Wildfowl http://www.wildfowlmag.com Just another Intermedia Outdoors site Thu, 09 May 2013 19:26:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Biggest Threats to Duck Populations in 2013 http://www.wildfowlmag.com/biggest-threats-to-duck-populations-in-2013.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/biggest-threats-to-duck-populations-in-2013.html#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 22:06:21 +0000 Kyle Wintersteen http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=5250 ...»]]> For the second straight year in 2012, the waterfowl population hit an all-time high. But don’t be fooled. Threats quietly lurk that could send it crashing in a hurry.

It seems only human nature to look back on a bygone era with increasingly fonder memories. Certainly this is true of duck hunters. How many times have you heard an old-timer declare waterfowling will never be what it was in the days of waxed-cotton jackets and Belgian Brownings? In many ways this is true, but not in terms of bird numbers.

Last year’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife survey indicated an estimate of 48.6 million breeding ducks—the most ever recorded since surveys began in 1955. It was the second straight year the record was surpassed, and just the sixth time since 1955 that the overall population totaled more than 40 million birds. Mallards—the most heavily harvested duck in North America—had their best population total since 1999. Northern shovelers, green-winged teal and blue-winged teal all hit record highs.

Add to that liberal season lengths and bag limits and—sorry dad—there’s arguably never been a better time to be a duck hunter. What scares me is how quickly all that could change.

“I find little security in last year’s record breeding population of ducks,” said Ducks Unlimited Chief Scientist Dale Humburg.  “A couple of wet years on the breeding grounds have masked significant, ongoing threats to the landscapes and resources waterfowl depend on. We should not be lulled into a false sense of security.”

In other words, a lot of our current duck boom can be attributed to plain old luck—heavy rains and snow pack providing ample wetlands. Here then are the top threats to waterfowl populations, a few of which could wreak havoc in just one or two breeding cycles.

Drought
We are in the midst of a wet cycle that has masked habitat issues and severe wetland losses. According to DU, we’ve lost about two-thirds of the wetlands that once existed. Yet ample rains and winter snow pack have allowed spring duck production to remain high, even in intensively farmed areas that would ordinarily offer poor nesting habitat.

This is largely the case because exorbitant precipitation creates temporary and seasonal wetlands—warm, shallow areas thriving with high-protein invertebrates that feed hungry hens. Healthy hens produce good egg clutches and are better equipped to re-nest.

An increase in temporary wetlands also means more nesting opportunities in a given area. Hens are territorial nesters known to guard their turf. They can nest in fairly dense numbers if numerous temporary wetlands are available. However, a drought could leave all but one or two ponds in that same area. A couple hens will claim the ponds, but the rest are out of luck.

Wet springs increase duckling survival, too. When wetlands expand into the surrounding cover, ducklings have a place to hide. On the other hand, in drought conditions potholes recede toward the middle of the bowl, which means ducklings are easy targets for mink and other key predators.

In a drought or even a year of average precipitation, we’ll have fewer seasonal wetlands and are likely to see North America’s true wetland capacity revealed. The feared result is hungry hens, a vast reduction in available nesting habitat and well-fed predators.

Misguided Flood Control
Those same rains that have benefited ducks over the last several years have led to horrendous flooding, especially in the Midwest.

“The cause of the flooding is pretty darned simple,” John Devney, senior director of U.S. Policy for Delta Waterfowl, wrote in a blog post. “The landscape has been dramatically changed. The wetlands and grasslands that subdued the flooding are gone. Agricultural drainage projects rush water off the land into ditches, then into rivers and, at times, into schools, homes and businesses.”

According to DU, one acre of wetland can store over 1.5 million gallons of floodwater. Yet what do we do every time there’s a major flood? Communities demand federal dollars to raise the levees and divert water. In essence, the actual cause of the flooding is looked to as the solution, and the result is as bad for people as it is for waterfowl.

Can a balance between agriculture and wetland conservation be found? Sure, if farmers—who are simply responding to market demands—are provided with appropriate incentives. Unfortunately, the Farm Bill is expected to have a scaled-back conservation component—if Congress ever quits stalling and brings it to the table.

Devney thinks we can do better.

“We can make our farmers the most productive and profitable in the world,” he said. “But we need to also find money for conservation, to show the public cares about wetlands, grasslands, ducks, pheasants, meadowlarks and avocets.”

Grassland Destruction
Unfortunately, cuts to the Farm Bill—in particular its Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) component—are nothing new. CRP alone is responsible for producing 2.2 million ducks per year, yet top duck-producer North Dakota has lost 22 percent of its CRP since 2007. How might the loss of CRP fields and native prairie grasses affect waterfowl?

