February 3, 2023 Whistlers- Hunting Golden Eyes By: T.J. Rademacher Golden Eyes are great shooting often from the shore Goldeneye are typically a bonus bird for most diver hunters. They are typically more drawn to their own kind and are not as likely to fully commit to a spread of mixed blocks. Many shots are taken at passing ranges for folks more interested in the other diving duck varieties. For the Last few years I have ended up on waterways chasing divers on both the Mississippi and Central flyways. Out of necessity I was forced to figure out the goldeneye game because the other birds were stale or not moving as much. Here is what I know now after spending some time targeting these birds specifically. When scouting a hunt for these birds you are looking for where they are headed to eat just like any other diver. The process is really the same as anything you might encounter looking for bluebills or redheads. The difference is in my experience is you are looking closer to rocky shores or open water bordering this type of area. In my experience you encounter goldeneye in rafts smaller in size than other divers. They seem to end up strung out loosely in areas they are feeding or loafing in. they are primarily feeding on mussels, clams, snails, crustaceans and sometimes small fish from the birds ta hive inspected while cleaning them. Once you find a concentration you can either push them out gently and set up for their return or you can traffic them. The main thing is covering water and finding a few different spots to try out or make a strategy for future hunts Use any means necessary to get to the X Getting on the X is tough. The X is usually a place where the birds can’t be targeted in most of the places I hunted. Most if these waterways include large areas that are off limits and are waterfowl refuges. So you instead find yourself looking for the soft X. This is usually less predictable and changes daily. Most of the times I did find a concentration of birds it was a mid-day loaf spot. We would leave them be and come back later the next morning and set up after having a go at the more un cooperative rafts of other divers. Pushing them out seemed to do more harm than good on this type of spot because they were not actively using it as a feeding spot so the pressure of gently bumping them usually had them picking the next least pressured spot and not many coming back. We would typically set a spread of 8 or so oversized GE decoys and nothing else. This typically did the trick for birds returning to the area. For trafficking we would pick the best spot to get in their way. If shore hunting, we would try and get one point the they swing close to. The use a layout boat to get in their way in spots where they were moving to and from spots to eat and loaf has become the main way to consistently kill these birds. We also used up to 3 dozen GE decoys to get birds to decoy. We had very mixed results with having comb spread with the most success coming from GE only spreads. It’s a lot of work in general to layout hunt diving ducks but this technique paid off big time when the going got tough. We a were able to scratch out enough birds to fill in with our bluebills to make the effort more worthwhile. Here’s another thing I learned about Goldeneyes. They are not trash ducks. They are excellent table fare. I’m not talking about plucking the and preparing them with the skin on like puddle duck. We all know this is probably a silly idea given their diet. However, the typical breasting method turned out great poppers and stir-fry’s. I was careful to remove all fat and silver skin from the meat. I also typically brine the breasts as well. It seems help with the taste of the finished product. Another way to prepare them is by braising them down in a crock pot. The final product to a tender pulled pork type of protein that goes great on sandwiches and my personal favorite Korean barbeque sliders. Whoever tells you can’t eat goldeneyes or says they are not edible probably got ahold of some that were not prepared well. Prep is king with wild game meat especially with animals that have a specific diet. Scratching out birds in places you wouldn’t typically think of Learning to nail down a measurable amount of success taking goldeneye consistently was a very rewarding experience. Sometimes the adaptations we make to figure out a path to success when the conditions aren’t exactly ideal are what we look back on the most fondly. I remember being very frustrated at times during their navigation of this learning curve. As is the case with most types of water fowling staying persistent and making the best decision you can based on the info you are receiving from the environment around is what will typically make you a little more successful. Now go and get after the whistlers.
January 20, 2023 Hunting Season Prep: The Physical By: Justin Hunold Working to be in good shape physically and mentally hunting becomes more enjoyable. Physical preparation for hunting matters. Let’s face it Hunting season is a grind. Most of us never really have an “Off season” but the actual in season life is hard on your body and the older you get the harder it is. When I was younger in my twenties I ran on caffeine, bad food and beer. I’d hunt every morning, go to work and work until about 10pm and then get home prep, decompress and get up between 2-4 am to do it all over again. Somedays I would fit schoolwork into that mix too. Now that I’m 40, this schedule seems like a pipe dream. What are some ways to make hunting season easier? Do you have to be Cameron Haynes? How about someone like Steve Rinella or Janis Putelis instead? How do we stay in good physical condition for hunting season? Here are tips for being in tip top shape for your hunting season. Meal planning- We aren’t talking macros and micros or any real hard science here. Most of the year let’s think about clean eating for most of the time. Concentrate on the basics, proteins, fats, vitamins, healthy carbs, fruits, veggies and if possible something fresh and not pre packaged. I try to stick to this for most of the off season, with some cheats here and there. The guideline I heard somewhere a long time ago is “If you can stack it, don’t snack it” . Basically if it comes in square packaging try to avoid it. As far as this diet goes, I still have beer, the occasional snickers, potato chips or even ice cream. I have an almost four year old and we try not to waste food, so I eat a lot of half eaten PBJ’s. I’m not saying to be a nazi about your diet, but trying to eat right is better than not. You will feel better. The thing is if you cut all junk out how will those gas station meals, weird diner breakfasts and other foraging opportunities hit your stomach during hunting season if your stomach isn’t used to junk at all? But meal Planning goes farther than that. During the season, rather than scrolling through social media for far too long try to get the coffee maker ready for the morning, make some healthy food and get it in your blind bag for the next day. Have a plan for those meals and have them ready. This leads to less gas station snacks, more money in your pocket and more sleep when it’s needed most. Sleep- I am not a great sleeper, I wake up most nights for a span of at least an hour. What I do well is fall asleep and wake up. I never snooze an alarm, and my lights go out as soon as my head hits the pillow. I use this to my advantage. I know I can push my alarm to the last possible second because I always get right up, no snooze. I also hit the hay when I feel tired to maximize that pre middle of the night wake up. Meaning during the season if I’m tired at 7 if possible I go to bed. Being in