In a first for this blog, I'm going to submit a book review. Truth be told, this will be the first time I'm doing a "book report" since I was in high school. Not sure which book that would have been, but I'm sure it had a lot of pictures. I recently completed The Gordon MacQuarrie Sporting Treasury. A co-worker of mine loaned it to me after a recent conversation about good books. I had never heard of Gordon MacQuarrie.
MacQuarrie was an outdoor writer for the Milwaukee Journal in the 1940's and 50's. Prior to that he was an outdoor editor in Superior, WI. In this book, he mostly writes about two things: duck hunting and trout fishing in northern Wisconsin. Many of his trout fishing stories take place on the River of Presidents- the Brule River. MacQuarrie is credited with being one, if not the first, full-time outdoor writers in the country. Unfortunately, he died in 1956 at age 56.
MacQuarrie's partner in his exploits is his father-in-law, who is referred to as Mr. President, or some form thereof. Mr. President is the head of the Old Duck Hunters Association, Inc. As MacQuarrie explains, Inc stands for incorrigible. Mr. President frequently leads MacQuarrie on trips on the Brule and first exposes him to duck hunting. Mr. President took MacQuarrie on his first duck hunt on one of the last days of the season in frigid weather, but great hunting. Mr. President told MacQuarrie that he had waited to take MacQuarrie duck hunting because, "Too much of a good thing is bad for a growing boy."
MacQuarrie's descriptions of his duck hunts are vivid and paint images that we have all dreamed of and occasionally experience. The stories are over 60-years old, but they are told in a manner that make them timeless. He describes canvasbacks dropping into decoys in a snow squall. The descriptions of the wooden decoys and putting on his Mackinaw field jacket takes you on an old-time hunt. His hunts are all from long before people conceived of posting their hunts on Facebook or texting bragging pics to friends. No, he hunted in a time when hunting was serious, uninterrupted by modern distractions of technology, and live decoys were legal.
In doing some research, I learned where some of his haunts were. In his stories, he's always vague about where he actually hunted. The places have names, but I'm sure they are self-applied locations. Unfortunately, these places are no longer the honey holes MacQuarrie experienced. He wouldn't even recognize his Hole in the Wall blind. Where MacQuarrie was hunting stands of wild rice and wild celery grew to attract mallards and canvasbacks, today there are large homes and developments that have denigrated the water resource and made it unsuitable for those plants. In turn, the ducks don't visit the same either. This is, of course, the worst thing that can happen to a honey hole.
It is winter and many of the states' duck seasons are closed. Reading some Gordon MacQuarrie hunting and fishing stories will be just the elixir you'll need to get you to another duck season. Maybe next year I'll have my own "The Bluebills Died at Dawn" story.
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Bonus Hunt
Time flies! I'm not sure what happened to the Wisconsin waterfowl season. It seems like a few weeks ago I was on a self-imposed "No fun stuff" stint. Prior to waterfowl season I swore off doing anything that could be too much fun, so I could get house projects and adult responsibilities out of the way before the fall harvest season. A few duck hunts, a trip to NoDak, tossing out some steel, and suddenly the waterfowl season is in the rear view mirror.
About three weeks ago winter arrived in northern Wisconsin. I had hopes of getting in one last duck hunt with a 10-year old. We checked every spring pond and stretch of flowing water in hopes of finding a few late migrating ducks. No luck. Everything was locked tight. So, I begrudgingly put my gear away to get to the snow blower and began thinking about next season. To say I was disheartened to put my stuff away with over three weeks to go in a 60 day season would be an understatement.
Then, I got invited by my friend, Eric, to go duck hunting on Green Bay. He had been having some success on divers and was kind enough to recognize an addict suffering from withdrawal. We left for Marinette about sunrise, which included about a 1.5 hour drive. It was about 3-below zero when we left, so we had some concerns about the Bay being froze tight. We arrived and realized our concerns were real. There was a slight wind blowing out and we could see the ice was breaking up. There was enough open water near shore for us to give it a try. As we got ready we discussed how foolish duck hunting is. Who goes and sits in the wind, gets their hands wet, stands in water, and lays in the snow when the air temperature is below zero? Duck hunters, that's who. We both agreed that we take pride in hunting when everybody else is sitting at home. Needless to say, we had our choice of spots.
