Early in the spring season, when turkey flocks are still in winter formation, your one or two decoys may not be enough to attract a gobbler. So create a flock.
OL reviews eight of the top electronic collar systems from four leading manufacturers. Find out which one is right for your gun dog.
 | Show Us Your BirdGet your gobbler yet? Check out some of our favorite reader photos. |
 | Benelli's Vinci on GobblersOsceola Hunt. Location: Frasier Family Farms, Polk County, Florida. |
 | Ospreys: Ultimate Fish KillerAward-winning photographer Miguel Lasa captures ospreys in action. |
 | A Legend's First BirdLegendary turkey hunter Ray Eye recounts the tale of his first turkey ever. |
 | Feather DustersPhotographer Jeff Coats captures the hits and misses of hunters. Look closely and you... |
 | Spring Turkey GuideYour guide to turkey guns, loads and chokes for spring 2010 |
There's always a lot of strange new hunting gear at SHOT Show and this year, the Dirty B from Primos was among the strangest. But, it just might be weird enough to work. [ Read Full Post ]
Last week, Ducks Unlimited TV won a Golden Moose Award (the Outdoor Channel's version of an Emmy) for the best bird hunting show. Why should do you care?
Well, in the world of baited deer hunts and cheesy rock music that is often outdoor TV, the DU show is actually a breath of fresh air. Sticking to DU's reputation, the show is rooted in conservation and hunting heritage. Check out the season 2012 preview below. Even if you're not into hunting shows, you'll appreciate this footage. [ Read Full Post ]
The birds were coming in fast and low. A flock of at least 40 redheads had skirted our decoys once. Now they circled and were banking to make another pass. Just feet above the water they jetted toward us, but at the last minute they hooked behind our blind instead of in front of it.
"Cut'em now, behind the blind!" our guide called, so I popped up and shouldered my gun. Forty targets, flying full speed, at 20 yards makes for an intimidating shot. And when you're the only shooter and have got a blind full of other hunters watching you, it makes for a lonely shot too. [ Read Full Post ]
While back in my hometown of Ephrata, Wash., last week for the holidays, I was able sneak out for a day of duck and goose hunting with Bill Sangster from the local Ducks Unlimited chapter, as well as several high school students that are members of the chapter.
Just two days before, the high school guys were hunting the Moses Lake, Wash., area and picked apart pairs, triples and other small flocks until late in the afternoon for a tally of 39 mallards – 35 of which were drakes.
Taking that information into account and having watched another field for a few days, Sangster came up with a plan for a hunt. And then one of the guys called and told him to meet at a country-road intersection. There, at 10 a.m. were, as best as Sangster guestimate, more than 5,000 ducks in a cut-corn field. [ Read Full Post ]
Near season’s end, don’t get frustrated by educated birds and become a couch potato. From sizing down your spread to changing up your calling, the last waterfowl of the season require your most alluring tactics.
1) Sleeper Therapy for Field Honkers
Champion caller Scott Threinen (moltgear.com) recommends using lots of sleeper shells—up to 70 percent of your spread. “Below 20 degrees, geese will go to sleep to conserve energy immediately upon landing in a field. After a half hour to two hours, they’ll get up and start feeding. To simulate a real flock, place sleepers on the downwind side of your spread to look like recently landed geese, with walkers and feeders upwind.” [ Read Full Post ]
We were having a slow morning of duck hunting in a delta marsh outside of Seadrift, Texas. There were plenty of birds flying, just not in our direction. But then, my hunting partner Jens Krogh of Franchi whispered "Right here on the right," as two ducks dropped straight out of the sun and over our decoys.
"Cut'em!" our guide hollered, and we rose up in our blind. Jens hit the bird on the right and I popped the second bird hooking in.
I was sure we had just killed two hen mallards but our guide happily called out "Mottled ducks."
What's a mottled duck? [ Read Full Post ]
I'll spare you the over-told cedar plank joke and get to it … there's a good number of outdoorsmen who like to hunt, but not eat, wild ducks. If those ducks happen to be fish-eating divers, that number only multiplies.
Last week I had the opportunity to hunt Bay Flats Lodge in Seadrift, Texas and found a simple solution to this predicament: duck soup. We polished off half a dozen redheads this way and it was one of the best duck dishes I've ever had. [ Read Full Post ]
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