4.9 million ponds in prairie Canada were 43 percent more than the long-term average, which dates back to 1955, and brings the total pond count across the traditional survey area to 8.1 million, second only to the 8.3 million recorded in 1974.

Not surprisingly, all that water attracted a record number of ducks. The 12.5 million breeding ducks that settled in the eastern half of the Dakotas was the most ever, and was 172 percent above average.

The Canadian prairies got drenched this year and, accordingly, attracted significantly more ducks than last year: Alberta saw a 60 percent jump in pond numbers and 66 percent more ducks, Manitoba was 72 percent wetter with 41 percent more ducks and Saskatchewan’s pond count rose 18 percent and attracted 56 percent more ducks.

Olson was quick to point out that wet conditions don’t create more ducks, they just attract birds that on dry years would settle elsewhere. “The bush country is empty because all the birds are having a party on the prairies,” he says.

Species reaching all-time highs include blue-winged teal at a whopping 8.9 million, northern shovelers at 4.6 million and redheads with 1.4 million. Mallards improved to 9.2 million; pintails jumped to 4.4 million, the highest level since 1980; gadwalls rose to 3.3 million; canvasbacks climbed to 692,000, and scaup improved slightly to 4.3 million.

Dr. Frank Rohwer, Delta Waterfowl’s scientific director, says the uninterrupted wet cycle that began in the U.S. in 1994 is only part of the reason ducks numbers have skyrocketed in recent years, citing millions of acres of dense nesting cover provided by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and an outbreak of mange that has kept fox numbers in check as other important factors.

“The eastern Dakotas have become the Mecca for prairie ducks,” says Rohwer, a Louisiana State University professor who admits he’s excited about the coming hunting season. “Pintails have reversed their long-term decline, driven largely by very high counts in the eastern Dakotas. Blue-winged teal are off the charts–yikes. Shovelers are at an all-time high and gadwalls and mallards are up.”

To demonstrate his point about productivity in the U.S., Dr. Rohwer did some back-of-the-envelope calculations based on the survey results. “I added up the number of mallards, gadwalls and blue-winged teal for each region and divided them by the pond counts to get a pairs-per-pond figure,” he says. [Continued...]

“The eastern Dakotas had 3.7 pairs per pond, while southern Saskatchewan had just 1.78. Southern Manitoba and Alberta were slightly lower than Saskatchewan.”

Rohwer’s calculations explain why flooding isn’t the only reason for long faces on the breeding grounds: Waterfowl managers are increasingly concerned about the long-term ability of the U.S. prairies to produce ducks in light of budget cuts being considered by Congress. If approved, those cuts could put CRP and numerous other conservation programs responsible for this year’s eye-popping numbers at risk.

“Mother Nature has dealt the pothole region a winning hand with all this water,” says Delta Senior Vice President John Devney. “When the prairies get this wet, it sets off a chain reaction of positive outcomes–an abundance of small wetlands attracts more ducks to prime breeding areas, and those ducks are more inclined to re-nest and brood survival increases. Re-nesting is important because it offsets predation.

“But the U.S. prairies won’t stay wet forever, and if we continue to lose CRP, native grasslands and wetlands, duck numbers could go down even faster and more dramatically than they’ve come up in recent years. Worse, without adequate nesting cover, populations will be slower to recover.”

The importance of CRP on the U.S. side of the “duck factory” becomes more apparent with each passing breeding season.

For the third year in a row, more pintails settled in the eastern Dakotas (1.5 million) than in prairie Saskatchewan (1.1 million). Pintail numbers in the eastern Dakotas were a whopping 209 percent higher than average.

Blue-winged teal numbers were knock-your-socks-off good. The 8.9 million blue-wings were the most ever, and 61 percent of those ducks set up housekeeping on the U.S. side of the region–179 percent more than the norm.

Redheads have also taken advantage of nesting conditions in the U.S. The 1.4 million breeders recorded this year set yet another record, and 654,000 of them–241 percent more than average–settled in the U.S.

Northern shovelers also set a record at 4.6 million, 98 percent higher than the long-term average. Shoveler numbers actually dropped across the eastern Dakotas, but rose dramatically in the prairie provinces and the western Dakotas.

The mallard breeding population rose less than some observers expected to a very respectable 9.2 million, with 3.4 million of those in the U.S. Surveyors counted 18 percent more canvasbacks than a year ago, gadwalls were the third highest ever and scaup climbed to the highest level since 1999, which is still 15 percent below average.

Species of concern are the American wigeon, which fell 14 percent from last year to 2.1 million and is now 20 percent below average, and green-winged teal, off 17 percent to 2.9 million but still 47 percent higher than average. “High duck numbers bode well for good production and a strong fall flight,” Devney says.

About:
Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

Ducks Unlimited

ANN ARBOR, Mich. --(Ammoland.com)- Ducks Unlimited expressed appreciation for U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s (MI) Great Lakes conservation effort directed towards Saginaw Bay and the basin of western Lake Erie.

The senator is chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

The effort is being administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service through existing Farm Bill conservation programs, and will dedicate technical and financial assistance to landowners and producers to implement a range of conservation practices that benefit the Great Lakes’ water and wildlife.

The areas are of critical importance to waterfowl, particularly during migration.

“This is a great announcement for conservation,” said Gildo Tori, director of public policy for Ducks Unlimited.

“It’s part of a really successful government program, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and partnering with agriculture is a no-brainer. In fact, most landowners in the designated area are eligible to apply for technical and financial assistance to implement conservation activities on their lands that conserve soil, water, air and wildlife resources. It’s good for wildlife and it’s good for people.”

Maps of the areas eligible for GLRI funding and eligible practices will be posted on the NRCS-Michigan web site at www.mi.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/glri.html. Information is also available at local NRCS and conservation district offices.

GLRI assistance in the Saginaw Bay and western Lake Erie Basin watersheds will be targeted to address non-point source pollution and grassland bird habitat. A four-county area in the Saginaw Bay will also have funding available to address feral swine, an increasing threat to Michigan habitat.

About:
Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. Visit www.ducks.org

Ohio Magee Marsh Wildlife Area Waterfowl Hunt Cancelled

Ohio Department Natural Resources

OAK HARBOR, OH --(Ammoland.com)- An extensive restoration and enhancement project at the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area will necessitate cancellation of the area’s controlled waterfowl hunt for the 2011-2012 waterfowl hunting season according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

The temporary closure of the area will result in decades of improved wetland management capabilities on Magee Marsh and enhanced waterfowl hunting opportunities in the future. However, completing the restoration work will require the drawdown of water from the eastern and southern wetland units on a temporary basis. This project affects 392 acres of coastal wetlands on Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, securing the main water supply to 282 acres of hemi-marsh and semi-permanent wetlands by restoring the structural integrity of the main water supply channel levee. Another benefit of the effort is the restoration of wetland hydrology to three wetlands including a 60 acre forested wetland and 50 acres of emergent marsh habitats adjacent to the forested wetland.

