Article by Mark Hackbarth

AVERY OUTDOORS
T&T Life Size Snow and Blue Goose Shells
This is the more affordable way to one of the most realistic looking, anatomically correct snow goose spreads available. These shells are 5/8 the size of a regular plastic full body snow or blue goose decoy and about 1/3 of the cost. Life size shells are stackable for maximum space efficiency from a plastic decoy. Each box includes one dozen decoys and one dozen fiberglass spring motion stakes. They come custom painted with juvie and adult snow and blue goose paint schemes. This spread of decoys will offer not only the realism needed for decoying geese, but are also some of the best looking most durable available. Packages are sold per dozen and priced at $159.99 Check out the full line at Cabela’s, Sportsman’s Warehouse, and Mack’s Prairie Wings locations or online. www.averyoutdoors.com

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Saturday February 23Kids Duck - 10am
- 17 and under
- No contest wins allowed
- Free entry
- Prizes

Novice Meat Duck - 11am
- $25 entry
- No novice wins
- No top 3 in state or regional
- Cash Payout

Red Bear “Winner Take All” Open Duck - 12:30pm
- $30 entry
- Open to all callers
- Cash Payout. Winner Takes All!

2-Man Duck - 2pm
- $20/Team entry
- Open to all callers
- Can compete on 2 teams
- Cash Payout

Sunday February 24

Kids Goose - 11am
- 17 and under
- No contest wins allowed
- Free Entry
- Prizes

Novice Goose - 12pm
- $20 entry
- No novice wins allowed
- No top 3 in state or regional
- Cash Payout

Red Bear “Winner Takes All” Open Goose - 1:30pm
- $30 entry
- Open to all callers
- Cash Payout. Winner Takes All!

2-Man Goose - 2:30
- $20/team entry
- Open to all callers
- Can compete on 2 teams
- Cash Payout

For more info call Paul @ 507-625-4872
Or email redbearhunting@aol.com

http://www.redbearhunting.com/

Because of minimal regulations, location along the Mississippi flyway, and large quantities of many duck species, Missouri duck hunting is popular among waterfowl hunters. According to Jim Low of the Missouri Department of Conservation (mo.gov, 08/19/07), surveys have determined that the estimated number of ducks has increased 14% since last year and is the 5th highest since 1955. During the duck hunting season, they can be hunted from a half hour before sunrise until sunset. Ducks frequent flooded soybean and rice fields, which we offer seasonal leases for.

As indicated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, a large number of ducks and other birds migrate through eastern and northern Missouri while taking the Mississippi flyway migratory route, as the Mississippi River runs along the eastern border of Missouri. This flyway helps to make duck hunting in Missouri especially fruitful. However, being guided by an expert hunter can help make your expedition more successful by ensuring that the best techniques and hunting locations are utilized during your hunt.

Guided duck hunting in Missouri’s southeast, which is part of the Mississippi flyway, is available either with the use of layout boats or ground pits. Layout boats are especially good for duck hunts because they are small and allow hunters to lay down almost flat, making it harder for ducks to see them. We offer a guided Missouri duck hunting service for two to four hunters; a bird hunting dog can come along with groups of four. For more details and booking information on this, as well as non-guided hunts and seasonal leases contact Jon Eaton .

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Tomorrow begins another hunting season for most of us. We’ve waited and waited, and it is finally here. For most of us, we’ve been watching videos, cleaning and organizing decoys, mudding blinds, and polishing up our calling skills. The anticipation is great, but make sure you are thinking when you head out tomorrow.

By now, you’ve probably got your #1 field lined up. You’ve probably thought out a good plan of attack for the morning shoot. However, you need to help yourself out by thinking of ways to keep these birds uneducated.

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The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service division of Migratory Bird Management has released the 2007 waterfowl population status report. You can find the report here:

Waterfowl Population Status, 2007

Also, you can find the regulations framework here:

Proposed Federal Regulations

Red Bear Hunting Calling Contest
Mankato Mn
507-625-4872 Paul Beinke

Saturday August 4th
11am – Kids Duck 11-under and 12 -17
12 Noon – Novice Meat Duck
1:30 pm – 2-Man Meat Duck

Sunday August 5th

11am – Kids Goose 11- Under and 12-17
12 Noon – Novice Goose
1:30 pm – 2-Man Goose

Ever sit and draw your decoy layout for the next morning on paper? Do you just wish you had an easy way to get everyone on the same page before setting decoys in the dark? This small application can help you with that. You can get to it by clicking on the ‘Decoy App’ link under the Navigation menu to the left. Instructions for using the application can be found on the bottom of the application page.

Please take the time to give it a try. You can post your decoy layouts as threads in the forums!  If you need help or have a question with the application, your best to get help from the Goose Refuge staff in the forums.

Well, we are getting through the winter off season! Most of us by this time are getting the itch for spring snow goose hunting. We know this time of the year is trip planning time for most, so we thought we’d put together a quick guide for the upcoming hunt.

Where to start? Well, as most of us generally don’t have the flexible schedule required to leave town on a short — one or two days notice, you’re going to have to take a good educated guess on where and when to plan your trip. Here is a general time-linefor the migration: (more…)

Stuttgart Arkansas has long been the duck hunting capital of the mid-west, but in the last few years Southeast Missouri is quickly becoming a rival as the new favorite spot of any type of waterfowl hunting and as the water levels of the Grand Prairie’s Alluvial Aquifer in Arkansas are quickly being depleted. As rice production continues to rise in SE Missouri, the winter habitat for both geese and ducks is expanding.

Southeast Missouri is located beneath the traditional migration routes of the Mississippi flyway. With SE Missouri having multiple rivers, conservation areas and abundant rice fields, waterfowl are finding no need to travel any further south. Having found the perfect habitat to refuel after the long flight south many waterfowl are content to winter there and await for the migration back north in the spring.

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For those in the northern states, the wait for spring snows has begun. The recent cold snap might help in turning some of that obnoxious winter rain into accumulating snowfall. It sure would be nice to see a snow line this spring! Here is the current snow depth image:

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