gengberg November 19th, 2008
Madduck’s new posting looks at swan hunting, the similarities between the economic collapse and looming duck crisis, and the flawed effort to recruit new hunters into the duck-hunting fraternity. You won’t find these insightful analyses anywhere else. Go now to www.Madduck.org
gengberg November 14th, 2008
Warm-Weather WaterfowlingDucks and geese change their habits during warm spells, and so should hunters
by Wade Bourne
Source: Stuart McCullough, Avery Pro-StaffIt happens virtually every duck season. Hunting has been going well. New birds are showing up with each cold front. Ducks and geese are moving and feeding in predictable patterns, and the shooting is steady.
And then a warm spell sets in. The wind shifts to the south or southwest and diminishes to a gentle breeze. Windbreakers are more appropriate than heavy parkas. Hand warmers are long forgotten. And for many hunters, the shooting simply disappears.
Skies that were buzzing with waterfowl a few days earlier now have far less traffic as ducks and geese respond to the balmy conditions. Hunters curse the warm weather and hope for a return to conditions that are more appropriate to the season.
So what’s a duck hunter to do? Stop hunting until the north wind returns? Absolutely not, say Tyson Keller and Hunter Johnson. Waterfowl still fly and feed when it’s warm, and hunting can be worthwhile for those who know how to adjust to the temperate conditions. While these two veteran waterfowlers agree that hunting is better when the chill is on, they don’t sit on the sidelines when it’s not. The season is too short for that.
Both Keller and Johnson are members of the Avery Outdoors pro-staff. Keller, a South Dakotan, routinely targets Canada geese that concentrate on Lake Oahe and feed in surrounding grainfields. Johnson runs Locked Wings and Labs, a guide service in Missouri, where he mainly pursues puddle ducks in flooded fields and moist-soil areas. “Because we’re a guide service, we have to hunt regardless of the weather conditions,” Johnson says. “When it’s warm, the hunting may not be as good, but we still take a fair number of birds.”
During warm spells, both Johnson and Keller adjust their hunting tactics to match changes in the birds’ feeding habits. When the next warm stretch hits, adopting some of their warm-weather strategies might help you stay in the action.
Ducks When the Heat is On
“There are two types of warm spells,” Hunter Johnson says. “The first is two or three warm days in the midseason. This is just a temporary warm stretch when ducks don’t feed as much and are in a loafing mood. When a spell like this comes along, ducks don’t burn a lot of energy, so they don’t move around as much looking for food.”
Johnson finds that when ducks do feed during a warm period, they gravitate to soybeans, moist-soil plants, and invertebrates. And when feeding during a warm spell, ducks are usually in a relaxed mode, scattered broadly instead of bunched up tightly. Typically, there will be several feet between each bird.
To match these feeding patterns, Johnson often changes locations to hunt over the right type of food. He also uses fewer decoys than normal and scatters them. “I’ll put 10, 20, or even 30 feet between each decoy,” he says. “This presents a contented look that is more natural to ducks in warm weather.” Continue Reading »
gengberg November 10th, 2008
Fishing and hunting tips and reports from pro anglers and guides Wally Banfi, Tony Puccio, and Gary Engberg. Tune in here, on line, or live Saturdays at 8:00 AM on WTDY 1670 AM.
gengberg November 10th, 2008
As of November 10, 2008:
Fishing, Outdoor, and Event Reports for Eagle River, Wisconsin,
Wausau/Central Wisconsin area; Lake of the Woods and Rainy River out of
Sportsman’s Lodge (Baudette, Minnesota).
1. THIS WEEK’S HEADLINES:
– The emerald shiner run on the Rainy River and an aggressive bite on Lake
of the Woods, both providing top-flight walleye action, out of Sportsman’s
Lodge, Baudette, Minnesota.
– Musky picking up, crappies and bluegills hitting well, with walleye and
northern average, in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.
– Great walleye, crappie and bluegill action, with a very good musky bite,
and big bucks abound for bow hunters as the rut is in full swing, in the
Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.
2. WEEKLY OUTDOOR AND FISHING REPORTS, and current calendars:
***Eagle River, Wis. (VILAS COUNTY) — as of November 10, 2008:
(Head): Musky picking up, crappies and bluegills hitting well, with walleye
and northern average, in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.