A study by Ron Reynolds for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found the threshold for nest success is a prairie of at least 40 percent grassland habitat. Above that number, hens have plenty of cover to hide their nests from predators, and the waterfowl population increases. Below it, the majority of nests are lost to egg-eating predators.

When we lose grass, we lose ducks. Trouble is, we’re losing grassland faster than we’re saving it in the Prairie Pothole Region, where ducks nest as densely as 100 breeding pairs per square mile. Fortunately, heavy rains have helped many species overcome the loss, but it may explain the decline of the northern pintail. The pintail is a grassland nester that prefers shallow, season wetlands—the most easily drained and converted to agriculture—which may explain why we’ve lost more than 50 percent of the pintail population since 1993.

Predator Boom Amidst Poor Habitat
When grassland is converted to farmland, grassland nesters such as mallards, gadwalls, teal and shovelers use any available habitat, including fence lines and roadside ditches. It’s a delightful arrangement for foxes and skunks, which travel the convenient corridors picking off nests.

This all-too-common occurrence is exacerbated by a booming predator population. According to Delta Waterfowl, raccoons—a major consumer of duck eggs—weren’t found in Canada prior to the 1950’s, when human homes gave them means to survive the winters. Other key duck predators, including foxes and skunks, have increased steadily since the removal of larger predators from the landscape. Grizzlies and wolves, for instance, had little affect on waterfowl, but kept populations of smaller predators in check.

What is to be done? Predator-trapping studies by Delta Waterfowl seem to show some promise. Delta has trapped predators on heavily farmed properties as large as 144 square miles, and found a two- to three-fold increase in nest success.

This strategy, however, is not without critics. DU argues that trapping isn’t cost-effective and realistically can’t benefit ducks on a large scale.

Where DU and Delta do see eye-to-eye is on the need for grassland and wetland conservation. If you have sufficient grass and water, predation is a non-issue. However, in regions where conservation fails, it’s yet to be seen whether waterfowl managers of the future will dismiss or look more closely at trapping.

Fewer Hunters Mean Less Conservation
According to DU, the U.S. and Canada have only half the duck hunters as they did in the 1970s. The median age of hunters is increasing and, for a variety of reasons, we’re doing a poor job recruiting the next generation of waterfowlers. Here’s a disgusting stat to illustrate the point: The average kid now spends 52 hours per week on electronic media and less than 40 minutes outside.

Overall, there are fewer duck hunters, while society is experiencing a growing disconnect with outdoor conservation. Combined with the fiscal crisis, such attitudes don’t bode well for the funding of CRP or the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which annually provides $47.6 million in matching grants to wetlands projects and has conserved 25 million acres in 20 years.

Fewer duck hunters also means dwindling sales of Federal Duck Stamps. That, in turn, means fewer federal waterfowl easements. Both Delta and DU are also in favor of raising the price of duck stamps, which hasn’t occurred since 1991. In that same time, land values in the Prairie Pothole Region have tripled, dramatically decreasing the program’s buying power.

The disturbing reality of these threats is they aren’t theoretical, long-term concerns that may impact waterfowl sometime down the road. These issues are poised to dramatically affect ducks right now—just as soon as our lucky streak ends. The question is, will we act before it’s too late?

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/biggest-threats-to-duck-populations-in-2013.html/feed 0 10 Best Duck Blinds and Layouts for 2013 http://www.wildfowlmag.com/best-duck-blinds.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/best-duck-blinds.html#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 22:02:28 +0000 Joe Genzel http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=5257 ...»]]> We’ve all spent a day flagging and calling flock after flock, finally sucking a group in on gliding wings only to watch as they flare at the edge of the decoys. For a moment your pulse jumps, giving way to disappointment as you bemoan what could have been. Any number of variables might have caused such an unfortunate circumstance, including concealment.

These days, layouts and field blinds run the gamut from campfire sleeping bags to single-wide trailers—in Mossy Oak and Realtree, of course. With every passing season, it seems the ducks and geese become more wary of four mud-covered coffins in the middle of a decoy spread, so the layout must evolve. These blinds are on the cutting edge of innovation—the best duck blinds and layouts of 2013—designed to keep the flocks coming in. But the scouting, digging in and brushing up—that’s on you.

