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Need a new duck hunting spot? Open a map. See those blue lines? They're rivers.
Gallery
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Want to cook up some empanadas with last year's deer? Look no further than the "Know When to Fold 'Em" venison empanadas, by Chef Holly Hearn of Game Girl Gourmet.
Federal Ammunition is offering more options int he 6mm ARC cartridge for 2026. Designed for the AR-15 platform, the short-action cartridge pair low recoil with high potential accuracy. Federal's new offerings in this cartridge will include American Eagle TMJ 110-grain, Fusion Tipped 110-grain and Gold Medal Berger BT Target 108-grain.
This week on #SundayGunday, we’re checking out the Fightlight Industries Herring Model 2024 Lever Action. A modern take on the classic western design, the Herring Model 2024 is almost like a combination of lever action and AR-platform rife, and there’s a reason for that. Designed to leverage the huge aftermarket in AR parts, the Herring utilizes off-the-shelf AR bolts, barrels and barrel extensions, and of course, magazines. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.
Nearly half of the states—24 to be precise—have some form of constitutional protections for hunting. When you consider that all 50 states have hunting seasons, just under half sounds low. This could change this year, as Ohio’s Senate is considering a proposal to establish a constitutional right to fish and hunt.
RCBS, a leading manufacturer of precision reloading equipment, is sponsoring efforts by Pass It On—Outdoor Mentors to expand its outdoor mentoring program. Through the partnership, RCBS will support the organization’s mission of pairing young people, many of them first-time hunters, with trained volunteers who provide hands-on experiences in hunting, shooting sports and conservation education.