This project is a cooperative effort between the Ohio Division of Wildlife and Ducks Unlimited, and is funded through a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection Grant and funds generated from the sale of the Ohio Wetland Habitat Stamp.

Opportunities for sportsmen and women will still be available during the special teal and early Canada goose season in September. A drawing for these seasons is scheduled for Saturday, August 20, 2011 at the Lake Erie Waterfowler’s Festival.

Daily drawings for waterfowl hunting opportunities for the remainder of the 2011-2012 waterfowl hunting season will be held when the project is completed, but a completion date for this project has not been determined.

For information about Ohio’s wildlife, visit wildohio.com, find the Division of Wildlife on Facebook, or follow updates on Twitter.

The ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

Ducks Unlimited

TORRINGTON, Wy --(Ammoland.com)- Goshen County is a focal point for some of Ducks Unlimited’s most important wetland and waterfowl habitat restoration efforts in Wyoming.

Since DU began work in Wyoming they have conserved 1,173 acres of waterfowl habitat in this county alone.

The ‘Goshen Hole’ wetland complex has long been recognized as an important waterfowl breeding area in the state. The area provides migratory ducks and geese with an important stopover point during spring migration to the prairie breeding grounds. DU’s conservation efforts in the area focus on restoration of degraded wetlands, improving the ability of managers to utilize water resources for waterfowl and placing conservation easements on key parcels of land that benefit waterfowl.

“Goshen County has a great mix of riverine and pothole habitats preferred by migrating ducks and geese,” said Matt Reddy, DU regional biologist. “These natural wetlands combine with the reservoirs and irrigation ditches run by local producers to provide great conditions for our waterfowl visitors.”

Over the past few years, DU has delivered several wetland projects conserving 906 acres in Goshen County. These projects were funded in part by the North American Wetland Conservation Act, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust and private landowners. These projects involved improving water management capabilities to enhance and improve waterfowl migration, breeding and brood rearing habitat on private lands.

The landowners of these properties are better able to manage water levels to promote beneficial vegetation growth and provide dependable water for the ducks. DU will monitor the properties and work with the landowners to maximize waterfowl use of the restored wetlands.

About:
Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. Visit www.ducks.org

Dead Dog Walkin

USA --(Ammoland.com)- Fresh off the success of his first two seasons of The Fowl Life, renowned outdoor host Chad Belding’s new predator hunting series Dead Dog Walkin’ premieres this week on Sportsman Channel.

The show follows Belding and his team, primarily his brother Clay Belding and colleagues Alex Faust and Alex Langbell, as they hunt coyotes and other predators that are threatening domestic sheep and cattle herds, as well as game animals. The Fowl Life returns to Sportsman Channel in June.

“We cross the country doing Dead Dog Walkin’, and realize that the expansion of predator populations has led to some difficult situations for farmers, ranchers and our fellow hunters,” says Chad Belding. “The conservation we’re providing, as well as reducing the number of predators in these areas is helpful for everyone, and the hunts make for some great television, too.”

Belding, a native of Reno, Nev., and McQueen graduate who played baseball at UNLV, chose three Nevada-area sites among the first four locations for the series in order to try to help his local ranchers and hunters:

Episode 1: Ranchland Security (debuts this week) – Filmed in the state of Nevada with Chad and Clay Belding, along with Alex Faust as they help local ranchers protect their livestock against an outbreak of coyotes in the area.

AIR TIMES (EST):

• Friday, April 1 – 12:30 PM
• Saturday, April 2 – 10:30 AM
• Sunday, April 3 – 9:30 PM
• Tuesday, April 5 – 3:30 AM

***The show can be found on DIRECTV channel 605, Dish Network channel 285 or 395 and AT&T U-Verse TV channel 642. Check your local provider for local cable channel number.

Upcoming Shows Include:

• Episode 2: Washington Laydown (debuts April 4) —Team Dead Dog member Alex Langbell shows us what the state of Washington has to offer, and coyotes are part of the landscape. Alex and a fellow Washington native take down some coyotes that have been preying on domestic animals.
• Episode 3—Nevada Rendevouz (debuts April 11) – Chad and Clay Belding are back with Alex Faust in Nevada chasing coyotes to prevent them from devastating the sheep and cattle herds.
• Episode 4—Nevada Rendevouz Part 2 (debuts April 18) – Chad and Clay Belding are back with Alex Faust in Nevada chasing coyotes to prevent them from devastating the sheep and cattle herds.

About Chad Belding: Chad Belding’s success started with his reality hunting show called ‘The Fowl Life with Chad Belding’ which launched on Sportsman Channel and WILD TV in 2008, and airs in more than 40 million homes in North America. Fans across the nation have watched as Belding and his crew hunt in more than 15 states across the U.S., incorporating a local guest in each location who offers advice on their local hunting ground and participates in the hunt. Now approaching season three, ‘The Fowl life with Chad Belding’ is becoming the must-see reality series for hunters across the nation. Belding also plans to launch a new show focused on predator hunts and wildlife conservation called ‘Dead Dog Walkin’ which will begin airing on Sportsman Channel and WILD TV on March 28 of this year.

About Banded Nation: Launched in January 2011, Banded Nation is comprised of hunters, editors, graphic designers, producers, videographers and on-camera personalities dedicated to bringing a new approach to outdoor television and outdoor style. Banded Nation was founded by renowned outdoor hunting show host Chad Belding and acts as the parent company to a wide variety of properties including Sportsman Channel and WILD TV’s award winning national television series ‘The Fowl Life with Chad Belding’, the new predator hunting television series ‘Dead Dog Walkin’ and Banded Gear. Visit www.bandednation.com for more information.

Delta Waterfowl’s Top Ten Spring Snow Goose Hunting Tips

Delta Waterfowl

Bismarck, ND --(Ammoland.com)- Snow-sodden fields. Ankle-deep mud. Biting winds, driving rains and cold-to-the-bone temperatures.
Play Slideshow

Spring snow goose hunters happily endure Mother Nature’s unpredictable mood swings to chase geese that hold advanced degrees in survival. Snow geese can be older than you, and have witnessed, from their lofty, discriminating vantage point, untold decoy spreads during their travels across the continent. They’re savvy, cunning and difficult to hunt—even exasperating—but far from impossible.

