He Has Come Full Circle by W.S. Allen

“Circles”

I love circles. We’ve all driven in circles at one time or another, some more times than others. Even if you don’t believe in them I’m sure you’ve all heard of crop circles. As a sophomore in high school after many hours trying to figure out what PI meant I learned how to find the circumference of a circle and who hasn’t heard of circle the wagons, circle back, form a circle, perfect circle, circle time, circle of friends, magic circle, and least we forget Arctic Circle? After everything is said and done Ferdinand Magellan was pretty fond of a circle. READ MORE

Waterfowl Scouting & Migration Map

IT'S MIGRATION TIME!

View migration reports from our Staff, Guides, Biologists and other members just like you!

Plus, all reports entered on the map each week are put in a prize drawing so encourage everyone you know to submit reports each week for a chance to win!

*Drawing will only be held if 10 or more reports are submitted

On The X Outdoors

Webisode 1.0 "Scout N Shoot"

Is ready for viewing here.... it's gonna leave you looking for more!

Watch more waterfowl hunting, view our Beyond the Blind video tips and more in our Media section!

Budget Boat Blind

Can you add a custom blind to your boat for under $50?

Yes! You can add a cheap custom scissor blind to your boat and summer is the time! Read on and I will walk you through how I added a blind to my 12' duck boat for only $35.00.


I started off by going to Home Depot and getting 4 sections of ½" by 10' conduit. I did not have a conduit bender so a little bit of asking I got the guys there to bend 2 pieces of conduit at 6 inches from each end to 90 degrees. This would form the top of the blind.
I then grabbed the rest of the items needed to finish my project.

Items needed:

• 4- 10', 1/2" aluminum conduit @ $2.99 each (2 bent 90 degrees 6 inches from each end)
• 1 pack of 4 straight conduit connectors 1/2" @ $1.99/ pack
• 4- 2 ½" bolts with nuts @ $1.50
• 4- ¾" bolts with nuts @ $0.89
• 2- coder pins 2" long @ $1.00/each
• 1- 2' section of 90 degree aluminum with holes punched through @ $3.50
• Blind cover (you can use what you' dlike but I used camo burlap and twin that I already had)

Tools needed:

• Drill
• Jig saw


READ MORE

Spring is around the corner

Well lately spring seems a long ways away here in MN. But it's coming, This time of the year is a good time to start getting fishing gear in order for spring crappies and walleye opener. And we all should already have our spring snow goose stuff ready to go. But now is a great time to start thinking of next fall's waterfowling also, like know there are decoys,calls, hunting gear, on sale, and spring clean out sales going on, and great products and prices also. And what about booking a hunt or freelance hunt or planning one to Canada etc,etc, sometimes there is a lot of planning to do so what better time then know when things are a little slower. And get gear you already have in order cleaning decoys, mudding blinds, practice calling, hit a few outdoor shows, get some new plat books for new areas to hunt, etc,etc. With all this planning before we know it seasons already here. Best of luck.

Todd Wilebski, NW Minnesota, MN

Preserving the Land

We have all taken advantage, as hunters, of the land that has been provided for the public at one point or another. Many times its even better than a given piece of private land. But I have personally witnessed, as many of you fellow hunters have, another hunter or group of hunters treating the land as though its gonna repair itself and take care of what they have left behind. Through the years I have always wondered what those people are thinking as they leave their spot in the cattails or a stubble field a cluttered mess of cans and shell boxes and empties. What they must not realize is that that stuff just doesnt disappear on its own, it finds its way into the water or strewn about the field. If that was their piece of private land it would be a cold day down below if any of that happened on thier land. So why do they think its alright to do it to an area that belongs to the rest of us? When I go out in the morning and get up on a spot and find cans or shell boxes or random garbage it just disgusts me to see that kind of thing. It seems to be happeneing more and more and if it continues that spot that was once open to the public could be restricted because of the lack of respect for the land. And its people like that that ruin it for the rest of us who rely on those public spots for their season. Just ask yourself next time you go out, "Would I do this if this piece of land belonged to me?", and take that 5 extra minutes to pick up eveything that wasnt there before you and leave it as you found it and you will know that you have done your part in preserving the land for years to come.

Jared Danke, WI

Killing Zone

I myself have read this article multiple times, whenever the shots are a lil off for my liking. And it has helped me "get back into the swing of things" as some would say. Its an article from Game And Fish Magazine. Read for yourself.

'Killing Zone'

How do you avoid your crippled and "winged" birds? Frist off, learn your guns effective range.

by David Rose

To a serious duck hunter there is nothing worse than shooting a duck, mortally wounding it, and then watching it continue to fly or swim beyond the reach of foot or dog.

You know you hit it, it staggered, and shuddered and peeled off from the flock. But its wings kept beating, carrying it on a long drooping trajectory, out of sight. It will die alone, often at the mercy of a coyote, raccoon, or a predatory bird.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 25 percent of the ducks and geese shot by hunters are never retrieved. That amounts to 3 million birds annually in North America! Its a disgrace and a very real threat to the future of our sport. Indeed, hunting opponents in Australia were able to use similar wounding statistics to outlaw duck hunting in two provinces there.

In recent years, a number of fish and game agencies have created programs to help waterfowlers to become better, more careful shots. Many now offer clinics put on by the Cooperative North American Shotgunning Education Program, a non-profit group that teaches effective scientifically based techniques for improving shooting performance.

Their clinics emphasize:

• Patterning your shotgun
• Using shells and chokes appropriate for the birds and conditions
• Determining your guns most effective range
• Practicing with clay targets to judge speeds and distances
• Improving your ability to estimate range
• Carrying "spatter" shells to finish off crippled birds

When it comes to estimating range, the average waterfowler is no expert. Most hunters will shoot at ducks that are twice as far away as the effective range, and at geese that are three times the distance.

Fortunately, hunters can take steps that will make them much better judges of distance.

And they are all free!

TECHNOLOGY ISN'T THE ANSWER! Improper estimation of distance is hardly a new problem.

In his Arms and Ammunitions Manual, Jack O'Connor had this to say; "Judgement of distance is exceedingly difficult, particularly for an excited man whose heart is full of hope. The same man who will shoot at a flock of ducks 100 yards away -- or fully 40 yards beyond the most hopeful range of his gun -- will nevertheless swear that he has killed a duck at 80 yards when actually it was about 50."

....For the rest of the article head to http://www.gameandfishmag.com/hunting/ducks-geese-hunting/RA_1208_02/#cont its well worth the time to read.

I hope it helps you as much as its helped me through the rough shootin times. Good luck out there.

Jared Danke, WI

WELCOME!

This blog is dedicated to bird hunters of all types; duck, geese, turkey, pheasant, grouse... even crow!! Visit this blog for website links to all types of fowl hunting and open discussions about calls, dogs, guns/shells, clothing, blinds, techniques, migration, regulations and more. Share your knowledge and build your knowledge here!

From Wikipedia:

Waterfowl hunting (also called duck hunting, goose hunting, or wildfowling) is the practice of hunting ducks, geese, or other waterfowl for food and sport. (In the U.K. the word "hunting" is not used, but "shooting"; the word hunting is reserved for the pursuit of prey with hounds.) In many western countries, commercial waterfowl hunting is prohibited, and duck hunting is primarily an outdoor sporting activity.

Many types of ducks and geese share the same habitats, have overlapping or identical hunting seasons, and are hunted using the same methods. Thus is not uncommon to take several different species of waterfowl in the same outing.