We didn't get a limit in almost a full day of hunting, but we got to see thousands of duck flying around the Bay. We scared some ducks and killed a few. Zeke, the 11-month old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, made some fine retrieves. I have never said a bad word about Zeke and won't after I watched him fetch one of my ducks that had drifted out to over 100 yards. Zeke earned his keep and my admiration after that. It was cold enough that we each had to take a few walks and do some calisthenics to warm up.
We hunted a second day, but called it quits after we each reached the point where we required a "warm-up walk." After we loaded up, I felt a bit more satisfied about the season. It was short and not as successful as I had dreamed in August, but getting to hunt in a new locale when I hadn't expected to hunt anymore made the season a lot better.
Only 10 months until waterfowl season!
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
The worse thing to happen to a honey-hole
I recently ventured out a few times for one of my favorite fall activities- wild ricing. Yes, you can find wild rice in a lot of grocery stores in northern Wisconsin, but going ricing is a good reminder that food doesn't come from a grocery store and reconnects us to the natural world. Wild ricing is not terribly difficult. I've threatened a number of people with taking them ricing over the years. Some I've taken, others I haven't been able to connect with. So often people remark that they don't know how to rice. The biggest hurdle in ricing is finding a good spot.
I went once with a crafty veteran ricer and we did pretty dern good. It weighed out to 58-pounds of green rice. As a rule, finished rice weighs about half what the green rice weighs. I learn a lot by ricing with a seasoned vet of the rice beds. We talk about great harvests, bad harvests, great lakes, acceptable lakes, and how peaceful it is to be out. Often times, ricing involves being in difficult to reach areas. Wild rice doesn't like polluted water or disturbed sediment. This requirement rules out many lakes as suitable for rice growth. A motorboat stirring up sediment or heavy wave action during the floating-leaf stage can ruin a bed.
I also took a novice wild ricing for the first time. Prior to going he asked about ricing in a particular flowage that we've trapped. I wasn't certain of the quality of the rice, so I told him I do know of a good spot that I am certain of the amount. We walked in a half-mile from where we parked with the canoe on a hand-pulled trailer. When we got to the landing, Travis looked out across the bed and asked, "Is that all rice?" Yes it was. He was immediately impressed with the amount of rice and said he has never seen so much rice before. I put on a quick clinic on proper ricing and how the "motor" needs to time the pushes on the push-pole with the action of the knocker.
After about 15-minutes of taking turns between doing the knocking and pushing, most people enter into the advanced stages of wild ricing. It isn't rocket science. It helps to be a harvester and to recognize that there are only so many days the rice is ripe and will fall. Travis fit the bill nicely. One of the few requirements in wild ricing is that you must be tolerant of bugs. There are lots of bugs. Lots. After ricing, the rice is literally alive and jumping with all of the bugs in it. The spiders scurry around and weave webs. Wild rice is more than an annual grass. Its a living organism with a lot of facets.
Travis is a harvester. He helps me teach trapper education and understands that deer antlers make thin soup. He's got a garden, fruit trees, and makes maple syrup. As he said when we were ricing, "I like to eat anything that mother nature provides." Many of us harvesters like to keep our harvesting honey-holes to ourselves, whether its a good berry patch, oak stand, mink trapping spot, or a great patch of wild rice that holds a lot of ducks. Some may question the wisdom of taking someone to a honey-hole, as I did with Travis. How many people is he going to tell? How many times is he going to go there without me.
The locale I took Travis can be found on a map and is known to a lot of people as a good duck hunting spot. I've even ran into other people I didn't know that were going ricing there. I'm not worried if Travis goes there with some other friends or family. Heck, he's got two boys, so I hope he takes them there. Wild rice habitat needs protecting and is a fragile resource. The only thing worse than going to "my spot" and seeing four other boats, would be going there and finding the rice beds destroyed.
If people can place a value on natural resources, they are far more likely to find value in protecting it.
Travis may never go with me again (I hope he does) but if he takes his kids out, then that's just as good as me taking them. It seems to be trendy to take kids out harvesting, but consider taking a novice adult out, too.
Take someone new out harvesting!