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Layouts and Duck Blinds for 2013

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/best-duck-blinds.html/feed 0 Wildfowl’s Guide to Public Land Duck Hunting Etiquette http://www.wildfowlmag.com/public-land-duck-hunting-etiquette.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/public-land-duck-hunting-etiquette.html#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000 Kyle Wintersteen http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=5186 ...»]]> Duck hunting public land certainly comes with its share of pitfalls and pleasures. A lot of that has to do with the fact that you’re sharing space with people who may or may not abide by certain commonsense rules of hunting etiquette. Usually things go pretty well, but other times it can be a bit frustrating.

I can remember a specific opening day in our public land blind near Washington, D.C., where we had a pretty slow day until a few lonely honks on the horizon quickly changed our spirits. The four geese were high, but they were coming in nonetheless. Every 500 yards, a new blind called to them, but they arrived at our spread as if on a string. The birds made two passes, all the while being pestered by hunters in the blind nearest us. Their calling was awful.

Despite the hunters’ efforts, I was certain the geese would pitch to our blocks after one more circle. But then the other hunters did something truly amazing: They stood and shot five times at the geese working our spread. A conservative estimate put the birds no closer than 150 yards of their blind.

The skybusting was so bad, in fact, that it didn’t flare the geese. They cupped up, glided in and the fellows nearby got to watch us kill them. In twenty years of duck hunting, I have witnessed some truly poor manners on public land, but that tops them all. Most cases of such discourtesy are just mild nuisances, but others can ruin a hunt or even pose a safety risk. In order to help guide you through your public land duck hunting experience, we’ve compiled our rules of essential etiquette.

Be Reasonable With Your Shots
How many times have you hunted public land when birds flew into the area and some impatient hunter took a long crack at them? Worst of all is when the birds are clearly interested in working—maybe not your spread, but somebody’s—and some greedy individual spoils it.

On private land or even non-crowded public, land I am not opposed to taking a pass shot, within limits of course. However, public land requires extra courtesy and patience. Lest you disrupt hunting opportunities for those around you, shots should be taken over decoys or at least within reasonable range. The threshold for skybusting has no exact distance, but use a little common sense. You know when birds are on the edge of shotgun range. However, if you demonstrate that you do not, another hunter may drop by to explain your mistake.

Don’t Call Birds Working Another Spread
This one really gets me hot under the Gore-Tex collar—when ducks are working a hunter’s spread and some loudmouth tries to highball them over his way instead. He isn’t likely to call the birds in, but may just succeed in calling loudly and poorly enough to flare them entirely. So if ducks start working someone else’s spread, be a big boy and put the call in your pocket.

Loitering At the Dock
It’s a sour feeling to arrive at the public boat ramp—perhaps a little tardier than you hoped—to find a line of trucks waiting for some neophyte to get launched. Nobody has a perfect dismount into the water every time, but there’s no excuse for showing up unprepared. If you’re new to launching a boat or you’ve purchased a new trailer, do everyone a favor and make a few practice runs in the daylight. Ditto for teaching your dog basic obedience. The process of launching boats into the river is not streamlined by dogs running around uncontrolled. However, even if you’re the world’s best boat launcher, remember to keep things moving at a public ramp. There are others behind you who’d like to assemble their spreads prior to sunrise.

Early Bird Gets the Worm
You arrived at your favorite public land honeyhole to find it unoccupied. You’ve got your decoys out in time for a cup of coffee, and as the sun rises, the mallards begin to fly. Then an underpowered johnboat slowly peters on by, flaring everything in sight. Your hunt isn’t ruined, but it’s certainly on hold, and you may have lost your only opportunity of the day to score a duck dinner. It’s good manners on public land to show up early and stay at least until the ducks have settled for the morning. Boats on the move after legal light flare birds, disrupt their  movements—which more dedicated hunters may have scouted—and are just plain aggravating. If you oversleep, you can always hunt the afternoon flight. Please don’t paddle by my spread at 8 a.m.

A Little Distance, Please
In certain jurisdictions, you cannot legally set up within a certain distance of another registered, public-land blind—the buffer is as much as 500 yards in some cases. I don’t entirely agree with such laws, but I understand why they came about. It’s incredible how bold—or stupid—some folks can be in setting up on the outskirts of another man’s spread. Perhaps you arrived at your predetermined destination to find someone else setting up there. Tough. Better go to your backup plan, or at least allow a reasonable amount of space to avoid working the same birds. Arguably the worst offender in this category is the hunter who sets up too closely and is even willing to shoot at birds preparing to pitch to the rightful hunter’s spread.

No Spot is “Your” Spot
My friend Jeff arrived at the island at an ungodly hour, knowing he’d have competition for it but confident it would produce ducks. Forty-five minutes prior to legal light, a man just a few years beyond middle age slid his boat hard into the beach. It was clear he was fighting mad but not clear why. “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!” he barked. “This is my spot, son. Holy [expletive]. You have a lot of nerve setting up in my spot.”