good physical condition helps you make heavy work into light work We all have a life. We all have more stuff to do than time to do it in. So, sleep is often the thing we sacrifice. But, there are a lot of credible folks that say it’s the most important thing we can do for our health. What are we to do? Firstly, if you have sleep apnea , get that taken care of. I know lots of guys in camp that have it, and they all feel better when they have it under control. Just listen to your buddies snore through the night at camp sometime. Listen to the pauses and gasps. The sooner you get that under control the better off your health will be. For some folks its a machine, others its a mouth piece and for some it’s losing some weight, all of these work together in combinations or even singularly and separately. I know some folks that “didn’t have the energy” to work out but once thye got their apnea in line they suddenly started working out. That sort of sleep deprivation matters. The other thing is learn your sleep patterns, learn what your body needs. I know my sleep strengths so I play to them during the season. I also know I can run full bore for about ten days before a crash, but then I will need one whole day to recover. I try to plan trips, days off and hunting times around these factors. You may never get eight hours of sleep in a night, but look at getting the best possible sleep you can for the time you can. Know your own sleep patterns and needs. If you snooze, the first alarm needs to be earlier and if you are a third shift worker, afternoons may be your best option. Exercise- Ugh, this is the one that goes out the window during the season. I run, ruck, hike and lift all off season, then season hits and my work out is the walk into some far flung hunting spot with all my gear or paddling a kayak a mile or two for the same reason. I need to be better about this, and I should incorporate some stretching. You don’t need to be Cam, lift, run shoot. You can be Steve and Janis, load pack hike around. I’m not going to tell you I look like a Greek god either. But I try to keep a minimum standard and that is this – The Navy SEAL minimums for Physical Screening (sans the swim). 42 push ups in 2:00 mins 50, Situps in 2:00 mins, 6 pull ups and a 1.5 mile run in under 11:00 mins. These won’t get you into the program but they are a baseline I find useful. At the end of the day you will be less tired, better mentally, sleep better and hunt better if you’re in reasonable physical condition. Everything is harder in the water and we spend a ton of time wet in waterfowl hunting. Start with a walk if that’s tough for you and go from there if you think the SEAL minimums are a breeze take a look at the Competitive standards and do them for time. Supplements- Over the past three years we all had decisions to make in regards to our health. One of those decisions for me was supplementing my vitamins and minerals. I also incorporate nootropics on a semi-daily basis. As Hulk Hogan used to say ” Say your Prayers and take your vitamins.” Surprisingly, those athletes taking things like Glucosamine, Fish Oil and Turmeric for their joints are shining the light down the path of more comfort for us hunters. If you hear one complaint at camp about being sore it’s generally joint related. Why not supplement for that the whole year? Nootropics used to be regarded with voodoo but caffeine is a nootropic and most of us use it daily and likely can’t function as well without it. I use all sorts of nootropics specifically on hunt days and I feel they make a huge difference. I feel sharper and more focused. Probiotics- Eat some yogurt, take probiotic supplements and figure out the things that don’t agree with your stomach. Many hunt plans have gone awry because of thunder guts and the runs. Get out in front of that. Give yourself enough time to go before you get your waders on if possible, carry imodium in your rig and blind bag….worth it. These are just a few simple or not so simple things I do through the year that will probably help your season go a bit smoother, make you sharper and a better hunter, and hopefully lead you to be more successful. Listen, every single one of us has a different life, different stressors, different physiology. None of this will be a cure all for everyone. But I bet if you take one of these and tailor it to your own self your hunting season and life in general will be better for it.
January 13, 2023 Waterfowl Gear You Need What should you buy now to get ready for next year? By : Justin Hunold First Birds, on the First Day The early bird gets the worm, or something like that. Listen, as waterfowl hunters we are constantly in a quest to be the first, or the earliest or chasing that prime opportunity. First at the ramp, first to a spot, first fresh birds, first shooting light, opening day, first season, early Teal, early goose….you get the point. But listen, right now, as we creep into seasons closing, you should be first in line to fix or amend the shit that broke or didn’t work this past season. You can never be too early to start getting ready for next season. Here are some things you should be looking at getting right and tight for fall’s first flight. We all have gear on our list. Right now is an amazing time to scour those clearance sales and find next year’s best gear at a discount. Will it be the newest pattern or the coolest thing on the block, maybe not, but will you or the birds actually notice? Also probably not. Here’s a secret its not just changing of the seasons that prompt good prices for consumers, but also for retailers on the wholesale level. So, check those sites for chances to get gear at amazing prices. Maybe someday I will go over the pricing theories at a retail level, but let’s just say at some point that old inventory is costing more than it’s worth to not discount it. Decoys are hard to store for retailers and normally get a big late season discount for sake of floor space. Decoys- Decoys are big, bulky, heavy and hard to display. Think about it this way, how many Lucky Craft lures can a store fit in the area that a box of full body Canadas take up? The answer is a ton, and they retail for $15 a pop. So, decoys are something that gets discounted heavily quickly. Keep an eye out for whatever you need to fill out your spread. I promise if they fooled birds the past few seasons next year’s model probably won’t do it any better. Camouflage Clothing- So, the model here is let’s have some legacy products, think Bottomland, and then let’s release the new stuff every few years because hunters are trendy and like to match. When those new patterns hit they may look great, they may help you blend in better, but they certainly boost sales for the camo company releasing them. When this happens you will see deep discounts in the flagship camo from the year before. You may also see this when an apparel company loses the licensing rights to that particular camo, or a sponsorship change on a major player of the prostaff. Whatever the reason, jump on last year’s clothing now in prep for next year. Hunting Accessories- Calls, Choke Tubes, Blind Bags, Muffs, Blinds, Decoy Rigs the list goes on. Remember that in a lot of retailers the waterfowl aisles turn over into the spring turkey aisles. That change over normally leads to some chances at high end gear at a lower price. Full Disclosure, I worked in big box retail for a long time and some of my most expensive and best sounding calls came out of the display cases when it was time to turn those aisles over. The sweetest sounding turkey call I’ve ever owned was an Original, first production year Primos Power Crystal and that was because it was good and broken in