Hunting Ducks and Geese

The 35 Best Photos From Field & Stream's 2012 Spring Trail Cam Contest: Round II

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:15:02 -0400

Who says trail cams are only fun in the fall? Set yours out this spring, then send us your best photos. You could win a new Bushnell Trophy Cam HD (MSRP $323.95).

Here's how it works. This contest will have three rounds. The first, Round I, began, March 12, and closed on April 12. Round II ran from April 12 to May 12, and Round III from May 14 to June 14. We're giving away three Bushnell Trophy Cam HDs (MSRP: $323.95) in each round, one cam each to the top three entries, as chosen by our editors.

Congrats to users luna, mod70 and Semibald, who each have won a Trophy Cam for their shots in Round II.

So go set your trail cams up already. And have fun! --The Editors

Click here for more info on the prizes.

Click here to enter ROUND III of the 2012 SPRING TRAIL CAM CONTEST

Video Remix: Man vs. Goose - Star Wars Style

Sarah Smith — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:50:11 -0400

--Chad Love

If there's one thing that's more dangerous than an enraged, territorial Canada goose, it's a Jedi-trained, lightsaber-wielding, enraged, territorial Canada goose. Fortunately, it appears the Force is strong in the man in this video.

Wild Chef's Best: Fish and Turkey Recipes

Online Editors — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:16:11 -0400

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos from April 2012

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:25:49 -0400

Each month, Field & Stream editors review the hundreds of photos submitted by readers to our Trophy Room. If your photo is chosen to be printed in the Game Faces section of the magazine, you’ll win a Rapala Fish ‘N Fillet knife!

Submit your photos here!

Here are the other best reader photo collections from this year:

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

Washington Remains 1 of 3 States to Ban Electronic Duck Decoys

Sarah Smith — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:22:10 -0400

--Chad Love

You may recall earlier this year that some waterfowl hunters in the state of Washington were pushing for the legalization of electronic duck decoys.

Washington is one of three states that ban their use, and after a recent vote of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, it looks like Washington will remain one of three states that ban their use.

From this press release from the fish and wildlife commission:

New hunting rules approved by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for the 2012-14 seasons will expand hunting opportunities for elk and cougar, but leave intact the statewide ban on using electronic decoys to attract waterfowl.

The commission, a nine-member citizen panel that sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), took action on those and dozens of other proposed rules during a public meeting March 13-14 in Olympia.

Thoughts? Reaction?

The 50 Best Photos From Field & Stream's 2012 Spring Trail Cam Contest: Round I

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:22:02 -0400

Who says trail cams are only fun in the fall? Set yours out this spring, then send us your best photos. You could win a new Bushnell Trophy Cam HD (MSRP $323.95).

Here's how it works. This contest will have three rounds. The first, Round I, starts today, March 12, and closes on April 12. Round II runs from April 12 to May 12, and Round III from May 12 to June 12. We're giving away three Bushnell Trophy Cam HDs (MSRP: $323.95) in each round, one cam each to the top three entries, as chosen by our editors.

Congratulations to users Kim Doucette Kelly, Isham C. Shelby and Stephen Schimacher who each will receive a camera for their entries in Round!

So go set your trail cams up already. And have fun! --The Editors

Click here for more info on the prizes.

Click here to enter ROUND II of the 2012 SPRING TRAIL CAM CONTEST

Photo Timeline: Celebrating 75 Years of Ducks Unlimited

Online Editors — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:29:28 -0400

Seventy-five years ago this month, a small group of avid waterfowlers took bold action to help restore waterfowl populations devastated by drought and wetland drainage. Led by printing magnate Joseph Palmer Knapp and other members of the More Game Birds in America Foundation, these conservation pioneers founded a new organization with the singular mission of protecting and restoring wetlands in Canada, where the majority of the continent's waterfowl are raised.

A year after outlining their plan, the dream of Knapp and his colleagues became a reality. Ducks Unlimited, Inc.—the U.S.-based entity that would serve to gather and disperse funds—was incorporated on January 29, 1937, in Washington, D.C. Ducks Unlimited Canada, the entity that would actually carry out the founders' ambitious plan, was incorporated shortly thereafter in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on March 10. This is a timeline history of Ducks Unlimited from that date to the present.