Jeff explained to the gentleman that on public land there is no such thing as “your” spot. It nearly went to fisticuffs before Jeff threatened to phone the game warden and the man sailed off. One would think the very definition of public land would prevent incidents such as this, but Jeff’s experience—while an extreme example—is not all that unique. Don’t get possessive just because you frequent a certain spot. Public land belongs to all of us.

Pick Up Your Trash
It’s especially important to pick up spent shells, candy wrappers, water bottles and any other assorted litter on public land. Should you discover another hunter’s mess, consider picking that up, too. After all, public land areas aren’t only frequented by hunters—we have the image of our sport to consider. Moreover, I simply don’t know how anyone can leave trash behind and consider himself a conservationist or even a sportsman. In my book, someone who litters is not a duck hunter, just a guy with a shotgun and some decoys.

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More Bang for Your Ducks: 10 Affordable Dream Trips

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/public-land-duck-hunting-etiquette.html/feed 0 How to Pick the Right Puppy http://www.wildfowlmag.com/how-to-pick-the-right-puppy.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/how-to-pick-the-right-puppy.html#comments Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:45:02 +0000 Tom Dokken http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=5192 ...»]]> There is a lot to think about before deciding on a new pup, but there’s one thing above all else you need to remember—do not go look at a litter before doing your homework. A rolling pile of sausage-legged Labradors or sleepy-eyed golden retrievers can turn the toughest waterfowler into a mountain of mush. Even if your intention is only to look over a litter, odds are you will cave in to the cuteness. The pup you pick might turn out to be a duck-hunting machine, or a dud. Avoiding the washouts and selecting the perfect dog is a process.

Your first task is to make a list of intended purposes for your new friend. For example, will the dog double as a family pet when it’s not staring skyward from a duck blind? If it will, do you have kids or are you planning on expanding your family in the coming years? Is the dog going to hunt strictly waterfowl, or will it also need to point upland birds? The list can be as long as you want, but the goal is to narrow down exactly what you expect from the dog before going forward.

Family Ties
Regardless of breed, the No. 1 priority is to make sure you’re buying the best pedigree you can afford. Picking from the top bloodlines ensures a much better chance of getting a trainable and intelligent pup. Of course you want a pup that is highly trainable, because that makes your job easier when going through drills in order to piece together a perfect hunting machine. However, trainability in the field is just one aspect. Potty training, tricks for the kids, and obedience stems from lineage, and you want a  pup that will quickly take to new commands and grasp what you’re asking of it.

To identify top pedigrees, look for the initials FC (Field Champion), AFC (Amateur Field Champion), NFC (National Field Champion), and NAFC (National Amateur Field Champion). I often hear from prospective puppy buyers that they don’t care about field champion heritage because their dog is not going to run field trials. On the surface this makes sense, but dig a little deeper and it doesn’t hold water. A dog that can earn a field champion title of any sort is highly trainable and must possess a decent level of intelligence.

Breeding pairs where both are field champions virtually ensures a litter of pups possessing those same traits, which is a win-win for anyone looking to turn one of those pups into a hardcore duck dog, a family pet, or both. You may also run into the initials JH (Junior Hunter), SH (Senior Hunter), or MH (Master Hunter). As with field champions, these hunter designations are a great indicator of the quality of pup you’re considering.

Bloodlines also nearly guarantee retrieving desire. You want a puppy that has a strong drive to pick up and carry things around in its mouth—namely birds. Your pup won’t know why it’s carrying random household objects around, but it will be a vital piece of the puzzle once you’re in the blind.

If the process of weeding through the various initials and bloodlines seems a bit daunting, consider using a breeder, trainer or other industry insider to point you in the right direction. Their expertise can clear up the process quickly and alleviate the headaches of making the proper choice.

Battle of the Sexes
Aside from settling on a breed, choosing a male or female is a major consideration. I have some general thoughts on both sexes, but nothing is a guarantee. Male puppies tend to mature slower than females, but also seem to be able to endure more discipline in most cases. Males are also a bit more rugged overall, so remember that if most of your hunting is done in extreme weather conditions. Somehow males have gained a reputation for making poor family pets, but in my experience this is completely false.

Since female puppies usually mature faster, it can make early training easier. They also require less discipline, but can have a softer personality, requiring a lighter touch. Keep in mind, if you do choose a female and don’t get her spayed she will come into heat, which can make for a long week.

