DuckJunkies.com

2013 Duck Junkies International Waterfowl Weekend

2012-02-08T16:33:46Z

Mark your calendars to attend the highlight event of your waterfowl season!

From January 18th - 20th, 2013 you have a great opportunity to join Duck Junkies and it's staff for the first annual Duck Junkies' International Waterfowl Weekend Hosted by LowLands Guide Service in Okemah, OK (45 min E of Oklahoma City, OK).

Enjoy a 3 day hunt, take part in shooting activities, sharing stories, experiences and a banquet on Saturday night. Whether you have been on a guided hunt before or not, this is a great opportunity to make memories that will last a life time.

Rare Asian Crane Lands at Goose Pond in Green County Indiana

2012-02-09T20:13:07Z

A hooded crane, normally seen only in Asia, has been spotted at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area in Greene County, about 7,000 miles from its traditional home range.

Hooded cranes nest in southeastern Russian and northern China and winter in southern Japan.

That One

2012-02-01T06:00:00Z

"I decided at the moment of impact with Aransas Bay I had to have a retriever not to retrieve me so much, which might be a good idea, but to get my ducks."

This saga begins in Aransas Bay, Texas one very cold January morning as a couple of hunting buddies and I were going to hunt the elusive ducks that winter on the many bays and inlets of the Gulf of Mexico. We’d hired a guide to put us in just the right spot to see as many of the feathered speedsters as possible.

That's No Ugly Duckling!

2012-01-27T02:25:04Z

Snow goose hunting season is upon us and it's important to know your target - or better yet what to avoid shooting.

There are three species of swans in North America. The Trumpeter Swan and Tundra Swan are indigenous, while the Mute Swan is a Eurasian species that has been introduced and now breeds in the wild in some areas.

Because of their white color, swans look a little bit like snow geese but there are obvious differences you should be familiar with before heading out for a snow goose hunt. Let's take a look at Trumpeter swans, the largest of the swans.

Wing Shooting 101

2012-01-26T20:38:16Z

I know that it is a little late in the season to post this, but I had a conversation with a young man this afternoon that is just getting into the sport. He was a little discouraged because he hasn't been hitting as many ducks as he feels he should have.

He asked me the "BIG" question that everyone just starting to duck hunt wants to know but is afraid to ask for fear of sounding stupid.

"What is the proper lead time for shooting ducks?"

Lower Duck Numbers in CT Than Last Year

2012-01-18T06:00:00Z

January 2012: Connecticut's Duck Population Fewer than Last Season

A recent aerial survey conducted by the Connecticut Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) discovered fewer duck numbers than found last year. 15,893 ducks were spotted during the survey which was conducted during the first week in January, 7033 less than last year's total of 22,926. The lower numbers are more than likely a result of this winter's above average temperatures. According to the DEEP's Migratory Game Bird Program's leader Min Huang, " This year's survey conditions were relatively poor because the weeks leading up to the survey were very mild and most inland bodies of water had yet to freeze. Plus, the flying and viewing conditions were difficult the day of the survey".

The DEEP does not rely on the midwinter survey to count perspective populations in the state. The January survey is used as a "snapshot" of current bird numbers in Connecticut's area of the Atlantic Flyway.

To see the full article and interview in the Middletown Press click this link.

The "Circle"

2012-01-18T14:51:40Z

If the ducks are scarce, it's a great time to train the dog.

It was the time of day that as children shadows came alive and moved, tree limbs thrust though windows to snatch the small mischievous urchins that weren't paying attention and the monster under the bed became restless and eager to frighten toddlers. It was the time of day that paper boys around the world dread but it was the time of day that duck hunters yearn for.

For the duck hunter it's the time of day to contemplate things yet to come and things past. All the equipment, guns, dogs, thermos, calls, etc. are all in arm's reach.

Too much water = no food = ducks don't stop in East-Central FL

2011-12-30T06:00:00Z

With foliage submerged, water fowl bypass popular hunting wetlands in east-central Florida.

FELLSMERE -- The T.M. Goodwin Wildlife Management Area and adjacent Broadmoor Marsh in east-central Florida are among the state's most bountiful duck hunting wetlands. But you couldn't tell it by our party's bag at a recent outing.

Murphy’s Law was working overtime on that cloudy day as Chuck Echenique, Dwight Aubert, Steve Jones, Doug Dort and Dort’s yellow Lab Jackson and I headed to our assigned location in the 2,400-acre Broadmoor unit well before dawn.

Tips For Decoying Birds In High Winds

2012-01-10T00:35:17Z

Waterfowl hunting in high winds can pose a challenge. Consider your strategy and increase your success.

Every duck hunter loves having birds locked onto the decoys at 20 yards on a nice sunny day, but those hunts are far and few between. Most great hunts are when the migrating birds are riding the front down from the north, taking advantage of the strong winds. On those strong wind days making it to your spot can be tricky enough, especially if you are hunting big water, but once you make it to your spot, making sure your decoys are set up right to allow the birds to work for you is your next challenge.

Maine Waterfowl Habitat Battle Brewing

2011-12-20T02:43:37Z

The current administration in the State of Maine is proposing that the rules for building near waterfowl habitat in the state should be “relaxed” in order to streamline the process of obtaining a permit to build on or near sensitive waterfowl habitat.