when I bought it out of the display case for next to nothing, even though that call isn’t expensive to begin with. Don’t get me started on my Original BGB Wide Open… My Muff straight up unraveled on me on its second hunt this year. You know the kind that hold shells and some gear and snaps to the D rings on your waders? Yeah mine came apart on hunt number two and I just never replaced it this year. I tried to limp it along with paracord and zip ties like any good redneck but man it sucked. I’ll be getting a new one from somewhere else this off season. Some other things I will be packing in my blind bag before I put it up are a few pairs of elbow length rubber gloves, because they are light, cheap and totally waterproof, and at least one extra headlamp and a pair of inexpensive sunglasses. I’d rather bring the extra couple ounces out on every hunt and always be prepared than not have the stuff when I need it. Kinda like a side arm. Also most of this will have reviews from the previous season, and post on social media and videos showing use in the field on YouTube. Just like voting, you should be using your gun early and often Now, between waterfowl and turkey season is a great time to get more familiar with your gun. I have specific guns for both of these seasons. Now that I am done chasing quacking birds and will shift to chasing gobbling ones I will be taking my Masai Mara apart and cleaning it thoroughly. I will also take my Gordion Turkey out and check the optic and make sure it’s pattern and point of impact is still as perfect as last year. If I want to make a change in chokes, optics, ammo or slings now is the time. Since I will be shooting my turkey gun I will also bring out my waterfowl gun and check all of the same stuff. I want to make sure I’m very familiar with where my guns shoot, if I need to make any shim adjustments, choke changes or even if the shells I bought mid season on a suggestion are doing what I’m thinking they should. If I were you I would be looking over Market Place and Craigslist for a new to you boat or watercraft if that’s on the books. This is the time of year people start to unload that stuff. The reason the timing of now is important is because people are generally looking to get out of that stuff at a reasonable price. In two months spring will be here and they will want a premium on watercraft, they’ll take less in January and February in most of the country. Is any of this earth shattering? No. But I’m covering it because today I hung up my decoys for their spring and summer slumber and thought about what I should be using with them next season. I pulled my Masai Mara out of its case and set it out in line for a good cleaning. And I threw that piece of shit muff into the garbage where it belonged when I took it out of the box. This season is done for me as of today. But next season started as soon as I typed the first word of this article. I’m so happy it’s always hunting season.
December 30, 2022 Tools of The Trade Revolutionary Tools In Waterfowl Hunting By: Justin Hunold A bit ago we talked about the advent of percussion caps and the advancements in shotgun shells after that happened. We also looked at the point in time that we could pluck a hunter out of , put him into a modern duck blind and he’d fit right in. That seemingly happened in the 1960’s, but if he were in that blind what are some things he would see that would maybe astonish him. Tools that we look at on a daily basis as common but just a short 50-60 years ago would be revolutionary, if not altogether foreign? This is a list of innovative tools for waterfowl hunting that have taken place in the last thirty years or so, that we take for granted when chasing ducks and geese. Modern Shotgun Finishes are almost impervious to natural conditions Shotguns-Let’s start with something near and dear to our hearts here at Retay, shotguns. While the hunter from the 1960’s may have been toting a good semi automatic there was a higher probability that he was using a pump, side by side or an over under. With the advent of astoundingly reliable semi automatics like our Gordion or Masai Mara it’s becoming rarer and rarer to see anything other than a fast cycling, reliable and nimble semi in the blind. That’s not to say that a good pump like the Retay GPS XL doesn’t have a place because, it certainly does but the push in Inertia operated shotguns was nothing that the hunter of the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s could have ever predicted. In those days it was commonplace for a semi to be more of a problem than an advantage but our industry has sought to move past that. Retay is at the head of the pack with the Inertia Plus bolt design. We could go over the normally stated advancement in magnum shotguns, making 3 and 3.5 inch offerings the norm but that horse has been beaten to death. And a lot of folks are back to shooting 20 gauges for waterfowl and to great effect. So, let’s look at something that is overlooked and undervalued, shotgun finishes. When “Plastic” guns started to make appearances back in the 1980’s traditional hunters scoffed at them but the synthetic stocked guns started to impress with their ability to operate in any weather condition, and the owners lack of fear of scratching the gun. Now it’s a talking point to see a wood gun out on a hunt.With the advent of synthetic, hydro dipped guns came next. With the plastic and matte finish of the modern shotguns these guns became great testbeds for all sorts of camouflage finishes. With these coatings the guns became very weather resistant. Again, camo guns are now a normalcy. A lot of the time the guns will have aggressive texturing and molded sling attachments as well. These camo finishes are great for ease of maintenance. Wipe em down with a Dude Wipe and some oil on the moving parts and you’re good to go, but there is one more that is now the gold standard. Cerakote is a baked-on hard finish that bonds to the metal of the gun. Now your gun can be whatever color you choose, and be basically impervious to all weather conditions. My own Masai Mara is the Grey Light version, I don’t worry about any weather conditions. I’ve dunked it and put it right in the case for travel without a second thought. The 1960’s hunter had absolutely no option to do that with his blued and wood gun. Again, all we have to do is make sure the internals are cleaned out when we get home after a hunt in a salt marsh or freezing rain and that Cerakote gun will be good to go the next time we call it up to bat. When spinning wing decoys work nothing works better Spinning Wing Decoys -Spinning wing decoys were REVOLUTIONARY when they hit the market in the late 90’s and hunter’s have more versions to choose from now than ever. They are so good at drawing ducks they aren’t legal everywhere. Think about that for a second. Now imagine that hunter from the 1960’s seeing a spinner for the first time. Imagine when you turn it on with a remote, and then kill it when that first swirl of birds locks up, ready to light into the spread, what is that 1960’s dude thinking? In a time when people are searching out hand carved decoys and vintage decoys to use in their spreads our retro hunter would be totally at home, but if there was ever a magic bullet when it comes to decoying birds it is likely a spinner or maybe some other form of battery powered motion. This has become a double edged sword though, currently we often opt out of spinners for a more subtle motion in the decoys. But make no mistake they still work and the old timer would try to fit that thing in his Delorean to get it back to his mid century spread. Lighting makes us more successful and safer when working predawn LED