If you’re looking for a prescription for successfully hunting spring snows, Delta Waterfowl has a small coterie of snow goose aficionados who are qualified to help. After years of hunting these wily birds, they’ve learned some fool-proof (or nearly so) secrets to help fill your freezer with some tasty wild protein. Enjoy the spring season.
Delta’s Top 10 list:

1) Scouting: If you don’t find the birds, they likely won’t find you. “You have to scout, scout and scout some more,” says Scott Terning, Delta’s director of recruitment and education. Watch the snow line; birds will be south of it, always. You can also use a number of online sources to aid your scouting and get refuge reports to determine bird concentrations, but remember nothing compares to doing real-time scouting.” Terning recommends finding the largest concentration of birds on a lake, wetland or piece of sheet water. During the spring, he said, it’s common to locate multiple roosts in a given area. “You want to scout these birds and locate where they are feeding for your hunt the next day,” Terning says. “Taking these simple first steps will save you a lot of time and frustration.”

2) The sheet water connection: “In the spring finding sheet water is often the key element in finding birds,” says Delta Waterfowl Senior Vice President John Devney. “They seem to decoy far better in fields with a little water in them. Spring snows will often look for corn stubble and sheet water in the same field.”

3) Concealment: Hide, hide, hide! Fooling spring snows requires you stay well hidden. Take advantage of any field changes that allow for better concealment—from drainages to low spots to missed field vegetation. Conceal ground blinds from all angles and use decoys to break up their outlines. In grain fields it’s sometimes best to ditch the ground blinds and hunt in your best “whites.” And don’t forget your facemask. There’s typically no margin for error.

4) Decoys: You don’t need a 1,000-decoy spread to have a successful hunt, says Terning. “You need a respectable amount of decoys, and the best ones you have, because quality can be more important than quantity,” he said, noting that you should team up with a friend if you don’t have enough decoys. “Bring along some floaters too. You’ll want to use them in the sheet water.” Keep decoys properly spaced, about three or four feet between each. The spread will look more natural from a distance and create the affect of having a larger spread.

5) Movement in decoys: It’s very important to attract distant birds to your spread. Use kites, flyers, flags and other decoys to increase motion, especially directly behind your blinds on the upwind side of your spread. This will create the illusion of snows landing and leap-frogging over each other to feed. “Silosock flyers work really well to add movement to your spread,” says Terning. Bottom line: employ as much movement as possible, even to the point of putting a white vest on your dog.

6) Late snows: The latter part of the migration can provide the best decoy hunting, because the majority of the birds are juveniles. “Young birds are much easier to decoy,” says Delta’s Jim Fisher, Canada’s director of conservation policy. “You won’t see the number of birds, generally speaking, but the decoy hunting can be excellent.”

7) Hunter placement in decoys: “Don’t be afraid to move within the decoy spread to get to a better position to shoot lower birds or to have a chance at flaring birds,” says Delta’s Fisher. “Or leave the decoys altogether and get downwind to a spot that may give you closer shots.”

8 ) Prepare for fog and mud: Spring hunters will likely find both in copious amounts. “Morning fog can really get guys mixed up when they’re looking for the field they received permission to hunt the night before, so make a mental note of landmarks to guide you to the right spot,” says Delta’s Terning. “If the fog has been really bad, use a GPS to plot the precise location of where you want to set up the following day. A good map and GPS are indispensable.” The spring season has another constant: mud. Be prepared for it; bring extra clothes/gear and have a plan for transporting decoys because driving a truck and trailer into a field may not be an option. “Hunters need to do their best to leave the smallest footprint as possible,” says Delta’s Devney. “Be respectful of landowner property and be extremely careful not to tear up muddy roads.”

9) Ballistics and shooting: Fisher strongly recommends using quality shells. “I like to use three-inch shot shells with BB or BBB,” he said. “Be judicious with the shots you take, know your maximum effective range and don’t stray from it. After all, it’s hunting, not shooting.”

10) Food, glorious, food: Have a plan. Bring a cooler, ice and cleaning materials. Know the rules on how to legally transport birds. Snow geese, contrary to popular myth, are superb table fare. Bring a grill or stove and prepare a feast in the field. An easy recipe: take the tenderloins from several goose breasts. Dredge them in seasoned flour and fry. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce. Delta President Rob Olson says sweet chili or plum and hot mustard is a terrific combination. Find some great snow goose recipes at deltawaterfowl.org

About:
Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

Alberta ALUS pilot project farmer Trent Selte maintains his Hen Houses in some deep snow last week. This should be a good year for ducks.

Delta Waterfowl

Bismarck, ND --(Ammoland.com)- People throughout the prairies are anxiously watching the weather forecasts. Record soil moisture and a heavy snow pack, combined with a quick thaw could mean serious flooding on both sides of the Canada/US border.

There is a ton of potential trouble for landowners…and possibly an epic breeding season for waterfowl.

“This is nothing but good news for ducks,” says Delta Waterfowl’s Scientific Director Frank Rohwer. “When you get great water conditions, you get more females breeding where they should be breeding…on the prairies.”

The entire prairie area, from Sioux Falls to Edmonton, seems to be heading for a record spring. Last year was the wettest on record for Saskatchewan. The province’s Watershed Authority predicts above normal run off for the entire southern half of the province. In some prairie regions, soil moisture is at a fifty year high. Snow pack in the Dakotas is above normal. It all adds up to some of the best potential breeding conditions in years.

“It’s pretty extraordinary to have great water conditions over virtually the whole of the prairie pothole region,” says John Devney, Delta Waterfowl’s Senior Vice President. “This should mean we’ll have really good populations. Ducks seem to come out of the woodwork and immigrate into the prairies when they’re wet.”

Devney says this breeding season has the potential to overwhelm low nest success caused by predation and diminishing grasslands. “The fact of the matter is you have vast chunks of prairie that are not as productive as they were. We’ve lost a lot of upland nesting cover. While I’m looking forward to a great breeding season, it’s a bit of a false positive because Mother Nature is doing all the work.”

Lots of water means hens are better able to re-nest. Studies have shown that Mallards can nest up to five times in a single breeding season. Mallards are the most prolific, but all species re-nest under good water conditions.

Duckling survival also improves. “In every single study of broods that we’ve looked at, you get much higher survival when it’s wet”, says Rohwer.

“The small wetlands stay wet and we’re going to have that sort of situation,” says Rohwer. “We’re going to have water spilling out into agricultural land… a disaster for farmers, but it’s going to great for ducks. It’s exactly what we ask for when we want a fabulous duck season.”

About:
Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

(l-r) DU CEO Dale Hall, MDC Dir. Bob Ziehmer, DU Canada Senior Conservation Advisor Mike Anderson, DU Chief Biologist Dale Humburg, MDC Wildlife Division Chief DeeCee Darrow Page 2

Ducks Unlimited

KANSAS CITY, Mo --(Ammoland.com)-  With this year’s state grant program contribution of $250,000, the Missouri Department of Conservation reached the $5 million mark for donations to waterfowl breeding grounds in Canada.

