Final Exam

The thing I enjoyed most about Will Gilmer's guest lecture was without a doubt the water and poo song.

Opening Weekend

Hello Hunters,

Well, another opening day has come and gone. Most hunters in the region have reported killing good numbers of birds. I personally had an outstanding hunt We killed 54 total ducks, of which 15 were mallards, 20 were gadwall and the rest were finished out by greenwing teal, which were in the place thick. Other hunter reported the same type of success. If you had water on this weekend, you had ducks is what is going around. With the weather being so dry many people did not have water in their holes. This week is supposed to be a wet one so keep your fingers crossed and hold some water, then you should hold the ducks.

Thanks,
John Craig Patterson
Delta Duck Club President

Opening Day

Hello Hunters,

Opening day is finally here. Nevember 23rd is the day we have been waiting for. This friday hunters will filling their blinds and all of the hard work and anticipation will be paying off. Many people in our area are reporting large numbers of waterfowl in their holes. With the large number of birds in the area record numbers of hunters will be in the field so stay safe. Also dont forget the bag limits and the number of birds that can shoot. Also do not forget to purchase your state and federal waterfowl stamps. If you need to refresh your memory you can find all season dates and bag limits at www.mdwfp.com.

Thanks,
John Craig Patterson
Delta Duck Club President

Cold Weather Pushing Ducks

Hello Hunters,

With superstorm Sandy wreacking havoc in the northeast, many types of waterfowl have been pushing south due to the cold temperatures. Temperatues are expected to be in the mid thirties for the next ten days. This is good news for waterfowlers since most ducks move south only because of snow cover or frozen water. If the high temperature stays at or below freezing in northern states expect a great number of waterfowl in our area. Keep your fingers crossed that the cold trend continues.

Good Hunting,
John Craig Patterson
Delta Duck Club President

Birds Showing Up

Hello Hunters,

With the opening of waterfowl season just a couple weeks away, most of us have our holes flooded and food planted anxiously awaiting the arrival of a few birds. Well, I can report some good news. With the recent cool weather and storm fronts coming through, Most people in the delta are holding a few ducks. While in the area this weekend I saw large flocks of speckeled belly geese and northern shovelers. With any luck the cool trend will continue and get below freezing in many places up north. With the lack of food due to the severe drought suffered throughout the midwest this summer and hopefully some cold weather, We could be in for a waterfowl season for the record books. Keep your fingers crossed!

Thanks,
John Craig Patterson
Delta Duck Club President

Decoy Spread

Hello Hunters,

One of the most important things you can do when trying to get waterfowl to come within gun range is to have the right decoy spread. Many times ducks will not commit to you because the spread looks unnatural to them. Wind is also a major factor. Having wind adds movement to your decoys and also helps the ducks to land. Always have the wind at your back so the ducks will land in your face. Waterfowl tend to most always land into the wind. For more information on your decoy spreads you can visit www.ducks.org for assistance.

John Craig Patterson
Delta Duck Club President

Dog Training

Hello Hunters,

One of the most exciting things for duck dog owners is seeing your time and patience pay off in the field with a successful retrieve. Many dog owners dream of having a great retriever but its not that simple. It requires lots of time, energy, and patience to get your pup into hunting form. It all starts at the beginning by selecting a good puppy. This can be done by carefully watching the puppies and seeing how they respond to you. After you make your selection many people opt to send the dog off for training. There are many good training schools out there. Read reviews and make sure you send the dog to a good one. Many companies endorse these places and it is always a good idea to look for these. Ducks Unlimited and Orvis are two companies that come to mind when thinking of duck dog reviews. Look at these two companies web pages when searching for trainers or puppies and good luck this coming year.

John Craig Patterson
Delta Duck Club President