ducks

Ducks in Danger

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 04:00:00 -0500

Fish and wildlife managers from state and federal agencies have been combing the Louisiana coast since the hurricanes, much like disaster relief teams picked through the rubble of the human communities in the region. They're counting the dead, looking for survivors, and trying to measure the suitability of the habitat for resettlement.

So far the news is not good for the millions of ducks and geese already heading for the Louisiana coast, just as they have every fall for thousands of years.

Scientists say Katrina took a wicked chunk out of brackish and fresh marshes east of the Mississippi River, and Rita left a flood of highly saline water stewing on the fragile freshwater wetlands in central and southwestern Louisiana. Some of the nation's most productive wintering habitat--and most storied waterfowling grounds--may be all but useless to ducks and geese this year.

"Katrina pretty much spared the central and western portions of the coast, mainly because the highest winds were from the north, which kept a lot of the Gulf water away from those marshes," says Robert Helm, the veteran waterfowl biologist with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

"But Rita changed all of that. It pretty much picked up the water from the open Gulf--with salinity measurements in the 30s (parts per thousand)--and just dumped it on those fresh marshes, as well as a lot of the ricefields in that country. As I understand it, we had measurements in the 20s in some of the ricefields. That's a shock to those plants and kills them."

Of course, other storms have hit this region and had similar impacts. But those floodwaters typically fall quickly--usually helped along by seasonal rains that add a layer of fresh water to help the wetlands heal. That hasn't happened this year. Right after Rita, another disturbance farther south in the Gulf created persistent east and south winds that kept water locked up in those areas.

Those floodwaters, brimming with organic material, have been cooking in 90-degree heat. Decomposition of plants quickly robbed the water of oxygen. Like giant open petri dishes, many areas are growing bacteria and other organisms that thrive in such conditions.

It's an ideal environment for outbreaks of avian diseases such as cholera, biologists say. The lack of food for migrating birds can weaken their defenses. The bacteria in the water can cause illnesses. And the overcrowding that can take place as birds concentrate into the few areas with food and good water means that disease can spread rapidly and infect tens of thousands of birds.

"Poor water quality is oftentimes an issue with waterfowl diseases, like botulism and avian cholera, things we don't normally have trouble with here because there's so much habitat," says Helm. "But this is an exceptional set of circumstances."

It's so exceptional that waterfowl managers really don't know what will happen--and that worries them.

"The Louisiana coast is the backbone of wintering habitat for the Mississippi Flyway," says Helm. "My perception has always been that it will always be there for the birds. We've had high water, we've had low water. But we've always had enough habitat for the migration.

"But this winter, that habitat will largely go missing. That's unprecedented, at least in my life. It's an unknown, and that's scary."

Online Exclusive: Rita's Ruin

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 04:00:00 -0500

Three weeks after Hurricane Katrina savaged the southeast Louisiana coast, sportsmen like Joe Courcelle in Jesuit Bend, about 40 miles downriver from New Orleans, were trying to view the glass as half-full. Sure, Katrina had whacked fish and wildlife habitat in the coastal wetlands, but deer would have plenty of new browse, fish would work their way back as the water cleared and--because it was still summer--the aquatic duck food destroyed by the big storm might well sprout again before most waterfowl arrived in late October. Besides, local sportsmen could still go to the largely unaffected central and southwest coasts.

Then along came Rita. By the end of last weekend, flood tides of 8 to 12 feet had submerged the entire Louisiana coast. Some 1.5 million acres of public hunting and fishing habitat on 43 state and federal wildlife management areas--more than half the state's public hunting lands--were impacted by the vicious one-two punch.

The second major hurricane of the season not only wiped out many coastal hunting seasons. It might also have dealt a serious blow to a significant portion of waterfowl in the Mississippi Flyway.

"There won't be a stick of duck food left in south Louisiana," the 67-year-old Courcelle said after spending a long night strengthening a levee separating his home from the eastern reaches of Barataria Bay. "Anything we had left after Katrina was taken away by Rita. I don't know if we've ever had anything like this."

He was right.

"Storms have reduced coastal waterfowl habitat in the past--in fact, many times in the past--but this may be the first time we've had storms eliminate the habitat," said Robert Helm, waterfowl study leader for the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. "Many of these plants can tolerate salinities up to five parts per thousand, but practically the entire coast was under 5 to 10 feet of almost pure Gulf water, which is around 30 parts per thousand.

"If the surge and waves didn't wash away the submergent (floating aquatic) vegetation, the saltwater probably killed it. And the same water was over ricefields and other agricultural fields that attract ducks and geese."