Stuck in the middle
After nailing down a particular litter through bloodline research and deciding on the desired sex of the pup, it’s time to make the pick. Make sure if you’ve decided on a male, you only evaluate the male puppies, and vice versa for females. The puppies should be six to seven weeks old, the point at which they are developing individual personalities.

Spend time with the litter, take note of dominance, and keep an eye out for a middle-of-the-road puppy. This type of puppy will tend to be friendly, confident, and desire attention without being overbearing. Steer away from the most aggressive and shy pups. Overly aggressive puppies can be trained, but are best left to someone with extensive experience. Extremely shy puppies also require a well-qualified trainer because they tend to have socialization issues, presenting major challenges.

After evaluating all of the puppies and identifying the right one, ask the breeder about his feelings on the pup you’ve taken a liking to. Find out what he has to say in regards to the pup’s nature. The breeder is going to be familiar with the entire litter and tuned in to all their personalities.

There also may be other factors influencing the pup’s behavior at the exact time you’re evaluating him. For example, if you’re looking for a somewhat aggressive puppy, you may overlook a few that are snoozing away. This may seem like a no-brainer, but in reality that individual pup may have played hard with two or three families earlier in the day while they made their choice. Ask the breeder if anyone else has interacted with the puppies before you, and be specific in explaining exactly what traits you are looking for.

If it comes down to a few different litters, find out which have been exposed to families with children. Puppies raised around kids will be more adaptable and socially connected. This may not seem like a huge deal, but it’s another aspect that can make training much easier, and smooth over some of the inevitable speed bumps of introducing a new pup to your household.

Sight Unseen
In this day in age, with immeasurable amounts of information at our fingertips, it’s entirely possible you will find the perfect litter halfway across the country. If you’re confident your research is solid and the pup fits the criteria, consider making the purchase. This involves putting your faith in the breeder.

Before making the pick, communicate all of your desires so they know exactly what kind of dog you’re looking for. Go in-depth on temperament and personality, eliminating any confusion about the kind of pup you would like. There’s more risk in this method, but if you’ve done the homework and thoroughly communicated your desires, buying sight unseen can be the right option.

Picking a pup is supposed to be a fun experience, and it certainly can be. However, it’s also important to remember a dog is a serious commitment. It’s not something to be taken lightly. Conduct the proper research, take your time, and choose the pup that is going to offer you the best chance for overall training and hunting success, and if necessary, become the next member of your family. You won’t regret it,
I promise.

Labrador Retrievers
In sheer volume, no breed is more popular than Labs, especially in the duck blind. Labs of all color phases dominate the waterfowl world for some very good reasons. For starters, Labs are highly trainable. This comes in handy for the professional trainer, but is better for amateurs looking to put in minimal time for maximum reward. Part of the ease in trainability is the overall personality of Labrador retrievers, which borders on manic hunting drive and overjoyed at the thought of waking up each day. They are great with children. For those looking to minimize coat maintenance, Labs are the perfect choice, but they do shed, and you’re house and truck will be full of dog hair. A small price to pay.

Golden Retrievers
Lovable beyond belief, goldens might just be the most underrated duck dog out there, though they are a distant second to Labs. I know some die-hard waterfowlers who swear by goldens even in the harshest conditions. As family dogs, they are topnotch. If you’re in the market for a dual-purpose pooch, this might be the best choice. The downside to goldens is their coats are magnets for cockleburs, stickers, and general debris, which requires extra maintenance at the end of a hunt.

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
Two or three decades ago, we used to train quite a few Chessies, but not so much anymore. Their reputation as nasty weather go-getters is sound, but it seems these days more and more folks are picking up Chessies for pure family dogs. It’s a tough call to give them a full-on endorsement for a family pet, because they can turn into a one-person dog, but that’s certainly not the rule.

This breed is also notorious for needing excessive pressure and discipline for training, which is untrue. In fact, going the opposite route through patience and repetition will result in a much better dog. Too much discipline and they will regress quickly, which is never good. Chessies also require a fair amount of coat maintenance, but if you routinely hunt harsh conditions, this is a breed you must consider.

Flats & Curlys
If you want to break from the norm, flat-coated or curly-coated retrievers are an option. I’m of the opinion that flat-coats should be more popular. They possess an excellent temperament and a high retrieving desire. Most are black, which might be why they have not broken into the mainstream. It seems if folks are going to choose a black dog, they opt for a Lab. The downside to flat-coats is their gene pool is somewhat limited given the breed’s rare stature. If you go the flat-coated route, conduct plenty of bloodline research.

You may have never seen a curly-coat, let alone considered purchasing one, but they do make excellent waterfowl dogs. Curly-coats can hunt upland birds as well, making them an option for a good dual-purpose dog. If you should take the plunge, expect to exhibit a serious amount of patience and repetition. while training your new pup.