With the unusually warm temperatures, the musky bite slowed down markedly,
but cooler weather is starting to bring the musky bite back up in the Eagle
River area. Concentrate on deep weed edges over hardbottom areas. Fish 10
to 15 feet on clearwater lakes, and 6 to 10 feet on darkwater lakes. Run
suckers in the 14 inch range, or cast cramkbaits, Suzy Suckers, Bulldawgs or
glide baits.
Crappies are active in the Eagle River area. Fish either weeds in 15 feet
of water or less, or over deep water cribs or brushpiles in 25 feet of
water, where the crappies will suspend two to four feet off the bottom. Use
a crappie minnow under a slip bobber.
Bluegills are in the weeds in the Eagle River area. Fish 15 feet of water
or less. Use a crappie minnow or a chunk of crawler.
The walleye action in the Eagle River area is average. Fish deep weed edges
in 8 to 20 fee of water, depending on the lake. Use a jig and a minnow.
Northern are hitting in and around the weeds in 15 feet of water or less.
Use a walleye sucker or northern sucker minnow under a slip bobber, or cast
a Husky Jerk in a minnow or perch pattern.
(Report for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce based on Creative
Brilliance interview with licensed guide, Mat Hegy of Guides Choice Pro
Shop).
Contact info for Eagle River:
* Eagle River Chamber of Commerce; 800-359-6315; 715-479-6400; e-mail:
info@eagleriver.org; web: www.eagleriver.org
* Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, 715-477-2248
* George Langley, Eagle River Fishing Guides Association, 715-479-8804.
e-mail: fishing@eaglesportscenter.com
—– Continue Reading »
gengberg November 7th, 2008
November 7, 2008
For more information contact:
Ted Novin
203-426-1320
NEWTOWN, Conn. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry — issued the following statement in response to study results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released by the North Dakota Department of Health, showing no evidence that lead or “traditional” ammunition pose any health risk to those who consume harvested game meat.
Recognizing that hunters and their families may be concerned or confused by recent news reports about the study, NSSF encourages every individual who may consume harvested game meat to read the NSSF statement, fact box and CDC report made available in this news release.
Facts Hunters Should Know from the CDC Study . . .
1. Consuming game harvested using traditional hunting ammunition does not pose a human health risk.
2. Participants in the study had readings lower than the national average and well below the level the CDC considers to be of concern.
3. Children in the study had readings that were less than half the national average and far below the level the CDC considers to be of concern.
4. The study showed a statistically insignificant difference between participants who ate game harvested using traditional hunting ammunition and the non-hunters in the control group.
5. Hunters should continue to donate venison to food pantries. Continue Reading »
gengberg November 4th, 2008
Madduck calls to your attention our latest feature — a daily updating of news related to ducks and duck hunting. Go now to www.Madduck.org and click on “Items of Interest” in the left hand column. We have been updating it on a trial basis for the past month. It is now a permanent feature. We are certain you will find many items that will keep you abreast of the latest developments and pique your curiosity.
gengberg November 3rd, 2008
As of November 3, 2008:
Fishing, Outdoor, and Event Reports for Eagle River, Wisconsin,
Wausau/Central Wisconsin area; Lake of the Woods and Rainy River out of
Sportsman’s Lodge (Baudette, Minnesota).
1. THIS WEEK’S HEADLINES:
– Walleye bite strong on both the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods, with
grouse and duck hunting excellent on the south end of Lake of the Woods, out
of Sportsman’s Lodge, Baudette, Minnesota.
– Excellent northern action, with a good musky, walleye and crappie bite
in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.
– Trophy muskies and northerns hitting, with excellent action for smallies,
walleyes, white bass and crappies in the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.
- - 2. WEEKLY OUTDOOR AND FISHING REPORTS, and current calendars:
***Eagle River, Wis. (VILAS COUNTY) — as of November 3, 2008:
(Head): Excellent northern action, with a good musky, walleye and crappie
bite in the Eagle River, Wisconsin area.
Northern are hitting often and hard in the Eagle River area. Fish in and
around the weeds in 15 feet of water or less. Use a four to five inch
sucker or chub under a slip bobber. Husky Jerks in minnow patterns are also
producing well.
The musky bite in the Eagle River area is good and continuing to improve.
The musky are primarily locating in 25 feet of water or less over hardbottom
areas adjacent to the outside of the weeds. Suckers on quick-set rigs in the
12 to 15 inch range are working, as well as jerkbaits and crankbaits. The
muskies are going into the upper 40s in size, with some 50 inch plus fish
reported, but not verified.
The walleye action in the Eagle River area is good, but it can be sporadic.
