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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.
What is the first American metallic cartridge? While many of you may not have even heard of it, let alone shot it, the miniscule cartridge deserves a place of honor, if for nothing more than inspiring the ballisticians to develop our beloved .22 LR.
Federal Custom Shop has added eight new centerfire and six shotshell loads to its line of expertly handloaded ammunition, built to order with the highest-quality components. The offerings are tailored for hunters and shooters who cannot find specific bullet options in factory-loaded ammunition on the retail shelf.
Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently issued a reminder on how hunting helps preserve biodiversity on its 103 state parks. The statement, however, applies nationwide.