That means the millions of waterfowl that normally winter in coastal Louisiana will be pressed into looking for other sources of sustenance. If they have a hard time finding those groceries this winter, they will leave for the return migration next spring stressed from lack of a proper diet and arrive on the nesting grounds exhausted. Nesting could be delayed, and nesting success could decline.

"The correlation between a duck's weight and nesting success is well established, so the lack of food here could have an impact next spring," said Helm.

"The birds will come down to the coast like normal, but when they can't find enough fuel, they'll leave the coast and begin looking for other sources. If they can't find enough food, then they could have trouble next spring.

"This has been one incredible hurricane season."

And that season doesn't end for another month.

Ducks in Danger

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 04:00:00 -0500

So far the news is not good for the millions of ducks and geese already heading for the Louisiana coast, just as they have every fall for thousands of years.

It's so exceptional that waterfowl managers really don't know what will happen--and that worries them.

"But this winter, that habitat will largely go missing. That's unprecedented, at least in my life. It's an unknown, and that's scary."

Online Exclusive: Rita's Ruin

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 04:00:00 -0500

The second major hurricane of the season not only wiped out many coastal hunting seasons. It might also have dealt a serious blow to a significant portion of waterfowl in the Mississippi Flyway.

He was right.

"The correlation between a duck's weight and nesting success is well established, so the lack of food here could have an impact next spring," said Helm.

"This has been one incredible hurricane season."

And that season doesn't end for another month.

The Land of a Million Ducks

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 12:00:00 -0400

Dog Training Tips from Master Outdoorsman Jerome B. Robinson

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 11:20:00 -0400

Duck Hunting Forecast 2006: The survey says you'll see better shooting this season

fieldandstream-editor — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 08:15:00 -0400

Bird Dogs Hunting: 31 Great Shots from Photographer Bill Buckley

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 08:00:00 -0400

Goose Getters

fieldandstream-editor — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 05:05:00 -0400

Many guns suffice for geese, but only a few are just right for the job. The perfect goose gun must work in sand, dirt, mud, ice, and snow. It should accept a sling and have a matte or camo finish. The barrel should be 26 inches or longer (anything shorter risks the ears of the people next to you and doesn't swing well). The action can be pump, auto, or break-open double, but I prefer three shots rather than two chokes for waterfowl. Repeaters are also easier to load than break-action guns when you're sitting in a pit or lying on your back.

It also must pack enough punch. Geese are big birds, and it takes big pellets to bring them down: steel BBs and BBBs; BBs and 2s in the premium nontoxics. Small bores lack the case capacity to hold adequate numbers of such shot, so the list of goose gauges is short: 3-inch 12, 31/2-inch 12, and 10. (The standard 12 is enough gun for most goose hunting, but 23/4-inch goose loads are hard to find.) With a 31/2, you can shoot lighter-recoiling 3-inchers most of the time and chamber a steel Roman candle just on those days when the birds won't finish. If you do a lot of shooting at high geese with steel, consider a 10-gauge, which hits as hard or harder than a 31/2 downrange but is much softer on your shoulder due to its heavy weight.

With all this in mind, I've picked three good options for the goose hunter, two of them pricey, and one very affordable:

Benelli Super Black Eagle II
This reliable, inertia-operated 31/2-inch auto deserves its reputation as the Energizer Bunny of waterfowl guns. Magnum loads can kick painfully with this type of action, but the new ComforTech stock addresses the problem with a gel recoil pad and cheekpiece, and gel chevrons in the sides to dampen vibration. Some people find ComforTech stocks miraculous, while others, like me, notice a reduction but no miracle. The lengthened Crio Chokes significantly outpatterned the old-style Benelli tubes when I tested them. $1,585 in Max-4 or Advantage Timber HD camo; $1,465 in black; 301-283-6981; benelliusa.com

Remington SP-10 Magnum
I took an SP-10 to the range the other day and alternated shooting it and a 12-gauge with 31/2-inch shells. The latter kicked so hard it left me woozy. In comparison, the 11-pound auto just pushed me backward. It's no wand, but the SP-10 isn't difficult to manage. $1,564 in Mossy Oak Obsession with the supersoft R3 recoil pad; $1,427 in matte walnut; 800-243-9700; remington.com

Mossberg 535 Waterfowl
Essentially a Model 500 stretched to chamber 31/2-inch shells, the new 535 has the top safety we left-handers love and pumps with the same slick stroke as my 500. Given its light, 71/4-pound weight, I would only shoot 31/2s out of this gun in a dire goose hunting emergency. However, the 535 lists for just $332 in black synthetic, and $389 in Max-4 or Break-Up camo. Look at it this way: There's a $1,200 difference between the price of this gun and that of an SP-10 or an SBE II. Spend the difference on expensive but ballistically superior Hevi-Shot and you won't be running out of ammo any time soon. 203-230-5300; mossberg.com