With the support of MDC during the past five years, Ducks Unlimited conserved, enhanced and restored 235,059 acres of prime breeding habitat and positively influenced an additional 1.2 million acres.

“The MDC partnership with Ducks Unlimited is one of the strongest and most effective in the nation,” Mark Flaspohler, DU manager of conservation programs for Missouri, said. “Their commitment to the state grants program is just one manifestation of that partnership.”

The state grants program represents a unique international funding partnership that preserves critical waterfowl habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region of Canada, while working toward achieving the goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Contributions from the states are matched by DU Inc. and DU Canada, as well as the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

“It is the committed support of partners like the Missouri Department of Conservation that makes waterfowl conservation and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan a success,” DU CEO Dale Hall, said.

DU Canada uses a combination of strategically targeted direct programs, agricultural extension and public policy efforts to advance its conservation goals. Direct habitat programs such as land acquisition and conservation easements help secure the remaining habitat base and provide restoration opportunities. Agricultural extension programs focus on adding nesting cover and/or improving wetland conditions, while the promotion of waterfowl-friendly agricultural practices provides positive economic benefits to producers.

“MDC’s investment in Canadian waterfowl habitat yields direct, tangible returns for Missourians,” said MDC Director Bob Ziehmer. “Leveraging our contribution and money from other states four-to-one lets us put $2 million into protecting critical nesting habitat that sends millions of ducks winging down the Mississippi Flyway to Missouri and beyond each fall.”

Waterfowl band recovery data has established a clear link between waterfowl produced and banded in Canada’s PPR and subsequently harvested in the Mississippi Flyway. Priority habitats in Manitoba stand out as a primary Canadian source of ducks harvested in Missouri.

“The conservation of this vital habitat will ensure Missouri hunters experience strong waterfowl flights from Manitoba for many years to come,” Tom Shryock, DU Missouri state chairman, said.

Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent.

Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.

About:
Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. Visit www.ducks.org

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

PIERRE, S.D. --(Ammoland.com)- Government personnel have been investigating a large mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) die-off located approximately 16 miles northwest of Pierre, South Dakota.

A recent update by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) indicates respiratory fungal infections caused the deaths of more than 8,000 mallards.

The South Dakota Department of Game Fish and Parks and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first responded on January 27, to a mallard die-off on the Okobojo Creek arm of Lake Oahe.

A total of 360 mallards were found dead on the lake ice and were removed.

The following day, approximately 7,000 additional dead mallards were discovered at an open artesian pond on private land located 3 miles north of the first die-off site. In an effort to keep birds away from the water source, hazing techniques including use of propane canons, scare streamers, and other activities were initiated at the pond after all dead mallards were removed on January 29. An aerial survey of the area on February 3, found more than 600 additional dead mallards at a third site consisting of several small open beaver ponds.

A sample of thirteen mallards either found dead or euthanized were sent to NWHC for diagnostic necropsy. Initial results indicated that at least two of eight mallards necropsied died due to aspergillosis, a respiratory tract infection caused by the inhalation of spores produced by fungi of the genus Aspergillus. Asperillosis has been known to cause previous mallard die-off events, including an event that occurred at the Oahe Seep near Pierre in 1985 (Bair et al. 1988). Further testing, including histopathology analysis of lung tissues, later confirmed that two of the other six mallards necropsied also died from a fungal respiratory infection, possibly caused by a different genus of fungi. Scientists at NWHC are continuing tests to try to identify the fungal pathogen associated with disease in these birds. Fungi can also cause avian morality by producing toxins (mycotoxins) that target the liver; however, lab results did not indicate mortality from liver disease.

The mallards most likely developed the fungal respiratory infections after being exposed to moldy corn; however, lab findings did not definitively determine the source of fungi that infected the mallards. Moldy corn was found in a silage pile at a feedlot located near the site where most of the dead mallards were found and in the digestive tract of several mallards examined. Observations also indicate that mallards are drawn to the feedlot when snow cover keeps them from foraging elsewhere.

The fungal disease identified from the mallards that were tested is not considered contagious (does not spread from bird to bird) and humans are not considered susceptible unless they have an immune system deficiency or develop an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions are rare and generally found in individuals working directly with the fungi and not from exposure to infected bird carcasses.

For more information contact one of the agencies named in this release. More information on aspergillosis and other fungal diseases is available in the National Wildlife Health Center “Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases” available at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/field_manual/index.jsp).

Bair W.C., Simpson S.G., Windingstad R.M. 1988. Acute aspergillosis in mallards at Oahe Seep near Pierre, South Dakota. Prairie Naturalist 20(3):153 – 156.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

AUSTIN, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.

West Zone Goose: Hunter participation has waned in the High Plains, though goose numbers remain strong around Amarillo. The Arctic blast this week should get geese in the mood to feed as forecasts call for several days of freezing temperatures and precipitation. Canada geese are strong over wheat and corn. The Light Goose Conservation Order begins Feb. 7, and prospects look fair around Lake Etter. Prospects are fair.

East Zone Goose: The Light Goose Conservation Order began Jan. 24 to lackluster participation. Still huntable numbers of snows on the coastal prairies, but few hunters are interested in hunting during the liberal special season. Good hunts were posted in green fields near Port Lavaca, but few outfitters are offering hunts. Pre-frontal fog early in the week allowed for solid shoots. Recent wet weather has discouraged hunters. Prospects are fair.

About:
The Mission of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, (TPWD), is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Visit: www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Waterfowlers Urged To Keep Safety In Mind

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

LITTLE ROCK, AR --(Ammoland.com)- Changing weather conditions have been the rule this duck season, and the final days of the 2010-11 season will be no exception.

After a season of very little rainfall, up-and-down temperatures and other weather changes, Arkansas waterfowl hunters will get a shot of almost spring-like weather over the final days of the season.

Temperatures will continue to rise throughout the weekend with highs expected to reach the lows 60s by the weekend.

Nighttime temperatures for central Arkansas are forecast to drop into the low 40s on Friday and Saturday night.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologists took to the skies last week for the 2010-11 season’s final aerial waterfowl surveys. Observers counted a total of 1,786,677 ducks in the Delta with 1,311,245 mallards included in that total. In the Arkansas River valley, observers counted 60,635 ducks including 41,850 mallards. Duck numbers have fluctuated this season due to limited rainfall.

Biologists said it appeared that most ducks were scattered last week in the Delta. Thursday’s freeze-up had ducks concentrated on Friday flight. Habitat conditions and water levels in the fields looked about average as a whole. Most rivers (e.g., Bayou DeView, Cache, White, Black, St. Francis) looked well below average depths. The Cache and Bayou DeView were especially low. The low water conditions forced ducks to keep open holes in fields on Friday or continue south looking for open water.