I went once with a crafty veteran ricer and we did pretty dern good. It weighed out to 58-pounds of green rice. As a rule, finished rice weighs about half what the green rice weighs. I learn a lot by ricing with a seasoned vet of the rice beds. We talk about great harvests, bad harvests, great lakes, acceptable lakes, and how peaceful it is to be out. Often times, ricing involves being in difficult to reach areas. Wild rice doesn't like polluted water or disturbed sediment. This requirement rules out many lakes as suitable for rice growth. A motorboat stirring up sediment or heavy wave action during the floating-leaf stage can ruin a bed.
I also took a novice wild ricing for the first time. Prior to going he asked about ricing in a particular flowage that we've trapped. I wasn't certain of the quality of the rice, so I told him I do know of a good spot that I am certain of the amount. We walked in a half-mile from where we parked with the canoe on a hand-pulled trailer. When we got to the landing, Travis looked out across the bed and asked, "Is that all rice?" Yes it was. He was immediately impressed with the amount of rice and said he has never seen so much rice before. I put on a quick clinic on proper ricing and how the "motor" needs to time the pushes on the push-pole with the action of the knocker.
After about 15-minutes of taking turns between doing the knocking and pushing, most people enter into the advanced stages of wild ricing. It isn't rocket science. It helps to be a harvester and to recognize that there are only so many days the rice is ripe and will fall. Travis fit the bill nicely. One of the few requirements in wild ricing is that you must be tolerant of bugs. There are lots of bugs. Lots. After ricing, the rice is literally alive and jumping with all of the bugs in it. The spiders scurry around and weave webs. Wild rice is more than an annual grass. Its a living organism with a lot of facets.
Travis is a harvester. He helps me teach trapper education and understands that deer antlers make thin soup. He's got a garden, fruit trees, and makes maple syrup. As he said when we were ricing, "I like to eat anything that mother nature provides." Many of us harvesters like to keep our harvesting honey-holes to ourselves, whether its a good berry patch, oak stand, mink trapping spot, or a great patch of wild rice that holds a lot of ducks. Some may question the wisdom of taking someone to a honey-hole, as I did with Travis. How many people is he going to tell? How many times is he going to go there without me.
The locale I took Travis can be found on a map and is known to a lot of people as a good duck hunting spot. I've even ran into other people I didn't know that were going ricing there. I'm not worried if Travis goes there with some other friends or family. Heck, he's got two boys, so I hope he takes them there. Wild rice habitat needs protecting and is a fragile resource. The only thing worse than going to "my spot" and seeing four other boats, would be going there and finding the rice beds destroyed.
If people can place a value on natural resources, they are far more likely to find value in protecting it.
Travis may never go with me again (I hope he does) but if he takes his kids out, then that's just as good as me taking them. It seems to be trendy to take kids out harvesting, but consider taking a novice adult out, too.
Take someone new out harvesting!
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Bang for the Buck
What's a good buy or value for your money? Are you a waterfowl fanatic? Or, are you a person that gets out a few times and maybe takes some vacation to hunt away from home? When purchasing equipment it can be easy to think, 'I only hunt a few times per year, so I'll buy the cheaper version.'
It can be tempting to buy less expensive gear for waterfowl hunting. If most of your hunting occurs on a week long trip away from home it can be easy to fall into the trap that a quality hunting jacket is not a necessity. That is, until you only hunt the first hour in the morning of a major fall flight because you're soaked to the bone. The rest of the time you sit in the truck shivering and trying to get dry while your partners knock down greenheads. The next time that happens, ask yourself, 'Am I getting my money's worth now?'
Do you look at spending money on a professional trainer for your dog as an unnecessary expense? Do you think, 'I can train the dog well enough myself.' However, on hunts you call the dog names you wouldn't say in mixed company. If you spend almost a $1000 on a puppy, hundreds of dollars on vet bills and food annually, and the dog lives for 12 years, then maybe its worth dropping a few hundred bills on a well-trained dog. After 12 years, a few months of professional training will be a small expense compared to the other dog expenses like food and vet bills.
Is it worth hunting with a less expensive shotgun? If you're on vacation and your shotgun jams on a pintail with a full sprig, will you wish you had splurged five years ago for a better swamp cannon? Do you dream of going hunting with your children and their children? If that's the case, be sure to outfit your kids, when they're young, with quality gear. It is difficult to convince a 12-year old hunting is fun in 35-degree rain when a jacket and hat aren't rainproof. If you want them to hunt when they're 40 and you're in your 70's, be sure they're having fun at 12.
