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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.
As the year draws to its inevitable close, we asked Philip Massaro to select his top 10 favorite rifles that debuted in 2025. Without any further adieu, let’s dive into the list.
Predator populations—nest raiders and full-feathered turkey killers alike—are growing across the United States. To determine if their increasing numbers are a leading cause of wild turkey population declines, Turkeys For Tomorrow (TFT) has announced a groundbreaking study on predator impacts on nesting and poult-rearing success.
Aram von Benedikt and his son took part in one of the oldest American traditions there is: muzzleloading for deer with a traditional smokepole. Read on for more about their adventure.