All shallow water habitats were frozen last week. Good numbers of ducks were spotted on large bodies of water throughout the Arkansas River Valley. Habitat conditions are still poor due to lack of rainfall. Hunters with water might expect good success this last week of the season, but the warm weather may prove a challenge.

Arkansas’s duck season ends Sunday, Jan. 30.

To assist waterfowl hunters with the latest information, the AGFC provides links to sources on waterfowl location and abundance in Arkansas and other states. The links are available at www.agfc.com/hunting/Pages/HuntingWaterfowlReport.aspx#1.

This waterfowl report provides capsule information from agency staff in all corners of Arkansas and is updated each Wednesday throughout waterfowl season. To receive the report each week on your computer, send an e-mail to arkansasoutdoors@agfc.com and type “Waterfowl Report” in the subject line.

Information on river levels can be found at: www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/ or http://water.usgs.gov/realtime.html.

Sunrise/sunset tables are available at: www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/rs-one-day-us and in the Arkansas Waterfowl Regulations Guide.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

AUSTIN, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Duck season ended Jan. 23 in the High Plains and the consensus was a successful season.

Lots of water in the Panhandle gave ducks ample habitat and hunters many playa lakes to hunt. However, the abundant water scattered ducks, somewhat. Mallards, pintails, wigeons, gadwalls and teal were harvested the final weekend. Goose season runs through Feb.6, and prospects are good for decoying action. Outfitters said good goose numbers are roosting on Lake Etter and around Dalhart. More geese moved in to the Amarillo area. The Light Goose Conservation Order in the West Zone begins Feb. 7. Prospects are good.

North Zone Duck: Duck season ended Jan. 23 and hunters said the latest cold front and timely rains 10 days prior aided success. The region received as much as four inches of rain, which finally floated a good mast crop of acorns. Wood ducks remained solid throughout the season, and mallards improved in January, especially the last week of the season. Lots of divers were reported on Lake O’Pines, Caddo Lake, Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, Lake Fork and Cooper Lake. The Sulphur River and Lake Wright-Patman was hit-or-miss. The good news is the latest rains have provided an abundance of water to sustain ducks through the winter, or at least until they begin to trickle back north.

South Zone Duck: As is traditionally the case, the coast was the hotspot for ducks in Texas, namely the coastal marshes and bays. Some hunters around Port O’Connor said they have never seen this many ducks throughout the season. Rockport hunters saw consistent action as well. Baffin Bay, Port Mansfield and areas around the Arroyo Colorado reported excellent shoots of pintails, redheads and wigeons from start to finish, with little or no boat traffic from other hunters. Pintails, shovelers and teal were the most prevalent species taken on the prairie, though greenwings did not show up en masse until the final week of the season. Absent, too, were wigeons and gadwalls did not show up in number compared to past years. Hunters were pleased with the extra pintail this year and took advantage on many prairie ponds and bay flats. Goose season ended Jan. 23 and most hunters said they enjoyed average decoying action throughout the season. Most pegged the juvenile population of snow geese at around 10 percent. Specklebellies and Canada geese filled the void when snows were not cooperative. The Light Goose Conservation Order began Jan. 24., however, participation was minimal.

About:
The Mission of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, (TPWD), is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Visit: www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas --(Ammoland.com)- High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Goose hunting continued steady for Canadas and a few snow geese, though light winds have hurt decoying action at times. Plowed ground close to roosting water has paid off best for light geese.

Wheat and corn have held most of the dark geese. Good hunts for mallards, teal, wigeons and gadwalls were reported on playa lakes and feed lots.

Knox City has been good for wigeons, mallards and teal. Specklebellies and Canadas have been good in plowed ground and peanuts. Prospects are good.

North Zone Duck:
Duck hunters have taken good numbers of mallards in wet sloughs and creeks in the northeast portion of the state. Wood ducks have been steady, but many woodies have been working larger waters since timber water has been limited. Caddo Lake has been good for ringed-necks, gadwalls, scaup and a few mallards.

The Sulphur River and Wright-Patman Lake has held good numbers of wood ducks and mallards. Canvasbacks and other divers have been steady on Lake O’Pines, Toledo Bend, Lake Fork and Cooper Lake. Hunting has been fair around the zone boundaries of IH-10, but expect the area to respond positively to timely rains that fell last week. Prospects are good.

South Zone Duck:
The coast continues to produce the best duck hunting in the state. Pintails, teal and shovelers have been fair to good near El Campo, Eagle Lake, Garwood, Collegeport, East Bernard and Wharton. Green-winged teal numbers improved this week around Blessing, Pierce, El Campo and Wharton. Many coastal bags have been devoid of gadwalls and wigeons, two species of ducks that were a mainstay on hunters’ straps a year ago. Bay hunters have enjoyed limits to half-limits near Port O’Connor and Rockport. Redheads, bluebills, gadwalls and wigeons have made up the bay bags.

Those hunters willing to go mobile and hunt natural cover have been more successful compared to large, gaudy blinds. Hard north winds pushed lots of water out of the bay, relocating birds to deeper shorelines. Good numbers of pintails, redheads and gadwalls have been taken in Baffin Bay and Port Mansfield. Snow goose hunting has been fair to good.

Young birds continue to decoy well. Specklebellies have shied from calls and water; the white-fronted goose season closes at sunset Jan. 9. Sandhill crane numbers are excellent, and many hunters have taken at least a bird a man in goose spreads. Those setting up along canal banks and fence rows to pass-shoot have had little trouble taking their two-bird limit. Prospects are good.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. --(Ammoland.com)- Waterfowl hunters are invited to give their input on possible boundary changes to duck zones and goose units, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Hunters have two options for giving input: attend one of several public meetings around the state or download a survey from www.outdoornebraska.ne.gov/hunting.asp.

“It’s an opportunity to gather some input and see if there are changes out there that guys want to see made,” said Mark Vrtiska, Game and Parks waterfowl program manager.

“If you don’t want a change, that’s just as important as if you do want a change, so I need to have that input as well.”

In accordance with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules, boundary changes may be made every five years. Any changes would be in effect for the 2011-2012 waterfowl hunting seasons.