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Picking the Right Puppy

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/how-to-pick-the-right-puppy.html/feed 0 Wildfowl’s Best Duck Guns at Every Price Point http://www.wildfowlmag.com/wildfowls-best-duck-guns-at-every-price-point.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/wildfowls-best-duck-guns-at-every-price-point.html#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000 Kyle Wintersteen http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=5185 ...»]]> There are pessimists in all walks of life, yet I’m still taken aback by how many are encountered among our ranks. After all, this is arguably the best time to be a duck hunter in many years. Duck populations are at record highs. Season lengths and bag limits are generous. Steel shotshells finally work. And our guns—at every conceivable price point—are in some ways better than ever before.

You can buy a duck gun with a couple days’ pay or one that’s equivalent to a monthly mortgage statement. Most are well-made, reliable and—for different reasons—worth the investment. Here are a few of the best duck guns at every price point.

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Best Duck Guns At Every Price

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/wildfowls-best-duck-guns-at-every-price-point.html/feed 0 How Duck Dynasty is Changing the Waterfowl World http://www.wildfowlmag.com/how-duck-dynasty-is-changing-the-waterfowl-world.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/how-duck-dynasty-is-changing-the-waterfowl-world.html#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:17:15 +0000 Kyle Wintersteen http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=4944 ...»]]> When you first tuned into an episode of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, I suspect you asked yourself the same question I did: “When the heck are they going duck hunting?” After all, we grew up on Phil Robertson’s no-nonsense, politically incorrect hunting videos.

Yet clearly A&E had more than just duck hunters in mind when it released the series. As I sat watching—frustrated and wondering if Phil was ever going to “cut ‘em”—I glanced over at my non-hunter wife. A smile was tattooed on her face. She laughed at uncle Si. She admired Phil’s remarks on God and family. And I remain suspicious of the way she looks at Jase.

The next evening she dragged me to a dinner party I didn’t want to go to because her friend’s husband is an anti-gun, anti-hunter. Yet all he wanted to talk about was Duck Dynasty, including what I thought of it and whether I owned any Duck Commander calls.

OK, so two non-hunters I knew were into the show. I thought it was a fluke. Until I saw the ratings: A whopping 1.81 million Americans tuned in to the first episode, and viewership has only boomed since. The Season 3 premiere landed 8.6 million viewers—more than Fox’s American Idol—making Duck Dynasty the No. 1 reality show on television. In reaching that many homes, the show has made duck culture part of pop culture—who would’ve dreamed?

However, the show’s popularity has led many to wonder if hunters are experiencing any side effects of its success. How has the Duck Dynasty phenomenon affected the public perception of duck hunting and even the sport itself? Let’s take a look.

Newbies Try Duck Hunting
A buddy and I arranged a modest diver rig on a small lake in central Pennsylvania and settled in. Unfortunately, by mid-morning we’d only shot a bluebill and a bufflehead. But hey, at least we had the whole place to ourselves—that is, until a college-aged kid arrived with his girlfriend. Clothed in Drake camo—you know, the kind the Robertsons wear—they paddled their tiny johnboat to the center of the lake and tossed anchor. There they sat—shotguns in hand, no blind, no decoys, no dog—until we left.

“It’s that darn Duck Dynasty,” my buddy declared, certain our neophyte companions had been inspired by the show to give duck hunting a try.

A quick look at a popular waterfowl forum seems to indicate that the show has inspired an army of rookie fowlers.

“The show is great… but man I have never seen so many amateur duck hunters on public land in my life this year,” writes “Duck Pirate” from North Louisiana. “It’s a good thing this show has introduced people to duck hunting, but these guys out here think they are the next Phil Robertson. They have no clue what they are doing by calling like a duck with an acorn stuck in its throat, to shooting at ducks in the clouds… it’s a dang circus out here.”

Mr. Duck Pirate is not alone is his assessment.

“I have friends ask me to go hunting all of the time now solely because of this show,” writes “Fowl Mouth” of Newport News, Va. “It is not assumption the show recruited at least four new duck hunters as of this past season in my group of friends.”

Attitudes toward the apparent new crop of duck hunters range from welcoming to annoyed to poking fun.

“I was north of Mobile, Ala., this morning and stopped in at a convenience store and WOW, in front of me there stands the commander twins!” wrote “D. Comeaux” of South Louisiana. “Matching new waders, new matching camo shirts, new matching camo caps, beards [although not scruffy but well groomed] and of course the face paint. They were standing at the beverage counter pouring themselves each a latte! … It took all I had not to LAUGH OUT LOUD!”