What seems like a good buy in the short term can be costly in the long term. When making a hunting equipment purchasing decision weigh a lot of factors. Will I hunt more frequently? Will the hunt be more enjoyable? Will I be more successful (however you gauge that?) Is the equipment a long-term value?
Take all of this into consideration when making purchasing gear decisions. If you spend half as much money on equipment, but also hunt half as much because of its quality, then is it really a good buy? A great purchase is when your gear causes you to want to get out and hunt and makes it more relaxing. Check out www.MeskousingBoats.com and weigh these questions when making your next duck boat decision.
Take a kid harvesting.
It can be tempting to buy less expensive gear for waterfowl hunting. If most of your hunting occurs on a week long trip away from home it can be easy to fall into the trap that a quality hunting jacket is not a necessity. That is, until you only hunt the first hour in the morning of a major fall flight because you're soaked to the bone. The rest of the time you sit in the truck shivering and trying to get dry while your partners knock down greenheads. The next time that happens, ask yourself, 'Am I getting my money's worth now?'
Do you look at spending money on a professional trainer for your dog as an unnecessary expense? Do you think, 'I can train the dog well enough myself.' However, on hunts you call the dog names you wouldn't say in mixed company. If you spend almost a $1000 on a puppy, hundreds of dollars on vet bills and food annually, and the dog lives for 12 years, then maybe its worth dropping a few hundred bills on a well-trained dog. After 12 years, a few months of professional training will be a small expense compared to the other dog expenses like food and vet bills.
Is it worth hunting with a less expensive shotgun? If you're on vacation and your shotgun jams on a pintail with a full sprig, will you wish you had splurged five years ago for a better swamp cannon? Do you dream of going hunting with your children and their children? If that's the case, be sure to outfit your kids, when they're young, with quality gear. It is difficult to convince a 12-year old hunting is fun in 35-degree rain when a jacket and hat aren't rainproof. If you want them to hunt when they're 40 and you're in your 70's, be sure they're having fun at 12.
What seems like a good buy in the short term can be costly in the long term. When making a hunting equipment purchasing decision weigh a lot of factors. Will I hunt more frequently? Will the hunt be more enjoyable? Will I be more successful (however you gauge that?) Is the equipment a long-term value?
Take all of this into consideration when making purchasing gear decisions. If you spend half as much money on equipment, but also hunt half as much because of its quality, then is it really a good buy? A great purchase is when your gear causes you to want to get out and hunt and makes it more relaxing. Check out www.MeskousingBoats.com and weigh these questions when making your next duck boat decision.
Take a kid harvesting.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Turning the Page
I'm not sure if humans detect changes in photoperiods, but it sure seems as if I can sense a change in the last week or two. I feel as if I'm turning the page on summer and heading into fall. Although I like fishing, it feels as if there's a pull towards getting ready for fall and the long (dare I say it?) winter. The wood needs to be split and stacked; berries are ripening and need picking; decoys need some prep work; and wild rice beds need to be scouted.
Tonight I picked some choke cherries to use in wine. I'm not sure why, as there are choke cherries in the freezer from two years ago. Maybe it was that internal solar clock telling me it is time to fatten up (not that I need any help.) More than likely it is that innate sense that hunters and gatherers have inside. We know that when the berries are ripe its time to harvest. We know that when the birds are flying, work can wait another day. Come December, we'll only have the berries we harvest this time of year. There's no chance of berry picking at Christmas. After hunting season, there are only tales to share and plans to hatch.
Fall is approaching, so take the time to enjoy the remaining days of summer. It's also a great time to get out and begin preparation for the fall. Make a list of gear that needs to be replaced, augmented, and repaired.
Tonight I picked some choke cherries to use in wine. I'm not sure why, as there are choke cherries in the freezer from two years ago. Maybe it was that internal solar clock telling me it is time to fatten up (not that I need any help.) More than likely it is that innate sense that hunters and gatherers have inside. We know that when the berries are ripe its time to harvest. We know that when the birds are flying, work can wait another day. Come December, we'll only have the berries we harvest this time of year. There's no chance of berry picking at Christmas. After hunting season, there are only tales to share and plans to hatch.