The following is a list of the public meetings, all starting at 7 p.m.:

• Jan. 10 – Lincoln, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission headquarters, 2200 N. 33rd St.
• Jan. 11 – Omaha, Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District office, 8901 St. 154th St.
• Jan. 12 – Auburn, Nemaha County Fairgrounds 4-H building, 816 I St.
• Jan. 13 – Columbus, Izaak Walton League, 3521 9th St. South
• Jan. 17 – Alma, Johnson Community Center, 509 Main St.
• Jan. 18 – Bridgeport, Prairie Winds Center, 428 N. Main St.
• Jan. 24 – Valentine, Niobrara Lodge, 803 E. U.S. Highway 20
• Jan. 25 – O’Neill, Cubby’s Godfather’s Pizza Express, 204 E. U.S. Highway 20
• Jan. 26 – Albion, Cornerstone Bank, 240 S. 3rd St.
• Jan. 27 – Ponca, Ponca State Park, 88090 Spur 26E
• Jan. 31 – Kearney, Mitzi’s Pavilion at Yanney Heritage Park, 2020 W. 11th St.
• Feb. 1 – North Platte, North Platte Police Department, 715 S. Jeffers.

Delta Waterfowl

Bismarck, ND --(Ammoland.com)- A new Delta Waterfowl program is designed to tackle one of waterfowl management’s most vexing social problems—declining hunter participation.

First Hunt is Delta Waterfowl’s comprehensive program to recruit and retain waterfowl hunters in the United States and Canada, where waterfowl-hunter participation has been declining for years.

“We’ve been putting on mentored hunts across North America since 2001, and that experience has been invaluable in developing First Hunt’s educational materials for first-time hunters and their mentors,” said Delta Waterfowl President Rob Olson. “Today we’re starting a renaissance in waterfowl recruitment and retention. The continued loss of duck habitat and the continued loss of duck hunters are the two greatest challenges facing our waterfowling heritage. Delta has a long history of waterfowl research on behalf of ducks, and today’s launch of First Hunt focuses our attention squarely on hunters and their recruitment.”

Delta’s First Hunt vision is based on a dual-purpose model—building a robust North American mentor-ship pool while also recruiting hunters from every background and demographic. Olson says Delta’s mentored hunts, totaling in recent years about 120 annually across North America, have had great success recruiting youth (boys and girls) and adults (men and women), especially through the organization’s special youth, women and university hunts.

“Running these mentored hunts for more than a decade has taught us that we need more volunteer mentors, plain and simple, and that they are out there—in Delta chapters, working for government as game managers, in every marsh where ducks are hunted,” said Olson, noting that new mentors will bring new ideas and new energy to First Hunt. “You can’t impact hunter recruitment, to say nothing of retention, without a growing mentorship base, and one of the primary goals of First Hunt will be to connect mentors with anyone who wants to learn to hunt. We’re confident we’ve learned the keys to running these hunts safely and successfully and are now ready to expand this program with the help of volunteers.”

Olson says the dramatic declines in waterfowl-hunter participation in the U.S. and Canada is a crisis for conservation, particularly for chronically at-risk waterfowl habitat on the prairie breeding grounds. That’s why, he says, First Hunt is such an important program.

• Download the Handbook
• Download the Manual

“If hunter numbers continue to decline, the funding that protects and restores wildlife habitat in and outside the duck factory will also disappear,” Olson said. “We believe our expertise in providing quality, safe and impactful mentored hunts can change the trajectory of hunter participation. The timing is right for this. Society has become so urbanized, folks are more interested today in reconnecting with something real, like getting their own local, organic meat through a quality hunting experience.”

Olson says increasing hunter participation can be done, although, he acknowledges, it won’t be easy. A look inside the numbers shows why: According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, U.S. waterfowl-hunter numbers from 2001 to 2006 dropped 27 percent. In Canada, waterfowler numbers peaked in 1978 at about 500,000. By 2005, participation fell to roughly 140,000, a number that’s remained roughly flat in recent years.

“Hunters are the unquestioned leaders in the fight for the conservation of our vitally important wild places, and the loss of hunters, especially the gradual exodus of the baby boom generation, should send a wake up call to everyone in waterfowl management that we have to do better, and that we can,” said Olson. “The aim of First Hunt is to make it easier for young and old to experience waterfowl hunting by facilitating hunt events through volunteers and by providing a cutting-edge array of new educational materials to streamline and supplement the learning process.”

Olson says Delta staffers have assembled a diverse, one-of-a-kind collection of First Hunt online educational videos and handbooks specifically designed for first-time waterfowl hunters and their mentors. Both a participant handbook and a mentor manual are available online. In addition, Olson says Delta’s First Hunt video library, which, he says, will grow over time, is a wealth of unique information for new and old waterfowl hunters alike. It includes a duck-identification section, hunting Q&As, quizzes, recipes and more.

In addition, Olson says that Delta Waterfowl has two full-time staffers working on First Hunt. Veteran regional director and former educator Scott Terning was hired in 2010 as the organization’s U.S. director of waterfowler recruitment and education, the first full-time position of its kind in North America. In Canada, Carly Deacon, who has organized mentored hunts across Canada for several years, is the Canadian hunter recruitment and education coordinator.

“We’re devoting the necessary resources to ensure program success,” said Olson, noting that Delta is also working with state and provincial governments on their hunting programs. “Our First Hunt goal is ambitious: to educate new waterfowlers, bring them into our storied culture, and help them become life-long waterfowlers and conservationists. What we’ve learned, in part, from our mentored hunts is that the first step to securing the future of hunting is reconnecting with the culture—those ancient roots that keep our traditions alive.”

One such tradition, Olson says, is introducing the “wild food” connection to First Hunt participants.

“At Delta, we eat what we kill, and First Hunt will teach and celebrate that aspect of our waterfowling culture in a big, big way,” said Olson. “We’re going to connect all willing participants in our increasingly urbanized society to the reality of where their food comes from.”

Olson says he’s seen firsthand for many years that “magical connection” that occurs “when people first truly connect to where their meat comes from,” which, he believes, will bind First Hunt participants to the natural world in a way that “cannot be replicated by simply going to the grocery store.”

“The pride a youngster feels when serving a duck dinner to his or her parents after they have shot, cleaned and prepared it during a mentored hunt is a life-changing and unforgettable moment for kids,” said Olson. “What we’ve also learned is that new hunters who prepare and eat what they kill are far more likely to understand the need to conserve our natural resources, including ducks, for the next generation and beyond. It’s a powerful message, and a powerful thing to witness, and something we intend to duplicate time and time again with First Hunt.”

For more information on Delta Waterfowl’s First Hunt program, see www.deltawaterfowl.org/firsthunt.

About:
Delta Waterfowl provides knowledge, leaders and science-based solutions that efficiently conserve waterfowl and secure the future for waterfowl hunting. Visit: www.deltawaterfowl.org

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- The Department of Natural Resources and Environment reminds waterfowl hunters that duck and goose seasons re-open in the South Zone Jan. 1, with a two-day duck season and a 30-day goose season, with some minor variations in specific goose management units.

The daily bag limit for ducks during the two-day late season is the same as during the rest of the season – six in total with no more than four mallards, of which only one may be a female, three wood ducks, two scaup, two pintails, two redheads, one black duck and one canvasback.