Many hunters, it appears, believe Duck Dynasty has inspired a new breed of highly inexperienced waterfowlers to give it a try, but this evidence is anecdotal. Is there any data to back it up?

“I think the show has generated some new interest in hunting culture generally, and likely duck hunting specifically,” says James Powell, director of communications for Ducks Unlimited. “However, I haven’t seen any data or research yet that would show a correlation between the show’s success and increased participation in duck hunting.”

John Devney, vice president of U.S. policy for Delta Waterfowl, holds a similar view.

“I think there’s a lot of duck hunters who’ve been hoping for something in the media or otherwise that would create a huge enthusiasm for duck hunting, just as the movie A River Runs Through It did for trout fishing,” he said. “But I don’t think Duck Dynasty has manifested itself as that. Despite staggering viewership, I haven’t seen it translate to an interest in waterfowl hunting.”

Duck Hunting’s Public Perception
Given an entire political lobby is dedicated to banning the pursuit of waterfowl, public perception is something we do—and must—take seriously. Therefore it’s worth considering what effect Duck Dynasty has on how the average non-hunter sees us.

Jase Robertson claims to take this responsibility seriously.

“I want to cast hunting in a positive light,” he said recently. “There are some stereotypes in our culture that depict hunters as killing anything that moves. One of the reasons I agreed to do this show was because it showed our family, our business. We do a lot for the animals we hunt and put in the pot, and that shows. So now we’ve kind of established that we hunt without showing it.”

While I’m not sure Uncle Si firing his gun at random or shooting an excessive number of bullets at a beaver does hunters any favors, I do find that overall the show has a positive message.

“On Duck Dynasty and their previous shows and hunting videos, the Robertson family has always stressed ducks as food,” says Devney. “That’s a really positive message. It allows the public to dismiss the anti-hunters’ notion that we’re just out there shooting for fun.”

How might the show’s message be improved, as far as waterfowlers are concerned?

“As a DU staffer and volunteer, I’d love to see them incorporate a strong waterfowl conservation component into their show and business overall,” Powell said. “They are in a great position to do that for duck hunters everywhere.”

One area in which the show’s done well is in reaching the younger demographic—a task many in the business of spreading the hunting message have struggled to do. It seems for the first time in recent memory, duck culture is actually considered cool by a lot of mainstream teens. I saw several children and young adults dressed as the Robertson clan for Halloween. They wore Uncle Si T-shirts and used phrases from the show like “Happy, happy, happy!” And, perhaps best of all, they laughed along with Willie and Jase as they offered a carrot call to vegetarian singer Morrissey.

There’s not currently any data to prove whether or not Duck Dynasty has improved our image. However, it seems reasonable to assume quite a few Americans find duck hunters more relatable now than in the pre-Uncle-Si era. That can’t be a bad thing.

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Awesome Duck Dynasty Moments

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/how-duck-dynasty-is-changing-the-waterfowl-world.html/feed 2 5 Unexpected Wild Duck Recipes http://www.wildfowlmag.com/5-unexpected-wild-duck-recipes.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/5-unexpected-wild-duck-recipes.html#comments Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:35:28 +0000 Hank Shaw http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=4915 ...»]]> I love eating ducks and geese—so much that I wrote an entire cookbook titled Duck, Duck, Goose, which is dedicated to wildfowl and comes out this fall. Given that fact, you can imagine my disappointment when I’m hunkered down in a duck blind with a fellow hunter and I hear what’s become an all-too-common refrain, “Yeah man, I love hunting ducks! Can’t stand eating them, though.”

Typically those guys either give away their ducks or have them all made into jerky or sausage. That’s OK, and far better than the illegal practice of “ditch cleaning”—tossing the ducks into the nearest ditch—which one hears about from time to time. But as much as I love sausage and jerky, there are far better ways to cook the ducks you bring home after a long day’s hunt.

Seared, skin-on duck breast is one of the great things in the culinary world: It’s like a perfect steak, wearing a hat made of bacon. Even skinless duck breasts can be made magical. And slow-cooked duck legs, with the meat pulled from the bone, make some of the best BBQ, carnitas or tacos around. Likewise, a Thermos full of piping hot duck broth will warm you up even on the coldest morning in the blind. I am also totally convinced that the aroma of duck broth brings in the birds, because every time I drink some, they bomb in, feet down into the decoys.

What follows are five wild duck recipes to make eating your birds a highlight of your hunting—not just an obligation.