Lighting-Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Modern hunters aren’t the almighty but there are plenty of times our modern lighting options are a miracle in comparison to even twenty years ago. We light up the predawn as if we were running and gunning in broad daylight and we are better for it. Whether it’s a simple headlamp with multiple color lights or LED Deck, or LED Light Bars and spots these things are awesome. I remember when a Mag Light was the goto, or if you were a cool guy you might have one of those military style angle head D cell flashlights. Now, you’d never think about taking anything other than a headlamp out for personal use. We underestimate how much more successful and safer we are because of these lights. We are able to be more precise in all of our set ups with our personal headlamps. We are able to get in with long walks or paddles because of the little gems and light up some back water in a way that would have taken a car battery and a spot light just a short time ago. We are safer in those pre dawn races to the “Spot” because of the relatively inexpensive investment in on board lighting for our boats. And from there we are able to see where we are going and what we are doing. The deck lighting is not only great for general use, but let’s not forget we are out there with firearms. We are always responsible with our guns but the rules of firearms safety always apply. When we can see what’s going on with those guns we are safer. So, deck lighting adds safety in ways we might not even think about. Would these be the only things our “old timer” would notice? Absolutely not! He’d probably mention that computer phone thing you have attached to your hand, face paint, camo, waders, and a million other observations, but these things are worth mentioning first. They are often overlooked in different ways. We will probably dive into some of the others in upcoming articles. So next time you turn your lights on, put you spinner out and load your Retay before the first flight of the morning, just nod your head to how good we have it. And don’t forget to occasionally lose yourself in this thought experiment -Would you be out there if you didn’t have it so good? Would you do it the way that hunter from the 1960’s did if you had to? Do you love it like that?
December 23, 2022 I Ain’t Got The Words Thanking the people who make your hunting season happen By: Justin Hunold It only takes a few words and a second to let someone know you appreciate them In a day where we are constantly looking for content to fill our brains and spare moments of boredom with information and entertainment I wanted to take a second and step away from that. This will come out on 12/23/22 or the day before Christmas Eve. I just wanted to take a second to say Thank You for joining us, and also to remind you to take a second and reach out to maybe some folks you might forget to call or text “Happy Holidays” or ask how their Christmas was, cause you see them a lot. Your hunting friends and family. Well, first let’s start off at home. This time of year is a great time to just take a second, look at your spouse and tell them how much you appreciate them holding it down for the past few months. They pick up the slack while you’re out there chasing bucks, ducks, bulls, bears and geese. Take a second and let them know how much you appreciate it. Acknowledgement goes a long way. While you’re at it, if your parents and siblings are in your life, thank them too. You put off their parties, holidays and used vacation to get out into the field instead of spending it with them. Again, a tip of the hat and a heartfelt thank you means more than a gift card. A lot of the time just validating the fact that they understand how important hunting is to you is a way to show them that same love in return. Let’s not forget those land owners. Drop off some cookies, meat or something you know might actually help them. I kinda treat this like I treat my friends who have kids or just got married. I give them a gift card and in the card I put it in I direct them to do something fun and frivolous with it. They either let you or choose you to hunt their land. It’s not an obligation to do something for them, but I would think that most people want to. Now we are into the tough ones, Your hunting buddies and your dog. Which are basically one in the same. They both care about you, they are normally loyal, there for the trials and tests of hunting season, and there for the celebrations and stories from all that hard work. So, let them know that you appreciate them. Take an extra second and get your dog in for post season care. Your dog is not going to associate the holiday spirit and treats, pets, love or any other pampering. They are smart but not capable of that thought. What they can process is that you’re the center of their world and their reason for being. Maybe get them a few extra treats for Christmas and give them options on what to play with. Also, schedule up a postseason Vet check, just because you don’t see anything wrong doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get looked at. Throw a rod on your truck, changing the oil won’t help after. I know that the vet can be tough for dogs, and hard for owners, but that hesitancy is your emotion, not necessarily about making your pal feel good. Better to catch a foreign body from some green briars that could potentially turn into an abscess, or even a weird infection from the muck and the mud. Get them in, out and some more treats, pets and play. Your hunting buddies, man there is a lot to unpack here. We as tough dudes and chicks can really struggle to put into words what our hunting partners mean to us. I think it’s important to let them know the best we can. So, there are two routes you can go and here they are. Route one, this is my go to, tell them flat out. I will normally try to let my hunting buddies know how much fun I had on a trip, in camp or on a hunt and that I was happy to spend the time with them specifically. I often try to tell them why they are a good hunting partner and how much I appreciate our friendship. One of my favorite movies is Tombstone. There is a scene, after the Curly Bill shootout in the river, when Turkey Creek Jack Johnson asks Doc Holiday why he’s out riding with Wyatt. Doc answers, ”Wyatt Earp is my friend” . To which Creek answers “Hell, I got lots of friends” and Holiday says “I don’t”. This tends to be my philosophy in letting people know. I don’t have a lot of friends so they’ll know they are important for sure. Hunting is not as fun as without your hunting partners. Route two, for you tough asses. I have multiple hunting partners who will not reciprocate these complex thoughts and emotions. It’s hard and isn’t in everyone’s nature. So, I often think about it like this. In that very same movie when Wyatt and the Immortals split up and the same Turkey Creek looks at Wyatt and says “ I ain’t got the words”. The feeling is conveyed through his lack of ability to express it. This actually seems to be the underpinning to most of the relationships we have based around hunting. They are there with you before sunrise to after sunset. Lost key, lost gear, lost animals. Success and failure, bad or good mood. All of those actions speak louder than words. So maybe less, is indeed more. Maybe on Christmas day just reach out, tell them that you thank their spouse and kids for letting them get away and that you’re looking forward to the next time you guys get out. Sometimes it is just the little things. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and best of luck in the New Year. And thanks for taking the time to visit with us. We appreciate you all.