Fall is approaching, so take the time to enjoy the remaining days of summer. It's also a great time to get out and begin preparation for the fall. Make a list of gear that needs to be replaced, augmented, and repaired.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Keeping Wildlife Wild
It's baby animal season. There's nothing that gets people to say "Awwww," like a spotted fawn. Little rolley-polley black footballs, otherwise known as bear cubs, are about as cute as anything in the world. Furry little ducklings waddling across the road being led by momma will lift anybody's spirits. As cute as baby critters are, it's important that we keep wildlife wild.
Hunters love wildlife and need wildlife. We understand the precarious balance mother nature runs in keeping wildlife populations healthy. We also know that mother nature needs WILDlife to maintain that balance. Wildlife is not meant to be domesticated. Mother nature doesn't want or need domesticated deer, bear, baby birds, etc.
I am forever frustrated by people that think a fawn lying curled up in the grass has been abandoned by its mother. Wildlife does not have the same needs or exhibit the same behaviors as humans. A fawn or other baby animal is adapted to be left alone for periods of time and to survive on its own at a young age. Mother nature can get along just fine without human interference.
Let's call the do-gooders that pick up these "poor orphaned babies" what they are: thieves. They are stealing this year's recruitment from the wild. This is the same as any poacher shooting a deer. They are stealing a baby from it's mother. They are disrupting the natural events in nature's cycle.
Hunters and nature lovers, we need to help spread they word that this thievery is unacceptable.
It's summer!!! Even in northern Wisconsin.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
A nod to the past with an eye to the future
This past weekend we were at Shipwreck Adventures' demo day in Two Rivers, WI. We met some great people and had a great opportunity to showcase Meskousing Boats' Backwater skiff. Thank you, Greg Such. On Sunday, Shelley and I visited the Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, WI. What a trove of maritime information about the Great Lakes! DO NOT miss the opportunity to tour the Cobia submarine. To think 80-some sailors lived in that steel tube for 3+ months.
Of special interest to waterfowl hunters was a display of Wisconsin made wooden duck hunting skiffs and blocks (decoys.) People familiar with Meskousing Boats will recognize some similarities between the Backwater and the past skiffs. Meskousing Boats' Backwater is built upon the traditions of waterfowl hunting in Wisconsin and the Mississippi flyway. The Backwater's design improves upon these time-tested designs, but equally important is the construction materials and processes that bring us to the modern day.
Instead of using wood, we use a high-grade fiberglass that flexes in all the right ways without sacrificing structural integrity. We keep the weight down by eliminating excess resin. After all, if resin was the key of a strong hull, we'd just build the boat with resin and skip the 'glass. Our skiffs link us to preceding generations of waterfowl hunters before surface drive motors and spinning wing decoys with the advantages of modern materials.
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Of special interest to waterfowl hunters was a display of Wisconsin made wooden duck hunting skiffs and blocks (decoys.) People familiar with Meskousing Boats will recognize some similarities between the Backwater and the past skiffs. Meskousing Boats' Backwater is built upon the traditions of waterfowl hunting in Wisconsin and the Mississippi flyway. The Backwater's design improves upon these time-tested designs, but equally important is the construction materials and processes that bring us to the modern day.
Instead of using wood, we use a high-grade fiberglass that flexes in all the right ways without sacrificing structural integrity. We keep the weight down by eliminating excess resin. After all, if resin was the key of a strong hull, we'd just build the boat with resin and skip the 'glass. Our skiffs link us to preceding generations of waterfowl hunters before surface drive motors and spinning wing decoys with the advantages of modern materials.
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| Marsh skis and a skiff. |
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Probably a good thing we don't use punt guns anymore. 
Have a great spring......... into summer!
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Sunday, April 13, 2014
Spring Cleaning
Today I ventured out into the duck marsh to do some spring cleaning of the wood duck boxes I built. There's a property owner that lets me hunt on his land and as a token of appreciation I've installed a few boxes. One of them is in front of his house, which he seems to enjoy.
The marsh is a flowage, but there was still ice. Northern Wisconsin has been in a deep freeze since about Halloween and we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At least the walk in was mostly devoid of snow. The dogs got some running on grass and also got to roll around in the last snow of the year. There was enough ice for me to stand on at the first box. There were a few feathers from a woodie inside.
Due to some open water, I had to take the scenic route to the second box. This also had some duck feathers. Two for two! The geese nearby kept honking at us trying to keep us from their claim. A few mallards even flushed. The sandhill cranes sang an ancient chorus. Ah, spring is here. It may not always feel like spring, but it sounded like spring today.