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Amazing Wild Duck Recipes

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/5-unexpected-wild-duck-recipes.html/feed 1 ‘Duck Dynasty’ Crew Battles with Animal Rights Activist Morrissey http://www.wildfowlmag.com/duck-dynasty-crew-battles-with-animal-rights-activist-morrissey.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/duck-dynasty-crew-battles-with-animal-rights-activist-morrissey.html#comments Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:56:28 +0000 Eric Conn http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=4869 ...»]]> The ever-popular gents from Duck Dynasty have found their way into the limelight once again.

Normally, it’s because of the Robertson’s hilariously entertaining, family-based TV show on A&E, which set records last season with nearly 5 million viewers. The Robertsons made headlines this week, however, because of a stunt by British animal rights activist Morrissey, who cancelled his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at the last minute and issued this statement on his Facebook page:

“Morrissey is thankful for being invited to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live tomorrow, February 26. However, he cannot morally be on a television program where the cast members of Duck Dynasty will also be guests. Morrissey would be honored to play the show, if Duck Dynasty were removed. As far as my reputation is concerned, I can’t take the risk of being on a show alongside people who, in effect, amount to animal serial killers. If Jimmy cannot dump Duck Dynasty then we must step away.”

Never one to back down from controversy, Kimmel roasted Morrissey in an opening skit, saying the vegan musician “keeps finding new ways to depress us.” He also said he sided with the Robertsons because they have guns and Morrissey doesn’t. Kimmel then paired up with Jase, Willie, Si and Phil Robertson on short notice for a video spoof of the vegan version of a duck call—the carrot call. Well played, we say.

On Wednesday, Morrissey returned fire with a statement about the video and Kimmel’s roasting:

“I was disappointed with last night’s Jimmy Kimmel Show wherein our smiling host managed to ridicule depression… He then found time to ridicule healthy eating… and he also ridiculed the notion that animals should be entitled to the possession of their own lives. Furthermore, he found time to jokingly promote gun-ownership—hugely amusing for the parents at Sandy Hook, no doubt. He also promoted his special guests Duck Dynasty—who kill beings for fun. None of the above issues are, of course, as important as Jimmy Kimmel himself, who has finally revealed his show to have an overwhelming loss of meaning. Tune in and relive the intellectual fog of the 1950s.”

With the first episode of the new season of Duck Dynasty‘s airing this week on A&E, I think the Robertsons—and their 5 million viewers—have better things to do than listen to a two-bit whack-job like Morrissey. The Robertsons are back in action for another hilarious season of antics, and that makes us—in the words of Phil—happy, happy, happy.

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/duck-dynasty-crew-battles-with-animal-rights-activist-morrissey.html/feed 2 16 Great Duck and Goose Calls for 2013 http://www.wildfowlmag.com/16-great-duck-and-goose-calls-for-2013.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/16-great-duck-and-goose-calls-for-2013.html#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +0000 Wildfowl Online Staff http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=4798 ...»]]> Given the pessimism in some circles of our sport, perhaps you’re like me: you resist optimism and the sincere belief—right or wrong—that next year will be better than the last. Typically it’s new duck hunting gear that affords such hope, and there are some instances when our expectations may actually be founded in logic. Duck and goose calls, for instance, are our direct line of communication with the birds. If a certain call sounds more realistic even in our hands, shouldn’t more birds respond?

Here then are the reasons I’ve convinced myself that next season will be a great one. These calls—some of them introduced last year, others brand-spanking new—are optimism in a box. Let’s hope they add to our enjoyment this fall.

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Duck and Goose Calls for 2013

]]> http://www.wildfowlmag.com/16-great-duck-and-goose-calls-for-2013.html/feed 0 5 Ways to Speed Up a Slow Goose Season http://www.wildfowlmag.com/5-ways-to-speed-up-a-slow-goose-season.html http://www.wildfowlmag.com/5-ways-to-speed-up-a-slow-goose-season.html#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:41:22 +0000 Joe Genzel http://www.wildfowlmag.com/?p=4818 ...»]]> Our goose field was not as fervent this season as it has been in years past. Like many hunters, we spent many mornings staring out at thousands of specks, snows and Canadas from a dreary distance. It wasn’t until the final weeks of the season that the birds—specks in particular—decided to cross some imaginary line and give us a close enough look. After months of frustration and dejection, we finally maneuvered to get a few good shots on the incoming flocks. Even though the season seemed to screech to a halt, there were a few things we did to pick up the pace and improve our chances. Make sure to check out these five great ways to speed up a slow goose season—it could just be the difference between a forgettable and unforgettable hunt.

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5 Ways to Speed Up a Slow Goose Season

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