110 Greatest Tips

fieldandstream-editor — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 12:30:00 -0400

SELF-RELIANCE; TIPS 69-79

098
MAKE YOUR OWN COVER SCENT
Boil a few handfuls of leaves, bark, and coniferous needles gathered from your hunting area in a gallon of water. Let the mixture boil until the water volume is reduced by half. Wet your hunting clothes with the resulting concentrated tea, then let them dry before going hunting. J.B.R., March 2000

099
SHARPEN YOUR KNIFE
For the keenest and longest lasting edge, you need an extremely smooth stone such as an Arkansas oilstone. This is a natural rock of fine, uniform texture which for many years has had a reputation for putting the best edge on a blade. Put a few drops of light oil on it and sharpen with uniform strokes, the edge of the blade facing forward, maintaining the same angle. Don't press hard. Your purpose isn't to remove a lot of metal, but to smooth the edge. Half a dozen strokes each way may be enough. T.T., February 1970

100
MAKE AN EMERGENCY BACKPACK
All you need is a T-shirt and a rifle sling. Remove the sling from the rifle, tie the arms of the shirt to the ends of the sling, and tie off the bottom. The shirt neck can be either tied closed or left open. T.T., september 1974

101
FORECAST THE WEATHER
Smoke rising from a chimney on a calm day provides one of the most reliable of all weather signs. When the smoke rises upward you can bet on fair weather; when it drifts close to the ground that's a sure sign that rain or snow is on the way. H.G.T., July 1973

102
STUFF A STOCKING
Next time you head to hunting camp, drop a bar of soap into the toe of an old full-length nylon stocking. In camp, hang the top of the stocking close to the washbasin. The soap can't get lost or fall to the ground and get dirty, and it suds right through the nylon mesh. H.G.T., September 1964

103
FIX YOUR AXE
If you store your axe at deer camp hanging above the ground, the shaft may dry and shrink, loosening the axe head. To make sure the head is tight, stand the axe in a pail of water to swell for a couple of hours before using it. J.B.R., May 2000

104
STAKE THE DOG DISH
If your dog keeps tipping over his water, use a large angel-food cake pan, which has a hole in the center. Just place the pan over a wooden stake driven securely into the ground. The stake anchors the pan firmly so that even the most excitable dog can't knock it over. H.G.T., June 1974

105
BUILD A BETTER MOUSETRAP
Make a hunting camp trap out of a 10-quart kettle. Hang a bit of bread or cheese from the bail of the kettle, which will lure a mouse out on a sliver of wood extending from one rim and fastened to a wire crosspiece with an ordinary staple. It's balanced with a large nail so that the outer end rests on the rim of the kettle. When the mouse passes center, it'll plunge into 6 inches of water below. The weight of the nail quickly swings the board back down into position for another victim. It should be placed beside a low box, or have a board extending from the ground to the outer end of the pivoting sliver, so as to give the mice every possible opportunity to drown themselves. T.T., May 1942

106
KEEP WARM ON STAND
Metal tree stands sap body heat. Carry two squares of indoor-outdoor carpet, one for under your backside, the second to insulate the soles of your boots from the footrest. K.M., November 2003

107
SCRUB POTS WITH PINE
When you're stuck with the chore of cleaning up after a meal cooked over an outdoor fire, look for help under a pine tree. A dry pinecone makes a surprisingly effective scraper for scouring off food that sticks to the inside of cooking ware. H.G.T., September 1976

108
DON'T FORGET THE GARBAGE
Tuck a couple of plastic trash bags in your pocket when you hunt. Sit on one to keep your tail dry while watching a traail or fashion a poncho to shed rain-and if you must cross a stream, pull them on like hip boots and wade across without getting your feet wet. H.G.T., November 1973

109
MAKE THE PERFECT DOG HOUSE
You can make a comfortable and inexpensive house for your dog out of a 55-gallon plastic barrel laid on its side. Using a saber saw, cut out a rectangular doorway, and then use pop rivets to hang a heavy-duty piece of canvas over the opening. To keep the bugs out, elevate the barrel by placing it on a wooden scaffold. B.T., June 1989

110
IMPROVE YOUR CAMP
You can keep the floor of your tent much cleaner if you make a natural doormat. Gather some fresh boughs of pine, spruce, or hemlock and place them in front of the entrance. By wiping your feet on them before you enter, you will leave mud and woods duff outside. H.G.T., April 1972