Keep these considerations in mind to stay on everyone's good side. (Chris Ingram photo)
December 29, 2021
By Wildfowl Staff
From tips and tactics to breaking news to top-ranking gear lists and more, Wildfowl is your primary source for getting in the know with all things 'fowl. The following five are your top favorite Wildfowl articles of 2021.
Best Waterfowl Shotguns for 2021 Get the most bang for your buck with these top picks.
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Best Duck Hunting Boats for 2021 2021 came with a new dawn for kick-butt duck boats.
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Top 5 Worst Habits of Waterfowl Hunters Whether you’re a greenhead greenhorn this year or still coming up through the ‘fowl funnel, you know how difficult it is to get started in this sport. It’s incredibly intimidating and there is so much to know. Between learning bird identification, purchasing all the licenses and stamps, finding a spot to hunt, and equipping yourself with enough gear to lead an army into combat, you feel like you have a PhD in “waterfowl-ology” by the time you make it to your very first hunt.
If you’re fortunate enough to find a spot in the boat or blind with a local group that will take you in, consider yourself lucky. This type of mentorship and opportunity will prove invaluable in your waterfowl wanderings. You’ll soon find out that each hunt and each conversation with your blind mates leads to an increased awareness and appreciation for all the little details. There are always lessons to be learned, from making sure you charge the battery on the spinning-wing decoy to bringing an extra box of shells or hiding your stainless coffee cup from back peddling birds. These experiences can humble you and are sure to educate if you are willing to learn. And while most of these lessons from the field are relatively harmless and forgivable, there are a few cardinal rules that you may want to avoid breaking. Steering clear of these behaviors from our list is a sure way to keep your spot open with your new crew.
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5 Best Duck Dog Kennels Having your duck dog riding shotgun on the way to your hunting spot may seem like a good idea. After all, what are the odds that you’ll ever need to slam on your brakes or smash into a stalled vehicle on the side of the road? Not high, of course, but also not zero. And that’s important.
A retriever that isn’t contained in some fashion will become a flying doggo if your truck suddenly isn’t going the speed it was a fraction of a second before. When that happens, all bets are off. For the mornings when you avoid catastrophe and make it to the boat ramp easy enough, there is the reality of keeping an excited duck dog contained.
I don’t know what the number-one cause is for retrievers prematurely ending up in doggy heaven, but it’s a good bet that getting squished on the road ranks pretty high with sporting dogs. Keeping a dog contained until everyone is ready to hop into the boat or hike to the blind is a good way to keep your amped-up retriever from blindly sprinting out onto a nearby road.
In other words, a good kennel is an excellent insurance policy against something terrible happening to your favorite duck hunting partner. If you’re not using one, or are interested in an upgrade, check out these offerings.
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How To Keep Your Trophy Bird In Top Shape for the Taxidermist Preserving a prized duck or goose through the services of a professional taxidermist is a great way to relive a special hunt, commemorate a child's first duck, or display a rare species that you might never encounter again in your lifetime. But before you take that special bird to a taxidermist, here are a few things you need to know.
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