waterfowling

The Land of a Million Ducks

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

Bird Dogs Hunting: 31 Great Shots from Photographer Bill Buckley

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

Jerry's Tips: March 2006

fieldandstream-editor — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 04:15:00 -0500

Attract Shy Gobblers
Turkeys don't become decoy shy, but some toms do get "turkey shy" after they've lost a few fights. These subdominant birds are wary of any aggressive-looking rival and will avoid a decoy in the menacing strut or half-strut position. Instead, use a meek standing jake that appears too small to be dangerous. Combine it with a single hen, then use soft, seductive hen calls.

Keep Your Retriever Safe
Don't encourage your retriever to hit the water with the high-speed leaps you see at field trials. The leaps are impressive to watch, but in real hunting conditions, dogs that hit the water hard can get hurt by submerged rocks or logs. Instead, work your dog frequently where harmless but annoying underwater obstacles slow his entry. He will quickly learn to jump with caution.

Avoid Lightning Strikes
During thunderstorms, crouch on a foam mattress or pack of clothes to minimize your body footprint and to insulate your feet from the ground. Don't be the tallest thing around. Avoid high ground, clearings, large trees, and tent poles. In boats, lay fishing rods flat, lower radio antennae, keep feet and hands out of the water, sit low, and don't touch the radio or other metal objects.

Fish Smarter
Long casts are impressive, but you'll work more water and catch more fish if you start short and lengthen each subsequent cast by 10 feet. By varying the distance, you make your lure swing on a different arc with each retrieve. It will pass through more positions where fish may be holding. After you've covered all the water you can reach, change position and begin again.

Protect Trailer Lights
When boat-trailer lights fail, it's usually because corrosion has caused a defective ground. For a more durable connection, drill a hole in the trailer tongue to fit a stainless-steel screw. Size doesn't matter. Polish the area around the hole with sandpaper to expose new metal. Insert the screw through the end of the ground wire terminal and tighten it against the exposed metal.

First Shot Wallpaper: Jump Start

fieldandstream-editor — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 04:20:00 -0500

Jump Start: "This is typical pre-hunt behavior," says Gifford Cochran, whose 51/2-year-old Lab, Gertie, couldn't contain her excitement for a pheasant hunt near Belgrade, Montana. "She'll do this at least 15 or 20 times. I'll keep telling her to settle down and save it for the birds."

Click here to check out more of Cameron's photos on his web site, www.cameronlawson.com

Click here for a 1024 x 768 sized photo (fits 1024 x 768 monitor resolutions)

Click here for an 800 x 600 sized photo (fits 800 x 600 monitor resolutions

Instructions for downloading wallpaper (Windows users):
1.) Click on either 800 X 600 or 1024 X 768 to open the resolution you prefer.

2.) Right-click on the opened image. You may then choose to download the image, or select "Save As Wallpaper" (or "Set picture as...," "Set as Wallpaper," or "Set as Desktop item," depending on your system.)

3.) If you chose "Save As Wallpaper," you're finished! If you chose to download the image, go to your "Control Panel," select "Background," and browse to locate and select the downloaded image.

Instructions for downloading wallpaper (Mac users):
1.) Click on either 800 X 600 or 1024 X 768 to open the resolution you prefer.

2.) With your mouse on the opened image, hold down the mouse key until a menu appears, then choose

3.) "Download Image to Disk," select a folder, and save.

4.) Under the Apple menu, open "Control Panels," then "Appearance."

5.) Under "Appearance," open "Desktop," then "Place Picture." Browse to the folder in which you saved the image and select the image. Click "Open" and choose "Set Desktop."

On-line Exclusive: Rita's Ruin

fieldandstream-editor — Fri, 31 Dec 1999 19:00:00 -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 still had the central and southwest coasts for fun and games.

Then along came Rita. By the end of last weekend flood tides of eight 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 may 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 five 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 salt water probably killed it. And the same water was over rice fields and other agricultural fields that attract ducks and geese."

That means the millions 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 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 for the bids 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 the season doesn't end for another month.