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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.
Colorado voters will decide this November whether there should be a constitutional right to hunt and fish in the state constitution. Initiative 302, officially titled the Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish, cleared its final procedural hurdle on August 20, 2026, when the Colorado Secretary of State’s Elections Division certified that proponents had gathered enough valid signatures.
Randy Brooks, creator of the famous Barnes X Bullet and the 2016 NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award winner, passed away peacefully on the morning of Aug. 27, 2026. The Brooks family believes Randy may have suffered a stroke. He had suffered mini-strokes in the past, and he was recently diagnosed with vascular dementia. He was 76.
True outdoor curriculum is being offered to thousands of students in Arkansas, thanks to rededicated efforts under the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s (AGFC) outdoor education partnership with the Arkansas Governor’s Office and Arkansas Department of Education.
Looking to DIY a moose hunt? It's a rewarding experience, but there are quite a few things you should know before you go. Here is a primer from someone who's been there.
Female hunters looking for extra-warm, late-season whitetail protection no longer must settle for oversized men's cuts. The ScentLok Women's Alpha Elite Jacket and Bib are officially shipping and available at retail, delivering a specialized fit for the dedicated late-season outdoorswoman.
A battle of 9.3mms. While this particular caliber never really caught on here in the states, it may be time for this old safari favorite to find its way into a few more gunrooms. Check out more about them here.