I felt a bit lazy and tried to take a shortcut back to the truck. I'm fairly convinced Olive is a very simple and a bit on the slow side, but she was the smarter of the two of us today. While I worked on the wood duck box, she stayed safely on shore watching the birds. When I called her, she begrudgingly followed my beckon. About 15 feet from the wood duck box, the ice gave way. I'm not sure if the water is chest deep or if my elbows caught the ice. I got out quickly only to break through a second time. This time I remembered about the importance of rolling or climbing across the ice. It worked.
Once on shore, I emptied my hip boots and began the walk back to the truck. The air temperature was warm enough that I wasn't worried about hypothermia and even stayed fairly warm. Lesson learned. When the swimming-fool chocolate Lab won't go on the ice, don't go.
The marsh is a flowage, but there was still ice. Northern Wisconsin has been in a deep freeze since about Halloween and we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At least the walk in was mostly devoid of snow. The dogs got some running on grass and also got to roll around in the last snow of the year. There was enough ice for me to stand on at the first box. There were a few feathers from a woodie inside.
Due to some open water, I had to take the scenic route to the second box. This also had some duck feathers. Two for two! The geese nearby kept honking at us trying to keep us from their claim. A few mallards even flushed. The sandhill cranes sang an ancient chorus. Ah, spring is here. It may not always feel like spring, but it sounded like spring today.
I felt a bit lazy and tried to take a shortcut back to the truck. I'm fairly convinced Olive is a very simple and a bit on the slow side, but she was the smarter of the two of us today. While I worked on the wood duck box, she stayed safely on shore watching the birds. When I called her, she begrudgingly followed my beckon. About 15 feet from the wood duck box, the ice gave way. I'm not sure if the water is chest deep or if my elbows caught the ice. I got out quickly only to break through a second time. This time I remembered about the importance of rolling or climbing across the ice. It worked.
Once on shore, I emptied my hip boots and began the walk back to the truck. The air temperature was warm enough that I wasn't worried about hypothermia and even stayed fairly warm. Lesson learned. When the swimming-fool chocolate Lab won't go on the ice, don't go.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
DU Banquet
Thank you, Ducks Unlimited!!
Last night I had the privilege of attending the Langlade County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited annual banquet. It was held in new digs, at the Edison Club. I don't know the specific numbers, but there were more people in attendance this year than past years and DU raised a lot of money for wetland protection. It also seemed as though the people in attendance were very generous in their purchases and raffle participation.
Meskousing Boats is very pleased to have been a Sponsor. The money raised for being a sponsor equals the same amount as it takes to save an acre of wetland. Money well spent. We were also lucky and won a beautiful print of a pair of pintails in a silent auction.
We are all busy with life and can't fit in anything extra. Thank you DU volunteers for finding the time to help in such a valuable way.
Last night I had the privilege of attending the Langlade County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited annual banquet. It was held in new digs, at the Edison Club. I don't know the specific numbers, but there were more people in attendance this year than past years and DU raised a lot of money for wetland protection. It also seemed as though the people in attendance were very generous in their purchases and raffle participation.
Meskousing Boats is very pleased to have been a Sponsor. The money raised for being a sponsor equals the same amount as it takes to save an acre of wetland. Money well spent. We were also lucky and won a beautiful print of a pair of pintails in a silent auction.
We are all busy with life and can't fit in anything extra. Thank you DU volunteers for finding the time to help in such a valuable way.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
What is success on a hunt?
I recently got out for a ruffed grouse hunt with Olive. I never mounted my shotgun towards a bird, but still had a successful hunt. From my perspective, it seems as though there is a lot of focus in hunting circles on shooting limits and trophies. For me, it's about the experience. I seldom get a limit and in northern Wisconsin a lot of the waterfowl aren't in their prime plumage during our seasons. If we, as hunters, only use trophies and limits as our measuring stick for success, then we will be disappointed on a lot of other great hunts.
Many of my hunts include optimistic goals. For example, on our recent hunt I really wanted to shoot a grouse so Olive could get a retrieve. However, soaking in a finer point of the experience is what really makes it successful. We had snow the previous day and the trees all had a coating of snow. I was blazing a trail with my snowshoes, which always makes me feel like I'm a rugged individualist.