December 16, 2022 The Best Duck Decoy tips and Tricks for Pressured Birds By: Justin Hunold Make sure your decoys are visible but you are well hidden A lot of days when we venture into the marsh we find ourselves in competition. We aren’t just going head to head with Mother Nature and Father Time but also other hunters. And although some of us might be contest winning callers or crack shots there is one aspect of duck hunting that makes a difference time and time again…Decoys. You can call well but normally ducks won’t light into a hole unless you are on the X and shooting doesn’t matter unless they come in. More times than not though decoys are the money maker in the equation that is duck hunting. Here are five of the best duck decoy tips and tactics for hunting wary waterfowl. Keep it Clean- Keep Your Decoys in Working Order When you look at ducks on the water, on the shore or just out in nature what is one tithing they do a lot? Ducks preen, they clean themselves. Waterfowl by nature of both temperament, and anatomy tend to prefer to be clean. So, it stands to reason that muddy, scuffed, and just overall scroungy looking decoys aren’t optimum. Sometimes the ducks will not care, other times they will flare the second they see a mudded mallard drake. You can’t know on which day and which ducks will react in which way. I would venture to say that the realism of the decoy paint, shape and detail matter way less than them being clean and in overall the correct color patterns. I’m not saying a flocked head isn’t better but I think a clean, bargain bin decoy with bright, basic, paint will draw birds just fine in most cases when they are well taken care of and not all crapped up. This is not to say that high end decoys with immaculate paint schemes aren’t worth the money, because they can make a difference. Just make sure if you’re going to spend the extra to get the extra draw. Natural looking decoys are meant to look natural and in nature most ducks prefer to be clean. Keep it Moving- Adding Motion To your Decoy Spread We have covered the idea of motion in the spread in previous blogs, but the principle of movement in the decoys can’t be overstated. When we watch ducks being ducks and duck things what we see is a lot of movement in a natural flock. We need to be thinking about this is our decoy spreads too. Spinning wings are normally step number one in folks’ thoughts of adding motion to the spread, and a lot of times they are a great bet. Keep em clean, keep em charged, use your remote, and make sure to lean towards using them on the outer edges of the spread rather than in the pocket or X you want the birds to touch down in. If there is overhead cover available to mask the spinners, even better. Remember ducks see spinners from opening day to day 60, use some tact and reserve when employing them. Swimming or Feeding decoys are a great addition as well, but again I like these more towards the middle of a group of decoys and more to the outer edge of the overall spread. I want the birds to see the movement but I want them to have an open landing zone. At an airport the runway is always cleared for landings but the taxiways and terminals are always buzzing with aeronautical activity. The same thought applies to decoy spreads. A place where I will apply movement near the X is with a jerk rig. There are lots of ways to skin the cat with building a jerk rig, and all of them can work. Those differences are depth and water dependent. But if I could only have one source of movement it would be a jerk rig. And I don’t hesitate for the dekes on that rig to be close to the landing zone. Two more caveats on motion in the decoys. First, don’t tie off all your decoys from the front tie point. When you have a consistent wind all the decoys will end up facing the same direction. There are two holes for a reason. Secondly, a jerk rig or remote on a motion decoy is a great way to get a new hunter, or bad caller involved in the hunt in a real tangible and important way. That motion can probably lead to as many ducks as your calling. The same motion will definitely lead to more ducks than bad calling or an inexperienced hunter watching the sky because they don’t have anything else to focus on. Spread ‘em – Space Your Decoys Out More This is a great example of naturally spread out ducks . If there is one thing running long lines taught me it’s that spreading the decoys out can make the raft of ducks look much larger than the number of decoys would make you believe it could be. This is true in puddlers too. I generally carry somewhere in the ballpark of a dozen to a dozen and a half duck decoys on a lot of my hunting trips. Shy away from using the typical U shape with your 3 dozen decoys and replace it with a split spread with a few more spread out dekes. The ducks have seen the U and the J, they will work, but the ducks can’t spell and if they can, who knows if they speak english. I have taken to placing two separate pods or groups of ducks with a landing zone in the middle. A few decoys in each group will be very close to each other but the others will be spread out to look like a much more numerous group of birds. This setup has become my goto. I write for a living but I am not using phonetic symbols to dictate my decoy set up. With that more spread out for fewer decoy ideas at play, I normally run a pile of Mallards and then a couple Black Ducks or Shoveler decoys to add some contrast and visibility to my spread. I like to group those ducks a bit closer together and in the middle of the group of mallards. Take Your Time- Place Your Decoys Listen, we all run on very little sleep during the season. I understand that a lot of times you’re hitting snooze and letting the set up happen however it may. I beg of you, give yourself a few extra minutes to place your spread out rather than toss it our in haste. This is a tip I’ve seen work in action a lot. When everyone else is tossing their blocks out early and getting them soaked so by the time shooting light rolls around they are shining with ice, I have killed ducks over decoys that I painstakingly hand placed so as not to splash them. This gives them a more natural, less plastic and frozen look. Decoys not having ice on them doesn’t always matter. I have seen it matter in very high pressure situations. I’d love to tell you those times it was my calling that made a difference, but in my opinion I’m a slightly better than average caller but my attention to detail in set up tends to be better than slightly better than average. This tip is a lot like keeping your decoys clean. There are times when real ducks are covered in snow and ice, but that’s when it’s snowing and the November gails are blowing, not when they were in clear skies on a frosty morning. So, take a second and gently place your decoys in the water. You may be surprised how much difference this can make. I See You Hiding- Hide Your Boat Use your craft to