Fish deep water mudflats in 18 to 30 feet of water, using a jig and a
fathead minnow.
Crappie are hitting in deep water over structure. Fish 18 to 30 feet of
water, targeting the crappies two to four feet off the bottom. Use a
crappie minnow under a slip bobber.
(Report for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce based on Creative
Brilliance interview with licensed guide, Mat Hegy of Guides Choice Pro
Shop).
Contact info for Eagle River:
* Eagle River Chamber of Commerce; 800-359-6315; 715-479-6400; e-mail:
info@eagleriver.org; web: www.eagleriver.org
* Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, 715-477-2248
* George Langley, Eagle River Fishing Guides Association, 715-479-8804.
e-mail: fishing@eaglesportscenter.com Continue Reading »
gengberg October 30th, 2008
Now, Michigan can be added to the list of states that have confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD. Presence of the disease was officially confirmed August 25, when the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa reported that a deer from a privately owned game farm in Kent County had tested positive for CWD. The deer facility is located just north of the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan in the Lower Peninsula.
The infected deer was a doe that had recently been culled from the game farm by the owner. Michigan law requires that sick or culled deer from any privately owned cervid (POC) facility be tested for disease. Cervids are deer, elk, and moose. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease that can affect all cervids. Most cases of the disease have been in Western states, but in the last decade CWD has made its way into some Midwestern and Eastern states.
CWD has been found in commercial game farms in Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, and New York. In the last decade, the disease has also been found in wild deer and elk in some new states including; northern Illinois, south-central New Mexico, northeastern and central Utah, south-central and south-eastern Wisconsin, central New York, north-east West Virginia, Kansas, and now in the province of
Saskatchewan. There also was CWD found in deer at a game farm in Korea. Continue Reading »
gengberg October 24th, 2008
Rarely do I try to talk or write about politics. But, with the country’s presidential election coming soon, the last thing that I want to do is to tell someone who to vote for this November. Voting is the great thing about this country which allows all citizens the right to pick the candidate of their choice. Personally, my politics are a little right of center, but that it not the important issue. The issue is to do some research on how both McCain and Obama stand on issues that are important to you and then make sure that you vote. If you fail to vote, you’re giving up one of great rights America gives its citizens. If you don’t vote, then you have no right to complain about what an elected official is doing.
Issues that concern me are the environment, alternative energy sources (solar, wind, bio), Second Amendment rights, and of course the economy. There is no doubt that we have to become less dependent on fossil fuels and keep developing new energy sources. While developing new energy sources, we have to be sure to maintain the environment and keep working on cleaner fuels without any further pollution. I suggest that voters check on where the candidates stand on drilling for oil in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) and off the country’s coasts. Another energy issue of importance is clean coal and ethanol. The point is to make up your OWN mind based upon your views and where your candidate of choice stands on issues that are important to you. Don’t let slick advertisements and television commercials divert you from picking a president based upon how they represent what is important to you. If you are a conservationist and outdoors-person as I am, see how the two candidates stack up on these issues
I registered deer Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the four-day Wisconsin Antlerless Deer Hunt. There were many hunters out during this “special season” and many were hunting to get their buck tag. But, many of the hunters were out hunting deer for food for their families. The sagging economy has hit people and individuals that never thought about going to a food pantry or second-hand shop are now being forced to seek help and change their spending habits. Venison has become a much wanted food commodity at local food pantries as the economy and job situation worsens in much of the country.
Why not let the surplus deer help those who have fallen upon tough times during this downturn in the economy? People are finding that venison is a great meat and low in fat. There has yet to be anyone get sick from a properly cleaned and dressed deer that they have eaten. We have an abundance of deer in Wisconsin, so why not lower herd numbers and help the needy at the same time? Continue Reading »
gengberg October 24th, 2008
As of October 20 , 2008:
Fishing, Outdoor, and Event Reports for Eagle River, Wisconsin,
Wausau/Central Wisconsin area; Lake of the Woods and Rainy River out of
Sportsman’s Lodge (Baudette, Minnesota).
1. THIS WEEK’S HEADLINES:
– Emerald shiner run in full-swing on the Rainy River, with walleyes in
hot pursuit, providing great action, as well as a top northern bite, along
with excellent hunting opportunities for grouse, ducks and elk on the south
end of Lake of the Woods, out of Sportsman’s Lodge, Baudette, Minnesota.
– Musky bite very good and getting even better, with excellent action for
northern and crappie, and smallies hitting slow, in the Eagle River,
Wisconsin area.