The highlight of my hunt was in the "game" I took home. I was hunting on a state wildlife area and Olive pointed a folding camp chair. It wasn't much of a point, but she sniffed it long enough to draw my attention. The chair appeared to be in good shape and even had a carrying bag left with it. The snow is at least 16 inches deep and there were no indications that someone was coming back to get it. I don't know if anyone was planning on getting it, but I also hate litter. So, I brought it home and can't wait for camping season. There might not be any meat in the freezer from my hunt, but there is some new furniture in the garage.
The hunt was also successful because we were out for over two hours. We covered some ground I hadn't seen for a while. I like going to familiar places throughout the year so I can compare game tracks, trails, water levels, etc. during the various seasons. One of the bigger reasons I like grouse hunting with Olive is that it tires her out. Another simple pleasure is the tranquility of a tired puppy in front of the fireplace.
Many of my hunts include optimistic goals. For example, on our recent hunt I really wanted to shoot a grouse so Olive could get a retrieve. However, soaking in a finer point of the experience is what really makes it successful. We had snow the previous day and the trees all had a coating of snow. I was blazing a trail with my snowshoes, which always makes me feel like I'm a rugged individualist.
The highlight of my hunt was in the "game" I took home. I was hunting on a state wildlife area and Olive pointed a folding camp chair. It wasn't much of a point, but she sniffed it long enough to draw my attention. The chair appeared to be in good shape and even had a carrying bag left with it. The snow is at least 16 inches deep and there were no indications that someone was coming back to get it. I don't know if anyone was planning on getting it, but I also hate litter. So, I brought it home and can't wait for camping season. There might not be any meat in the freezer from my hunt, but there is some new furniture in the garage.
The hunt was also successful because we were out for over two hours. We covered some ground I hadn't seen for a while. I like going to familiar places throughout the year so I can compare game tracks, trails, water levels, etc. during the various seasons. One of the bigger reasons I like grouse hunting with Olive is that it tires her out. Another simple pleasure is the tranquility of a tired puppy in front of the fireplace.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Use it or Lose it
"It's like riding a bike. You never forget how to do it."
I don't completely agree with the above maxim. Although the basic aspect of a skill can be retained, the finer points can be lost. All skills are perishable and if they aren't refreshed, refined, and honed skills begin to deteriorate. This applies to people and dogs. I know this from personal experience relating to my skills and my dogs' skills. Winter is an easy time for us in the northern climes to hibernate, watch football, read about hunting, and browse hunting catalogs. Getting out and polishing our otherwise deteriorating skills can help break the winter blahs.
Last week I renewed a friendship with a friend and got out for a pheasant hunt on a game farm. I am not a fan of canned hunts or put-and-take hunting (the reasons are for a future blog) but I view this as more of a training event. We are both avid hunters and Paul has two Griffins that are well trained, as he belongs to a local dog training club. I left Drake and Olive home because they are flushers and Paul's dogs are pointers. I didn't want my less-than well-trained dogs messing up his dogs' good time.
Our reason for going out on a day when temperatures barely reached above 0-degrees Fahrenheit was to renew a friendship and work his dogs. Most hunting seasons are over and to keep a dog sharp, it's important to get them out on birds. There's only so much that can be learned and practiced in a park or yard with a dummy wrapped with a bird wing. At some point, the dogs need a live bird to flush, get shot, and fetch it back to hand. Any dog worth taking out of the kennel will get excited with a live bird and will behave differently than when they are under a controlled environment. I am not a dog trainer, not by a long shot, but I do appreciate a well-trained dog. It was fun seeing Paul handle his dogs and how they quartered a field.
The second skill to be honed on that day was Paul's and my shooting skills. Pheasants are not the fastest quarry, proper mounting of the shotgun, target acquisition, lead, swing-through, and game marking are still necessary. Proper leading proved to be an especially perishable skill for us. The first pheasant, despite being pointed by the dogs, escaped with a couple of warning shots sent in its direction. We eventually located the bird and put it in the game carrier, but it was a reminder of how proper skills need to be practiced.
Buying pheasants and hunting on a game farm isn't the cheapest way to harvest a few birds, but the investment can pay off when the sun is breaking in the marsh and the first flight of teal come whistling into the decoys. Practicing can be expensive, but it pays off when it counts. I'm not the best shooter in the marsh, but with more time and practice I hope to be a consistent shooter.