get you near the spot, then ditch it and hide it well. This tip comes from watching people not shoot ducks that should be landing in their decoy spread, hide your boat. We all generally do a great job of hiding ourselves, our dogs, and our other gear but for some reason folks seem to act like their boat is Wonder Woman’s invisible jet and ducks will never notice it. You’re not Linda Carter or Gal Gadot, hide your boat. A lot of the time folks will choose to hunt from the boat, a little patch of aluminum heaven, dry ish and comfortable ish, but I choose to stash my vessel somewhere else close by. I learned this trick from our mutual friend TJ and I stick with it no matter if it’s a boat, kayak or canoe. I don’t hunt from the boat, I take time and effort to hide it. Picture you’re a duck cupped and coming into a nice group of your friends. As you drop down and begin to focus on the whole you see a green mass where there isn’t normally one. Or you’re circling over and as you make a pass you see a boat on the opposite side of the point from the decoys you were about to land in. They shouldn’t be there! It’s not safe! There’s hunters! I personally like to use a stool or seat and build a nice stick blind, or use a layout or just tuck myself in the natural cover over the timber or vegetation. When I do this I have stashed my watercraft within easy walking distance but it’s covered with grasses, burlap, camo mesh and sticks. It might not be there everyday but I make it look as normally natural as possible to the overhead birds. I believe more birds get saved by boats that look like boats than maybe anything else. Take a second and hide that thing. I promise your friend doesn’t need to hear your story that badly. If you’re alone, what the hell else do you have to do? It’s your job to do stuff right! Closing Time This isn’t to say you can’t kill ducks with a dirty, no motion, tightly packed, J shaped, soaked looking decoy spread from the comfort of your boat. You truly can. But why risk it? Isn’t part of the fun of waterfowl hunting the details, the constant adjustments, and doing your best to fool those flying survival machines? We hope these tips and tactics give you something to think about and maybe bring you a little extra success when the ducks are pressured and don’t want a typical spread.
December 9, 2022 2 is the Magic Number- What Shot Size Should You be Using for Waterfowl Hunting By: Justin Hunold Empty hulls signifying a successful venture onto the back water. A 12 gauge 3″ #2 will handle this sort of work marvelously. Let’s start by saying there is no one size fits all situations in waterfowl hunting. A lot of “Gospel Truths” to some folks maybe hocus pocus to others. “I only need half a dozen Mallard Decoys and a Jerk rig.” – Not on the coasts of North and South Carolina. “ Canada’s are dumb over water.”- Not if you shot em up where they roost over the same water. “ You gotta have spinners out to add visibility.” – Not if you’re way down South and those birds have been shot at over Spinners for a few thousand miles. I’m going to stick my neck out here and give you a truth that I and a few of my friends cling to, if a hunter shows up with a 12 gauge loaded with 3” #2’s in anywhere from 1 ⅛ to 1 ½ Oz of steel shot they can handle just about any waterfowl situation they might get thrown into. We are focusing on steel shot and not other non toxics like Bismuth or Tungsten. This will be a matter of KISS or Keep it Simple Stupid. Because let’s face it we all get out smarted by birds so the stupid part applies and keeping it simple makes you a more efficient killer. When Not To Use #2 Let’s look at some reasons you might not want to be shooting #2. If there is one argument against #2 in all situations, everything is a nail if all you have is a hammer argument…kinda. Shot size and choke constriction work together and can be very situational. So, it stands to reason that although a #2 might be great at a lot, it’s not optimum for some applications. Early Season Teal, Gadwal and Woodies might be very common in your area. In fact a lot of places have a “Teal Season”. This is a place where a #2 can work but shouldn’t be the first choice. These ducks are small, fast and maneuverable. Most hunters will opt for a #3 or #4 in Steel for this sort of hunt. Likely this will get paired up with a bit more open a choke as well. In areas of extremes either especially big or small birds a #2 sits in the middle of the bell curve. There may be better choices but it will certainly work. Most of the time when taking on the little ducks we will be expecting them in close with shots over decoys. With this in mind small ducks in close calls for smaller shot with good pattern density. The little guys aren’t as hearty as say a diver and a hunter will be better suited with less holes in their pattern. This isn’t to say a #2 won’t work, it just isn’t the best option. The other extreme is late season geese. I’ve hunted Canada’s coming off the Finger Lakes that had what seemed like inches of fat on them. When it came to those birds we were starting our shot size choices at BB and going up from there. These are big tough birds that have plenty of cushion for the pushin so to speak. This is a time you’d find a lot of us running full charge 3.5” shells stuffed full of BB or BBB. We killed a lot of birds with those loads, but looking back a 3” #2 probably would have done fine at the distances and circumstances we were putting birds down at. When to use #2 Firstly, if I was limited to one steel shot size for all waterfowl hunting situations it would be a #2. This shot size is about as big as you can go without hampering ballistic performance, it holds reasonable pattern density, and carries enough kinetic energy for most waterfowl work. So, it’s a great choice for a lot of hunters who might be in crossover seasons with ducks and geese, or situations like I was in last Saturday where I was as likely to get a shot at a Blue Bill or Bufflehead as I was a Mallard or Black Duck. Big Puddle Ducks are what most waterfowlers chase. Mallards, Blacks, Widgeons, Shovelers, and Pintails will all be reliably taken with a 3” #2. I know a lot of folks like a #3 for this sorta work but let’s face it the ducks don’t know the difference and #2 are easily found at Walmart if need be. Normally, when I head out to some backwater and I am expecting to encounter the likes of any of these birds my Retay will be stoked with 3” 1 ⅛ #2 of some brand or another. I’m confident that I am not leaving anything to chance with that shell selection. Divers, you might love em, you might hate em but man are they fun. So, here’s a confession, TJ Rademacher and I have been hunting partners for a long time. And have been Long Line hunting partners. We chased Divers when every other person in the piedmont of NC was out looking for Green Heads. We would be out setting twelve dozen decoys, that’s 144 for you mathematicians