** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Need a new duck hunting spot? Open a map. See those blue lines? They're rivers.
Gallery
1 of 1
Late-Season Freeze
Find a pocket of open water and you’re in business. Sean Hammock of Big Sean's Outfitting, who hunts and guides the St. Joseph River in northern Indiana, widens the hole until the ice will support 50 to 100 rester and sleeper goose decoys. Ducks will also work the spread.
1 of 1
Small Rivers and Big Creeks
You can still achieve good visibility with a small spread if you add a little motion. Tim Herald, host of "The Zone TV" on the Sportsman Channel, places his spread at the edge of a riffle and adds two spinning-wing decoys.
1 of 1
Early- and Mid-Season
Before the freeze, visibility is key. Even if Field Hudnall, Avery pro staffer and founder of Field Proven Calls, is duck hunting, his favorite spread (see sidebar, above) consists of 90 to 120 floating and full-body geese plus a dozen ducks.
1 of 1
Deep-Water Divers
Captain Bob Wetherald, pro staffer for Benelli and Final Approach, uses two gang-rigged lines of bluebill decoys to form his V-shaped spread. The “V” points toward the current. A sandbar is an ideal location.
Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Atlanta Braves held a Hunting & Fishing Night in Truist Park. It’s back by popular demand for 2026, sponsored by RealTree, and takes place on Aug. 29, with ticket sales are helping fund conservation efforts in the state.
Curious about a chambering seemingly made for, and certainly popularized by the mythical Savage 99? Let's delve into the history of the .250-3000 Savage, a revolutionary cartridge for its time, that will still bring home the bacon today.
Sierra Bullets has announced three new rifle bullet offerings, including the .25-caliber 135-grain Tipped MatchKing, 7mm 185-grain Tipped MatchKing and .22-caliber 77-grain MatchKing X, developed in response to continued demand for high-ballistic-coefficient, heavy-for-caliber offerings.
On July 7, North Carolina’s governor signed legislation authorizing two elk hunting permits to be issued in 2027—the first since the animal was reintroduced 25 years ago. Elk vanished from The Tarheel State nearly 200 years ago, but today biologists estimate the state is home to roughly 250.
Federal Ammunition is shipping two series of firearm covers, the Federal Fit Coil Rifle Cover and Federal Fit Quick Strike Muzzle/Scope Cover. Each is available in medium, large, and extra-large.