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos from March 2012

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:00:43 -0400

Submit your photos here!

Here are the other best reader photo collections from this year:

January 2012

February 2012

A Call For Gun Dog Tips From F&S Readers, Win a FireKnife

Dave_Maccar — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:15:49 -0400

by Chad Love

First, thanks for all the great name suggestions for my new pup.

I really did read every one both on the blog and on Facebook, and in the end we named him Ozzy. Not for any particular reason or after any particular person, we simply decided that, for some reason, he just looked like an Ozzy. Although I will say that, thanks to his exceedingly calm demeanor, he almost ended up being named "The Dude."

I'm happy to report that Ozzy is doing just fine and settling in with the other dogs. In the short time he's been here he's already gotten himself caught in a pigeon trap, broken into the pen where I keep my training quail, learned that an open dishwasher door means good licking opportunities, and (somehow, when I wasn't looking) caught and partially ate his first gopher. Or maybe the gopher was already dead from one of the neighborhood cats. I don’t know. All I know is when I came around the corner of the house he was gnawing on the gopher's head. I'm sure the rest of it will show up in a few hours...

With that out of the way, I'd like to introduce a new feature here on the blog, one I've been wanting to try out for a while, but it all depends on you.

One of the neat things about writing a blog like this is getting the interaction and exchange of idea with readers. I love hearing about better, cheaper or innovative ways of doing things, so what I'd like to do is start up a semi-regular blog feature showcasing reader-supplied training tips. However, it doesn't strictly have to stick with training. If you have a favorite tip or trick you use regarding any aspect of gun dog ownership, training, care or bird hunting with your dog, share it with us. It could be a money-saving tip, a time-saving tip, or a sanity-saving tip.

Do you make any of your own equipment or substitute other items for expensive training gear in order to stretch your budget? Let us know (here's an example). Or maybe an indispensable piece of kit you always take along on your hunting trips? You get the idea.

Send your tips to fsgundogtips@gmail.com and try to include a picture to better demonstrate the concept or practice of your tip. Periodically I'll choose a tip to feature on the blog, and if it's yours, you'll win a Swedish FireKnife from Mora and Light My Fire. I mean, FireKnife just sounds cool, doesn't it?

As a good example of out-of-the-box thinking, here's a great idea from the always-interesting 8 More Miles bird hunting blog wherein the blog author brainstorms and then fabricates a very handy, neat and portable roll-up multiple-dog chain gang for use on extended hunts.

From the blog:

This summer, I think I've built a better chain gang. For those of you unaware, the chain gang is a useful tool if you've got a bunch of bird dogs in your care. Trainers use it so an entire pack of dogs can observe others being trained. For me, they make a lot of sense when you're airing, watering, and feeding a string of dogs.

Last year in Montana, we had six dogs, and every night at feeding time, we hammered six stakes into the often-hard ground. After two weeks on the road, it got a bit old.

This year, we'll have eight dogs. The chain gang lets you hammer just two stakes -- one at each end -- and you hook up a dog every six feet on 18-inch drop chains. It gives the dogs plenty of room to stretch out, drink and eat, do their business, all while not tangling (literally or figuratively) with one another.

After a lot of Internet reading, discussions with buddies, and scores of visits to various hardware stores, I came up with a pretty handy system that I think will suit my needs well.

That was a great idea that served his needs and didn’t break the bank in the process (further chain gang details can be found on the blog). That's what we're looking for. So if you have a favorite Nugget 'O Wisdom, send it along to fsgundogtips@gmail.com. Fame, fortune and beautiful groupies await those lucky enough to be chosen*

*not really, but send your tips along, anyway.

Matching 1984 Hand-Engraved Holland & Holland Shotguns Go for $135,000

Sarah Smith — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:44:36 -0400

Anyone who says guns can't be high art hasn't laid their eyes on this spectacular, custom-made matched pair of Holland & Holland shotguns commissioned in 1984 by a wealthy Texas businessman. These bespoke beauties took three years to complete, and feature some of the most stunning and detailed engraving ever seen on a shotgun.