Our hunting grounds had a reputation all their own. Known for its plentiful waterfowl population—not to mention its television show on the Pursuit Channel—Honey Brake is something of an institution. We were treated to a look (though not a stay) inside its world-class lodge, and experienced just a fraction of its hunting locales over our three day visit.
Though we didn't cross paths with any of Louisiana's modern day dinosaurs during our trip, the lodge was decorated with a few reminders that we very much weren't alone when in the water. Though they were of little concern for us, Honey Brake does host gator hunts, too.
Shallow, muddy waters would have made retrieving birds a bit of a battle for our hunters. Fortunately we had a number of fine dogs like Sash, pictured here.
Winchester's Blind Side shotshells were the go-to ammunition for the first few days of the trip. They were joined by a new offering by the final day. More on that in a bit.
Though duck numbers were a bit below average for late December—like in many parts of the country—we had no shortage of variety. On the first day, my group knocked down canvasbacks, a ring-neck, a pintail, shovelers, teal and mallards.
Among our hosts were the fine folks from SPG Outdoors. Also known as Signature Products Group, SPG produces licensed gear and apparel for a number of companies—like Browning. Among SPG's offerings are the Browning hunting packs that just won a 2016 Golden Bullseye Award.
On the final day of the trip we had the opportunity to put Browning's new BXD shotshell to work. Birds were scarce on that final morning, though, so a complete review will have to wait. BXD Waterfowl Extra Distance is packed with round steel shot launched from a drag-stabilized wad at high velocity to improve downrange patterns, penetration and energy delivery.
As trips began to land on the schedule for the 2015-2016 hunting season, I was presented with an interesting opportunity: the chance to hunt each of North America's four major flyways. What began with a trip to Saskatchewan in September recently came to a close, as I scratched my fourth and final stop, the Mississippi Flyway, off the list just before Christmas. I joined SPG Outdoors and Browning for a weekend of waterfowl hunting at Honey Brake, part of the 40,000 acre Louisiana Delta Plantation. Weather wasn't always in our favor, but we put a hurting on the ducks that were willing to cooperate. Check out the photos above for a closer look at the trip.