out there. After all that work we would wait for some ducks with little wings and big feet to come circling in and try to land in our lines. We generally did that with 3” #2’s ready and willing. We killed a few Diving Ducks back then, and I have no reason to shoot anything other than #2’s at them. They are tough and we were the school of shooting until they stopped moving. Shot size matters in the world of tough ducks built to disappear so, this is where the majority of my thought on the best shot size for duck hunting came from. I never met a puddle duck that was half as tough as a buff even if they were normally twice the size. Number 2’s were my go to. In most of the places I inhabit there is a September Goose Season for Resident Canadas. When those 30 days roll around you can bet your bottom dollar that my gun has #2’s in it. In one of my previous articles I talked about a hunt where TJ and I crushed some local Canada’s on an island. We were shooting #2’s. In that same article I talk about my stupid head flairing geese , well we killed our 4 man limit that day and we were shooting #2’s. In all my Goose hunting experience I believe that a majority of birds were taken with a #2 and I see no reason to change. For more about that check out this article about shot size for geese. Stoking a couple Retay’s with your favorite 3″ # 2 steel shot is a near perfect combination. In the famous words of Austin Powers “Who does number two work for?” The simple answer is everyone. This shotshell combination isn’t the end all be all. It’s not the best for all situations but there are few other options for a shot size that can realistically take on most waterfowl situations. If you’re going out with a guide or experienced friend and they tell you to grab something else for a specific situation, take note, grab a box and pattern it and then run it if it makes sense. But I would advise grabbing a few different boxes of 3” #2’s and patterning them all. See which shoots the best and then buy as many as you think you’ll need for the season and then add some. None of us are as good a shot as we believe ourselves to be and no matter what situation you end up in during the waterfowl season you can’t go wrong with the best shooting 3” #2 you can find. This stuff just works.
December 2, 2022 What Shotgun Shells Should You Use for Goose Hunting By: TJ Rademacher Geese are a common area of debate when it comes to the selection of shot shells to effectively take them. They are large and very hearty animals and some of the most frustrating to retrieve when they end up crippled especially over water. We will discuss what actually matters when it comes to load selection and other factors that matter in the grand scheme of things. Let’s take a look at what you should be thinking about when selecting goose load. If you are using steel shot you should be looking a t shot sizes BB or number 2. I prefer #2. The reason for this is that you are getting more pellets which will boost your pattern density. Another reason and one most don’t think about has to do with ballistics and penetration. Shotgun pellets don’t act like bullets when they impact an animal. They aren’t as efficient because they are round. This slows them down faster as a result as they move through a medium. Also as they move through the air they are slowing down. the more surface area there is the more quickly a pellet will slow down. In my opinion the trade off in potential kinetic energy transfer is not worth the larger shot size at ethical shooting distances. The size 2 shot is more efficient and there are more of them. Another great advantage Is that you will not be switching between shot sizes if you are hunting both ducks and geese on the same hunt. You won’t be under gunned for either scenario. Any good reputable shell manufacture will suffice. Just make sure you go with as high a quality selection as you can afford. If you want to split the difference because you are not convinced, try pattering some number 1s. This could be a good late season option if you felt the need. For those who shoot bismuth or are toying with the idea of switching to bismuth things get pretty interesting. You can drop a couple shot sizes and get the same performance as a traditional steel load. This really ups your pattern density materially. In bismuth loads you can shoot number 4 and be plenty confident in your ability to take birds at common ethical distances. Also as I’ve stated above this will be great combo hunt load that will set you up nicely for Both ducks and geese. I strongly encourage the use of bismuth because it is flat out superior to steel. Also for most when you do the math on a box or two of shells the difference in price really isn’t all that much more for what you are gaining in lethality. As before if you want to go up a shot size for late season birds or to boost your confidence you could go to #3 but it’s not really necessary. One other option is a duplex load. For example, there is a manufacturer that loads a 3/5 blend which is another great option for those hunting both ducks and geese. In my opinion there is no reason to use more than a 3 in shell in either steel or bismuth. In my experience a 3in load is typically going to pattern better. It is also my experience that you will be able to have quicker follow up shots using a 3 in shell versus a 3 ½ in shell. This little advantage is important when you miss or get a chance to take multiple targets during a shot opportunity. You don’t necessarily need all the powder and payload that the industry advertises to take waterfowl. Remember advertising folks want your money. They aren’t basing their recommendation on facts and if you read into what they are saying it could actually be far from the truth. So now choose a shell and pattern it. You need to know what it’s going to do through your shotgun. You may have to do a little searching but when you find a winning combo stick with it. You want around 70 percent of your pattern in a 30 in circle. Don’t skip this step. It’s very important. Also, shoot during the off season. Your chosen combo will work way better if it’s on target. That is about the only guarantee I can give. Don’t get too caught up in this process unless it’s something you really enjoy doing. You don’t need to shoot super expensive shells to kill ducks. Go with the stuff you can afford and put it on paper. Take that money and go shoot as many clays as you can afford. Save the extra mental bandwidth to be thinking about your hide and being where the birds want to be. After all I’ve said it’s going to be hard to tell a ton of difference when you are shooting birds decoying and 15-25 yards because you found them and you were hidden well when they got there. Get out and try new stuff when you are preparing waterfowl for the table. There is this whole other world out there completely devoid of jalapenos and cream cheese that will blow your mind.