Our reason for going out on a day when temperatures barely reached above 0-degrees Fahrenheit was to renew a friendship and work his dogs. Most hunting seasons are over and to keep a dog sharp, it's important to get them out on birds. There's only so much that can be learned and practiced in a park or yard with a dummy wrapped with a bird wing. At some point, the dogs need a live bird to flush, get shot, and fetch it back to hand. Any dog worth taking out of the kennel will get excited with a live bird and will behave differently than when they are under a controlled environment. I am not a dog trainer, not by a long shot, but I do appreciate a well-trained dog. It was fun seeing Paul handle his dogs and how they quartered a field.
The second skill to be honed on that day was Paul's and my shooting skills. Pheasants are not the fastest quarry, proper mounting of the shotgun, target acquisition, lead, swing-through, and game marking are still necessary. Proper leading proved to be an especially perishable skill for us. The first pheasant, despite being pointed by the dogs, escaped with a couple of warning shots sent in its direction. We eventually located the bird and put it in the game carrier, but it was a reminder of how proper skills need to be practiced.
Buying pheasants and hunting on a game farm isn't the cheapest way to harvest a few birds, but the investment can pay off when the sun is breaking in the marsh and the first flight of teal come whistling into the decoys. Practicing can be expensive, but it pays off when it counts. I'm not the best shooter in the marsh, but with more time and practice I hope to be a consistent shooter.
The dogs were too bushed to pose for a proper picture.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
New Year's Eve duck hunting
What's a duck hunter to do on New Year's Eve? If you hunt in a state where duck hunting is open, that's an easy answer. What if you live in northern Wisconsin and the temperature never got above 0?
For me the answer was fairly simple. Strap on some snowshoes, bundle up with some good long-johns, grab some loved ones (dogs, too) and head out to do some waterfowl and trapping scouting. I'm most successful when I duck hunt if I do a lot of scouting and have as many honey holes as possible. When the season is open I like to have as many places to hunt as I can. Finding these spots is best done outside of the season. I also like to keep a list of places to hunt, so when the season is open I don't rely on my fading memory.
Sure, the ducks are gone, but a basic knowledge about waterfowl habitat can still yield locales for future hunts. Cattails, wild rice, shallow pools, and other areas that frequented by our feathered friends can still be found during the hardwater season. Snowshoeing on the ice and frozen marshes can be a quick and relatively easy way to locate out-of-the-way duck holes.
As the snow gets deeper the snowshoeing gets better, especially for dogs. Not that the dogs can traverse the snow easier, but it tires them out faster and results in a quieter house in the evening. If our young dog doesn't get at least 45 minutes of exercise per day she is restless in the evening and makes sleeping through the night almost impossible. By taking her snowshoeing in deep snow, we can sometimes burn off enough of her energy to get two days reprieve from her puppy energy. A tired dog appreciates one of the finer things in life- a cold winter day with a warm evening by the fireplace.
For me the answer was fairly simple. Strap on some snowshoes, bundle up with some good long-johns, grab some loved ones (dogs, too) and head out to do some waterfowl and trapping scouting. I'm most successful when I duck hunt if I do a lot of scouting and have as many honey holes as possible. When the season is open I like to have as many places to hunt as I can. Finding these spots is best done outside of the season. I also like to keep a list of places to hunt, so when the season is open I don't rely on my fading memory.
Sure, the ducks are gone, but a basic knowledge about waterfowl habitat can still yield locales for future hunts. Cattails, wild rice, shallow pools, and other areas that frequented by our feathered friends can still be found during the hardwater season. Snowshoeing on the ice and frozen marshes can be a quick and relatively easy way to locate out-of-the-way duck holes.
As the snow gets deeper the snowshoeing gets better, especially for dogs. Not that the dogs can traverse the snow easier, but it tires them out faster and results in a quieter house in the evening. If our young dog doesn't get at least 45 minutes of exercise per day she is restless in the evening and makes sleeping through the night almost impossible. By taking her snowshoeing in deep snow, we can sometimes burn off enough of her energy to get two days reprieve from her puppy energy. A tired dog appreciates one of the finer things in life- a cold winter day with a warm evening by the fireplace.
I may have found a new duck hunting spots.
The deeper the snow, the more tired the puppy.
Happy New Year and Meskousing Boats looks forward to being a part of your best year!
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