In an area where private duck leases can cost thousands of dollars for the shared use of one blind, many southwest Louisiana sportsmen turn to Sabine National Wildlife Refuge near Hackberry, La. Each winter, the largest coastal marsh refuge on the Gulf of Mexico can attract several hundred thousand ducks, plus some
snow, blue, Ross and specklebelly geese!
You can hunt together for years and believe you have a fantastic partnership without parallel and without flaws. But then you take a hunting trip together, which involves a road trip of a day or so, and problems arise. It doesn’t seem like much of a change in schedule to you, but your hunting buddy isn’t adjusting well and seems sick — not eating or drinking and fretful during the drive. And the trouble is, your hunting buddy is a dog and can’t tell you what’s wrong.
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One of the many pleasures of sleeping out overnight is the sound of songbirds greeting the morning sun. Another equally enchanting chorus, but perhaps too quickly dismissed as “noise,” is the singing of frogs at the close of day. Only recently did I learn that each frog has a unique call and that those calls are expressive indicators sending a particular message to all other frogs within earshot of the “caller.”
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We sat in Will Owen’s blind, surrounded by tall baldcypress.
It was the next-to-last day of the Mississippi season and the air was filled with gadwalls that came in as singles or doubles. Owen didn’t miss. Bo Whoop spoke and his Lab did the retrieving. “Bo Whoop” refers to a side-by double, specially made by gunsmith
Burt Becker. This was the duck gun to end all duck guns.
My husband and I are preparing to embark on a short vacation that will include time in Wales, a country neither of us have visited. We decided rather than scamper all around, schlepping suitcases on a daily basis, we would find a place we could call “home” for all four nights. For our home base, what could be better than a small town, snuggly nestled within 13th Century walls, that boasts its own castle, is on a major rail line, and has a top-rated B&B?
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It cuts across
like a knife wound. The
wildlife. It is a great place to hunt and fish!
It started several decades ago as the brainchild of a
blossomed into a sizeable outdoor industry. Dave Lunn,
commonly called a “beeper,” so you can find your bird dog when it’s on point.
The waterfowl opener never seems to come soon enough, yet it always sneaks up quickly.
One particular year taught me a great lesson in “Weekend Warrior 101.” Refreshed
by the opportunity to once again escape the fast pace of city life, two of my
hunting buddies and I joined the brotherhood of those in pursuit of whistling
wings.
Although formal training for a bird dog usually falls to one specific family
member, the whole family can help with other important aspects of the puppy’s training
long before it begins the long journey to become a polished bird dog. In fact,
when the family pitches in on the early training, the formal bird work will go
more smoothly!