November 25, 2022 Doing God’s Work: The Roots of Modern Waterfowl Hunting By: Justin Hunold Imagine you’re dead set on a day of jump shooting mallards on some local ponds or tanks. You took your time to sneak to the edge. You didn’t skyline yourself sliding up to the shooting position. All of your effort is going to feed your family, meat being a scarce commodity. You see the greenheads swimming there, you’re already thinking of plucking them. Then as you pull the trigger your powder frisen( pan) flames and smokes and those once still birds are gone in a flash…pun intended. Back to bread and lard for dinner. This was the problem the entire firearm world faced from the very earliest guns. Whether it was matchlock, wheellock or flintlock there was a telltale flash and smoke. A warning to every single shot. In modern times we are worried about fast and reliable follow up shots, like using Inertia Plus systems on Retay USA shotguns. There was a bit of parallel thinking to solve this problem and history will tell us that god loves hunters more. The first patent for a percussion system was issued in 1807 was given to a Scottish Hunter, who was trying to solve the very problem mentioned above, spooking birds. This invention was the brainchild of Reverend Alexander John Forsyth. Was it divine intervention? It can’t be a coincidence that the first reliable fulminate ignition system was brought to market by a reverend. Just proof that as people change with the advent of technology Nimrod still has a place as a mighty hunter. After this initial patent was defended by the good Reverend from 1807-1821 the percussion systems that followed exploded on the scene….pun still intended. And as always most of these advances were spurred by combat. Percussion firearms with paper and later brass cartridges were commonplace by The American Civil War. Variants of caps, primers and pin fire cases spurred technological advancements in the way of firearm ignition at a staggering pace. Some systems would last less than a decade. Some would evolve. When it came to self contained shotgun shells brass became the preeminent way to stoke the barrel. Between side by side shotguns and brass cases there was a relatively fast and reliable waterfowl combination. By the late 1800’s Winchester was loading brass shells for consumers and they maintained heavy use into the turn of the twentieth century. By the time the years started with 19 there became a debate in the world of shotguns whether it was better to have multi use brass shells or single use mass produced paper hulls. For a lot of applications those paper hulls won out. Save one. Waterfowl hunting. With paper being very not moisture resistant let alone waterproof. Brass shells would continue to be used until waxed and lacquered paper hulls finally won out. With the advent of the more modern shotgun actions, pump and semi automatics, and the “weather proof” mass produced paper hulls we can see the beginnings of what our modern waterfowl hunting roots look like. By this time the modern ideas of conservation were starting to take root, and more modern materials were allowing for more comfortable hunting all around. The wader was popularized around the beginning of World War I and rubber was perfected for the most part around World War II. With fast repeating shotguns, rubber waders and mostly weatherproof shells a hunter from the 1950’s likely wouldn’t look out of place in a blind today. The final invention in that combination that would really bring this hunter into the contemporary era of hunting would be the advent of plastic hulls by the Big Green in 1960. This is where the truly waterproof shotgun shell met the truly waterproof hunter. Synthetic petroleum based plastics and rubber brought mass produced technical gear to the masses. Remember back to that bank, jump shooting greenheads. Shotguns powered by flint and loose primer powder. One man, a Reverend, with a bit of divine inspiration, decided to bring waterfowl hunting into modernity. Without his loathing of the flash in the pan who knows where we would be today? He worked to build a reliable mechanism to hunt fowl with, and we continue with that tradition to try to bring you the best possible experience chasing game. Thanks for coming along with us and let’s tip our hat to Reverend Forsyth who’s forethought spurred us to get here. You’re Nimrod and we continue to do God’s work.
November 11, 2022 5 Things You Didn’t Know You Needed on Your Next Hunting Trip By : Justin Hunold I’m in the middle of an out of state hunting trip with some family and friends. And even though this is a deer camp and not a duck camp I can tell you what, the list Jesse put together on our Youtube Channel @retayusa came in handy when I was packing to come here. Let’s take a look at five items you should be packing to bring to a hunting camp, no matter what you’re chasing. Dry Bag– Jesse says he likes to keep his extra clothes in a dry bag to get into after he’s soaked from a morning chasing birds, and I couldn’t agree more. Yet, I use a kayak and other watercraft to access whitetails no one else seems to get to. And when I do that I use a drybag to put my tree saddle or safety harness and day pack in. I don’t like wet gear, and when hunting around water there is no dry. It’s all varying degrees of wet, so a dry bag helps you keep your stuff ready to go so you can sit in comfort. Pain Reliever– Advil, Tylenol, Aleve or my personal go to Excedrin. Really, we are talking about fighting off headaches and body aches from hunting hard and maybe hanging out harder. For general pain relief I’ll go with an NSAID but for the headache from celebrating a successful hunt a bit too much give me the big E. Plus it has a large dose of Caffeine so there’s that too. Ear Plugs– Guns are loud, boats are loud, camo is loud but when it’s time for bed snoring is louder. As I am here in camp with my buddies I realized none of us are young and spry anymore. And a few of us have sleep apnea. Or snore when we are plugged up or even snore if we’ve had a couple brews with dinner. My ear plugs stay under my pillow and get put in the second I lay down. This is the one thing on this list I wouldn’t compromise on or give up. If I forgot them I’d go buy more. Battery Pack– Let’s face it we all use our phones a lot. Hopefully the hunt is action packed enough to keep you off of it. To be honest I’m writing the bulk of this on my phone while in a tree. A spare battery pack or charging bank can save your life. There might not be enough outlets in the camp, you might be in a tent, you might be writing a blog for the best shotgun company in the world, hell, you might even be using your phone for useful things, navigation , flashlight or communication. Any which way a spare battery pack is a life saver for those little computers we walk around attached to our hands. Bucket, Trash Bags, paper towels, Toilet paper and a Gallon of Water– Um, this isn’t exactly one thing but kind of a system. You can use the bucket to clean birds, fish, small game or the like. Paper towels and water help with those things too. But the real MVPs are the striker paper and garbage bags. Don’t litter. Pick your trash up. But after too much coffee and gas station cuisine you better believe you’ll have to talk to a man about a horse and a bucket with a trash bag can be a better option than a roadside John or a tree lean. Remember, these trips are supposed to be fun, and this list lines up with that. Most of the things on this list aren’t make or break but they are items to keep you comfortable and taken care of. We all know the “gear” gets all the headlines in the hunting media but I’m staring at a box of gear I haven’t used on this trip, I promise I’ve used everything on Jesse’s list.