– Very good musky action, with walleye, smallies, largemouth and crappies
providing a good bite, in the Wausau/Central Wisconsin area.
- - EDITOR’S NOTES: Information for all upcoming Wisconsin hunting and
trapping seasons is posted at the end of these reports, with gracious thanks
to guide Phil Schweik of Hooksetters Fishing & Hunting Guide Services,
Mosinee, for providing the excellent information.
- -See a detailed explanation of “turnover” at the close of the reports
under “Item 3″ - - “WARNINGS AND INFO FOR A FEW WEEKS OUT” - -important that
all anglers understand and know how to deal with this yearly phenomenon.
—–
2. WEEKLY OUTDOOR AND FISHING REPORTS, and current calendars:
***Eagle River, Wis. (VILAS COUNTY) — as of October 20, 2008:
(Head): Musky bite very good and getting even better, with excellent action
for northern and crappie, and smallies hitting slow, in the Eagle River,
Wisconsin area.
It’s musky time in the Eagle River area! Very strong and aggressive bite,
and it’s getting better each day. Musky hunters are hanging 12 to 20 inch
suckers in 8 to 12 feet of water over the weeds, and throwing spinner baits,
bigger bucktails, and Suzy Suckers over the shallower weeds, in 5 to 8 feet
of water. Some anglers are landing and releasing! - -two to three nice
muskies on a single outing.
Northern are excellent in the Eagle River area albeit the fish are on the
small side. Still a lot of fun action! Fish shallow weeds, in 2 to 4 feet
of water, using spinners and “free hooked” bigger sucker minnows. “Free
hooking,” means hooking a minnow in the back, and dropping it using a
bobber, which allows the minnows to “free swim,” which is very attractive to
both northerns and walleyes.
Walleyes in the Eagle River are are putting on a good bite in 15 to 20 feet
of water. Fish the green weeds, and use a jig and a minnow, or “free hook”
a walleye sucker minnow. Lots of small fish being caught.
Crappies are putting on a very good bite in the Eagle River area, and
hanging out with the walleyes in 15 to 20 feet of water. Fish 1 to 3 feet
off the bottom using a jig and a minnow. Some nice slabs are being caught.
The kids will enjoy going after perch (mostly all small) which are hitting
very well in the shallow weeds in 2 to 6 feet of water. Use a minnow.
(Report for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce based on Creative
Brilliance interview with the staff of Guides Choice Pro Shop).
Contact info for Eagle River:
* Eagle River Chamber of Commerce; 800-359-6315; 715-479-6400; e-mail:
info@eagleriver.org; web: www.eagleriver.org
* Guide’s Choice Pro Shop, 715-477-2248
* George Langley, Eagle River Fishing Guides Association, 715-479-8804.
e-mail: fishing@eaglesportscenter.com
—–
***Some outdoor activities and events coming up in Eagle River, Wisconsin:
Eagle River, The Snowmobile Capital of the World®, voted number one as The
People’s Choice “The Best Wisconsin Town for a Snowmobiling Getaway.”
Thousands from the state and nation voted in The Wonders of Wisconsin
competition. Eagle River was also ranked number three for “Best Town for a
Fishing Getaway” and “Best Town for a Boating Getaway.”
- - Sat.-Tues., Oct. 18-21, 2008: Ranger Rick’s Fall Musky School. To be
held at various lakes in the Eagle River area. Hands-on expert tutelage from
one of Eagle River’s legendary guides. Eagle River Area Chamber of
Commerce & Visitors Center: 800-359-6315; e-mail: info@eagleriver.org; web:
www.eagleriver.org
GENERAL: The fall season in Eagle River, Wisconsin means many things:
Beautiful crisp weather, pristine forest with the fall colors of vibrant
reds, golds, and yellows; 1200 lakes including the Eagle River Chain of 28
lakes (the largest freshwater chain of lakes in the world), providing
excellent fall fishing along with unmatched deer, bear, bird, and waterfowl
hunting. Great time for hiking, biking, birding, picnicking, fall
festivals, fabulous fishing, hunting, exploring and just plain relaxing.
Eagle River Chamber of Commerce; 800-359-6315; 715-479-6400; web:
www.eagleriver.org Continue Reading »
Gary at a live remote hosting his weekly radio show Outdoor Horizons on 1670 WTDY Madison. You can listen every Saturday from 8:00 am - 8:30 am.
Also, make sure to listen in to Gary's weekly tips.