The daily bag limit for Canada geese is five, except in goose management units.

In the Tuscola-Huron and the Saginaw County goose management units, the daily bag limit is two. In the Allegan County Goose Management Unit, the daily bag limit is also two, but the season is Dec. 30 – Jan. 23.

Muskegon Wastewater Goose Management Unit is not open during the January season.

All usual waterfowl regulations apply. Hunters 16 years of age and older are reminded they must possess a federal migratory waterfowl stamp in addition to Michigan small game and waterfowl licenses.

For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/dnrhunting.

The DNRE is committed to the conservation, protection, management and accessible use of the state’s environment, natural resources and related economic interests for current and future generations. To learn more, go to www.michigan.gov/dnre.

Go Old School Camo This Waterfowl Season

Drake Waterfowl Systems

Olive Branch, MS --(Ammoland.com)- When we introduced Drake’s Old School Camo last year, our goal was to pay tribute to the rich heritage of waterfowl hunting and honor the people in our lives that introduced us to the sport.

We had no idea how well the concept would be received by hunters all across the country! For 2010, we added even more products in Old School Camo.

Drake Old School Camo Jacket - LST 4-in-1 Wader Coat

Almost every week we receive photos and e-mails from hunters telling us how much Old School Camo helps them connect with memories of their grandfather or father and how they are building new memories with their own children and other young hunters.

We love feedback like this and it’s exactly what Drake Waterfowl is all about.

See the full Old School line here.

About:
When we set out to create the best waterfowl hunting clothes on the market nearly four years ago, we knew immediately that a standard warm coat wouldn’t be near enough to impress the hard-core hunters that spend day after day in the field.

We needed something to meet every condition a hunter can face… we needed a “SYSTEM”. This was the beginning of Drake Waterfowl Systems. Visit: www.drakewaterfowl.com

Drake Elite Team Member Todd Copley Wins 2010 World Duck Champion Calling Contest

Drake Waterfowl Systems

Olive Branch, MS --(Ammoland.com)- Todd Copley, Drake Waterfowl Elite Team Member, earned the 2010 World Duck Champion of Champions title this past Saturday in Stuttgart, AR. Stuttgart is home to the World Duck Calling Championships, held on Thanksgiving weekend as part of the Wings Over The Prairie Festival.

The prestigious Champion of Champions contest is held just every five years and is open only to previous winners of the World Duck Calling title.

The Champion of Champions competition is truly a battle of the best of the best. Todd, who won the World Duck title in 2003, has been competing in the contest since 1999 and has consistently been in the top 3 places.

When asked about his first reaction to being crowned the winner, Todd said “This is bittersweet. It’s the best day of my life and the worst day of my life because I don’t get to sit back there any more.”

Winning the Champion of Champions title automatically retires a caller from competing in the World Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart. The only other way to reach a “retired” status is to win three World Duck Calling Championships. Todd Copley was a fan favorite and received a huge ovation from the crowd when he was announced the winner.

Everyone at Drake Waterfowl is proud of Todd and will miss seeing him compete at the World’s, but Todd is influential in other state and regional calling contests and will continue to be a great representative for duck hunting and competition calling.

Thanks Todd!

Drake Elite Team Member Todd Copley Wins 2010 World Duck Champion Calling Contest

About:
When we set out to create the best waterfowl hunting clothes on the market nearly four years ago, we knew immediately that a standard warm coat wouldn’t be near enough to impress the hard-core hunters that spend day after day in the field. We needed something to meet every condition a hunter can face… we needed a “SYSTEM”. This was the beginning of Drake Waterfowl Systems. Visit: www.drakewaterfowl.com

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

LITTLE ROCK, AR –-(Ammoland.com)- Dry conditions remained in place for the opening weekend of Arkansas’s duck season, and while substantial rainfall is needed to provide abundant waterfowl habitat in the state, weather forecasts call for at least a little relief in the coming days.

Meanwhile, results from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s November aerial waterfowl surveys, which were conducted a week prior to the season opener, revealed duck abundance was about 40 percent lower than this time last year.

“That’s probably not much of a surprise to anyone,” said AGFC waterfowl program coordinator Luke Naylor. “Conditions have been extremely dry compared to last year, when there was abundant habitat as a result of record rainfall just before the season. The landscape looks very different this season.”

Aerial waterfowl surveys in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, commonly known as the Delta, estimated total duck abundance at about 1.1 million, with roughly 181,000 mallards.

“It’s interesting to note that our observers saw about 40 percent of the ducks in the Delta on rice fields, which isn’t surprising,” Naylor said. “But what is notable is that about 20 percent were in cypress/tupelo brakes and 20 percent were in fish ponds. That includes mallards, and it’s just one more indication of the dry conditions.”

This is the second year that AGFC has used a newer and more reliable transect method to count ducks in the Delta. Pilots and biologists fly randomly selected east-west lines and count ducks through a grid drawn on the aircraft’s window. Previously, AGFC used a “cruise” method, flying over selected habitats and counting all visible waterfowl. Because of the different survey methods used prior to last year, it’s invalid to compare numbers from this year’s and last year’s surveys to results from previous years’ surveys.

In western Arkansas, where biologists continue to use cruise surveys to sample selected habitats, aerial counts revealed an estimate of roughly 30,000 ducks, including 14,000 mallards, in southwest Arkansas, and about 6,000 ducks, including less than 100 mallards, in the Arkansas River Valley. Observers reported drastically different habitat conditions in the western Arkansas survey regions. Flights over the Arkansas River Valley revealed very little flooded agricultural habitat, while southwest Arkansas flights showed some private landowners actively pumping hunting lands.

Weather conditions likely will provide at least some improvement in habitat conditions and waterfowl abundance in the coming days. The National Weather Service in North Little Rock is calling for 1 to 2 inches of rainfall across much of the state Wednesday night through Thanksgiving Day. According to the weather service, as much as 2 inches of rain fell across portions of east-central Arkansas on Monday night, including totals of 2.05 inches at the Stuttgart Municipal Airport in Prairie County and 1.70 inches at Brinkley in Monroe County.

Colder temperatures also could bring waterfowl migrations into the state. Behind the rainfall predicted for Wednesday and Thursday, cooler air will move into the state, bringing nighttime lows in the upper 20s and daytime highs in the 40s and lower 50s. Waterfowl biologists in Missouri reported seeing large movements of ducks and geese during that state’s aerial waterfowl survey flights earlier this week.

The first segment of Arkansas’s duck season closes at sunset Sunday, Nov. 28. The second segment opens Dec. 7 and continues through Jan. 17, and the third and final segment opens Jan. 22 and closes Jan. 30.

To assist waterfowl hunters with the latest information, he AGFC provides links to sources on waterfowl location and abundance in Arkansas and other states. The links are available at http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Pages/HuntingWaterfowlReport.aspx#1.

This waterfowl report provides capsule information from agency staff in all corners of Arkansas and is updated each Wednesday throughout waterfowl season. To receive the report each week on your computer, send an e-mail to arkansasoutdoors@agfc.com and type “Waterfowl Report” in the subject line.

• Information on river levels can be found at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lmrfc/ or http://water.usgs.gov/realtime.html.
• Sunrise/sunset tables are available at: http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/rs-one-day-us and in the Arkansas Waterfowl Regulations Guide.

THE DECOY ARTIST - America’s Last Hunter-Carver

Pelican Publishing

Gretna, Louisiana --(Ammoland.com)- In this biography, world-class decoy carver Vincent Giannetto III comes of age in the Delaware River region.

Growing up on his family’s farmland in Beverly, New Jersey, Vincent felt the intimate call of the outdoors and forged a strong connection with the Delaware River.

He longed to be one of the fiercely independent river rats, men who made their living from the land.

Skipping school to spend time on the river, he watches the hunter-carvers, learning the role of the decoy while struggling to make his own without guidance from these secretive men.

“The Decoy Artist does with words what I have always tried to do with paint: bring to life the beauty of waterfowl and the spirit of the men who pursue them. It tells the true story of these legendary men through the life of one of today’s finest decoy carvers.” said, Rob Leslie, eighteen-time state duck stamp artist and 1996 Ducks Unlimited’s International Artist of the Year

Vincent, balancing family and structure with his passion for the outdoors, became as unique and valuable as the decoys he carved. He has been a guest of the White House, where his work was displayed on the White House Christmas tree and subsequently placed in the Smithsonian Institute.

Photographs of Vincent’s work and his original drawings accompany this tale of an American dream come true.

Get your copy here:

THE DECOY ARTIST – America’s Last Hunter-Carver
By David F. Giannetto
208 pp. 11 x 8½
81 color photos 29 b/w photos 2 color illus.
19 b/w illus. Index
ISBN: 9781589807686

About:
Pelican Publishing Company enjoys national recognition as a rapidly growing medium-sized company with a backlist of over 1,500 titles and 50-60 new titles produced in 2007. As a general trade publisher, Pelican produces travel guides, art and architecture books, Christmas books, local and international cookbooks, motivational and inspirational works, and children’s books, as well as a growing number of social commentary, history, and fiction titles. Visit: www.pelicanpub.com

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

AUSTIN, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.

North Zone Dove: This week’s front should bring new migrants to the region, however, as oft is the case, hunter participation slows down in October. Afternoon watering holes have produced lately with two weeks of dry weather. Lubbock and Abilene fields have produced good shoots in scouted fields. Fields near Paris and Red River County have scored around treelines and in soybean fields. The season runs through Oct. 24. Prospects are fair to good.

Central Zone Dove: Birds have been best over corn and milo, and around watering holes in the afternoon with the recent dry weather. Grain fields with gravel nearby have been steady during the past few weeks. Fields around San Antonio, Castroville, Hondo, Uvalde and Del Rio have been best. An influx of birds should arrive this week with the forecasted front. Fields around Hankamer, Sealy, Columbus, Katy and Waller have been fair to good. Dry weather has encouraged farmers to begin shredding fields of goatweed and croton and doves have been hitting those fields and picking up scattered seeds. The season runs through Oct. 24. Prospects are fair to good.

South Zone Dove: McMullen County hunters have enjoyed good shoots around goatweed and sunflowers. Harlingen, Brownsville and Laredo hunters have see mixed flights of whitewings and mourners in milo and sunflowers. Milo and sunflowers near Raymondville and Port Mansfield have been good in the afternoon. Bay City, Blessing, Danevang and El Campo fields have been best in the afternoon around shredded fields of croton and goatweed. More birds should arrive with the cool front forecasted for this week. The season runs through Oct. 31. Prospects are fair to good.

Waterfowl Migration: The Panhandle has good numbers of playa lakes brimming with water. The coast has adequate water but is drying. Pintails, shovelers, teal, gadwalls, wigeons and redheads are showing on the coast. More specklebellies and ducks should show up with the forecasted front. The Panhandle is loading up with teal, pintails, wood ducks, gadwalls and wigeons. The High Plains Mallard Management Unit runs Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 29-Jan. 23, 2011. The North and South zones open Oct. 30.

About:
The Mission of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, (TPWD), is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Visit: www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Ohio Department Natural Resources

COLUMBUS, OH --(Ammoland.com)- COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio waterfowl hunters should have good opportunities to take some of the most popular species of waterfowl, based on the findings of biologists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The spring pond index for the prairie pothole region of North America (Kansas to central Saskatchewan) and breeding duck surveys indicate an above average reproduction year for most duck species. Ponds are housing above average numbers and good production has been noted from most of the primary breeding range. Duck numbers are slightly lower than 2009, but they are still 21 percent above the long-term average.

Closer to home, the Upper Great Lakes states showed average habitat conditions and similar production of mallards as last year. The Upper Great Lakes are the primary breeding range for mallards harvested in Ohio. Mallards are Ohio’s number one harvested duck and can be found throughout the state.

Wood ducks, the second most important duck to Ohio hunters and the state’s number one breeding duck, appear to have had a fair production year. Late summer dry conditions may concentrate birds, but a variety of hunting locations should be available for Ohio hunters.

Canada geese are the most harvested waterfowl in Ohio and can be found in good numbers everywhere. Locally raised giant Canada geese had the fourth highest population estimate this spring and all indications are there was fair to good production across Ohio. Migrant interior populations (Southern James Bay and Mississippi Valley) of Canada geese have also had good production. With proper weather, the hunting outlook is good to very good.

With good habitat conditions, Ohio hunters will enjoy a liberal 60-day hunting season once again this year. Pintail again showed an increase in population which will allow a two-bird bag this year. Scaup showed a slight increase in population, so there will be a two-bird bag for the whole season. The canvasback population decreased slightly, but there will still be a full season in 2010.

The success of Ohio waterfowl hunters has more to do with weather conditions and choice of hunting location than available ducks. Hunters should be scouting their territories now and securing landowner permission where needed. State wildlife areas are in good condition with excellent fall food potential. Heavy rains early in the summer followed by an extended drought permitted considerable growth in moist-soil plants in many traditional wetlands. A flooding of those areas by early fall rains should provide additional waterfowl habitat. Hunters should not only check their traditional spots, but also more marginal haunts for food production and water quantity.

Details of the waterfowl and all other hunting seasons can be found in the Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and in Ohio Waterfowl Hunting Seasons. Hunters can also review seasons and regulations online at wildohio.com

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at www.ohiodnr.com.